Miracle Shilohs

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.