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Text File | 1993-11-19 | 13.4 KB | 227 lines

I hesitate to generalize about one breed as opposed to another...It's true that Springers can be hyper, but the same is true of Labs and Goldens...Dog are like people...some are active and some are real slugs...I think you would agree that for people, race has little to do with it; for dogs, breed has little to do with it, although 'breeding' does...Instead of saying that Springers are hyper/Labs are not...I will provide you with a Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) which I have found to be of value and which I found was recently the subject of an article in one of the dog publications to which I subscribe. The test deals with *traits* rather than breeds and has gained wide responsibility among responsible breeders because it helps so much in matching puppies to people. Below is an abbreviated PAT which has been developed by Micky Rabeneck of Kansas City, MO for pet buyers/gun dog buyers. Mrs. Rabeneck has been testing puppies with the PAT for years and, additionally teaches puppy testing techniques for veterinary technician classes at a community college in her area. This abbreviated PAT is easy to use and score. You merely choose the breed you want to select, then administer the test to puppies within that breed. It will give you, the novice, all the information you need to select the puppy best suited to your personality. THE RABENECK PUPPY TEST (Score Sheet provided in next message) The six testing procedures are "Here Puppy, Puppy" [PAT Social Attraction Test]; "Catch Me, Catch Me" [PAT Following Test]; "Who's The Boss!" [PAT Restraint Test]; "Still Love Me" [PAT Forgiveness Test]; "Chase The Ball" [PAT Retrieving Instinct Test]; and "Birdiness" [which has no PAT equivalent]. The scoring categories for each procedure are: HOT [PAT 1 & 2 scores]; WARM [PAT 3 scores]; COOL [PAT 4 & 5 scores]; and COLD [PAT 6 scores].l In addition, it is recommended you observe and note each puppy's overall energy level, as is done in the PAT. You should test each puppy individually, doing all testing procedures with one puppy before starting with the next. Use a separate score sheet for each puppy. For each procedure, instead of making a check mark in the appropriate scoring category box, draw a horizontal line thru it. If a puppy's reaction falls somewhere between two scoring categories, draw the line from an appropriate point in one box to the corresponding point in the other. Such reactions are not unusual. Few puppies are completely consistent from testing procedure to testing procedure, so don't be surprised if the ones you test have some scattered scores. But, by drawing lines instead of making check marks, your score sheet will become a graph of the puppy's reactions. You should test the pups when they are seven to sixteen weeks old. Of course, test only the pups from which you can choose...why fall in love with a pup you can't have!! Test in an area far enough from the other pups so that the pup being tested will not be distracted by the others. Test in a place in which the pups do not normally live or eat, but in which they will be comfortable...for example, the front room at the breeder's. ┌───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ PUPPY TEMPERAMENT TEST FOR CHOOSING PETS │ ├────────────────────────────┬─────┬────────┬───────┬───────────┤ │Puppy's Identification │Hyper│Friendly│Worried│No response│ │ │bold │Moderate│Slow │Fearful │ │ │HOT │WARM │COOL │COLD │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │HERE PUPPY, HERE PUPPY! │ │ │ │ │ │Kneel down, have breeder │ │ │ │ │ │set pup about 6 ft away │ │ │ │ │ │call enthusiastically, │ │ │ │ │ │if no response, coax │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │CATCH ME, CATCH ME! │ │ │ │ │ │Stand up, and while moving │ │ │ │ │ │backwards, have pup catch │ │ │ │ │ │up with you and play with │ │ │ │ │ │you │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │WHO'S THE BOSS? │ │ │ │ │ │Kneel down, gently place │ │ │ │ │ │pup on its back, hold for │ │ │ │ │ │30 seconds. Do not talk │ │ │ │ │ │to pup. HOT-struggles a │ │ │ │ │ │lot; WARM-struggles a │ │ │ │ │ │little; COOL-Doesn't strug- │ │ │ │ │ │gle, but is relaxed; COLD- │ │ │ │ │ │Doesn't struggle is │ │ │ │ │ │frightened │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │STILL LOVE ME? │ │ │ │ │ │Still kneeling, let pup up │ │ │ │ │ │& stroke it gently after │ │ │ │ │ │turning pup to face you │ │ │ │ │ │HOT-immediately climbs │ │ │ │ │ │right up in your face │ │ │ │ │ │WARM-climbs up after a sec- │ │ │ │ │ │ond waist or chest high. │ │ │ │ │ │COOL-Stands still, permits │ │ │ │ │ │you to pet │ │ │ │ │ │COLD-Uninterested, goes away│ │ │ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │CHASE THE BALL! │ │ │ │ │ │Gently restrain pup with one│ │ │ │ │ │hand under the chest. Crinkl│ │ │ │ │ │small crushed paper ball in │ │ │ │ │ │front of pup. Toss ball 6-8│ │ │ │ │ │ft. Let pup go-does it like│ │ │ │ │ │to retrieve? │ │ │ │ │ │HOT-runs way with ball │ │ │ │ │ │WARM-retrieve ball COOL-goes│ │ │ │ │ │to ball, returns without it │ │ │ │ │ │COLD-not interested │ │ │ │ │ ├────────────────────────────┼─────┼────────┼───────┼───────────┤ │BIRDINESS │ │ │ │ │ │Tease pup with fresh-killed │ │ │ │ │ │pigeon or a bird's wing. As│ │ │ │ │ │he becomes interested, toss │ │ │ │ │ │bird 6-8 ft and let pup go. │ │ │ │ │ │Does he 'Turn-On'? │ │ │ │ │ └────────────────────────────┴─────┴────────┴───────┴───────────┘ HERE PUPPY, HERE PUPPY !! Have the breeder put the pup down about six feet away from you. Squat down, clap your hands and encourage the pup to come to you. Score <HOT> if the