Selecting the Right Puppy

Temperament is described as the dog's overall outlook on life. The sociability, playfulness, desire to be active and to explore the immediate environment and a number of other such behaviors provide us with some insight into a dog's temperament.

The ideal dog will have an even temperament, that is to say it will not become overly emotional when exposed to a wide variety of NORMAL daily sights, sounds and activities. It will have a strong desire to play and be active but will also have the capacity to be reserved and cautious in a quiet environment.

A dog with the proper temperament will be sociable. When walked toward a group of people the dog may appear alert and cautious or may appear aloof, in any case it should be a good citizen and must not display unwarranted aggression.

A dog with proper temperament will investigate intriguing sounds and strange looking objects, it will appear to be inquisitive and not at all hesitant about venturing out away from the handler to investigate something that catches its attention. The dog should constantly look for something to do if only to be active and feel the thrill of life.

This test is best given at 7 weeks of age and will help evaluate a puppy's attachment to people and willingness to work for and accept a person's leadership. Test each puppy in the litter individually in a quiet area. Remember that any test result is dependant upon the ability of the tester and that there is no pass or fail; the results indicate behavioral tendencies. All dogs are a work in progress and success in training is due to a consistent and accurate training regimen.

PUPPY SELECTION APTITUDE TEST

Puppy (color, sex) ________________ litter ______________________ date ____________

TEST	PURPOSE	SCORE	#
SOCIAL ATTRACTION Place puppy in test area about four feet from the tester. Tester kneels, leans backwards and coaxes the pup to her/him by clapping hands gently.	Degree of social attraction to people, confidence, or dependence. Pack Drive.	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
FOLLOWING The tester stands up and slowly walks away encouraging the puppy to follow. Make sure the pup sees you walk away. Coax puppy to follow by talking to it and attracting its attention.	Willingness to follow a person. Pack Drive.	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 The tester crouches down and gently rolls the pup on its back and holds it down with light pressure with one hand for 30 seconds.	Degree of dominance or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations. Fight or Flight Drive.	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, straining to avoid eye contact.	6
SOCIAL DOMINANCE Puppy sits or stands on crouching tester's left side and tester gently strokes it from the head to back. Continue stroking until a recognizable behavior is established.	Degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person. Pack Drive.	Jumped, pawed, bit, growled.	1
		Jumped, pawded.	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 The tester cradles the pup under its chest, with both hands, fingers interlaced, palms up and gently lifts it two feet off the ground, and holds it there for 30 seconds.	Degree of accepting dominance while in position of no control. Fight or Flight Drive.	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 The tester crouches beside the pup and attracts its attention with a crumpled up piece of paper. When the pup shows some interest, the tester tosses the paper no more than four feet in front of the pup, encouraging it to retrieve the paper.	Degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with social attraction and following, a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training. Prey Drive.	Chased object, picked it up and ran away.	1
		Chased object, stood over it, 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
		Did not chase object.	6
TOUCH SENSITIVITY 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 10 and stops the pressure when the puppy pulls away or shows discomfort. * Do not use your fingernail when performing this test. Press between the finger and thumb lightly then more firmly until you get a response.	Degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.	8-10 counts before response.	1
		6-7 counts before response.	2
		5-6 counts before response.	3
		2-4 counts before response.	4
		2-3 counts before response.	5
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.	Degree of sensitivity to sound. (Also a rudimentary test for deafness.) Prey Drive.	Listened, located sound, walked toward it barking.	1
		Listened, located sound, barked.	2
		Listened, located sound, showed curiosity and walked toward sound.	3
		Listened, located the sound.	4
		Cringed, backed off, hid.	5
		Ignored sound, showed no curiosity.	6
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 puppy.	Degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels. Prey Drive.	Looked, attacked and bit.	1
		Looked, barked and tail up.	2
		Looked curiously, attempted to investigate.	3
		Looked, barked, tail-tuck.	4
		Ran away, hid.	5
STABILITY An umbrella is opened about five feet from the puppy and gently placed on the ground.	Degree of startle response to a strange object. Fight and Flight Drive.	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
		Showed no interest.	6
STRUCTURE The puppy is gently set and held in a natural stance and evaluated for structure in the following categories: Straight front Straight rear Shoulder lay back Front angulation Croup angulation Rear angulation (see diagram below)	Degree of structural soundness. Good structure is necessary.	The puppy is correct in structure.	good
		The puppy has a slight fault or deviation.	fair
		The puppy has an extreme fault or deviation.	poor

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• 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 pup 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. Often has bouncy, outgoing temperament: may be too active for elderly, and too dominant for small children.

   

• 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 inclined to be active so might be too much dog for a family with small children or an elderly couple who are sedentary. Makes a good obedience prospect and usually has a common sense approach to life.

   

• 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 familly 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. Not a good choice for a beginner since it frightens easily, and takes a long time to get used to new experiences. 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. Not recommended for children who may force attention on him; he is not a beginner's dog. 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.

  a) When combined with 1's (especially in restraint); the independent dog is likely to bite under stress.
  
  b) When combined with 5's the independent dog is likely to hide from people, or freeze when approached by a stranger.
  
  No clear patterns (several 1's, 2's and 5's):
  This dog may not be feeling well. Perhaps just ate or was recently wormed. Wait two days and re-test. If the test still shows wide variations (lots of 1's and 5's), it is probably unpredictable and unlikely to be a good pet or obedience dog.
  
  SCORING TIPS
  
  3 in Social Attraction and Social Dominance:
  The socially attracted dog is more easily taught to come and is more cuddly and friendly. Its interest in people can be a useful tool in training, despite other scores.
  
  1 in Restraint and 1 in Touch Sensitivity:
  The dominant aggressive dog, insensitive to touch, will be a handful to train and extremely difficult for anyone other than an exceptionally competent handler.
  
  5 in Stability:
  This is likely to be a "spooky" dog which is never desirable. It requires a great deal of extra work to get a spooky dog adapted to new situations and they generally cannot be depended upon in a crisis.
  
  5 in Touch and Sound Sensitivity:
  May also be very "spooky" and needs delicate handling to prevent the dog from becoming frightened.

Important note...regarding the Touch Sensitivity test - Do not use your fingernail when performing this test. Press between the finger and thumb lightly then more firmly until you get a response.

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