What is the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT)?
To help you pick the dog you want, we use the Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT), a test that is amazingly accurate in predicting inherited behavioral tendencies and show how the puppy will turn out as an adult. Although not 100% fool-proof, the test goes a long way in determining those puppies that may need experienced homes vs those that are suitable for beginners.The test was devised by Wendy Volhard, and is the most widely used “personality” test for puppies in the World. This is not a pass fail test.
PAT evaluates the following traits:
1.
Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.
Social Attraction - degree of social attraction to people, confidence or dependence.2.Following - willingness to follow a person.
Following - willingness to follow a person.3.Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.
Restraint - degree of dominant or submissive tendency, and ease of handling in difficult situations.4.Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.
Social Dominance - degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person.5.Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.
Elevation - degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, such as at the veterinarian or groomer.6.Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.
Retrieving - degree of willingness to do something for you. Together with Social Attraction and Following a key indicator for ease or difficulty in training.7.Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.
Touch Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to touch and a key indicator to the type of training equipment required.8.Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.
Sound Sensitivity - degree of sensitivity to sound, such as loud noises or thunderstorms.9.Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.
Sight Sensitivity - degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels.10.Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.
Stability - degree of startle response to a strange object.Click HERE to view the actual test.
WHY DO WE DO IT?
Our goal is to place all of our puppies into homes that are equipped to handle them, and to make sure that puppies who may need more experienced owners end up with them. By evaluating the puppies, we hope to identify those that have traits that may make them harder to handle than the average newf, and to place them accordingly. Some traits mean a certain pup may be easier or more difficult to train, other traits can give clues to the types of training devices that may be needed. Still other traits can offer clues to how the pup may view those in control as an adult.While no test is 100% foolproof, it is certainly better than doing nothing, and placing puppies based on looks, or letting potential owners pick them with no idea of certain traits they may have that may not be acceptable to their owner.
WHAT DO THE RESULTS MEAN?
Interpreting the Scores
What the catagories mean
Your Dog’s Personality by Wendy Volhard © 2000
To give you a better understanding of your dog, we have grouped instinctive behaviors into three drives. You will see the drive being tested under the “purpose” of each of the tests on the Volhard PAT (Puppy Aptitude Test)
•prey
prey •pack
pack •defense (the fight or flight drives)
defense (the fight or flight drives)These drives reflect instinctive behaviors your dog has inherited from his ancestors and that are useful to you in teaching him what you want him to learn.
Each one of these drives is governed by a basic trait.
Your dog and every other dog is an individual who comes into the world with a specific grouping of genetically inherited, predetermined behaviors. How those behaviors are arranged, their intensity, and how many component parts of each drive the dog has will determine temperament, personality, and suitability for the task required.
It also determines how the dog perceives the world.
The Three Major "Drives"
Prey Drive includes those inherited behaviors associated with hunting, killing prey and eating.
It is activated by motion, sound and smell. Behaviors associated with prey drive are:
•seeing and hearing
seeing and hearing •scenting and tracking
scenting and tracking •stalking and chasing
stalking and chasing •pouncing
pouncing •high-pitched barking
high-pitched barking •jumping up and pulling down
jumping up and pulling down •shaking
shaking •tearing and ripping apart
tearing and ripping apart •biting and killing
biting and killing •carrying
carrying •eating
eating •digging and burying
digging and burying You see some of these behaviors when your dog is chasing the cat or gets excited and barks in a high pitched tone of voice as the cat runs up a tree. Your dog may also shake and rip soft toys, or bury dog biscuits in the couch.
Pack Drive consists of behaviors associated with reproduction and being part of a group or pack. Our dogs are social animals who evolved from the wolf. To hunt prey mostly larger than themselves, wolves have to live in a pack. To assure order they have to adhere to a social hierarchy governed by strict rules of behavior. An ability to be part of a group and to fit in is important, and, in the dog, translates itself into a willingness to work with us as part of a team.
It is stimulated by rank order in the social hierarchy.
Behaviors associated with pack drive are:
•physical contact with people and/or other dogs
physical contact with people and/or other dogs •playing with people and/or other dogs
playing with people and/or other dogs •behaviors associated with social interaction with another dog, such as reading body language
behaviors associated with social interaction with another dog, such as reading body language •reproductive behaviors, such as licking, mounting, washing ears and all courting gestures
reproductive behaviors, such as licking, mounting, washing ears and all courting gestures •the ability to breed and to be a good parent
the ability to breed and to be a good parent A dog with many of these behaviors is the one that follows you around the house, is happiest when with you, loves to be petted and groomed, and likes to work with you. The dog may be unhappy when left alone too long, which can express itself in separation anxiety.
Defense Drive is governed by survival and self preservation, and consists of both Fight and Flight behaviors.
It is more complex, because the same stimulus that can make a dog aggressive (fight), can also elicit avoidance (flight) behaviors, especially in the young dog.
Fight behaviors are not fully developed until the dog is about two years of age, and sometimes later, although tendencies toward these behaviors will be seen at an earlier age.
Behaviors associated with fight are:
•hackles up from the shoulder forward
hackles up from the shoulder forward •standing tall and staring at other dogs
standing tall and staring at other dogs •standing ground or going to unfamiliar objects
standing ground or going to unfamiliar objects •guarding food, toys or territory against other people and dogs
guarding food, toys or territory against other people and dogs •dislike of being petted or groomed
dislike of being petted or groomed •lying in front of doorways or cupboards and refusing to move
lying in front of doorways or cupboards and refusing to move •growling at people or dogs
growling at people or dogs •putting the head over the shoulder of another dog
putting the head over the shoulder of another dog •biting people or other dogs
biting people or other dogs Flight behaviors demonstrate that the dog is unsure.
Behaviors associated with flight are:
•hackles that go up the full length of the body, not just at the neck
hackles that go up the full length of the body, not just at the neck •hiding or running away from a new situation
hiding or running away from a new situation •a dislike of being touched by strangers
a dislike of being touched by strangers •general lack of confidence
general lack of confidence •urinating when being greeted by a stranger or the owner
urinating when being greeted by a stranger or the owner •flattening of the body when greeted by people or other dogs
flattening of the body when greeted by people or other dogs Freezing -- not going forward or backward -- is interpreted as inhibited flight behavior.
What the scores mean on the PAT (Puppy Aptitude Test)
Understanding your puppy’s test 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 consistently 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.
