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Functional Assessment Tracking

 

 

 

Observe more closely.
See more clearly.
Understand more deeply.

 

Functional Assessment Tracking, FAT™, is a dynamic, online tool that helps you evaluate any dog’s cognitive, social, and physiological well-being. FAT gives you a detailed picture of each dog’s current health and happiness.

Whether you care for one dog or many, have a family pet or are a busy animal care professional, FAT™ will help you eliminate the guesswork, deepen your understanding, and better care for your dog or your client’s dogs.

 

 

 

It takes love, skill, and knowledge to care for dogs so they can be as happy, healthy, and safe as possible.​

But mistakes can happen when we:

  • Miss what dogs tell us about their needs and preferences
  • Don’t understand the significance of patterns or changes in behavior & health
  • Forget to communicate critical details about the dog to other caretakers

FAT helps you:

  • Observe and understand the dog as an individual 
  • Track changes and recognize patterns
  • Share and compare information with all caretakers

 

You bring the love & skill.
FAT helps provide the knowledge.

OBSERVE
more closely

Our app’s step-by-step format guides you through in-depth observations.

FAT teaches you what to see and why it matters.

Easy-to-use app evaluates 15 aspects of the dog’s social, physiological, and cognitive well being.

SEE
more clearly

Our FAT app transforms your observations into a comprehensive assessment.

See the dog’s needs & preferences at a glance with our color-coded profiles.

Detailed, objective reports create a shared perspective for all caretakers.

UNDERSTAND
more deeply

Build a cumulative record for the dog that can be compared & shared.

Track significant patterns and changes in behavior and health.

Deeper knowledge supports   informed decision making and individualized care. 

CASE HISTORY  - PIPER, Service Dog 

Piper, a black Labrador Retriever, was raised in the Saint Francis Service Dogs (SFSD) program. His early training went well, as he learned quickly and liked to work. But at 20 months old, a problem arose: Piper would shake and growl if puppies came close enough to touch.

Recognizing his many good attributes for service dog work, the SFSD trainers decided to assess Piper in many situations. Piper’s puppy raiser, Jenny Cole, brought him to a four-day workshop with FAT creator Suzanne Clothier, hoping for some insight. 

Several FAT profiles were created for Piper, and compared. This quickly identified Piper’s consistent strengths. While at the workshop with 30 people and their dogs, on a farm with many animals, on the road trip there and back, in the hotel, at restaurants – everywhere he went, Piper was reliable, comfortable and functional.

FAT also pinpointed the specific areas of concern: He worried when puppies approached him, and he found it difficult to be kenneled in the busy SFSD facility. These were very specific situations that could be addressed through counter-conditioning and desensitization, and by not kenneling the dog. With the insight provided by FAT, the SFSD staff realized they were right to not give up on this great dog but instead to give Piper the training he needed to be successful.

SFSD Training Program Manager Marilyn Wilson notes: “We thought we knew the problems, but so often, when you’re living with this behavior puzzle, objectivity can go out the window. FAT validated the direction we were taking and encouraged us to continue working with this dog.” 

Piper became a stellar working service dog, and was placed with a partner. Together, they are doing great things. (There has not been a repeat of his previous behavior toward puppies.)

 

Unlimited input for each dog

Track & compare over time

Keep critical records & documents at your fingertips

Subscription service (pay monthly or annually)

No collar or dog-wearable devices required

Affordable per dog pricing

 

 

Intuitive, online interface

Available on multiple platforms & devices 

No training required

Secure, private portal

Clear visual displays

Share records via private URL, email, or print

 

For dog owners

Become the expert on your dog.

Whether you have a family pet, working dog, couch potato, athlete, longtime friend, or a canine work in progress, FAT™ helps you learn what to look for and why it’s important.

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For dog care professionals

Set a new standard of quality care.

FAT™ improves caretaking protocols, promotes clear communication between staff and clients, and creates a consistent structure for assessment and decision making for each animal in your care.

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“My students and I are using FAT™ to track foster dog functioning and answer research questions. It’s incredibly helpful to make better decisions for the dog and help adopters prepare for and understand their dogs.” Erica Feuerbacher, MS, PhD, BCBA-D, CPDT-KA, Assistant Professor of Anthrozoology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA