Temperament Testing - Page 3

 Geez Sueincc,

Maybe that is how I can supplement my income LOL......

Larrydee: You need to see the Volhard tests, among others. Many folks, especially guide dog people and others investing heavily in their puppy choices, need temperament data on young pups.  Imperfect, sure, but worth something.

Perhaps one positive thing to come from TT is that "the average joe" MAY have something to work toward with their companion.  No, it is not perfect.  Maybe not great for all breeds if the criteria is the same.  BUT, at least it may get some owners off their butts to work with their animal instead of doing nothing at all. 

Appendix 3.1: Selection of Serviceable Dogs

I don't like the stranger testing protocol, or at least the assessment of it.  I think most GSDs with good instincts would bark considerably because of the wierd manner in which the person was acting.  First of all there is eye contact, which most confident dogs will interpret as a challenge, then the waving of arms and moving from side to side.  It is abnormal and the dog should react to that by barking in a warning fashion and standing their ground.  If such a person approached me in a lonely place and my dog was with me, I would hope that the dog would react in a manner that would tell the stranger that he is on thin ice and had better not approach too closely.  I would want my dog to have these instincts:  unafraid, stand ground and WARN by barking.  The "excellent" result in this test is that the canine maintains a friendly posture and does not startle!! WTF!!?  (I am assuming here that the stranger is an adult.  In the case of a child, I would want my dog's instincts to sense that and react in the manner stated under the excellent category.)  But if the stranger presents a threatening behavior, I sure do want my dog to react to that by warning (but not overt and uncontrollable aggression).

3. Stranger test – Have stranger to act in an unusual manner. Have the dog attached to a fence in an

unfamiliar setting with a 4 to 6 foot leash. The stranger will make eye contact with dog from 20 to 30

foot away; when dog makes eye contact, the stranger should begin acting in an unusual manner, i.e.,

making loud noises, waving arms, moving from side to side, and advancing towards dog but always

maintaining at least a 10 foot distance from the dog. Then the stranger should become friendly with

the dog.

Fail - Canine retreats and/or shows any aggression toward stranger

Average - Canine startles, backs up a few steps, but when person acts friendly the dog

immediately wants to greet stranger

Excellent - Canine maintains friendly posture and does not startle.

Good info everyone, but I think I'll stick with my trainer's methods, he has been dead on for so many years at almost any age. He is good

We used to call him the Dog Whisperer before Cesar took the title.

Doesn't mean I am not reading the info, always looking for more tools for the old tool box.

Mindhund:  Don't know what you mean by your trainer's methods.  This is not a thread about training methods, and no training tools have been discussed above.  It is about temperament testing.  Nice though that you feel you are in the right place for training your dog.  Kudos for that.

By the way, I decided to desensitize my 7 month old GSD girl to the umbrella, so went into her kennel and played some motivational obedience games, then opend the umbrella in front of her.  She reacted alright--jumped up and bit it, thought it was a game too.  Although the umbrella will never provide the same waterproof protection again.  Then she chased me around the kennel while I was trying to close it.  Closed it.  Then opened it in her face.  Oh boy, fun game again.  Guess we don't have a problem with that!

Wanderer, I read the links others have posted, that was what I was the methods and information I was referring to.  I agree that TT is something that should be done if one wants to train a working dog. 

Ok so called Mods, what the hell was wrong with the new Temperament Testing thread that made you delete it today?  I even put it in search on everyone's names that added to it and it doesn't even show that they replied to it on their last 25 or so threads!  There was NOTHING wrong with that thread except for showing a damn accomplishment.  Who deleted it and why????

I'm with Louise and Hodie. I read the Temperament Test and expected response grades. Some of it is a bunch of hooey, IMHO. I've kept GSDs for years and any normal GSD, schutzhund trained or not, is going to warn off a threatening stranger. And this is an undesired response?! After I read the TT grading part, I decided that the Volhard puppy test is probably a better guestimate of a dog's eventual temperament. JMO, of course.