TEST	PURPOSE	SCORE	1
SOCIAL ATTRACTION: Place puppy in test area. From a few feet away the tester coaxes the pup to her/him by clapping hands gently and kneeling down. Tester must coax in a direction away from the point where it entered the testing area.	Degree of social attraction, confidence or dependence.	-Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands. -Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands. -Came readily, tail up. -Came readily, tail down -Came hesitantly, tail down. -Didn't come at all.	1 2 3 4 5 6
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.	-Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot bit at feet. -Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot. -Followed readily, tail up -Followed readily, tail down. -Followed hesitantly, tail down. -No follow or went away.	1 2 3 4 5 6
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.	-Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit. -Struggled fiercely, flailed. -Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact. -Struggled then settled. -No struggle. -No struggle, straining to avoid eye contact.	1 2 3 4 5 6
SOCIAL DOMINANCE: Let pup standup 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.	-Jumped, pawed, bit, growled. -Jumped, pawded. -Cuddles up to testor and tries to lick face. -Squirmed, licked at hands. -Rolled over, licked at hands. -Went away and stayed away.	1 2 3 4 5 6
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.	-Struggled fiercely, bit, growled. -Struggled fiercely. -No struggle, relaxed -Struggled, settled, licked -No struggle, licked at hands. -No struggle, froze.	1 2 3 4 5 6

TEST	PURPOSE	SCORE	1
RETRIEVING: Crouch beside pup and attract his attention with crumpled up paper ball. When the pup shows interest and is watching, toss the object 4-6 feet in front of pup.	Degree of willingness to work with a human. High correlation between ability to retrieve and successful guide dogs, obedience dogs, field trial dogs.	-Chases object, picks up object and runs away. -Chases object, stands over object, does not return. -Chases object and returns with object to testor. -Chases object and returns without object to testor. -Starts to chase object, loses interest. -Does not chase object.	1 2 3 4 5 6
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. *Do NOT use fingernail.	Degree of sensitivity to touch.	8-10 counts before response. 6-7 counts before response. 5-6 counts before response. 2-4 counts before response. 1-2 counts before response.	1 2 3 4 5
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. (Also can be a rudimentary test for deafness.)	-Listens, locates sound, walks toward it barking. -Listens, locates sound, barks. -Listens, locates sound, shows curiosity and walks toward sound. -Listens, locates the sound. -Cringes, backs off, hides. -Ignores sound, shows no curiosity.	1 2 3 4 5 6
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 puppy.	Degree of intelligent response to strange object.	-Looks, attacks and bites. -Looks, barks and tail up. -Looks curiously, attempts to investigate. -Looks, barks, tail-tuck. -Runs away, hides.	1 2 3 4 5
STRUCTURE: The puppy is gently set in a natural stance and evaluated for structure in the following categories: Straight front Straight rear Shoulder layback Front angulation Croup angulation Rear angulation (see diagram below)	Degree of structural soundness. Good structure is necessary.	-The puppy is correct in structure. -The puppy has a slight fault or deviation. -The puppy has an extreme fault or deviation.	good fair poor

• 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.
• 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 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. 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 consistntly 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 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.

Important note from Wendy Volhard...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.

Not all Tempernment tests agree!
Here is another spin!

The PAWS© Working Dog Evaluation

"For years I used the Puppy Aptitude Test (P.A.T.), developed by Jack and Wendy Volhard, to evaluate puppies. As an obedience and agility competitor, it gave me insight into a puppy's future personality. But as I branched out into other activities, I found myself adding to the test, evaluating things like "possessiveness" and "hunt drive." Finally, it occurred to me to write it down, and really analyze the way I was making my decisions.

The result was the PAWS Working Dog Evaluation ©, which stands for Possessiveness, Attention, Willingness, and Strength. (I'd have used Drive, but pawd doesn't spell anything :-)

Unlike the P.A.T., which was developed to evaluate good "pet" temperaments, The PAWS test was developed to help identify and evaluate the main components of good "working" temperaments-- for dogs being selected for work in K-9, Scent Detection, Search, French Ring, Schutzhund, Agility, Obedience, and similar activities. Why Possessiveness, Attention, W illingness, and Strength? In all of these activities, we use the dog's possessiveness and drive to train, and eventually at work or on the field. But without attention and willingness to work for the handler, the most driven, possessive dog is virtually useless.

The test is divided into seven areas, and is more flexible in regard to age than the P.A.T. I still use the P.A.T. as an initial indicator, and pups that pass with acceptable levels move on to the PAWS. Instead of a numeric score, I use the evaluations of Excellent, Okay, and Indifferent. Depending on what activity the puppy is intended for, I place more weight on certain elements of the test.

