Puppy Testing For Dog Sports

[bedazzledx2]

I'm interested how people decide which puppy is 'the one'. My dogs have either come to me as rescues, chosen by the breeder, or been very obviously the only one in the litter to take. My next one will be my choice from a fairly early age. There are many testing criteria around but they all seem to differ from day to day. Conformation will be a given and something I can assess myself but attitude is a different kettle of fish. What age do you determine that stuff?

Edited March 28, 2010 by bedazzledx2

[corvus]

Ooo... I have next to no experience here, but I'm very interested in hearing what people say. I'm just starting my PhD on optimism in dogs. We are thinking that some dogs are born being particularly optimistic, as in more likely to try new things, more persistent, perhaps more curious, and possibly it's linked to other personality traits. I'm thinking that if it turns out to be what we think, testing for optimism may help in picking an appropriate puppy. Help, not wholly inform. It's all very "maybe" at the moment. Might turn out that optimism is very prone to environmental influence.

[J...]

Zee picked herself.

Zee's litter happened to crop up in the paper and I thought I'd go and have a look knowing I could walk away if they weren't right. Hers was the second litter I'd looked at - was looking for a smooth coated BC which are bloody hard to find. The first litter I looked at showed very little interest in us or the owner or any potential toys which bothered me a lot. They were also medium coated which wasn't what I was looking for.

With Zee's litter I walked into their pen and was puppy mugged by the entire litter. I'd stepped onto a pallet which had a kids chair behind me and had half a dozen pups desperately scrambling at my feet for attention when I felt a set of tiny paws on my butt. Guess who?? She'd jumped up onto the kids chair to get my attention. She really stood out personality wise. She wasn't well socialised but I really liked both parents and was willing to go with what I thought she would become. She was the pick of the litter from the breeders perspective as well.

I thought I'd made a very big mistake for the first week or so - a farm bred pup who'd never been in a house before made for an interesting few days. But she's gained a heap of confidence and skills along the way and I'm really happy with her. She's just gone 10 months and you wouldn't pick she had those issues as a baby.

Darcy, my 4 yo, also picked herself. Back then I had no idea of training with toys or prey drive etc (actually no idea at all other than a bit of experience with farm dogs) so picking the pup who wanted to be with you just made sense.

Edited March 28, 2010 by Jess.

[bedazzledx2]

How old was Zee when you got her Jess?

Zee picked herself.

Zee's litter happened to crop up in the paper and I thought I'd go and have a look knowing I could walk away if they weren't right. Hers was the second litter I'd looked at - was looking for a smooth coated BC which are bloody hard to find. The first litter I looked at showed very little interest in us or the owner or any potential toys which bothered me a lot. They were also medium coated which wasn't what I was looking for.

With Zee's litter I walked into their pen and was puppy mugged by the entire litter. I'd stepped onto a pallet which had a kids chair behind me and had half a dozen pups desperately scrambling at my feet for attention when I felt a set of tiny paws on my butt. Guess who?? She'd jumped up onto the kids chair to get my attention. She really stood out personality wise. She wasn't well socialised but I really liked both parents and was willing to go with what I thought she would become. She was the pick of the litter from the breeders perspective as well.

I thought I'd made a very big mistake for the first week or so - a farm bred pup who'd never been in a house before made for an interesting few days. But she's gained a heap of confidence and skills along the way and I'm really happy with her. She's just gone 10 months and you wouldn't pick she had those issues as a baby.

Darcy, my 4 yo, also picked herself. Back then I had no idea of training with toys or prey drive etc (actually no idea at all other than a bit of experience with farm dogs) so picking the pup who wanted to be with you just made sense.

[Zug Zug]

Sorry I have zero experience here also but have been talking to a breeder lately about my (hopefully) next puppy (one day) and she listed some of the things she looks for in a dog for obedience and tracking:

- conformation (inc. good angulation etc. so they can handle the physical stuff)

- being confident and 'forward' (i.e. engaged, active, switched on, keen)

- being interested in chasing things (i.e. a small ball or whatever) and in food

- being interested in picking things up with its mouth

- being people focused

- definitely not being nervous or fearful

So all of the above add up (in my mind) to a playful dog that is likely to engage in lots of games.

