A Guide to Animal Shelter Terminology

We’re all pet people here, so it’s time to let you in on a little secret: Sometimes shelter volunteers, staff, and foster parents care so much for their temporary feline and canine residents, that they only see the best in them. This can be great for shelter pets, who all deserve to be adored. But it can also lead to unfortunate misunderstandings. For instance, a pet parent who decided to adopt based on the shelter’s description of a “young, energetic and loyal dog,” may come to realize that their new pup may also have generalized anxiety or separation anxiety.

While it’s understandable that shelter staff want to put every pet’s best paw forward, it can ultimately result in adopters bringing home pets they aren’t prepared for, which doesn’t benefit anybody. So here are some tips and tricks for decoding animal-shelter terminology and preparing for deeper meanings in those cute descriptions.

What common animal shelter terminology really means 

We spoke with Jennen Herbst, Fear Free certified dog trainer, American Kennel Club (AKC) evaluator, and dog-bite prevention educator, to get her take on the most commonly misinterpreted cat and dog descriptions listed on shelter placards and found in online pet-profile descriptions.

To be clear, none of these descriptions should prevent you from adopting a pet, nor are they necessarily loaded with alternate interpretations. These are simply common terms that could have a somewhat nuanced meaning which adopters should understand. The goal here is to give potential pet parents all the tools needed to provide the best care for these adoptees, so both parent and pet can thrive together.

Terminology you’ll encounter when browsing adoptable pets 

• “Enthusiastic” can indicate a high-energy pet who needs a job or a lot of stimulation. These pets may be best suited to homes without young children or elderly people.

• “Queen/King” is often used to describe a pet who’s not a great contender for living with other animals (or often small children).

• “Lap-Dogs/Lap-Cats” can mean the pet needs a lot of attention and has many needs.

• “Loyal” (commonly used to describe dogs) may indicate that a pet may be protective of their family members or even their possessions. This is a personality trait to be aware of, and can be improved through training.

Terminology you’ll encounter during a shelter visit 

• “Nervous” can indicate more serious issues, including extreme fear or anxiety.

• “Strong-willed” is often used to describe a pet who needs a parent willing to put a lot of time into training.

• “High-maintenance” can describe a pet who may need a lot of grooming, mental enrichment, or even medication for special needs.

• “Intense” pets may have trouble interacting with people and/or other animals. They may lack boundaries or display more serious behavioral issues.

• “Trainable” pets sound pretty perfect but can point to a high level of intelligence and drive to solve problems or challenges. This means you’ll need to devote time to train them and provide mental enrichment.

Terminology you’ll encounter during an evaluation

• “Selective” could indicate behavioral problems, such as reactivity and resource guarding.

• “Altercation” is an important one to take seriously, she says, because "altercation may make it seem like the dog was not in anything big, but [the shelter] could be avoiding giving all the information on how serious it was."

Questions to ask an animal shelter

Getting as much information as possible beyond the short descriptions shelter volunteers and staff write makes it more likely that your adoption will be successful. And shelter staff want that, too. “Research, research, research,” Herbst says, regarding her tips on selecting a pet to bring home. “Ask all of the questions. You can never ask too many.”

If the shelter knows which breeds you’re interested in, Herbst recommends researching those breeds to learn about their characteristics, typical mental and physical needs, potential health issues, and problem behaviors. Not every pet of a certain breed will share each characteristic, especially in mixed breeds, but it can’t hurt to have all the information ready.

Questions to ask when adopting a dog

• What is the dog’s history?

• What was the dog like in previous homes?

• Does the dog have any medical issues?

• Has the dog been in any altercations?

• Does the dog have any guarding behavior? 

• How does the dog act around children?

• How does the dog behave around the elderly?

• How does the dog act around women versus men? 

• How much exercise does the dog require? 

• Does this dog need a lot of mental stimulation?

• What breed or breed mix is the dog?

• How does the dog act around other dogs?

• How does the dog act around cats?

Questions to ask when adopting a cat

• How did the cat come to the rescue or shelter?

• What was the cat’s behavior if they were in a home before the shelter?

• Does the cat have any medical issues?

• Has the cat been in any fights?

• Does the cat get along with children?

• Is the cat a good fit for an elderly pet parent?

• How does the cat act around women vs. men?

• How much exercise does the cat require? 

• Does the cat need a lot of mental stimulation?

• What breed or breed mix is the cat?

• How does the cat do with other cats?

Pet adoption tips 

Once you’ve asked all the questions you can think of — and feel confident that the pet will be a good fit for your family and home — it’s time to take the next step and bring your new family member home. While each new pet will have an adjustment period, new pet parents often face a few common issues (especially if they didn’t follow our above advice). Here are a few of the most common issues Herbst sees with newly adopted pets and how they typically come to light.

Minor behavioral issues

Potty training, anxiety, destructiveness, and other annoying (but minor) behavior problems can happen when pets move into a new home. “These may not always be noticed at a shelter or if they had settled into a foster home,” Herbst says. She adds that these “can come about as a pet is settling in.”

Intra-animal issues

“Not every dog gets along with every other dog right away — or ever,” Herbst says. The same is true for all animals (even humans). “Bringing a new pet into the home can change the dynamics and cause behavior issues,” she says. “Even if the resident pet seems to be having issues, the adopted pet could pick up on that.”

Bonding takes time

“It takes time for people to really get to know their pets and for the pets to really get to know their new families,” Herbst says. Many people have high expectations for a perfect transition, especially if they’ve been close with their pets in the past. When a new pet isn’t fitting in immediately, people often assume something is wrong instead of giving their new pet time to adjust and settle in.

Inexperienced pet parents

To combat some of the most common issues new pet parents face (such as struggling with training), Herbst recommends that adopters ask the rescue or shelter to share the resources they’ve already tried — and to work with a trainer who already knows the pet, if possible.

“Try setting up an initial session with them to discuss specifics that could help the pet settle in,” she says. “If they don’t have one available, you can reach out to any local positive [reinforcement] trainer for a start-up session.”

References 

Determining Factors for Successful Adoption of Dogs From an Animal Shelter

Dogs in Animal Shelters: Problems, Suggestions, and Needed Expertise