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The Test

Test 1
Prey Drive
Using age appropriate teaser, tester gets dog's attention and throws the teaser a short distance away. (Note: roll teaser with younger puppies.)

• EXC Puppy runs to teaser and immediately snatches up, perhaps shaking to "kill" it.
• OK Puppy runs to teaser and checks it out. May pick up toy if thrown repeatedly.
• IND Puppy doesn't run to teaser or shows no interest.

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Test 2
Retrieve
After puppy gets teaser, tester encourages puppy to bring back by jogging backwards and calling.

• EXC Immediately brings back and spits out toy for more play.
• OK Brings back but doesn't give up toy.
• OK Brings back but darts out of reach, wanting you to chase.
• IND Doesn't bring back.

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Test 3
Hunt Drive (Persistence)
Hide teaser under foot or in hands (just barely showing) and encourage puppy to find.

• EXC Digs, mouths, and whines for toy.
• OK Nudges and uses paws for toy.
• IND Tries halfheartedly or not at all.

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Test 4
Tug Response
Using towel, booda, or rag, tease puppy and allow to grab.

• EXC Immediately grabs and tugs vigorously.
• OK Grabs with repeated teasing and/or encouragement, lets go.
• IND Grabs only if repeatedly teased. Won't hold on.

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Test 5 (P&S)
Possessiveness
Tester lets go of tug while in puppy's mouth.

• EXC Shakes toy to "kill" it, tries to engage tester to play again.
• EXC Shakes toy to "kill" it, runs away with toy.
• OK Runs away with toy, drops soon after.
• IND Drops immediately.

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Test 6
Follow (puppies 3 months & under)--Tester calls puppy and jogs backwards while clapping softly.
Recall (puppies over 3 months)--Helper restrains dog while tester jogs backwards and calls dog's name one time.

• EXC Runs to tester, ramming shoulder into tester's leg or jumping up.
• EXC Runs to tester and solicits affection.
• OK Jogs to tester, nudging or looking for attention.
• IND Jogs to tester & leaves, or doesn't come at all.

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Test 7
Attention Span
Using age appropriate teaser, get dog's attention and bring teaser to tester's face level. Use teaser sparingly to maintain eye/facial contact with puppy for 30 seconds.

• EXC Willingly looks at tester's face and toy for duration. Cocks head to listen.
• EXC Watches tester for duration, looking away briefly if background distractions interfere.
• OK Watches tester but needs to be re-engaged a few times.
• IND Easily distracted or unwilling to look at tester's face.

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An Application

A 20 month old pup was being evalated as a potential schutzhund, narcotics, and search dog. The dog was very social with people, good with other dogs, and not sound sensitive. I chose a Water Kong toy (the kind on the rope) for the test. His prey drive was intense, and he retrieved to hand with little encouragement--actually tossing the kong to me to throw again. When the kong was hidden, he dug, mouthed, and whined for the toy. Since he was being evaluated for narcotics and search, I chose to go one step further and hide the kong in tall grass to further evaluate the hunt drive. This dog worked quickly and thoroughly, found the kong and pounced on it, then brought it to me. We played tug, and he was extremely possessive when tugging, but not aggressive. Upon my release of the kong, he shook it, then tossed it back to me for more games. Since he was already a young adult, I had an assistant restrain the dog while I walked about 75 yards away. With one call of his name, the dog ran at top speed and nailed me right in the stomach with both front legs. As the last test, I got his attention and proceeded to talk quietly to him for thirty seconds. The dog didn't take his eyes off of me, and cocked his head from side to side as I spoke.

As far as I was concerned, this dog was a perfect match for his desired occupation. He showed strong prey, possessiveness, recall, and attention--all necessary attributes for a good schutzhund dog. In addition, he showed very good hunt drive and persistance, the makings of a good scent dog (of whatever flavor--tracking, search, scent detection). All in all, he tested at a high level on all the tests. With the right handler, this dog could succeed in almost any arena. On the other hand, this was a very INTENSE, physical, high drive dog. Sitting in someone's living room, he could probably be a downright pain.

Would this dog be a High in Trial obedience dog or national agility contender (AKC)? Maybe, but probably not. He would take a very special handler...Everyone whose had a low-key dog wants "drive" in their next one--and then they *get* it <EG>. His vigor and physicality would cause him to lose points or bust (touching on recall, missing contact zones, for example). Is this a consideration, in this example? Not at all. For his purposes, this dog suited the handler perfectly.

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8:00pm, back from the puppy evaluations. What a long day for the pups! Almost a 2 hr car ride each way, strange place, strange people, strange smells. Had a great time! Boy were they hungry when we got back!

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Day 50

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