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Temperament: Having the personality traits suitable for the job
you want the dog to do. (If you want your dog to be good with children, and
your dog has that personality trait, then he has a good temperament.
He may not do so well at other things, such as guarding or herding, but that
may not have been what you were looking for.
You need to
be aware of you dog's strengths and limitations. They have a profound
influence on the ease or difficulty of teaching your dog a particular task.
Temperament Testing: Results show the inherited behaviors of
breeding stock, valuable information for future breedings and results make
it easier for breeders to place the right puppy into the right home where
people will be happy with it. (After all, no breeder wants a puppy returned
when it is 8 months old and may have been ruined by being improperly
raised.) |
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Capriccio
Farm uses the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) at 7 weeks of age. (The
optimal age when the puppy is neurologically complete and it has the brain
of an adult. After 7 weeks the responses will be tainted by prior learning)
PAT uses a scoring system from 1-6 and consists of ten tests. The
tests are done consecutively and in the order listed below. Each test
is scored separately, and interpreted on its own merits. The scores
are not averages, and there are no winners or losers. The entire
purpose is to select the right puppy for the right home. |
Testing:
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Social Attraction: Degree of social attraction to people,
confidence or dependence.
The
puppy is placed in the testing area about 4 feet from the tester.
The tester kneels down and coaxes the puppy to come to him 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.
|
| 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
down |
5 |
| Didn't come at all |
6 |
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Following: Wiliness to follow a person.
The tester stands up and
slowly walks away encouraging the puppy to follow.
|
| 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 |
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Restraint: Degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease
of handling in difficult situations.
The tester crouches down
and gently rolls the puppy on its back and holds it on its back for
30 seconds.
|
| Struggled fiercely,
flailed, bit |
1 |
| Struggled fiercely,
flailed |
2 |
| Settled, struggled,
settled with some eye contact |
3 |
| Struggled, then
settled |
4 |
| No struggle, no eye
contact |
5 |
| No struggle, strained
to avoid eye contact |
6 |
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Social Dominance: Degree of acceptance of social dominance by
a person.
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.
|
| 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 |
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Elevation Dominance: Degree of accepting dominance while in a
position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
 The
tester cradles the puppy with both hands, supporting the puppy under its
chest, and gently lift its two feet off the ground and holds it there
for 30 seconds.
|
| 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 |
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Retrieving: Degree of willingness to do something for you.
Together with social attraction and following , a key indicator for ease
or difficulty in training.
 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.
|
| Chase 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 the tester |
4 |
| Started to chase
object, lost interest |
5 |
| Does not chase object |
6 |
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Touch Sensitivity: Degree of sensitivity to touch and a key
indicator to the type of training equipment required.
The tester locates the
webbing of one of 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.
|
| 8-10 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 |
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Sound Sensitivity: Degree of sensitivity to sound, such as
loud noises or thunderstorms.
The puppy is placed in the center of the testing area and an
assistant stations at the perimeter makes a sharp noise, such as
banging a metal spoon on the bottom of a metal pan.
|
| Listened, located
sounds, and tan toward it barking |
1 |
| Listened, located
sounds, and walked slowly toward it |
2 |
| Listened, located
sounds, and showed curiosity |
3 |
| Listened and located
sound |
4 |
| Cringed, backed off,
and hid behind tester |
5 |
| Ignored sound and
showed no curiosity |
6 |
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Sight Sensitivity: Degree of response to a moving object, such
as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
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.
|
| 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 |
| Ignores, shows no
curiosity |
6 |
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Stability: Degree of startle response to a strange object.
An
umbrella is opened about five feet from the puppy and gently placed
on the ground.
|
| 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 |
| Ran away from the
umbrella |
5 |
| Shows no interest |
6 |
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Scoring:
The scores
are not added up, and the results are not based on a cumulative score.
Instead, the scores are interpreted as follows: (Abbreviated version)
-
Puppies with lots of 1s or 2s have strong leadership aspirations and may
be difficult to manage. This puppy needs an experienced owner.
Not good with children.
-
Mostly 3s and 4s can be quite a handful, but should be good with
children and does well with training. Energy needs to be dispersed
with plenty of exercise.
- The
puppy with mostly 5s will do well in a quiet, stable and predictable
environment. Basic training and a controlled setting will build up
its confidence.
-
Puppies with several 6s is so independent it doesn't need you or anyone.
It is it's own person and unlikely to bond to you.
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The above information was
taken from "Dog Training for Dummies" by Jack and Wendy Volhard |
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