Puppy Testing:
Puppy Evaluation & Score Interpretations

At 6-7 weeks of age, our puppies are evaluated by one of our professional dog trainers using BAB Puppy Evaluations. Throughout the test, we will rate each puppy's reaction as we expose them to different activities. Different litters go through different testing, especially if they are a litter designed for breeding or with therapy in mind.

Assertiveness with Humans

How comfortable a puppy is with humans. Do they try to impose their way (high) or naturally submit to human authority (low)? To test this, we observe if the puppy comes to the tester on their own initiative without the tester interacting with them.

Confidence

How confident is the dog in its own abilities in new environments? When entering the testing area, how does the puppy respond to the unfamiliar place and objects?

Motivation Level

Does, the dog naturally want to work for humans? This portion of the test involves asking the puppy to do something like play fetch, tug, and engage with the person. Is the puppy following what the tester asked them to do or is the person having to work really hard to get the puppy to do what they've asked?

Nerve Strength

How does the dog handle stress and react in different situations? Low is easily stressed, and high means they are able to adapt more easily in stressful situations. Nerve strength is observed throughout the test and we watch to see how the puppy handles stress and if they can overcome their fears.

Touch Tolerance

How does the puppy react when they are roughly touched (have their tail tugged, toes touched, etc.) Low scores mean the puppy doesn’t handle unwanted touch well, and high scores mean the puppy wasn’t stressed and enjoyed being touched the whole time. A lot of puppies will even enjoy this portion of the test.

Energy Level

How energetic is the puppy is moving throughout the test? Do they take breaks and rest or constantly run around?

Sound Sensitivity

Does the puppy startle easily with loud, unexpected noises? Low scores mean the puppy has a high tolerance for loud noises, and high scores mean the puppy is sensitive to loud unexpected noises.

Sight Sensitivity

How stressed is the puppy when there’s an unexpected movement? Low means they are not stressed by visual stimuli and high means they are more easily stressed and may hide when they see something surprising, like an umbrella open.

Prey Drive

How interested is the puppy in chasing, stalking, and pouncing small animals? Low means the puppy doesn’t have an interest in hunting and high means they can be trained to hunt and should be watched around small pets (birds, ferrets hamsters, etc.)

Human Focus

How interested are they in ‘following the pack’ and giving attention to the humans? Low means they want to discover on their own, and high scores mean they are attentive to people and focus on them.

Tenderhearted

How overwhelmed is the puppy by human emotions when they have an emotional outburst? Not tenderhearted scores mean the puppy is not affected by the person's emotional state. Extremely tenderhearted dogs will “feel” with their humans and can’t handle emotionally charged environments. An extremely tenderhearted dog should not be an emotional support animal because it will be as overwhelmed as a human. The best emotional support dogs are moderately and highly tenderhearted.

Dog Friendliness

Is this dog assertive (confident in greeting) or submissive (hesitantly waiting for a dog to approach) when meeting a new dog? The tester introduces a dog they haven't met before and we rate the puppy's interaction.

Temperament Assessment for Therapy Dog Candidates at Stokeshire Designer Doodles

Medium Engagement: Candidates exhibit balanced assertiveness, maintaining a polite demeanor during interactions. They display a preference for close proximity to humans, often seeking to sit alongside or crawl into the lap of the tester. While occasional mouthing behaviors may occur, they respect boundaries while subtly challenging them as comfort permits.

Confidence: Therapy dog candidates demonstrate proactive and confident attitudes in novel situations. They approach new environments with curiosity and enthusiasm, showing keen interest in their surroundings with an elevated tail. Embracing challenges with eagerness, they actively engage in the testing process, showcasing adaptability and confidence.

Motivational Drive: Evidencing a forward-thinking mindset, candidates display continuous eagerness to please and collaborate with humans. They maintain focused attention and interaction throughout evaluations, demonstrating a strong desire to fulfill expectations. Proactively responding to requests, they exhibit a willingness to retrieve and return items as needed.

