Temperament Testing - Page 5

Wow katjo74, sorry to hear that.  I know that they don't have them in every state, and that you can request that one be put on the calender for 2009 if there is room.  That's what we were told at the test any way. 

And Louise grow up hun!  You are showing your childish side again!

I actually emailed them about it to confirm the info (no TT opportunities in Ohio), and they suggested for ME to find a club, suggest they sponsor a TT opportunity and to contact them, and go from there. I thought that was their job, not mine. And Ohio is a big state-a TT opportunity scheduled in northern Ohio could be as much as 5-6 hrs one-way drive for me, which is just not practical considering gas prices. So I dunno. We know a good lady who's about 2 1/2hrs one-way from me that does CGC and TDI (therapy dog) testing/certifications so I do THAT instead of TT. After all, a GSD has to have a good temperament & clear mind whether it'll pass TT or TDI certification according to what is expected-I realise they're very different in nature, but still overall demand a good head on a dog, which the end product is what I'm considering. The passing of EITHER should show a GSD has good stable personality/temperament, wouldn't you think? And I subject mine to walking on a closed ex-pen, tarps (they'll play tug-o-war happily with noisy tarps) and all that stuff here at home just so they don't think it's frieky and get plenty of socialising and play, so they're decent about alot of things expected in the TT. But if the opportunity came around within a 2hr driving span one-way to get them TT tested, I'd see to it I got some GSDs to it!
I DO belong to 2 official clubs, but their overall attitude seems to be, it takes money to hold a TT opportunity,  and the response for involvement (people signing up to get their dogs TT tested) is low so the 'end' doesn't justify the 'means'.

As part of imprinting my pups they consistently get things directed at them that gives clues to how their temperment will be. For example on a windy day I put stake a piece of plastic outside in a place where they did not expect it to be or other strange looking objects. As they grow you get to see how they are developing and handling stressors.

I always gun test and do the umbrella test on my pups.

Shepherd Woman: And Louise grow up hun!  You are showing your childish side again!

IMO TT should be an going evualtion on all pups you are considering for training or breeding later.

Midlife or old age crisis Louise?  Hmmm got me wondering now, LOL  Bored, lonely?  Need attention?

Here are some criteria I tested for at 5 weeks old, about a week ago.  Today (6 weeks) I conducted a gunfire test, on the group,  four shots, from 20yds down to 5yd distance, 22 blanks in a 6" barrel (not as loud as a starter gun).  None in the group seemed to notice at all.  I like to take a "snapshot" of 5, 6, and 7 weeks, to make comparisons in  progessive development.  Other criteria are added at the 6 and 7 week age.  This litter did NOT undergo ENS treatment (Early Neurological Stimulation), and I am not dissatisfied at all with the turnout.

Wow. Cool set-up there, daryl. Thanks for sharing it-might consider such for future litters. I've heard of most, but never thought to do starter-pistol firing for pups. Thanks for sharing that-love the color coding, too.

I don't know if you could (or should) use gunfire with just any litter, and at so young an age.  Based on my accumulated observations I felt that they were ready, and would have abandoned mid-excercise at any noticeable flight response.  I like to push beyond the normal comfort-zone with stressors, but back off a bit to let them collect if necessary.

I've also done some testing walking/standing on a 5/8" hole wire mesh placed over the opening of a 12" high box.  This week I will estimate temperament factors involving "sense of self", such as rank-drive, dominance, possessiveness, and evaluate more  "obstacle mobility", such as on moving/floating surfaces, through tunnels.  I'm still in the process of developing a systemized S.O.P. for testing and evaluating litters that others can follow, so much of it is intuitive, and progressive, and the dynamics of the group is different than the expected response from the individual pup.