For the potential Pet owner. Evaluating a dog

[KazzyK810]

Originally Posted by gemy

Thank You Kazzy that is exactly what I meant. And let me say this loud and clear... THERE IS and HAS BEEN NO Perfect DOG born. All dogs have imperfections including show dogs.

No perfect dog...just perfect for us the owner

But, as much as we know this, it is hard for us pet owners to acknowledge that our beloved pup(s) aren't viewed as perfection by all.

When I got ZoE I ended up with the female pup that the breeder was originally keeping from the litter. The breeder made sure I understood this pup wouldn't be a 2-3lb tiny yorkie, but a healthy breed size of 5-7lbs. Well, ZoE well exceeded that by a couple of pounds. (She's not fat...just big). When we visited her breeder when ZoE was about a year old and the breeder saw her, she made some comment about how she was glad to see her and glad she had placed her (with me) as she would never have bred her anyway (as ZoE was too big and too long in the body). She didn't mean any offence by it...she was just speaking off the cuff...but boy did that hurt....cos she's PERFECT to ME!

[gemy]

Volhard Dog Training and Nutrition: Behavior and Training: Behavior

The bolded parts are by me




WHAT IS PUPPY TESTING?

Some of the tests we use were developed as long ago as the l930’s for dogs bred to become Guide Dogs. Then in the 1950’s, studies on puppies were done to determine how quickly they learned. These studies were actually done to identify children’s learning stages.

Top Dog Tips: The ideal age to test the puppy is at 49 days of age when the puppy is neurologically complete and it has the brain of an adult dog. With each passing day after the 49th day the responses will be tainted by prior learning.

Later on in the early 60’s more tests were developed to determine if pups could be tested for dominance and submission. These tests determined that it was indeed possible to predict future behavioral traits of adult dogs by testing puppies at 49 days of age. Testing before or after that age, effected the accuracy of the test, depending on the time before or after the 49th day.

We took these tests, added some of our own, and put together what is now known as the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, or PAT. PAT uses a scoring system from 1-6 and consists of ten tests. The tests are done consecutively and in the order listed. Each test is scored separately, and interpreted on its own merits. The scores are not averaged, and there are no winners or losers. The entire purpose is to select the right puppy for the right home.

The tests are as follows:

1. Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
2. Following - willingness to follow a person.
3. Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
4. Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
5. Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
6. Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
7. Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
8. Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
9. Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
10. Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.

During the testing make a note of the heart rate of the pup, which is an indication of how it deals with stress, as well as its energy level. Puppies come with high, medium or low energy levels. You have to decide for yourself, which suits your life style. Dogs with high energy levels need a great deal of exercise, and will get into mischief if this energy is not channeled into the right direction.

Finally, look at the overall structure of the puppy. You see what you get at 49 days age. If the pup has strong and straight front and back legs, with all four feet pointing in the same direction, it will grow up that way, provided you give it the proper diet and environment in which to grow. If you notice something out of the ordinary at this age, it will stay with puppy for the rest of its life. He will not grow out of it.

HOW TO TEST

Here are the ground rules for performing the test:

• The testing is done in a location unfamiliar to the puppies. This does not mean they have to taken away from home. A 10-foot square area is perfectly adequate, such as a room in the house where the puppies have not been.
• The puppies are tested one at a time.
• There are no other dogs or people, except the scorer and the tester, in the testing area
• The puppies do not know the tester.
• The scorer is a disinterested third party and not the person interested in selling you a puppy.
• The scorer is unobtrusive and positions him or herself so he or she can observe the puppies’ responses without having to move.
• The puppies are tested before they are fed.
• The puppies are tested when they are at their liveliest.
• Do not try to test a puppy that is not feeling well.
• Puppies should not be tested the day of or the day after being vaccinated.
• Only the first response counts!

Top Dog Tips: During the test, watch the puppy’s tail. It will make a difference in the scoring whether the tail is up or down.

[gemy]

HOW TO TEST

Here are the ground rules for performing the test:

• The testing is done in a location unfamiliar to the puppies. This does not mean they have to taken away from home. A 10-foot square area is perfectly adequate, such as a room in the house where the puppies have not been.
• The puppies are tested one at a time.
• There are no other dogs or people, except the scorer and the tester, in the testing area
• The puppies do not know the tester.
• The scorer is a disinterested third party and not the person interested in selling you a puppy.
• The scorer is unobtrusive and positions him or herself so he or she can observe the puppies’ responses without having to move.
• The puppies are tested before they are fed.
• The puppies are tested when they are at their liveliest.
• Do not try to test a puppy that is not feeling well.
• Puppies should not be tested the day of or the day after being vaccinated.
• Only the first response counts!

Top Dog Tips: During the test, watch the puppy’s tail. It will make a difference in the scoring whether the tail is up or down.

The tests are simple to perform and anyone with some common sense can do them. You can, however, elicit the help of someone who has tested puppies before and knows what they are doing.

1. Social attraction - the owner or caretaker of the puppies places it in the test area about four feet from the tester and then leaves the test area. The tester kneels down and coaxes the puppy to come to him or her by encouragingly and gently clapping hands and calling. The tester must coax the puppy in the opposite direction from where it entered the test area. Hint: Lean backward, sitting on your heels instead of leaning forward toward the puppy. Keep your hands close to your body encouraging the puppy to come to you instead of trying to reach for the puppy.

