1

KARBIT POODLES

Temperament Evaluation

FI.D.Black

This evaluation is conducted in a new environment to the puppy and with a person the puppy has never met before. It is performed to help the breeder select the best and most appropriate puppy for its new home and lifestyle.

TESTER:

Circle one or two that reflects the puppy’s reaction. Write any comments that help explain when more than one is circled.

1)SOCIAL ATTRACTION: The puppy is placed approximately 10 feet in front of the tester and the tester kneels down and encourages the puppy to come, the breeder quietly leaves so as not to interfere and then to observe. This is to see how willing and confident pup is approaching a strange person in a new situation.

  1. Came happily, tail up and wagging, then jumped and mouthed
  2. Came readily, tail up and wagging
  3. Came readily, tail up
  4. Came readily, tail down
  5. Came hesitantly, tail down
  6. Came readily, tail up, then stopped feet from tester, came on with extra encouragement, tail down
  7. Did not come, stayed in place
  8. Did not come investigated area
  9. Went away to hide

2)FOLLOWING: The tester walks around the area changing directions but does not verbally attract the puppy’s attention, just makes sure the puppy sees tester move. This helps to show the degree of social confidence.

  1. Followed readily, tail up, barking, grabbing pant legs
  2. Followed readily underfoot
  3. Followed readily, tail up
  4. Followed readily, tail up but at a distance
  5. Followed readily, tail down
  6. Followed hesitantly, tail down
  7. Puppy explored but changed direction to be with tester
  8. No follow &/or went away investigating
  9. Went away to hide

3)RESTRAINT: The tester rolls puppy over on its back and gently but firmly restrains the puppy for 30 seconds. No eye contact for first 15 seconds then tester makes eye contact with a neutral non-dominating look. This helps to show the pups willingness to accept leadership and discipline.

  1. Struggled fiercely, flailed, growled, mouthed
  2. Struggles fiercely, flailed
  3. Struggled fiercely, flailed, cries
  4. Struggled then settled with eye contact
  5. Struggled to avoid eye contact
  6. No struggle then struggled, settled with eye contact
  7. Struggled then settled
  8. No struggle, relaxed
  9. No struggle, tense

4)SOCIAL DOMINANCE: The puppy is beside the tester and the tester does not restrain the puppy at all but strokes it and keeps stroking the air if puppy moves away from handler. This shows how much the pup likes and seeks to be near people. Performed directly after the restraint also shows how forgiving the pup is.

  1. Jumped, pawed, mouthed hand
  2. Jumped, pawed, licked hand
  3. Cuddles, licked hand
  4. Squirms around tester, tail wagging
  5. Stayed still
  6. Rolled over
  7. Went away, came back for more petting
  8. Went away and stayed away

5)ELEVATION DOMINANCE: Puppy is held facing away from tester, with tester’s fingers laced under puppy’s chest lifting front feet off of the ground for 30 seconds. Shows how the pup reacts to a situation where the pup has no control.

  1. Struggled fiercely, growled, mouthed
  2. Struggled fiercely
  3. Struggled, settled
  4. No struggle, relaxed
  5. No struggle, tense
  6. Struggled to lick and play

6)RETRIEVING: Tester throws two objects, one the puppy has never seen and the other a favorite play toy. Tester teases puppy with object then throws it 2 – 4 feet away, once puppy actually goes out after object tester backs away and encourages puppy to bring it back to tester. This is to know which pup will make the best prospect as a service, hunting or performance dog.

  1. Chases picks up object & returns to tester with it
  2. Chases picks up drops on the way back to tester
  3. Chases picks up and runs away with it
  4. Chases and stands over object, no pick up
  5. Chases, returns without object
  6. Starts to chase, looses interest
  7. No chase or retrieve

7)SOUND SENSITIVITY: With puppy investigating and not looking at the tester, tester makes a loud bang with a metal pot. Most puppies startle but judging how quickly they recover is an important consideration for selecting a service dog, hunting dog , performance or breeding prospect.

