New Puppy Temparment Test

    • Gold Top Dog

    New Puppy Temparment Test

     I'm thinking of bringing home a 4 month old puppy from the shelter to brighten up the lives of myself and my 10 year old Boxer.  The shelter has this cute little Boxer/Shepard (but I think Boxer/Beagle) mix.  I want to do some obedience work with this dog and be able to put a 100% recall on him.  I also want to make sure he'll get along with other dogs easily.  Are there any good temperament tests for this?  When Maya met him he jumped all over and started chewing on her ears.  Maya politely ignored him until he bit a little hard and then she corrected him.  She tried to play a little too, but she was on leash at the pet store and she knows she's supposed to be calm there.  He's pretty jumpy and mouthy, but isn't that normal for all puppies that age?  We're going to the shelter this afternoon to see how they do in a different environment, so please give me some tips.  I can't see any harm in bringing him home for a 10 day trial.  I must be crazy for considering giving up my comfortable, slow, laid-back house to bring in a puppy....

     

      

    • Gold Top Dog

    I just use the usual P.A.T. stuff....lemme find a link...

     

    It's pretty much THIS that I use...have found it to be accurate as long as you take breed into account (i.e. my Akitas ALWAYS scored low on the social attraction/following and high on the dominance stuff because they were AKITAS lol.) So it wasn't a negative/red flag for me like as if I was testing a Beagle or Golden...know what I mean?

     

    BTW, always consider that many older dogs do not like puppies...plain and simple. They are older, sore many times, crotchety as well, have good days and bad and really only appreciate puppies in SMALL doses...like a couple minutes. You might consider that yes it could "liven up" an older dog...but it also could create stress or hasten disease processes or joint issues if the older dog is constantly worrying about being jumped on or abused...just really consider the existant dog above anything else. Sometimes and older companion over age 2 is a much, much better choice.

    • Gold Top Dog

    Does the test also indicate dominance with other dogs?  Maya isn't a crotechty dog, and she is very tolerant.  Do you think I'd get a good feel of the dynamics in a 10 day trial run in our house?

    • Gold Top Dog

     I don't think she has beagle in her.Sorry pretty OT.

    • Gold Top Dog

    swamper

    Does the test also indicate dominance with other dogs?  Maya isn't a crotechty dog, and she is very tolerant.  Do you think I'd get a good feel of the dynamics in a 10 day trial run in our house?

    Social dominance tends to carry to any species. DOG AGGRESSION is not something the test can asses unless you get a really strong prey response I wouldn't think it would give any indication on that score. Males in a household with bitches tend to be dominant but not in a pushy manner, if they are well adjusted. They typically let the bitch think she is on top unless something serious like food, attention, or such is involved and then they expect submission.

    It is not a natural phenomenon for males to attack females in any meaningful way...it often happens the other way around tho...esp if the male is pushy, rude, and tried to mount them all the time...which is common enough, especially in breeds known to be lacking in social graces...like Boxers. That is not a slam on the breed, only a statement that in dog park or away from home settings Boxer tend to be very "non body concious" and don't take subtle cues from other dogs well and as a result often get poor responses when "playing" with other dogs. They are in short too excited about most everything...to pay attention to subtleties like body language lol.

    They're not the only breed for whom this is true but it is a noted thing even among Boxer owners here...something to keep in mind since you will own this boy long after your girl is gone. I understand the sex differences in temperament are noticeable in Boxers like they tend to be in Dobes or other breeds. I always thought that was interesting. In hounds the temperament/personality differences tend to be more color linked than sex linked.

    As to the breed I also don't see any Hound in your boy...Boxer mostly...esp if they'd bothered to dock the tail...tails always throw breed guesses off in normally docked breed LOL!

    • Gold Top Dog

     Maya has been enjoying the puppy.  We're not used to tails around here - Maya is a docked boxer.  I didn't know there was a gender-based temperament difference in boxers. Where can I find out more about that?