How do we pick the right puppy for you

Have you ever wondered how we find the perfect match between our puppies and their future families? It’s not a matter of luck; it’s about using a well-structured approach to ensure each puppy fits the ideal criteria based on your preferences outlined in the questionnaire. At the heart of our process is the Volhard-developed Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT), which is remarkably effective in predicting the inherited behavioral traits of the puppies and how they’re likely to develop as adults. We conduct this assessment at 7 weeks old (49 days), as recommended, and follow it up with a formal evaluation of the puppy’s structure.

So, what exactly is puppy testing? The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test is a comprehensive 10-part evaluation specifically designed for puppies aged 49 days. It assesses their inherited tendencies to help predict their adult personalities and work capabilities. Some of the original tests trace back to the 1930s for puppies intended to become guide dogs, while later studies in the 1950s aimed to understand how quickly puppies learn—insights that were initially intended to identify learning stages in children.

By the 1960s, additional tests began to emerge to gauge dominance and submissiveness in puppies, confirming that it was indeed possible to forecast future behavioral characteristics by testing at 49 days. Testing either too early or too late can compromise the accuracy of the results, highlighting the importance of timing.

Dog experts Joachim and Wendy Volhard expanded upon these existing tests, incorporating some of their own to create the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT). The PAT employs a scoring system from 1 to 6 over ten distinct tests. Each test is conducted in sequence and scored independently; there are no averages, nor are there any winners or losers. The main goal is to find the right puppy for the right home and family, as well as to identify candidates for roles such as guide, therapy, or service dogs.

The tests include:

• Social Attraction: Observing the degree of social attraction a puppy shows towards people and whether they are confident or dependent.

• Following: Measuring the willingness of a puppy to follow a person.

• Restraint: Gauging dominant or submissive tendencies and their ease of handling in challenging situations.

• Social Dominance: Assessing a puppy’s acceptance of social dominance from a person.

• Elevation: Evaluating how a puppy responds to dominance while in a situation where they feel out of control, such as at the vet or groomer.

• Retrieving: Determining a puppy's willingness to perform tasks for you, working alongside Social Attraction and Following as key indicators of trainability.

• Touch Sensitivity: Analyzing how sensitive the puppy is to touch, which suggests the type of training equipment that may be needed.

• Sound Sensitivity: Assessing responsiveness to noises, including loud sounds and thunderstorms.

• Sight Sensitivity: Observing reactions to moving objects, such as bicycles, children, or squirrels.

• Stability: Noting the degree of startle response to unfamiliar objects.

The testing process takes place in a setting that is unfamiliar to the puppy, as this ensures a more accurate representation of their temperament. Each of the ten tests is scored individually, with no averages calculated, allowing us to better understand the puppy’s unique strengths and weaknesses. This insight helps us find the best fit for their future home while also shedding light on their potential as adult dogs and their training needs.

During testing, we also monitor the puppy's heart rate, which indicates how they handle stress, along with their energy levels, which can be classified as high, medium, or low. This information is crucial for determining compatibility with a future family's lifestyle. Puppies with high energy require ample exercise; otherwise, they may resort to mischief if their energy isn’t redirected appropriately.

Lastly, we take a close look at the overall structure of each puppy. The guideline is straightforward: what you see at 49 days is generally what you’ll get as they grow. If a puppy has strong, straight legs that point uniformly, it’s likely to maintain that structure, provided they receive proper nutrition and a conducive environment for growth. Any noticeable anomalies at this age are typically permanent.

When it comes to conducting the tests, here are some important ground rules we follow:

• The testing occurs in a location that is unfamiliar to the puppies. This doesn’t mean they must be taken far from home; a simple 10-foot square area, like a new room in the house, will suffice.

• Each puppy is tested individually.

• The testing area remains free of other dogs or people, other than the scorer and the tester.

• The puppies should not be familiar with the tester.

• Finally, the scorer is someone who is neutral and unbiased in the process.

VOLHARD PUPPY APTITUDE TEST

1. Social attraction - the owner or caretaker of the puppies places it in the test area about four feet from the tester and then leaves the test area.  The tester kneels down and coaxes the puppy to come to him or her by encouragingly and gently clapping hands and calling.  The tester must coax the puppy in the opposite direction from where it entered the test area.  Hint:  Lean backward, sitting on your heels instead of leaning forward toward the puppy.  Keep your hands close to your body encouraging the puppy to come to you instead of trying to reach for the puppy.  

2. Following - the tester stands up and slowly walks away encouraging the puppy to follow.  Hint:  Make sure the puppy sees you walk away and get the puppy to focus on you by lightly clapping your hands and using verbal encouragement to get the puppy to follow you.  Do not lean over the puppy.  

3. Restraint - the tester crouches down and gently rolls the puppy on its back and holds it on its back for 30 seconds.  Hint:  Hold the puppy down without applying too much pressure.  The object is not to keep it on its back but to test its response to being placed in that position.  

4. Social Dominance - let the puppy stand up or sit and gently stroke it from the head to the back while you crouch beside it.  See if it will lick your face, an indication of a forgiving nature.  Continue stroking until you see a behavior you can score.  Hint:  When you crouch next to the puppy avoid leaning or hovering over the puppy.  Have the puppy at your side with both of you facing in the same direction.  

5. Elevation Dominance - the tester cradles the puppy with both hands, supporting the puppy under its chest and gently lifts it two feet off the ground and holds it there for 30 seconds.  

6. Retrieving - the tester crouches beside the puppy and attracts its attention with a crumpled up piece of paper.  When the puppy shows some interest, the tester throws the paper no more than four feet in front of the puppy encouraging it to retrieve the paper.  