Nerve Strength and Resilience: Therapy dog candidates remain composed and resilient during testing, exhibiting minimal signs of stress or agitation. While occasional startles may occur, they promptly regain composure and resume investigative behavior. Demonstrating robust demeanor, they exhibit resilience to various stimuli and maintain a calm disposition, vital for navigating emotionally intense environments.

Tender-hearted Nature: Candidates display a compassionate and empathetic demeanor towards humans, exhibiting behaviors such as cuddling, licking, and attempting to console during times of distress. Remaining in close proximity to testers, they demonstrate a sense of responsibility for their welfare, fostering strong bonds with humans.

Considerations for Therapy Dog Candidates: Desirable traits include a high tolerance for physical contact, minimal sensitivity to sight and sound stimuli, and a strong focus on human interaction. Undesirable characteristics encompass traits such as high prey drive, excessive energy levels, extreme assertiveness, overly tender-heartedness, low nerve strength, or diminished confidence. Successful candidates must exhibit a balanced combination of traits conducive to effectively navigating emotionally intense environments as therapy dogs.

WHAT IS Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Testing?

Some of the tests we use were developed as long ago as the l930’s for dogs bred to become Guide Dogs.  Then in the 1950’s, studies on puppies were done to determine how quickly they learned.  These studies were actually done to identify children’s learning stages.

Top Dog Tips: The ideal age to test the puppy is at 49 days of age when the puppy is neurologically complete and it has the brain of an adult dog. With each passing day after the 49th day the responses will be tainted by prior learning.

Later on in the early 60’s more tests were developed to determine if pups could be tested for dominance and submission.  These tests determined that it was indeed possible to predict future behavioral traits of adult dogs by testing puppies at 49 days of age.  Testing before or after that age affected the accuracy of the test, depending on the time before or after the 49th day.

We took these tests, added some of our own, and put together what is now known as the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, or PAT.  PAT uses a scoring system from 1-6 and consists of ten tests.  The tests are done consecutively and in the order listed.  Each test is scored separately, and interpreted on its own merits.  The scores are not averaged, and there are no winners or losers.  The entire purpose is to select the right puppy for the right home.

The tests are as follows:

1. Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence, or dependence.

2. Following - willingness to follow a person.

3. Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.

4. Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.

5. Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.

6. Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.

7. Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.

8. Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.

9. Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.

10. Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.

During the testing, note the pup's heart rate, which is an indication of how it deals with stress, as well as its energy level. Puppies come with high, medium, or low energy levels. You have to decide for yourself which suits your lifestyle. Dogs with high energy levels need a great deal of exercise and will get into mischief if this energy is not channeled in the right direction.

Finally, look at the overall structure of the puppy.  You see what you get at 49 days of age.  If the pup has strong and straight front and back legs, with all four feet pointing in the same direction, it will grow up that way, provided you give it the proper diet and environment to grow.  If you notice something unusual at this age, it will stay with a puppy for the rest of its life.  He will not grow out of it.

HOW TO TEST

Here are the ground rules for performing the test:

• The testing is done in a location unfamiliar to the puppies. This does not mean they have to taken away from home. A 10-foot square area is perfectly adequate, such as a room in the house where the puppies have not been.

• The puppies are tested one at a time.

• There are no other dogs or people, except the scorer and the tester, in the testing area

• The puppies do not know the tester.

• The scorer is a disinterested third party and not the person interested in selling you a puppy.

• The scorer is unobtrusive and positions him or herself so he or she can observe the puppies’ responses without having to move.

• The puppies are tested before they are fed.

• The puppies are tested when they are at their liveliest.

• Do not try to test a puppy that is not feeling well.

• Puppies should not be tested the day of or the day after being vaccinated.

• Only the first response counts!

Top Dog Tips: During the test, watch the puppy’s tail.  It will make a difference in the scoring whether the tail is up or down.

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.

11. Energy Level - Find out what kind of games the dog likes to play. Some are into fetch, some are into playing with rope or squeaky toys, and others are only into playing with other dogs. Some dogs are not big players at all. If the dog likes to fetch, does she tire out quickly or will she play until you end the game? If he likes to “kill” the rope toy, how soon does he seem to lose interest and walk away? As with the walk, the longer a dog will go, the higher energy he or she probably is.