She did make the comment that the best show dogs are often also the best obedience dogs, because they also look for some of the above things in show dogs. But a pet owner with a quiet home would have a very different list of traits to look for.

But that is just what I remember of what she said. No doubt she said it better and there would be other things she looks for also. She said she doesn't use temp testing in a formal sense - but she observes her pups a lot.

I will be very interested to hear from others with some real life experience.

[J...]

She was 9 weeks the day I looked at the litter, I bought her home the next day.

[huski]

I didn't know about any of the puppy testing that you could do when we bought Micha and Daisy, but looking back both times we wanted the most outgoing pups.

We didn't meet Daisy until the day we went to pick her up and we'd already chosen her (we had a choice of three bitches) from pictures and talking to the breeder. You could clearly see looking at her that she was the naughtiest pup in the litter She was outgoing, got into everything, etc. I think the traits that make her good to do obedience with are things that would make her harder to live with in a pet home.

Edited March 28, 2010 by huski

[Zug Zug]

I think the traits that make her good to do obedience with are things that would make her harder to live with in a pet home.

Yep - they say the best obedience dogs are the toughest pets!!!

[bedazzledx2]

Interesting!!! My Kelpie was chosen by the breeder as pick of the litter and she was probably too much dog for me at the time. I loved her dearly and she did really well despite my ad hock training gaining her UD and Masters Agility and Jumping titles! She was very naughty and I dread to think how she would have coped in a pet home! My instinct is to go for the naughty one who will retrieve!

I didn't know about any of the puppy testing that you could do when we bought Micha and Daisy, but looking back both times we wanted the most outgoing pups.

We didn't meet Daisy until the day we went to pick her up and we'd already chosen her (we had a choice of three bitches) from pictures and talking to the breeder. You could clearly see looking at her that she was the naughtiest pup in the litter She was outgoing, got into everything, etc. I think the traits that make her good to do obedience with are things that would make her harder to live with in a pet home.

Edited March 28, 2010 by bedazzledx2

[huski]

Interesting!!! My Kelpie was chosen by the breeder as pick of the litter and she was probably too much dog for me at the time. I loved her dearly and she did really well despite my ad hock training gaining her UD and Masters Agility and Jumping titles! She was very naughty and I dread to think how she would have coped in a pet home! My instinct is to go for the naughty one who will retrieve!

OMG Daisy was SO full of beans as a puppy. She was an absolute handful. She is the first dog I've ever trained to do any dog sports and she is made for it, I think we are really lucky in that regard. We swore we wouldn't get another beagle after her because she was so naughty and full on, but now I know how to harness that energy and drive and use it in a constructive way I am prepared to get another and am actually research breeders now to make sure I don't get one that's too laid back and not very drivey!

I honestly think if Daisy had ended up in a pet home, she would have been one of those beagles given to AQIS because she has so much drive and energy

Edited March 28, 2010 by huski

[Mas1981]

I chose Mason as he kept picking up little leaves and toys and bringing them to me, he was so playful and also not very dominant which I liked as I had a very dominant bitch previously. I have been very lucky as I couldnt ask for a better dog he is everything I ever wanted, he sometimes isnt the easiest dog to train because he is easily distracted by other dogs but he learns quickly and his awesome personality makes up for all his little faults.

Edited March 28, 2010 by Masons_mom

[RallyValley]

Maybe talk to the breeder about what you want from your dog and which traits you would like.

Lincoln is an incredibly calm focused dog, however will play for hours with Toby. If he was a horse I would say he is bombproof but green and egar .

However the focused part of Lincoln's nature comes from the breed and his calmness probably comes from his awsome socialization as a pup from the breeder.

