Standard Poodle Puppy Testing

Whether you want your puppy purely as a companion or for specialized events the Puppy Aptitude Test will enable you to pick the best puppy for your home. A well matched puppy will be easier to train and will be thought of as the "perfect dog" while a mismatched puppy will be extremely difficult to train and will most likely end up at the RSPCA shelter. As breeders we want all our puppies to have a happy life in good homes and the "pat" helps us achieve this goal.

These tests were developed from those used in the 1930's to evaluate puppies bred to become guide dogs. During the 1950's further studies were conducted on the learning stages of puppies and children. From all these studies the PAT was developed by Wendy Volhard.

These tests are performed in an area unfamiliar to the puppy and by a tester that is not known by the puppy. They are ususally carried out on day 49. A detailed description on how to test and interpret the scores can be found in Dog Training For Dummies by Jack & Wendy Volhard (IDG Books, 2001).

	1	2	3	4	5	6
1. Goes to stranger	+++,jumps, bites	++ paws, licks	+ tail up	+ tail down	hesitant, lies down when near	- doesn't come
2. Follows stranger	+++underfoot, jumps, bites feet	++underfoot, few jumps, bites	+tries to keep up	+slightly behind, tail down	hesitant, follows behind, stops	- doesn't follow
3. Restrained on back	struggles,growls, bites	struggles, good eye contact	some struggling some eye contact	struggled then relaxed	no struggle, heart rate elevated no eye contact	no struggle, no eye contact
4. After restraint	jumps up, growls	jumps up, nips	jumps, licks face	wiggles, licks hands	rolls over, licks	freezes or leaves
5. Lifted	struggles,growls, bites	struggles	relaxed	settles, strong heartbeat	small struggle, strong heartbeat	frozen
6. Retrieve	chases, picks up, runs away with	chases, guards over	retrieves	picks up, returns without	looks or chases part way	nothing
7. Pressure on toe webs	count to 10+ without response	9	7	5	3	1
8. Loud noise	listens, locates, growls barks	listens, locates, brief bark	listens, locates, moves toward	listens, locates, lifts ears	startles, defensive	no response
9. Tease with rag then drop	attacks, bites, shakes "drop"	follows, biting contact "drop"	follows, biting, no drop contact	defensive, bolder w drop	defensive, hides	runs away
10. Open umbrella	leaps at, bites	investigates, bites	investigates	startles, cautious invest.	startles, no invest.	startles, runs away
11. Energy Levels	gallops everywhere	gallops and trots	trots mostly, some gallop	mostly trots	trots and walks	mostly walks
12. Treat under dish	persistent until gets treat	++long pers.	+long pers.	long pers.	some persistence	no persistence

Test 11 and 12 are not part of the volhard pat.

Interpreting the Scores

Mostly 1's A puppy that consistently scores a 1 in the temperament section of the test is an extremely dominant, aggressive puppy who can easily be provoked to bite. His dominant nature will attempt to resist human leadership, thus requiring only the most experienced of handlers. This puppy is a poor choice for most individuals and will do best in a working situation as a guard or police dog.
Mostly 2's This pup is dominant and self-assured. He can be provoked to bite; however he readily accepts human leadership that is firm, consistent and knowledgeable. This is not a dog for a tentative, indecisive individual. In the right hands, he has the potential to become a fine working or show dog and could fit into an adult household, provided the owners know what they are doing.
Mostly 3's This pup is outgoing and friendly and will adjust well in situations in which he receives regular training and exercise. He has a flexible temperament that adapts well to different types of environment, provided he is handled correctly. May be too much dog for a family with small children or an elderly couple who are sedentary.
Mostly 4's A pup that scores a majority of 4's is an easily controlled, adaptable puppy whose submissive nature will make him continually look to his master for leadership. This pup is easy to train, reliable with kids, and, though he lacks self-confidence, makes a high-quality familly pet. He is usually less outgoing than a pup scoring in the 3's, but his demeanor is gentle and affectionate.
Mostly 5's This is a pup who is extremely submissive and lacking in self-confidence. He bonds very closely with his owner and requires regular companionship and encouragement to bring him out of himself. If handled incorrectly, this pup will grow up very shy and fearful. For this reason, he will do best in a predictable, structured lifestyle with owners who are patient and not overly demanding, such as an elderly couple.
Mostly 6's A puppy that scores 6 consistntly is independent and uninterested in people. He will mature into a dog who is not demonstrably affectionate and who has a low need for human companionship. In general, it is rare to see properly socialized pups test this way; however there are several breeds that have been bred for specific tasks (such as basenjis, hounds, and some northern breeds) which can exhibit this level of independence. To perform as intended, these dogs require a singularity of purpose that is not compromised by strong attachments to their owner.

The remainder of the puppy test is an evaluation of obedience aptitude and working ability and provides a general picture of a pup's intelligence, spirit, and willingness to work with a human being. For most owners, a good companion dog will score in the 3 to 4 range in this section of the test. Puppies scoring a combination of 1's and 2's require experienced handlers who will be able to draw the best aspects of their potential from them.

Important note from Wendy Volhard...regarding the Touch Sensitivity test - Do not use your fingernail when performing this test. Press between the finger and thumb lightly then more firmly until you get a response.

Volhard: Puppy Apptitude Testing