puppy comes readily, tail up, jumps on you and mouths at or licks your hands. Score <WARM> if it comes readily with tail up. Score <COOL> if it comes cautiously with its tail down. Score <COLD> if it doesn't come at all. CATCH ME, CATCH ME !! Stand up and walk away from the pup, encouraging it verbally to follow you. Score <HOT> if the pup follows readily, tail up, getting under foot. Score <WARM> if it follows readily, tail up, but doesn't get under foot. Score <COOL> if it follows cautiously with its tail down. Score <COLD> if it doesn't follow. WHO'S THE BOSS ?? Gently roll the pup over on his back and hold it there for 30 seconds. Score <HOT> if the pup struggles wildly and continuously. Score <WARM> if it alternately struggles vigorously and settles, struggles vigorously and settles. Score <COOL> if it struggles slightly and settles or doesn't struggle at all. Score <COLD> if it doesn't struggle but strains to avoid eye contact. STILL LOVE ME ?? Immediately after the previous test, let the pup back up, stroke the pup and put your face near it. Score <HOT> if the pup jumps up, paws and mouths or licks you. Score <WARM> if it cuddles up to you and tries to lick your face. Score <COOL> if it sits quietly, accepts petting, and nudges or licks your hand, or it it rolls over and makes no eye contact. Score <COLD> if it goes away and stays away. CHASE THE BALL !! Attract the pup's attention with a crumpled ball of paper. When the pup is watching, toss the ball about 6-8 feet. As the pup goes after it, back up a couple of feet and encourage it to come back to you. Score <HOT> if the pup chases the ball, but does not return to you, doing instead, any of the following: picks it up and runs off, stands over it, or lies down with it. Score <WARM> if it chases the ball, picks it up and returns to you. Score <COOL> if it chases ball but returns to you withut it, or if it starts to chase but loses interest. Score <COLD> if it does not chase at all. BIRDINESS (for hunting dogs, only) Tease the pup with a fresh-killed pigeon or pigeon wing, then toss it 6-8 feet. This is a birdiness test, not another retrieving test. Score it on the basis of the puppy's reaction to the bird, not on whether it retrieves to you. Score <HOT> if pup "attacks" the bird as you tease with it, chases vigorously when you toss it and grabs it immediately when he gets to the bird. Score <WARM> if pup shows excitement during teasing, runs after the bird readily when you toss it and picks it up quickly. Score <COOL> if pup shows mild interest during teasing, trots after the bird when you toss it, but either doesn't pick it up or picks it up hesitantly. Score <COLD> if the pup show little or no interest during teasing and fails to go after the bird when you toss it. ENERGY LEVEL As in the PAT, this is an overall observation, not a separate testing procedure. Observe the puppy's general behavior during the other tests and score his energy level according to the following criteria: HIGH-The pup runs continually, pounces, wiggles, paws MEDIUM-It most trots, occasionally runs, pounces and wiggles LOW-It walks slowly, sits quietly and usually remains in position. Don't convert your observations on energy level to <HOT> <WARM> <COOL> or <COLD>. This is just an overall evaluation of the puppy's energy level-which is an important consideration in puppy selection as you will see below. WHAT THE SCORES MEAN Some pups may score in only one category (Hot, Warm, Cool or Cold) for all testing procedures. Others may score in two adjacent categories. Still others may scatter their scores all over the page. What does it all mean? Which pup should you choose? First, believe the scores-even if you have never tested pups before. If you followed the instructions in the previous message, your scores are valid. Puppies are totally honest...what you see at seven weeks is what you will get. Don't think, and don't let the breeder convince you, that a pup will outgrow something you didn't like during the testing procedures. Let's now discuss what the scores mean... <HOT> - Bold, fast and often distractible. FOr those very active people who will seek and pursue training of the dog with a qualified professional. These dogs usually excel in competitive events when they have been provided with the necessary training. They are usually kenneled since they are too rambunctious to live in the house. <WARM> - Has a reasonable amount of energy. Very interested and interactive. Will usually take training well, working hard to please. A good all-around choice for the person who want to have a decent gun dog in the field and then come home to live with the dog in the house. <COOL> - Very cautious and sometimes fearful. Will respond eventually. A good pick for someone who does not have time, energy or physical ability to interact with the dog. Could develop some irrational fears. <COLD> - Does not respond no matter how much you may try to coax it. Runs away, deliberately ignoring you. Should not be chosen as a pet. May very well develop serious behavioral problems. What about the pup that scores all over the sheet, with no apparent pattern?? That's exactly how it will grow up...totally unpredictable. Such a pup will surprise its owner (pleasantly or unpleasantly) almost every day. GOOD NEWS !! Interestingly, after testing all of the pups, you will be drawn to exactly the right pup for you. Why? Well, these tests will help you find a pup with a temperament and personality quite similar to your own. You will like that pup above the others and you will relate to it better, too. I guess you might say that the secret to success is less in the breeding than in matching the right pup to the right owner. ---