Temperament Test for CHIC - Page 6

They are so busy with Nationals right now, they don't have our event listed, yet.  Let me know if you are close enough to Dayton, OH to be interested and I can send you more info.  

http://gsdca.org/events/temperament-testing

-jayne

There will be a temperament test next month at the GSDCA NS in MO if anyone is interested.

Not close.  I am in Texas.

Fawndallas, why don't you contact the person who scheduled the test for mufman? I am a GSDCA member, the last Review only had one test listed, the one that is to be held at the NS next month. There are probably other tests scheduled that are not listed anywhere. Why? Beats me but if you are really intent on testing your dog,  be proactive and go to the GSDCA. ORG website and contact the chair of that committee. Don't depend on them to solicit you.

I am testing 3 dogs on Sunday with <   www.atts.org. >  Westford Ma.  

They should really accept the ATTS test on the OFA site for the GSD  It's the SAME TEST as the GSDCA test only the GSDCA tests are far and few between! 

The OFA has nothing to do with accepting the ATTS test for a CHIC or not. That is left to the GSDCA. The exercises and stations are the same, but the results are not interpreted the same for all breeds as they are for the GSD. I'm sure your Labs would react differently to the threatening stranger and friendly stranger  for example than would your GSD's . IMO it is correct to not expect a GSD to react to a situation in the same way one of the more socially outgoing breeds would.. If you are testing a Sch/IPO titled GSD he or she can present another issue with a tester who is not a GSD "specialist". Often those dogs recognize the threatening stranger as not the real deal and they can ignore his advances but must keep out a watchful eye none the less. GSD evaluators are recognized by the GSDCA as being trained to understand the nuances of the breed.

Yes, I will look into it.   Maybe later in the fall or winter.   Cirberus and I are focusing on agility trials this month.   (Way too much fun.  If you have never tried and you have an energtic dog, you gotta try it.  Once hooked, you'll never go back )

There is now a new test form that is different. We just passed in So Cal 9/2014.

We had our temperament test last night!!!  The tester was driving through our area on her way home from Nationals, so all we had to cover was food and hotel, which took the pressure off from having to fill all of the slots, although we did our best!

We had a total of 11 dogs go through, including a super sweet rescued pit bull who drove 4 hours to be there!

We personally had 6 dogs entered, not all of them ours.  

Out of the 6, 4 passed, the two oldest and most experienced passed with flying colors.

Of the two that did not pass, one had a sore foot - he passed every part of the TT except walking on the ex-pen.  As soon as his foot hit it, he jumped off and wouldn't try it again.  But he just climbed over metal building siding earlier that day to find the perfect potty spot, so go figure.  But that's the way it goes - we'll get his foot all better and the next time a TT comes around, we'll enter him again.  

The other that did not pass is a czech-lines female who has a fair amount of aloofness and skittishness.  We honestly didn't expect her to pass, but we at least learned a lot through the process of testing her.  She didn't just fail, she failed every test but allowing the friendly stranger to pet her!  She liked the lady who reached out her hand :)  She was fearful, but not overly fearful.  She just wasn't interested in investigating anyone or anything.  And she wasn't too happy about that evaluator standing behind her, either!  (she was the only one who even turned around to look at the evaluator that I can recall.)  But her attitude can be found in many with czech in their lines, so it was not a big surprise.

The tester was very experienced and knowledgeable and took time to educate both the people involved in the test and the crowd in general.  We had a lot of helpers who were not as into dogs as we are, and they really enjoyed hearing and learning.  

****And here is the best part - the evaluator said that they are petitioning the AKC to make this an official title instead of just a certificate!  If that goes through, then like the CGC did in the past, we can take our certificate and pay the AKC and be able to put TC behind their names!!!  That will be awesome!  Also, the GSDCA forwards the results over to OFA, so that's one less thing that I have to send to OFA myself on the health testing I've been doing.  

It feels really good to have this behind us now, and to be able to get everyone done at once without a lot of driving!  Since we are located in a fairly central position both in Ohio and in the region, we might hold another one next year after Nationals if there is enough interest.  

I have run across people who said that if the dog doesn't respond, then they fail.  Just wanted to dispel that notion.  They look at the whole picture - did the dog even prick their ears, turn their eyes, or in any way pay attention?  Basically, although there is a spectrum of scoring on the positive side of the scale, as long as the dog doesn't venture over to the negative side of the scale - showing fear, trying to run - then they still pass.  And even if the dog jumps or shows fear, they are given a certain amount of time to recover and investigate and move forward (and most do.  You are allowed to encourage them, talk to them, show them that it is not something to be scared of, and as long as they respond positively, they can/will still pass.  

It does give insight to the dog.  It was very different than the BH temperament test.  Nothing challenges a dog's stability like having a crowd converge on it!  But it does address different responses than the BH.  As they say, anything you do with your dog is of value!  

Thanks for the information and congrats on your doggie's passing the test. If I remember correctly, the tester we used specifically told me - absolutely no talking to or giving commands to that dog, especially not in German. Anyway, the owners of all  the dogs now know more about their dogs than they did before. I hope you will now apply for your dog's CHIC cert.