Last updated 5/7/07
Temperament
Testing
Best Performed at 7wks old.
|
TEST |
PURPOSE |
SCORE |
RESULTS |
Social
Attraction:
Place puppy in test area. From a few feet away, the tester
coaxes the pup to her by clapping hands gently and kneeling
down. Tester must coax in a direction away from the point where
the puppy entered the testing area. |
Degree of
social attraction, confidence or dependence. |
1 - Came
readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands.
2 - Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands.
3 - Came readily, tail up.
4 - Came readily, tail down.
5 - Came hesitantly, tail down.
6 - Didn't come at all. |
|
Following:
Stand up and walk away from the pup in a normal manner. Make
sure the pup sees you walk away. |
Degree of
following attraction. Not following indicates independence.
|
1 - Followed
readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet.
2 - Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot.
3 - Followed readily, tail up.
4 - Followed readily, tail down.
5 - Followed hesitantly, tail down.
6 - Didn't follow or went away. |
|
Restraint:
Crouch down and gently roll the pup on his back and hold it with
one hand for a full 30 seconds. |
Degree of
dominant or submissive tendency. How it accepts stress when
socially/physically dominated. |
1 -
Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit.
2 - Struggled fiercely, flailed.
3 - Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact.
4 - Struggled then settled.
5 - No struggling.
6 - No struggling, straining to avoid eye contact. |
|
Social
Dominance:
Let the pup stand up and gently stroke him from the head to back
while you crouch beside him. Continue stroking until a
recognizable behavior is established. |
Degree of
acceptance of social dominance. Pup may try to dominate by
jumping and nipping or is independent and walks away. |
1 - Jumped,
pawed, bit, growled.
2 - Jumped, pawed.
3 - Cuddles up to testor and tries to lick face.
4 - Squirmed, licked at hands.
5 - Rolled over, licked at hands.
6 - Went away and stayed away. |
|
Elevation
Dominance:
Bend over and cradle the pup under its belly, fingers
interlaced, palms up and elevate it just off the ground. Hold it
there for 30 seconds. |
Degree of
accepting dominance while in position of no control. |
1 -
Struggled fiercely, bit, growled.
2 - Struggled fiercely.
3 - No struggle, relaxed.
4 - Struggled, settled, licked.
5 - No struggle, licked at hands.
6 - No struggle, froze. |
|
Retrieving:
Crouch beside the pup and attract his attention with a crumpled
up paper ball. When the pup shows interest and is watching, toss
the object 4 - 6 feet in front of the pup. |
Degree of
willingness to work with a human. High correlation between
ability to retrieve and successful guide dogs, obedience dogs,
field trial dogs. |
1 - Chases
object, picks up object and runs away.
2 - Chases object, stands over object and does not return.
3 - Chases object, and returns w/object to testor.
4 - Chases object and returns w/out object to testor.
5 - starts to chase object, loses interest.
6 - Does not chase object. |
|
Touch
Sensitivity:
Take puppy's webbing of one front foot and press between finger
and thumb lightly then more firmly till you get a response,
while you count slowly to 10. Stop as soon as puppy pulls away
or shows discomfort. |
Degree of
sensitivity to touch. |
1 - 8 to 10
count before response.
2 - 6 to 7 count before response.
3 - 5 to 6 count before response.
4 - 2 to 4 count before response.
5 - 1 to 2 count before response.
|
|
Sound
Sensitivity:
Place pup in the center of area, testor or assistant makes a
sharp noise a few feet from the puppy. A large metal spoon
struck sharply on a metal pan twice works well. |
Degree of
sensitivity to sound (rudimentary test for deafness).
|
1 - Listens,
locates sound, walks towards it barking.
2 - Listens, locates sound, barks.
3 - Listens, locates sound, shows curiosity walks towards it.
4 - Listens, locates sound.
5 - Cringes, backs off, hides.
6 - Ignores sound, shows no curiosity. |
|
Sight
Sensitivity:
Place pup in center of room, tie a string around a large towel
and jerk it across the floor a few feet away from the puppy.
|
Degree of
intelligent response to strange objects. |
1 - Looks,
attacks, bites.
2 - Looks, barks and tail is up.
3 - Looks curiously, attempts to investigate.
4 - Looks, barks, tail is tucked.
5 - Runs away, hides.
|
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Interpreting the Scores
Mostly 1's. A puppy that consistently scores a 1
in the temperament section of the test is an extremely dominant,
aggressive puppy who can easily be provoked to bite. His dominant
nature will attempt to resist human leadership, thus requiring only
the most experienced of handlers. This puppy is a poor choice for
most individuals and will do best in a working situation as a guard
or police dog.
Mostly 2's. This puppy is dominant and
self-assured. He can be provoked to bite' however he readily accepts
human leadership that is firm, consistent and knowledgeable.
This is not a dog for a tentative, indecisive
individual. In the right hands, he has the potential to
become a fine working or show dog and could fit into an adult
household, provided the owners know what they are doing.
Mostly 3's. This pup is outgoing and
friendly and will adjust well in situations in which he receives
regular training and exercise. He has a flexible temperament that
adapts well to different types of environment, provided he is
handled correctly. May be too much dog for a family with small
children or an elderly couple who are sedentary.
Mostly 4's. A pup that scores a
majority of 4's is an easily controlled, adaptable puppy whose
submissive nature will make him continually look to his master for
leadership. This pup is easy to train, reliable with kids, and,
though he lacks self-confidence, makes a high-quality family pet. He
is usually less outgoing than a pup scoring in the 3's, but his
demeanor is gentle and affectionate.
Mostly 5's. This is a pup who is
extremely submissive and lacking in self-confidence. He bonds very
closely with his owner and requires regular companionship and
encouragement to bring him out of himself. If handled incorrectly,
this pup will grow up very shy and fearful. For this reason, he will
do best in a predictable, structured lifestyle with owners who are
patient and not overly demanding, such as an elderly couple.
Mostly 6's. A puppy that scores 6
consistently is independent and uninterested in people. He will
mature into a dog who is not demonstrably affectionate and who has a
low need for human companionship. In general, it is rare to see
properly socialized pups test this way' however there are several
breeds that have been bred for specific tasks (such as basenjis,
hounds, and some northern breeds) which can exhibit this level of
independence. To perform as intended, these dogs require a
singularity of purpose that is not compromised by strong attachments
to their owner.
The remainder of the puppy test is an evaluation of obedience
aptitude and and working ability and provides a general picture of a
pup's intelligence, spirit, and willingness to work with a human
being. For most owners, a good companion dog will score in the 3 to
4 range in this section of the test. Puppies scoring a combination
of 1's and 2's require experienced handlers who will be able to draw
the best aspects of their potential from them.
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