Stokeshire Designer Doodles Aptitude Evaluation

Welcome to the Stokeshire Designer Doodles Aptitude Evaluation! We've curated a comprehensive assessment to help match our delightful Designer Doodles with their perfect homes. Drawing from decades of research and refinement, our evaluation is designed to provide insight into each puppy's unique traits and tendencies.

Testing Methodology:

Our evaluation utilizes a series of ten tests, each focusing on different aspects of a puppy's behavior and temperament. These tests are conducted at a crucial developmental stage, ensuring accurate insights into the puppy's future characteristics.

The Tests:

1. Social Attraction: Measures the puppy's attraction to people and its level of confidence or dependence.

2. Following: Assess the puppy's willingness to follow a person, indicating independence or reliance.

3. Restraint: Evaluate the puppy's response to dominance or submission, and its ease of handling in challenging situations.

4. Social Dominance: Determines the puppy's acceptance of social dominance by a person.

5. Elevation: Gauges the puppy's acceptance of dominance while in a position of no control.

6. Retrieving: Measures the puppy's willingness to work with a human, a key indicator for ease in training.

7. Touch Sensitivity: Evaluate the puppy's sensitivity to touch, influencing the type of training equipment needed.

8. Sound Sensitivity: Assesses the puppy's sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.

9. Sight Sensitivity: Measures the puppy's response to a moving object, indicating its level of curiosity or fear.

10. Stability: Evaluate the puppy's startled response to a strange object, revealing its fight or flight drive.

Scoring and Interpretation:

Each test is scored from 1 to 6, with higher scores indicating stronger tendencies or responses. Interpretation of scores helps match puppies with compatible homes and lifestyles.

1-2: Indicates strong leadership aspirations and potential aggression. Requires experienced handling.

3: High energy and may need significant exercise. Suitable for a second-time owner.

4: Well-rounded and adaptable, perfect for first-time owners.

5-6: Indicates fearfulness or extreme independence, requiring special handling or environments.

Choosing Your Designer Doodle:

Selecting a Designer Doodle is an important decision, and our evaluation aims to guide you toward the perfect match. Remember to consider the puppy's structure and overall demeanor when making your choice.

Conclusion:

At Stokeshire Designer Doodles, we prioritize the happiness and well-being of both our puppies and their future families. Our aptitude evaluation ensures that each puppy finds its ideal home, fostering a lifetime of love and companionship.

Disclaimer:

At Stokeshire Designer Doodles, we take pride in our commitment to breeding high-quality designer doodle puppies. However, it is important to understand that we do not make any guarantees regarding the temperament, behavior, or characteristics of our puppies.

While we strive to produce puppies with desirable traits through careful selection of parent dogs and thorough health testing, we acknowledge that each puppy is an individual with its own unique personality and development trajectory.

Our breeding program aims to produce healthy, well-socialized puppies with predictable coat types and sizes characteristic of designer doodles. However, factors such as genetics, environment, and training play significant roles in shaping a puppy's behavior and personality.

We do not guarantee specific outcomes, including but not limited to:

• Temperament or disposition

• Trainability or obedience

• Coat color, texture, or hypoallergenic properties

• Size or weight at maturity

Furthermore, while we may provide insights into a puppy's behavior and temperament based on our observations and assessments, these are not guarantees of future behavior. Puppies may exhibit changes in behavior as they mature and adapt to their new homes and environments.

We encourage potential puppy owners to thoroughly research and consider the responsibilities of dog ownership before making a decision. Additionally, we recommend ongoing training, socialization, and veterinary care to ensure the well-being and happiness of our puppies.

By adopting a puppy from Stokeshire Designer Doodles, you acknowledge and accept that we do not provide guarantees regarding the puppy's behavior, temperament, or other characteristics. We are committed to providing support and guidance to our puppy owners throughout their journey with their new companion.

Thank you for considering Stokeshire Designer Doodles as your source for a designer doodle puppy. We look forward to assisting you in finding the perfect addition to your family.