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  1. #1
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Temperament Testing

    Have you temperament tested your dog? Or has your breeder?

    I helped at a temperament test on the weekend. It's interesting. My understanding is that breed clubs decide how they want their breed to score on each station of the test and there is no pass or fail. However a couple of dogs failed the test, based on their reaction at the last station for both of them. Both were Dobermans and both failed on the aggressive, suddenly appearing stranger. Sorry, those are my words, not sure of the exact wording the test uses.

    With the dog and handler at a distance a man in hooded raincoat hidden behind a van banged on a board with a stick. Then he popped into view of the dogs and walked like a drunk toward them yelling and beating the ground with a stick. One Dobe ran behind her owner and as far away as she could get. The other cowered a bit then hid behind his owner. Interestingly the latter dog's house had been burgled the previous week and it's thought the Doberman is why nothing was stolen and the robbers left and robbed the house next door instead.

    Nearly all the dogs alerted, as is desired. Some seemed to think it was going to be a fun game with the drunk man and wagged their tails throughout. If they alerted they still passed. The Irish Wolfhound seemed to be thinking, "Huh, If I stand up on my hind feet I'll be taller than you and I weigh more than you and I'll just stand out here at the end of my leash between my Mum and you and watch you." The drunk man did not get closer than about 15 feet to any of the dogs.

    One of the GR was interesting. He was waggy and wiggly, alerted and stood heads up ahead of his Mum. His mouth was open and he was panting and wagging. As the man got closer he obviously swallowed a few times till the man got to within 15 feet and the GR was no longer wagging, his tail dropped, his mouth stayed closed and his head stayed up but his ears went back a down a bit. He was on alert the whole time but got less and less happy in his appearance. He passed.

    Another station was an umbrella popped open. The dogs could react by jumping back but then were supposed to approach and sniff the umbrella when their owner said it was ok. This one was supposed to show the dog's ability to recover.

    I was part of the crowd station where a group surround the owner and talk to the owner but ignore the dog. A few dogs were very polite and walked round the group sniffing each of us in turn.

    There was a gunfire station too with three blanks fired off behind a van out of sight of the dogs. Nobody I saw seemed to panic on this one but some leaped up and ran back but none tried to run away.

    It was very interesting, I'm glad I went and saw it. I didn't see any Labs there the time I was there. Several Rotties and Dobes and I only saw one GSD.

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  3. #2
    Senior Dog Maxx&Emma's Avatar
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    That sounds really interesting! I would love to watch something like this.
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  4. #3
    Senior Dog shellbell's Avatar
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    I have not, but I have friends who have. My understanding is that if they pass, they get an actual title in this. I feel like Tux would pass, but he is a mix and is not registered with the AKC or anything, so I'm not sure what the point of us taking it would be, other than for my own knowledge that he could pass.

  5. #4
    Senior Dog voodoo's Avatar
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    interesting, fun read. have no clue on temperments other than happy, loving, playful chili who barks once if something isnt normal and then makes rounds around the house.
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  6. #5
    Senior Dog Labradorks's Avatar
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    I met a woman with a Doberman at a show where we had about four hours of waiting, and she told me about how her dog earned a certificate in this. Most of what you're saying is what she did. I think it was Dobermans, Rotties, GSDs, maybe a few more -- but the "guard dog types". Anyway, these breeders earn basically the equivalent of a Lab WC if they should pass. I think several breeds can earn certification in doing what they were bred to do in the first place.

  7. #6
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by shellbell View Post
    I have not, but I have friends who have. My understanding is that if they pass, they get an actual title in this. I feel like Tux would pass, but he is a mix and is not registered with the AKC or anything, so I'm not sure what the point of us taking it would be, other than for my own knowledge that he could pass.
    The owner of one of the failing Dobes is a former trainer of ours. I think she wants to title her bitch in Schutzhund but the dog shows no aptitude for it. This was her second fail.

    One big Rottie stood at alert but wagged his tail and grinned back at his Mum as if to say, "Look at the funny man coming to play with me." He passed because he did alert but some people watching said his reaction would have been better if it had shown a little more defensive behaviour. I asked if his behaviour wouldn't be what you'd want if you were selling or buying a Rottie for a pet home but the answer was no, they want their guarding type breed to display the behaviours the breed is traditionally known for. This test was put on by the local kennel club so I hope all the breeders there could be considered to be "reputable." But it makes me feel my caution when meeting an unknown of any of these breeds is warranted. Breeds being tested are overwhelmingly Rotties and Dobes. I was told so many GSD failed that the GSD breeders made up their own test.

    NSGSDC, Temperament Test This link looks to be the same as what I saw. I couldn't see the walking on the fence part but someone said it was there. I can't find much on the test from other than a club who put one on. I tried to find out a year or so ago what the Lab breeders want but got no answer from the club I emailed.

  8. #7
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    I am assuming this was the atts test? American Temperament Test Society, Inc. | A sound mind in a sound body

    I want to run Hemi through it. It is required by a few of his dog scout badges and there is even a badge for passing it. They haven't offered it within a 6 hour drive of me in a long time. Which I haven't been in the mood to drive 6 hours there and 6 hours back for a 20 minute test. As soon as it is offered closer then Hemi will be taking it. I am sure he will pass it looks pretty easy. As far as I know this is the only real temperament test that is accepted for certifications. There are many others out there but this is the only official one I am aware of that is universal.

  9. #8
    Senior Dog Snowshoe's Avatar
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    Yep, looks very much the same. We had an extra station which was the one I was in, where a crowd surround the dog and handler, ignore the dog and only talk to the handler. And I think we only had one footing one, which was chain link fence laid on the ground.

    Some of the Rottie ladies, four dogs between them, drove about three hours for the test. And now I know why Rottie tails are docked. Not attractive, Rottie tails, not a bit. Well, two hours at least if they drive like a lot of people and took 400 series most of the way.

    Do you know how Hemi is expected to perform? As a Lab?

  10. #9
    Senior Dog voodoo's Avatar
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    looking at the pass rates of this test, I am surprised so many dogs have failed. I assume anyone that gets their dogs tested probably are in the top 10% when it comes to loving dog owners who train/treat their dog as a family member. I would think 90% or more dogs would have passed if they had some training. Or maybe better put, I wouldnt spend 40 dollars to have tested if I never practiced for the test
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  11. #10
    Senior Dog Jeff's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Snowshoe View Post
    Do you know how Hemi is expected to perform? As a Lab?
    Nope, I am pretty sure for ATTS all dogs are expected to perform the same way, no real exception to the rule. The only one that would be a problem for Hemi is if someone comes up ignoring the dog and talks to me. Few seconds of being ignored Hemi will be all affectionate to the person. What about me!!! The Canine Good citizen he passed easily but they came up and shook your hand and then left ignoring Hemi so he didn't really have time to say hey what about me.

    The point where they rattle a bucket and place it in the way. Showing curiosity, Hemi might pick the bucket up and carry it along or try to play with it.

 



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