Poodle Puppy Testing

People adopt dogs for many reasons.  It's always a good idea to fit the temperament, size and inbred purpose of the dog to your lifestyle and plans.  It wouldn't be wise to get a Yorkshire Terrier to herd sheep or keep a Border Collie in a small apartment for 10 hours each day.  Neither is suited to those lifestyles.  Most people adopt dogs, either mixed or pure bred, by choosing a breed or a size or an activity level.  Some people adopt dogs with no real consideration to anything other than an undefinable attraction.  As I get ready to choose my new puppy from a litter of 11, I have very specific plans for that dog.  I want a lovable, well-behaved pet, of course.  But I also want a partner in performance dog sports.  I intend to train this dog to do agility, and possibly obedience and rally obedience.  It's important to have a dog that will completely enjoy those activities, but also be physically sound so as not to be injured while running, jumping and climbing.  There are several tools I'll use when making that decision.  One tool is the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, which can give some indication of the adult temperament and personality of a dog.  This test is typically done at 49 days of age when the puppy is neurologically complete and has the brain of an adult dog. With each passing day after the 49th day the responses will be tainted by the puppies daily experiences.  This test was done on all 11 Gladystar puppies on Wednesday, January 25, at exactly 49 days old.  There are 10 parts to the test, each testing for a particular attribute, and each part is given a score between 1 and 6.  The scores aren't averaged, but each is considered individually, with the overall results giving some indication of dominance or submission, dependence or independence, aggression or friendliness, fear or confidence.  The results can give a responsible dog breeder an indication of what type of home each puppy might be best suited for.  Another important test is a physical evaluation to determine the soundness of structure.  Some types of bone and muscle structure might predispose a dog to injury when doing agility, which is physically demanding (for both dogs and people).  The last part of the process of choosing my puppy will be that mysterious quality of attraction.  I fully expect there will be at least one puppy that will climb into my lap and ask to be mine!