Dianne and I took the puppies to our trainer and her partner to perform the Volhard temperament tests. We had to do the conformation evaluation ourselves this year as our handler/mentor had a family issue come up. We combined the results of each test and wrote up our general impression of each puppy. I thought some of you might like to read them.
I will only post the general information for the Volhard test once to save space, but it applies to all of the tests.
Ziva
Ziva suspended
Ziva self stack
VOLHARD
PUPPY APTITUDE TEST (PAT)
LITTER: Wispynook’s Amazing Grace of Sirius X Ch. By Request, I’m Snow’d In, Thank God!
AKC NAME: Wispynook’s Got My Glitter On
CALL NAME: ZIVA COLOR: BLUE SEX: FEMALE COLLAR: PINK
AKC #:
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
1 Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands
2 Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands
3 Came readily, tail up
4 Came readily, tail down
5 Came hesitantly, tail down
6 Didn’t come at all
FOLLOWING
1 Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet
2 Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot
3 Followed readily, tail up
4 Followed readily, tail down
5 Followed hesitantly, tail down
6 Did not follow or went away
RESTRAINT
1 Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit
2 Struggled fiercely, flailed
3 Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact
4 Struggled, then settled
5 No struggle
6 No struggle, strained to avoid eye contact
SOCIAL DOMINANCE
1 Jumped, pawed, bit, growled
2 Jumped, pawed
3 Cuddled up to tester and tried to lick face
4 Squirmed, licked at hands
5 Rolled over, licked at hands
6 Went away and stayed away
ELEVATION DOMINANCE
1 Struggled fiercely, tried to bite
2 Struggled fiercely
3 Struggled, settled, struggled, settled
4 No struggle, relaxed
5 No struggle, body stiff
6 No struggle, froze
RETRIEVING
1 Chased object, picked it up and ran away
2 Chased object, stood over it and did not return
3 Chased object, picked it up and returned with it to tester
4 Chased object and returned without it to tester
5 Started to chase object, lost interest
6 Does not chase object
TOUCH SENSITIVITY
1 8-10 count before response
2 6-8 count before response
3 5-6 count before response
4 3-5 count before response
5 2-3 count before response
6 1-2 count before response
SOUND SENSITIVITY
1 Listened, located sound and ran toward it barking
2 Listened, located sound and walked slowly toward it
3 Listened, located sound and showed curiosity
4 Listened and located sound
5 Cringed, backed off and hid behind tester
6 Ignored sound and showed no curiosity
SIGHT SENSITIVITY
1 Looked, attacked and bit object
2 Looked and put feet on object and put mouth on it
3 Looked with curiosity and attempted to investigate, tail up
4 Looked with curiosity, tail down
5 Ran away or hid behind tester
6 Hid behind tester
STABILITY
1 Looked and ran to the umbrella, mouthing or biting it
2 Looked and walked to the umbrella, smelling it cautiously
3 Looked and went to investigate
4 Sat and looked, but did not move toward the umbrella
5 Showed little or no interest
6 Ran away from the umbrella
Average Score: 3
REMARKS:
Ziva is a well put together dog with a great drive and very athletic. Ziva loves to jump, swim, retrieve and play hard. She is very intense and is full of life. She has a lovely head. She is very forward and needs to be in a home where she will get plenty of exercise and preferably a performance home, as she will excel at agility and other performance activities. She is not a good prospect for a home with small children due to her high energy. Ziva will also do well in the conformation ring.
SCORED
#
1 - 1
2 - 2
5 - 3
1 - 4
0 - 5
1 - 6
I will only post the general information for the Volhard test once to save space, but it applies to all of the tests.
Ziva
Ziva suspended
Ziva self stack
VOLHARD
PUPPY APTITUDE TEST (PAT)
LITTER: Wispynook’s Amazing Grace of Sirius X Ch. By Request, I’m Snow’d In, Thank God!
AKC NAME: Wispynook’s Got My Glitter On
CALL NAME: ZIVA COLOR: BLUE SEX: FEMALE COLLAR: PINK
AKC #:
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
1 Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands
2 Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands
3 Came readily, tail up
4 Came readily, tail down
5 Came hesitantly, tail down
6 Didn’t come at all
FOLLOWING
1 Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet
2 Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot
3 Followed readily, tail up
4 Followed readily, tail down
5 Followed hesitantly, tail down
6 Did not follow or went away
RESTRAINT
1 Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit
2 Struggled fiercely, flailed
3 Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact
4 Struggled, then settled
5 No struggle
6 No struggle, strained to avoid eye contact
SOCIAL DOMINANCE
1 Jumped, pawed, bit, growled
2 Jumped, pawed
3 Cuddled up to tester and tried to lick face
4 Squirmed, licked at hands
5 Rolled over, licked at hands
6 Went away and stayed away
ELEVATION DOMINANCE
1 Struggled fiercely, tried to bite
2 Struggled fiercely
3 Struggled, settled, struggled, settled
4 No struggle, relaxed
5 No struggle, body stiff
6 No struggle, froze
RETRIEVING
1 Chased object, picked it up and ran away
2 Chased object, stood over it and did not return
3 Chased object, picked it up and returned with it to tester
4 Chased object and returned without it to tester
5 Started to chase object, lost interest
6 Does not chase object
TOUCH SENSITIVITY
1 8-10 count before response
2 6-8 count before response
3 5-6 count before response
4 3-5 count before response
5 2-3 count before response
6 1-2 count before response
SOUND SENSITIVITY
1 Listened, located sound and ran toward it barking
2 Listened, located sound and walked slowly toward it
3 Listened, located sound and showed curiosity
4 Listened and located sound
5 Cringed, backed off and hid behind tester
6 Ignored sound and showed no curiosity
SIGHT SENSITIVITY
1 Looked, attacked and bit object
2 Looked and put feet on object and put mouth on it
3 Looked with curiosity and attempted to investigate, tail up
4 Looked with curiosity, tail down
5 Ran away or hid behind tester
6 Hid behind tester
STABILITY
1 Looked and ran to the umbrella, mouthing or biting it
2 Looked and walked to the umbrella, smelling it cautiously
3 Looked and went to investigate
4 Sat and looked, but did not move toward the umbrella
5 Showed little or no interest
6 Ran away from the umbrella
Average Score: 3
REMARKS:
Ziva is a well put together dog with a great drive and very athletic. Ziva loves to jump, swim, retrieve and play hard. She is very intense and is full of life. She has a lovely head. She is very forward and needs to be in a home where she will get plenty of exercise and preferably a performance home, as she will excel at agility and other performance activities. She is not a good prospect for a home with small children due to her high energy. Ziva will also do well in the conformation ring.
SCORED
#
1 - 1
2 - 2
5 - 3
1 - 4
0 - 5
1 - 6