2. Following - the tester stands up and slowly walks away encouraging the puppy to follow. Hint: Make sure the puppy sees you walk away and get the puppy to focus on you by lightly clapping your hands and using verbal encouragement to get the puppy to follow you. Do not lean over the puppy.

3. Restraint - the tester crouches down and gently rolls the puppy on its back and holds it on its back for 30 seconds. Hint: Hold the puppy down without applying too much pressure. The object is not to keep it on its back but to test its response to being placed in that position.

4. Social Dominance - let the puppy stand up or sit and gently stroke it from the head to the back while you crouch beside it. See if it will lick your face, an indication of a forgiving nature. Continue stroking until you see a behavior you can score. Hint: When you crouch next to the puppy avoid leaning or hovering over the puppy. Have the puppy at your side with both of you facing in the same direction.

Top Dog Tips: During testing maintain a positive, upbeat and friendly attitude toward the puppies. Try to get each puppy to interact with you to bring out the best in him or her. Make the test a pleasant experience for the puppy.

5. Elevation Dominance - the tester cradles the puppy with both hands, supporting the puppy under its chest and gently lifts it two feet off the ground and holds it there for 30 seconds.

6. Retrieving - the tester crouches beside the puppy and attracts its attention with a crumpled up piece of paper. When the puppy shows some interest, the tester throws the paper no more than four feet in front of the puppy encouraging it to retrieve the paper.

7. Touch Sensitivity - the tester locates the webbing of one the puppy’s front paws and presses it lightly between his index finger and thumb. The tester gradually increases pressure while counting to ten and stops when the puppy pulls away or shows signs of discomfort.

8. Sound Sensitivity - the puppy is placed in the center of the testing area and an assistant stationed at the perimeter makes a sharp noise, such as banging a metal spoon on the bottom of a metal pan.

9. Sight Sensitivity - the puppy is placed in the center of the testing area. The tester ties a string around a bath towel and jerks it across the floor, two feet away from the puppy.

10. Stability - an umbrella is opened about five feet from the puppy and gently placed on the ground.

SCORING THE RESULTS

Following are the responses you will see and the score assigned to each particular response. You will see some variations and will have to make a judgment on what score to give them.


Test
Response
Score SOCIAL ATTRACTION
Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands
1

Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands
2
Came readily, tail up
3

Came readily, tail down
4

Came hesitantly, tail down5

Didn’t come at all6
FOLLOWING
Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet
1

Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot
2

Followed readily, tail up
3

Followed readily, tail down
4

Followed hesitantly, tail down
5

Did not follow or went away
6
RESTRAINT
Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit
1

Struggled fiercely, flailed
2

Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact
3

Struggled, then settled
4

No struggle
5

No struggle, strained to avoid eye contact
6
SOCIAL DOMINANCE
Jumped, pawed, bit, growled
1

Jumped, pawed
2

Cuddled up to tester and tried to lick face
3

Squirmed, licked at hands
4

Rolled over, licked at hands
5

Went away and stayed away
6
ELEVATION DOMINANCE
Struggled fiercely, tried to bite
1

Struggled fiercely
2

Struggled, settled, struggled, settled
3

No struggle, relaxed
4

No struggle, body stiff
5

No struggle, froze
6
RETRIEVING
Chased object, picked it up and ran away
1

Chased object, stood over it and did not return
2

Chased object, picked it up and returned with it to tester
3

Chased object and returned without it to tester
4

Started to chase object, lost interest
5

Does not chase object
6
TOUCH SENSITIVITY
8-10 count before response
1

6-8 count before response
2

5-6 count before response
3

3-5 count before response
4

2-3 count before response
5

1-2 count before response
6
SOUND SENSITIVITY
Listened, located sound and ran toward it barking
1

Listened, located sound and walked slowly toward it
2

Listened, located sound and showed curiosity
3

Listened and located sound
4

Cringed, backed off and hid behind tester 55

Ignored sound and showed no curiosity
6
SIGHT SENSITIVITY
Looked, attacked and bit object
1

Looked and put feet on object and put mouth on it
2

Looked with curiosity and attempted to investigate, tail up
3

Looked with curiosity, tail down
4

Ran away or hid behind tester
5

Hid behind tester
6
STABILITY
Looked and ran to the umbrella, mouthing or biting it
1

Looked and walked to the umbrella, smelling it cautiously
2

Looked and went to investigate
3

Sat and looked, but did not move toward the umbrella
4

Showed little or no interest
5

Ran away from the umbrella
6

[gemy]

This is a good website, and Sunday I am evaluating 2 litters of puppies on Sunday based on this methodology.


There is more you can find on the website; but I deliberatedly did not post in summary what all the numbers mean,, although you can find out if you go there .


I thought it would be fun, if you do this test yourself on a dog you own, if you have a very well trained and older pooch try to remember back to when they were a puppy. See if you what you mark off is about what the overall evaluation says about your dog.


These folks have tested literally thousands of puppies and their method is highly respected.


I will ask Ann to post this into the Stickey How to evaluate a puppy.

[gemy]

I know what my dogs test out as, and as I am pretty chatty about their behaviour, I[ll wait to some more folks post on here about their dogs, build the suspense a bit.


I will bet Britster she will evaluate out correct Magic, Razzle, and maybe Dara.I also dare to say Lisaly will get them evaluated correctly too :-)

[YorkieTherapy]

Thank you Gemy! I've bookmark this thread when it was first posted and added the link you just included. This thread should definitely be a sticky.