On or around their 7 week birthday, our Temperament Tester comes over and
administers the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test to our puppies.  A copy of the test,
and a guideline for interpretation of the results, are provided below.
 
 

Miracle Shiloh Shepherds                                               Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT)

 

 

TEST

PUPPY

TESTER’S COMMENTS

SCORE

 

Social Attraction

The Tester:
Kneels, claps, and coaxes the puppy to her.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Comes readily, tail up, jumps, bites at hands

Comes readily, tail up, paws, licks

Comes readily, tail up

Comes readily, tail down

Comes hesitantly

Doesn’t come at all

 

 

 

Following

The Tester:
Stands up and slowly walks away, encouraging the puppy to follow.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Follows readily, tail up, gets underfoot

Follows readily, tail up, happy attitude

Follows readily

Follows with tail down

Follows hesitantly

Does not follow, or goes the other way

 

 

 

Dominant or Submissive Tendencies

The Tester:
Rolls the puppy on its back and holds with one hand (for up to 30 seconds).

1

2

3

4

5

6

Struggles fiercely, flails, bites

Struggles fiercely and flails

Struggles then settles, struggles again

Struggles then settles

No struggle

No struggle, avoids eye contact

 

 

 

Social Dominance

The Tester:
Strokes standing puppy from head to back while crouched beside him.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Jumps, paws, growls, bites

Jumps, paws

Cuddles and tries to lick face

Squirms, tries to lick hands

Rolls over, licks hands

Goes away and stays away

 

 

 

Elevation Dominance

The Tester:
Interlaces fingers under the puppy’s belly and holds it just off the ground for 30 seconds.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Struggles wildly, bites, growls

Struggles wildly

No struggle

Struggles, settles, licks

No struggle, licks hands

No struggle, freezes

 

 

 

Touch Sensitivity

The Tester:
Spreads the puppy’s front foot and presses the webbing between the toes with thumb and forefinger, while slowly counting to 10.

1

2

3

4

5

6

8-10 counts before response

6-7 counts before response

5-6 counts before response

3-4 counts before response

1-2 counts before response

Immediate response

 

 

 

Sound Sensitivity

The Tester:
Strikes a metal spoon on a pan a few feet away from the puppy.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Listens, locates sound, ran toward it barking

Listens, locates sound, walked slowly toward it

Listens, locates sound, showed curiosity

Listens and locates sound

Cringes, backs off, hides

Ignores sound

 

 

 

Sight Sensitivity

The Tester:
Ties a string around a towel and jerks it across the floor in front of the puppy.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Looks, attacks, bites

Looks and barks

Looks, attempts to investigate

Looks, barks, tucks tail

Runs away

Ignores towel

   
 

Retrieving

The Tester:
Attracts the puppy’s attention with a crumpled ball of paper, then tosses it four to six feet in front of the puppy.

1

2

3

4

5

6

Chases, picks up, runs away

Chases and stands over ball

Chases and returns with ball

Chases but returns without ball

Starts to chase, loses interest

Doesn’t chase

   
 

Stability

The Tester:
Opens an umbrella, and gently places it on the ground about five feet from the puppy.

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

Looks and runs to it, biting/mouthing

Looks and walks to it, smelling cautiously

Looks and investigates

Sits and looks, but does not move towards it

Runs away

Shows no interest

   
 

Activity Level

The Tester:
Assesses during the series of tests by observing the puppy.

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

Very high energy level – goes at a gallop

Medium high: gallops/trots, mouths/bites, etc.

Medium energy level – trots with some walking

Low energy – walks with some trotting

Very low energy ‑ walks

Sometimes lethargic

   
 
Tester’s Overall Impressions of Puppy:

 

 

 

 

 


Puppy’s Overall Score     :     Mostly       1’s       2’s       3’s       4’s       5’s       6’s
 

   
 
 

Miracle Shiloh Shepherds                                     Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) Results


Mostly 1’s

Strong desire to be pack leader; is not shy about bucking for a promotion.
Has a predisposition to be aggressive to people and other dogs, and will bite.
Should only be placed into a very experienced home where the dog will be trained and worked on a regular basis.

Mostly 2’s

Likewise, has leadership aspirations.
May be hard to manage and has the capacity to bite.
Has lots of self-confidence.
Should not be placed with an inexperienced owner.
Too unruly to be good with children and elderly people, or with other animals.
Needs a strict schedule, loads of exercise and lots of training.
Has the potential to be a good show dog with someone who understands dog behavior.

Mostly 3’s

Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise.
Good with people and other animals.
Can be a bit of a handful to live with.
Needs training, does very well at it, and learns quickly.
Great dog for second-time owner.

Mostly 4’s

The kind of dog that makes the perfect pet.
Best choice for the first-time owner
Rarely will buck for a promotion in the family.
Easy to train, and rather quiet.
Good with elderly people and children, although may need protection from the children.
Choose this puppy, take it to obedience classes, and you’ll be the star, without ever having to do much work!

Mostly 5’s

Fearful, shy, and needs special handling.
Will run away at the slightest stress in its life.
Strange people, strange places, different floor or ground surfaces may upset it.
Often afraid of loud noises and terrified of thunderstorms.
When you greet it upon your return, may submissively urinate.
Needs a very special home where the environment doesn’t change too much and where there are no children.
Best for a quiet, elderly couple.
If cornered and cannot get away, has a tendency to bite.

Mostly 6’s

So independent that he doesn’t need you or other people.
Doesn’t care if it is trained or not – it is its own person.
Unlikely to bond to you, since it doesn’t need you.
A great guard dog for gas stations!
Do not take this puppy and think you can change it into a lovable bundle – you can’t, so leave well enough alone.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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Page Updated 1 January 2018
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