Keep unknowns visible.

Use the same questions for both dogs

Ask about health history, medication, behavior around other animals, experience with children, exercise and being left alone. Dogs Trust offers these as adoption questions. Ask who observed each answer, where it happened and whether the information is current. A broad "good with dogs" label hides more than it explains.

Dogs Trust: Questions to ask when adopting

Different evidence deserves different labels

Use three labels in the board: observed, reported and unknown. Observed means you personally saw the event described, not that it predicts the future. Reported means somebody else supplied it. Unknown means you do not yet have the information. A blank is not a positive answer and it is not proof of a problem.

Write a useful comparison

Fictional example: Dog A was seen resting in one foster home. Dog B has no home-history information. Do not convert that into "A is calm and B is not." Record the observation for A and the gap for B. Then ask how each dog responds to everyday events relevant to your household. Shelter behavior, a short meeting and a home environment can offer different views.

Dogs Trust: Questions to ask when adopting

The board does not pick a winner

There is deliberately no overall score, green light or breed recommendation. The next step may be another conversation, a supported meeting or no adoption at present. Take professional advice for fear, aggression, health concerns or introductions. Do not test a dog by exposing it to distressing situations.

AVSAB: Socialization is more than mere exposure