Before getting that pup...Temperment test?
 

I thought this might have some tips on selecting a pup with a good temperament. I've seen many post addressing the issue of their new pup having issues with aggression or being too timid. This might help....:)

How To Pick The Right Puppy With The Puppy Temperment Test


Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test

:goodpost:thanks for sharing, I found that really interesting and Im sure others will too.:)

Thanks for posting those! I have to say that even though I did not know about the test, I did most of thse things while playing with puppies I was choosing. The one that most readily correlates with the test is Ben. He is, and probably always will be, dominant. It makes him a little more on the stubborn side, and he had to learn that he could be dominant with the canine family members but not the human, but it also makes him a very entertaining pet. Rocky was one of Ben's pups so there was no testing him, but he also displays the dominant qualities. Clap for him and he comes running and jumps on your hands. I had to teach him not to bite so hard when he played, and he still is much too agressive at times. He is a ball of fire and knows no "medium speed." He will display most of the dominant qualities in the tests. It has been interesting seeing him and his dad together. Ben still rules the roost, but I can see Rocky pushing a little more here and there. We'll see where this ends up, hopefully it will stay as amicable as it has so far.

This was posted a long time ago and it is great you brought it back up. Reputable breeders will already be doing this with their puppies before they place them. This is one reason people should only buy a pet from puppies that are raised in the home and the breeder is socializing them at a young age along with the mom. Dogs being raised in kennels just won't be getting enough of this attention.

A puppy's temperament fully depends in what environment you bring him in and how you as a master treats him. As a puppy I'm sure he hasn't yet developed a permanent temperament so I don't think there is a need to get a test done...I'm truly not sure never heard of this temperament test...

Yes i agree that the surrounding and environment of a puppy are very important. However, i do believe that some very basic aspects of a puppies personality are already set by the time you go to meet a litter. There are very basic tests you can do to see what personality type the pup has. A= active, N= neutral, and P= passive. Check out the book puppies for dummies. While i don't believe in everything the book has to say. The writer has a good section on how to choose the best puppy personality for your home.

I really agree with this... My two are like night and day, and have had the same disposition since the day I brought them home.

Copper is very passive, submissive, layed back, he is a people pleaser. He used to be picked on by other littermates.

Maddie is more agressive, confident, independant, she knows what she wants and she goes for it. Her breeder said she has always been very self assured.

It is funny when my two meet another dog, Copper comes to me most of the time and stands between my leggs while tiny Maddie (less than 1/2 the size of Copper) greats and gives Copper the ok... If Maddie is aprehensive, there is no way Copper will even try it;) Having the two different temperments work really well together there is no clashing or fighting for dominance. Maddie is dominant and likes it, and Copper is glad that she stepped up for the role because he wasn't about to.;)

Consider my pups go to their forever homes next week boooohhooooo.....We did this test with all my puppies and we had 1 puppy in each category and 2 puppies were dominant......my little girl and My Sherman Tank. I was able to guess who would be what before we started but I am sure that is because of all the interaction I have had with them.

I do not believe that is entirely true. Did you read the tests? I think they could be very helpful in puppy placement. The tests are a more structured version of the more informal evaluation I gave my pups. Temperment is not the same as behavior. While any patient trainer can help mold the behavior, I think there are basic traits inborn. I treated all of my puppies the same and they had the very same environment, but I could easily see the different personalities emerge -- different temperments. It was with that information, I helped new owners match up with the best puppy for their family. Rocky (the male I kept from last litter) would not be the pup for an older single lady that wanted a placid lap dog. She got the docile female of the litter that prefered to be curled up in a lap to playing fetch and jumping on the other dogs. Since I had other very active dogs, Rocky is a good fit for us. I still work on his behavior and it is constantly improving, but his temperment is that of a more dominant dog. He likes to do things like push a toy into my hand, so I will play fetch with him. :) Rocky and Ben trade off who chases who during their "zoomies." Having two dominant males can be a handful but fun too.