  1. Listens, locates runs toward the sound
  2. Listens locates & walks toward sound
  3. Listens curiously, attempts to investigate
  4. Listens drops tail
  5. Goes away to hide
  6. No interest
  7. Recovery - good moderate fair poor

8)CHASE RESPONSE: Tester pulls a sock, tied to a string, past the puppy. This is testing for chase instinct useful to know for a service dog or for a home with young children and for hunting dogs.

  1. Looks, attacks, grabs, growls
  2. Looks & pounces
  3. Looks curiously, attempts to investigate
  4. No interest
  5. Looks, tail drops
  6. Runs away hides

9)STARTLE RESPONSE: Tester carefully opens an umbrella when pup is at least 6’ away and places it on the floor. This shows the pups reaction to large and new and unstable objects.

  1. Leaps toward it barking to investigate
  2. No startle and goes directly to it to investigate
  3. No startle goes slowly to investigate
  4. Startles, tail drops but recovers enough to investigate
  5. Startles, tails drops and avoids looking at it
  6. Startles and runs away

10)FEATHERED WING: Tester teases puppy with the wing then throws it up to 4 feet away, can encourage the puppy to return. To judge the birdiness for a hunting dog. Done directly after the umbrella also shows how quickly the pup recovers from being startled.

  1. Scents, picks it up and takes it away
  2. Scents, picks it up and returns to tester
  3. Scents, lays down to chew it
  4. Scents, investigates, returns to tester without it
  5. Scents, tail drops, leaves it
  6. No interest

11)TOUCH SENSITIVITY: Tester holds puppy with one arm and takes an ear leather and pinches it with increasing pressure as tester counts from one to ten. Knowing how sensitive a pup is allows the breeder to place each puppy in an appropriate home.

  1. 1-2 count before response
  2. 3-4 count before response
  3. 5-6 count before response
  4. 7-8 count before response
  5. 9-10 count before response

Forgiveness – immediate within 10 seconds within 30 seconds never

12)STABILITY: Tester picks puppy up, holds puppy away from body, turns 180 degrees and plops puppy down gently. This shows how secure the puppy is.

  1. Walks forward, tail up
  2. Walks forward to investigate
  3. Bounces forward and back to tester
  4. Curious stays in place
  5. Freezes
  6. Goes away to hide

13)FOOD MOTIVATION: Tester shows puppy tasty treats may even let pup nibble then tries to lure pup into a sit, down, sit, stand and follow. This shows the pups that will be easily motivated by food for any kind of work particularly for obedience and agility prospects.

  1. Very interested
  2. Interested
  3. Little interest
  4. No interest
  5. Interested in the food, but would not be lured

14)PERSISTANCE: Put a tasty treat under a plastic container that has a small hole cut in its rim. Place the food under the upside down container. Show pup the treat and place it under the container. This shows a pup that is persistent in using its nose, good for testing for a tracking dog.

  1. Locates the food and tries to get the food by pushing &/or pawing until success is achieved
  2. Locates the food sniffs all around the container some pawing and pushing
  3. Locates food but after a quick investigation gives up
  4. Locates the food but not interested
  5. Does not even look for the food

15)ENERGY LEVEL: The breeder evaluates this.

  1. Continually runs, plays, barks and wriggles, mouths when held – VERY HIGH
  2. Runs, plays, wriggles some then settles when held – HIGH
  3. Runs, plays, settles when held – MEDIUM
  4. Stops playing and watches other pups play, likes to be held – LOW

16)STRUCTURE: This is evaluated by the breeder based on the breed standard. There is no perfect dog. Any puppy that has an extreme fault that would interfere with it enjoying its life would already have been put to sleep.

  1. The puppy has correct structure
  2. The puppy has a slight structural fault
  3. The puppy has a disqualifying fault that will not affect its health and well being
  4. The puppy has an extreme fault that will not affect its health and well being

Comments:

DATE:SIGNATURE: Robin Denton