What to check in a rescued JRT

[searer]

In my long quest to to adopt a rescue JRT, tomorrow my dog (7 year old JRT female) will be travelling about 100Km (by train) to meet on neutral ground a new perspective dog: 3 year old neutered JRT, rescued by a small branch of a big national rescue organization, currently living at a small shelter. This dog was found limping (probably after a car accident, posterior leg was broken) about two years ago by a man with mental problems that is also an animal hoarder (not an "abusive" one though, as the animals were living on a big farm , going in and out his home, well fed but otherwise not cared for, no vet etc..). On this "farm" there were about 30 other dogs (sizes assorted), cats, goats etc.. all living together, with no sign of abuse, mistreatment or fights between the animals, probably due to the quantities of food lavished on everybody, the big dogs were quite overweight. About two months ago this guy did have his definnow started to get the animals in shelters and to rescue groups etc..to get them medically evaluated, cured, spayed/neutered and finally adopted. This particular dog has been operated so he can now walk properly (the bone has been rebroken and has now healed), is healthy and a good looking boy: tricoloured, short legs etc..The volunteers (that are not the starry eyed type but quite experienced) say that he is very affectionate and sociable but of course untrained (but clean, he does not even pee in his kennel so he must have been housetrained once) on leash etc.."even if not much for a JRT"; they have also reported that he is not aggressive at all, only once after the operation and 10 days of 24/7 of Elizabethan collar he did growl to the vet so they had to put a muzzle on him for the rest of post-op checks but otherwise he is okay, no prey drive (on birds, cats and furry animals), no dominance etc with volunteers but he definitely does not like other male dogs (he's been neutered about one month ago). As we have agreed with the rescue that this is just a meeeting to see if my dog and me are compatible with him, I have no obligation whatsoever, and I would like to have your advice on what to check and look for behaviourally (he has a clean bill of health from a reputable vet) in the 2 hours and more we will spend together (there wil be also two volunteers) in a quiet city park (so both dogs will be on leash). I have already done some web research and while I read and dowloaded a lot of stuff, it seems to me that the best concise behaviour ezamination is this on http://www.pbrc.net/temperament.html, let me know if you disagree or have other suggestions.
Also I am ordering : "Second Hand-Dog: How to Turn Yours in a First-Rate Pet" of Carol Lea Benjamin, "Adoptable Dog" of John Ross and "Second Start: Creative Re-Homing for Dogs", as they are recommended by a lot of rescue groups: do you have other suggestions on rescued dogs and dogs training/behaviour books/web sites etc..
Thank you all for your help
Searer

[flyndog]

According to that test, my Yorkie is aggressive and would not be tested past the first question! Try this link to the American Temperament Test Society. http://www.atts.org/testdesc.html

All tests are just a snapshot of a dog's behavior at a particular place in time and space. Of 9 papers published in peer-reviewed journals (that I'm aware of) about the effectiveness of temperatment tests, none have proved conclusively that the tests are good predictors of future behavior.

Concerning reading resources:
The US Humane Society website has good info for adopters - http://hsus.org/pets/pet_adoption_information/

Ditto, the ASPCA website
http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer...ame=adopt_home

[searer]

Thank you flyindog, I checked the links and downloaded lots of stufff. However the american Temperament test is just impractical to doi in a park, involving too much equipment, a registered tester etc..

[searer]

As I wrote you yesterday Ada (my dog) and me went to meet the new dog, named Bon by the volunteers of the rescue . He’s gorgeous, he’s nice, he’s sweet. I’m in love. Mmmmh…But seriously he’s very pretty (I’m posting the pics the rescue has on their site, now he is not so thin and even looks better), nice coat, nice body, nice colour, wonderful big white paws, of course we are talking pet quality but what are the purist standards for JRTs anyway ? Very short powerful legs, even the injured one that was broken in two points probably in a car accident, in the femur (first fracture already operated and reduced by the orthopedic surgeon) and on the tibia (that will be operated on within 2 weeks): he can not use it for balance, but not yet to put his weight (the tendon is kept shortened by the scar tissue so his foot is pulled back) so he is currently undergoing physiotherapy (massages, manipulations but mainly walking on grass or sand and going up and down the stairs). Dear suebgone, it is true,it was abuse, abuse through neglect, leaving a dog with a broken leg to fend for himself,he has his little face criss-crossed with scars (now disappearing) by attacks by bigger dogs of the “pack”.
But the best is his temperament: very sweet, he let me pet him all over ending up with his belly up, closing his (big, brown eyes, I’m gushing I know) eyes in the process and kissing my hand, do not pull on the leash, sociable (we were in a park and while we tried to stay in a quiet area there were a lot of people, with bicycles and children, wanting to pet “Two Jack Russells !”, the two dogs basking in the attention, kissing etc..Plus the two dogs “clicked” immediately, as soon as they met, they sniffed each other and then kissed on the noses and scampered happily toward the park. Later on when the park emptied a bit, they slept about an hour on the grass,back to back, the little Bon putting his head on my foot. We walked about one hour, me with the leashes, he did not pull, just stopped to sniff, he was very interested in other dogs, people atc..but absolutely not aggressive, no prey drive on smaller dogs, birds, squirrels and rabbits. When Ada and me went back toward the train station (we went by train), he started to whimper and tried to follow us, poor thing, and Ada was pulling back, a real tearjerker afternoon’end.
All in all it was a success, and I have agreed with the rescue that he will be visited by the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to confirm the date of the last operation: if it will next week, after it he will stay at least one week in the clinic and then will come home straight to us, if the surgeon wants to wait, we will take him home immediately but I don’t think is not a good solution because as soon he will be a bit confortable with the new home and routine , he will have to go back for the operation and as he will have to stay at least three days in the clinic after the operation, I fear he will feel abandoned a second time. IMO it would be better if he get his operation done as soon as possible and then we take him home, also from 15th of October the beaches here on the coast are closed to swimming but open to dogs and it would be perfect for the rehabilitation of the muscles of his leg.
Here back home, we are extremely happy, my husband and me are discussing a new dog bed, leashes, harnesses, etc. but we have also decided to help the very good small shelter where he is staying: we have opened a subscription for special food (in the shelter there some dogs with cronic illnesses), beds, leashes etc..at two pet supplies shops and I will translate some texts for their web site.

[poodlesmom]

How wonderful! I am so happy for you & Ada. Bon is going to be so lucky to finally have a loving, forever home with you!

[flyndog]

That's great news!