abstract: Previous research has indicated that certain breeds of dogs stay longer in shelters than others; however exactly how breed perception and identification influences potential adopters' decisions remains unclear. Current dog breed identification practices in animal shelters are often based upon information supplied by the relinquishing owner, or staff determination based on the dog's phenotype. However discrepancies have been found between breed identification as typically assessed by welfare agencies and the outcome of DNA analysis. In Study 1, the perceived behavioral and adoptability characteristics of a pit-bull-type dog were compared with those of a Labrador Retriever and Border Collie. How the addition of a human handler influenced those perceptions was also assessed. In Study 2, lengths of stay and perceived attractiveness of dogs that were labeled as pit bull breeds to dogs that were phenotypically similar but were labeled as another breed at an animal shelter were compared. The latter dogs were called "lookalikes." In Study 3, perceived attractiveness in video recordings of pit-bull-type dogs and lookalikes with and without breed labels were compared. Lastly, data from an animal shelter that ceased applying breed labeling on kennels was analyzed, and lengths of stay and outcomes for all dog breeds, including pit bulls, before and after the change in labeling practice were compared. In total, these findings suggest that breed labeling influences potential adopters' perceptions and decision-making. Given the inherent complexity of breed assignment based on morphology coupled with negative breed perceptions, removing breed labels is a relatively low-cost strategy that will likely improve outcomes for dogs in animal shelters. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2015

This research expected pit bull coverage to become more violent and more negative in the wake of the Vick trial, so a content analysis was conducted of "pit bull" mentions in the year 2006 and in 2009. The first year was intended to provide a comparison for this study, documenting the pit bull's mediated depiction before the Vick trial. Mentions from 2009 were intended to represent the aftermath of this trial, pinpointing its effects on the breed's mediated depiction. Tonal mentions of the breed were almost 17 percentage points more negative in 2009 than in 2006. Violent mentions increased by a more than 20 percentage points during this period. Topical selections also shifted, and 2009 coverage chose to focus more on pit bull attacks than in 2006. This research proposes a theory of collateral fallout for mediated subjects, and pit bulls, as a brand, have suffered from this fallout.