Yorkshire Terrier Breed Magazine - Showsight

A breeder searching for just the right combination of genes to produce that elusive “perfect dog” often overlooks a major factor—temperament. What good is the most beautiful specimen if you can’t stand to live with him, or he won’t show or work, or he attacks everything in sight, including you? Bearing in mind that the ideal tempera- ment in one breed may include traits that are totally undesirable in another, it is necessary to have a thorough understanding of a breed’s original purpose or function before temperament can be adequately assessed. Furthermore, genetically transmitted temper- ament can be profoundly influenced by environment. Since a pup’s basic personality is formed by the time he is four months old, and can thereafter be only slightly modified, breeders have a serious responsibility to their pups and to prospective owners to ensure that as much care is taken with mental and emotional soundness as with physical attributes. Fortunately, we have at our disposal some excellent tools for objectively assessing temperament in young pups and for modifying any traits found to be less than ideal. The first of these tools is puppy temperament testing, also referred to as aptitude testing or personality profiles. Per- formed at the age of seven weeks, before acquired learning has had a chance for impact, testing shows which basic personality traits the pup has inherited, such as dominance or submissiveness and independence or social attraction to humans. It is critically impor- tant to remember that how a pup relates to his dam and littermates is not necessarily an indication of his reactions to people, new situ- ations, or strange sights and sounds. To obtain the most objective results possible, pups are tested individually, away from the dam and littermates. We have seen some little bullies go to pieces at this point, before testing has even begun. Without the rest of the crew to impress or to back him up, he is suddenly just a tiny fella in a great big world! Testing is done in an area that is new to the pups, relatively free from distractions, and preferably by someone who is not familiar to the pups. Many a pup that comes readily, tail a-wagging to whomever feeds and plays with him, will show distrust of (or complete lack of interest in) a stranger. Without some special attention to this trait, how can you expect this little guy to tolerate strange judges going over him or really “ask for it” in the show ring? It must be remembered that puppy temperament testing is not a “pass/fail” situation, nor is it an absolute determination of what the pup will be like for the rest of his life. Training and experience have a major impact on a pup between seven and sixteen weeks. Testing, however, can show where you stand at the threshold, in which direction to head to come closer to the ideal, or which han- dling methods to employ in working with a certain personality type. Tests are usually graded on a scale ranging from one extreme to another, aggression to shyness, for instance. By observing and recording a pup’s reaction to a few simple exercises, you can get a very accurate indication of his inherited orientation to life. For- tunately, the majority of pups fall somewhere in the middle of the range. (The skills necessary to handle the extremes are beyond the scope of most of us!) Perfect objectivity in testing is impossible to obtain, since all pups will not react “exactly” in one of five or six different ways. We have learned to pick the most closely described response or even to give the pup a “half-score” if he incorporates elements of two related responses. Remember, it is not a final score you’re after; it is simply a profile of the pup’s range of behavioral and emotional responses. It certainly can be argued that experienced breeders can accu- rately assess temperament in their pups. However, what is “spunky” to one person might be “downright mean” to another. Puppy tests offer the happy alternative through a common language and a more objective approach.

Beauty IS AS

DOES

BY MARJORIE FAGAN

(A version of this article originally appeared in the YTCA Heritage, 1970 through 1983, which was published and copyrighted by the YTCA in 1985.)

268 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022

Powered by