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Wendy Volhard © 2000

Scoring the Results of Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Testing

Following are the responses you will see and the score assigned to each particular response. You will see some variations and will have to make a judgment on what score to give them.

Test

Response

Score

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

3

 

Showed little or no interest

4

 

Ran away from the umbrella

5

 

Showed no interest

6