7. Touch Sensitivity - the tester locates the webbing of one the puppy’s front paws and presses it lightly between his index finger and thumb.  The tester gradually increases pressure while counting to ten and stops when the puppy pulls away or shows signs of discomfort.  

8. Sound Sensitivity - the puppy is placed in the center of the testing area and an assistant stationed at the perimeter makes a sharp noise, such as banging a metal spoon on the bottom of a metal pan.  

9. Sight Sensitivity - the puppy is placed in the center of the testing area.  The tester ties a string around a bath towel and jerks it across the floor, two feet away from the puppy.  

10. Stability - an umbrella is opened about five feet from the puppy and gently placed on the ground.  

SCORING THE RESULTS

SOCIAL ATTRACTION

• Came readily, tail up, jumped, bit at hands -1 

• Came readily, tail up, pawed, licked at hands -2 

• Came readily, tail up -3 

• Came readily, tail down -4

• Came hesitantly, tail down -5

• Didn’t come at all -6

FOLLOWING

• Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot, bit at feet -1

• Followed readily, tail up, got underfoot -2 

• Followed readily, tail up -3 

• Followed readily, tail down -4   

• Followed hesitantly, tail down -5   

• Did not follow or went away -6   

RESTRAINT

• Struggled fiercely, flailed, bit -1

• Struggled fiercely, flailed -2   

• Settled, struggled, settled with some eye contact -3   

• Struggled, then settled -4   

• No struggle -5   

• No struggle, strained to avoid eye contact -6

SOCIAL DOMINANCE

• Jumped, pawed, bit, growled -1   

• Jumped, pawed -2   

• Cuddled up to tester and tried to lick face -3   

• Squirmed, licked at hands -4

• Rolled over, licked at hands -5    

• Went away and stayed away -6   

  
  

ELEVATION DOMINANCE

• Struggled fiercely, tried to bite -1   

• Struggled fiercely -2   

• Struggled, settled, struggled, settled -3

• No struggle, relaxed -4   

• No struggle, body stiff -5  

• No struggle, froze -6   

  
  

RETRIEVING

• Chased object, picked it up and ran away -1   

• Chased object, stood over it and did not return 2  

• Chased object, picked it up and returned with it to tester -3   

• Chased object and returned without it to tester -4   

• Started to chase object, lost interest -5   

• Does not chase object -6   

TOUCH SENSITIVITY

• 8-10 count before response -1   

• 6-8 count before response -2   

• 5-6 count before response -3   

• 3-5 count before response -4   

• 2-3 count before response -5   

• 1-2 count before response -6   

SOUND SENSITIVITY

• Listened, located sound and ran toward it barking -1   

• Listened, located sound and walked slowly toward it -2   

• Listened, located sound and showed curiosity -3 

• Listened and located sound -4   

• Cringed, backed off and hid behind tester -5

• Ignored sound and showed no curiosity -6  

  
  

SIGHT SENSITIVITY

• Looked, attacked and bit object -1  

• Looked and put feet on object and put mouth on it -2   

• Looked with curiosity and attempted to investigate, tail up -3   

• Looked with curiosity, tail down -4   

• Ran away or hid behind tester -5   

• Hid behind tester -6   

STABILITY

• Looked and ran to the umbrella, mouthing or biting it -1   

• Looked and walked to the umbrella, smelling it cautiously -2   

• Looked and went to investigate -3   

• Sat and looked, but did not move toward the umbrella -4   

• Showed little or no interest -5   

• Ran away from the umbrella -6  

WHAT DO THE SCORES MEAN?

Mostly 1’s

Strong desire to be pack leader and is not shy about bucking for a promotion. Has a predisposition to be aggressive to people or other dogs and may bite. Should only be placed into a very experienced home where the dog will be trained and worked on a regular basis. 

Mostly 2’s

Also has leadership aspirations. May be hard to manage and has the capacity to bite. Has lots of self-confidence. Should not be placed into an inexperienced home. Too unruly to be good with children and elderly people, or other animals. Needs strict schedule, loads of exercise and lots of training. Has the potential to be a great show dog with someone who understands dog behavior.

Mostly 3’s     

Can be a high-energy dog and may need lots of exercise. Good with people and other animals. Can be a bit of a handful to live with. Needs training, does very well at it and learns quickly. Great dog for second time owner.

Mostly 4’s     

The kind of dog that makes the perfect pet. Best choice for the first time owner. Rarely will buck for a promotion in the family. Easy to train, and rather quiet. Good with elderly people, children, although may need protection from the children.

Mostly 5’s     

Fearful, shy and needs special handling. Will run away at stress in its life. Strange people, strange places, different floor or ground surfaces may upset it. Often afraid of loud noises and terrified of thunder storms. When you greet it upon your return, may submissively urinate. Needs a very special home where the environment doesn’t change too much and where there are no children. Best for a quiet, elderly couple. If cornered and cannot get away, may bite feeling helpless.

Mostly 6’s     

So independent that he doesn’t need you or other people. Doesn’t care if he is trained or not - he is his own person. Unlikely to bond to you, since he doesn’t need you. A great guard dog.   

MY HONEST THOUGHTS ON PUPPY TESTING:

As a dog breeder who has conducted extensive research and raised numerous puppies and a person who works directly with rescue dogs. I believe that puppy aptitude testing can provide valuable insights into a puppy's temperament. However, I also recognize that puppies can change significantly based on their life experiences. Therefore, I don’t view the test scores obtained at 7 weeks as rigid predictors of their future behavior. Instead, they can serve as useful guidelines. The way you raise, train, and socialize your puppy will have a more significant impact on their development as an adult. You can use these test scores to address any areas where the puppy may struggle and to encourage the traits where they excel.