Edited March 28, 2010 by valleyCBR

[huski]

I chose Mason as he kept picking up little leaves and toys and bringing them to me, he was so playful and also not very dominant which I liked as I had a very dominant bitch previously. I have been very lucky as I couldnt ask for a better dog he is everything I ever wanted, he sometimes isnt the easiest dog to train because he is easily distracted but he learns quickly but his personality makes up for it.

That's interesting you noted dominance! Micha's breeders told us he was the bossy/most dominant one in his litter. I find him a pleasure to live with but I do think he is one of those dogs who if given an inch will take a mile. He's very smart and knows when he can take advantage.

[Tiggy]

I didn't get to pick Banjo and he's the perfect dog where as I picked Sophie and she's nuts .

[Zug Zug]

My Zamba was insane as a youngster - a very difficult pet and way too much dog for me in the early days. There was never any doubt how she ended up in the pound, but she is a great obedience dog (unfortunately I'm an L plate handler).

[bedazzledx2]

Now optimism is not something I would have thought of! I have always said that anticipation is not the worst thing a dog can do in the trial ring. I hate having to zero score a dog that anticipates when I'm judging. I'm thinking that anticipation and optimism are not that far removed.

Ooo... I have next to no experience here, but I'm very interested in hearing what people say. I'm just starting my PhD on optimism in dogs. We are thinking that some dogs are born being particularly optimistic, as in more likely to try new things, more persistent, perhaps more curious, and possibly it's linked to other personality traits. I'm thinking that if it turns out to be what we think, testing for optimism may help in picking an appropriate puppy. Help, not wholly inform. It's all very "maybe" at the moment. Might turn out that optimism is very prone to environmental influence.

[Staff'n'Toller]

I would work the cheekiest and most outgoing, and the quietest, and then take one in the middle.

That said though, when you have access from pre - 8 weeks I find you get a favourite and then you can't deviate from it.

[xena98]

I dont know I never done any puppy testing at all. Its just gut feeling when I see the puppy. Gabby I rocked up at the breeder and there was this little merle tri laying next to a little boy on the verandah looking at us and I said to my mum that is the dog I am going to have her. I thought that was silly you cant pick a puppy that way so decided to check out the other puppies but I kept on going to her. Have to say when I picked her up the following week thought I might have made an awful mistake as all she did was grumbled in our arms wouldnt move when she was on the floor. Apparantly the breeder said she was either full on galloping or crashing out and she is still like that today. All my other puppies were picked out like that as well

[Mas1981]

I chose Mason as he kept picking up little leaves and toys and bringing them to me, he was so playful and also not very dominant which I liked as I had a very dominant bitch previously. I have been very lucky as I couldnt ask for a better dog he is everything I ever wanted, he sometimes isnt the easiest dog to train because he is easily distracted but he learns quickly but his personality makes up for it.

That's interesting you noted dominance! Micha's breeders told us he was the bossy/most dominant one in his litter. I find him a pleasure to live with but I do think he is one of those dogs who if given an inch will take a mile. He's very smart and knows when he can take advantage.

The dog I had ( my family still technically own her she lives with my mum overseas she was the family pet) her dominance was a real issue, so much so that a professional trainer told me my dog is un-trainable and she is dog aggressive which I dont understand as she was socialised so for me the MOST important thing was a dog who wouldnt dominate me and who wasnt aggressive, all the rest came after that. I am very happy with the dog i picked this time around, wouldnt swop him for the world.

[huski]

The dog I had ( my family still technically own her she lives with my mum overseas she was the family pet) her dominance was a real issue, so much so that a professional trainer told me my dog is un-trainable and she is dog aggressive which I dont understand as she was socialised so for me the MOST important thing was a dog who wouldnt dominate me and who wasnt aggressive, all the rest came after that. I am very happy with the dog i picked this time around, wouldnt swop him for the world.

After an experience like that I can definitely understand how it would influence your decision the next time!