From: T00X000 <T00X@UNB.CA>
Subject: Re: What Questions to Ask Breeders -- Summary
Organization: The University of New Brunswick
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 18:37:42 GMT

In article <1992Aug11.170343.28301@hemlock.cray.com> dadams@cray.com (David Adams) writes:
> schalene@sequent.com (Schalene Dagutis) writes:
>
>|13.  Find out if the pups are/will be raised in a kennel situation or
>|     "in home."  If it's a kennel, you need to ask for a tour when
>|     you make your visit.
>
>What do you want to keep an eye out for when you see the kennel?
>
Is the kennel well kept and sanitary? Are there many dogs? Do the
dogs get enough human contact? The environment will strongly
affect the puppies as they grow up.

>|18.  How many puppies were in the litter?  (Check this against what
>|     you know to be the normal range.)
>
>If there were many, what does it say about your potential pup?
>
>|19.  Were there any difficulties during delivery?
>
18. and 19. If there are fewer or a greater number of pups than
usual, there may be health problems in the future for some pups.
This is especially important if you want a pup to breed from.
It is also known that vigor at birth is a good indication of the
future health of the pup. Pups that are vigorous at birth generally
grow up to be healthier than pups that needed human intervention
to either help them out of the birthing sac or help them to nurse
(from Gail Fisher's early puppy development seminar).

>How should you interpret an answer to this question.  (What if there were?
>Assuming you are not breeding--what does it say about the pup?  "You was
>a hard one commin out!  And you'ze been hard commin ever since!")
>
>|FOLLOWING:  (Degree of following attraction)
>|
>|Stand up and walk away from the pup in a normal manner.  Make sure the
>|pup sees you walk away.
>|
>|Scoring:
>|
>|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
>|Didn't follow or went away..........................................6
>
>What does "got underfoot" mean?
>
It means that the pup interferes with your walking a straight line.
>
>|
>|ELEVATION DOMINANCE:  (Degree of accepting dominance while in position
>|of no control)
>|
>|Bend over and cradle the pup under its belly, fingers interlaced,
>|palms up and elevate it just off the ground.  Hold it there for 30
>|seconds.
>|
>|Struggled fiercely, bit, growled....................................1
>|Struggled fiercely..................................................2
>|No struggle, relaxed................................................3
>|Struggled, settled, licked..........................................4
>|No struggle, licked at hands........................................5
>|No struggle, froze..................................................6
>
>Are these responses in the right order?  I would have expected 3 and
>4 to switch?
>
Yes. The licking is interpreted as a submissive gesture and so rates a
4.

>|RETRIEVAL:  (Degree of willingness to work with a human)
>|
>|Crouch beside pup and attract his attention with crumpled up paper
>|ball.  When the pup shows interest and is watching, toss the object 4
>|to 6 feet in front of pup.
>|
>|Scoring:
>|
>|Chases object, picks up object and runs away........................1
>|Chases object, stands over object, does not return..................2
>|Chases object and returns with object...............................3
>|Chases object and returns without object............................4
>|Starts to chase object, loses interest..............................5
>|Does not chase object...............................................6
>
>I think the pup should get extra credit on 3 if it delivers the object
>as if he wants you to throw it again.  I knew this poodle which had no
>training but would return and expect you to fight for the object.  He
>would cling onto it, pull, and growl.
>
>Somepeople have suggested using this one for "birdyness" especially
>using a frozen chicken wing instead of a paper wad.
>
The puppy aptitude test does not give a pass or fail grade. The scoring
simply allows one to get a fairly good idea of the raw material that
a pup possesses. This test should be done optimally at 7 weeks of age
(49 days old). It has been noted that pups tested at age 36 days will
have different scores than those tested just a few days later simply
because puppies develop at such a fast rate that a day makes all the
difference. 49 days was considered the optimum because this was the
day that the average puppy attains the learning capacity of an adult
although he still has only the experiences of a puppy. If a puppy is
tested after 49 days, one can not be sure about the responses because
the puppy is now learning from his experiences.

The retrieving test gives an indication of the puppy's willingness to
work for a human. At 7 weeks, a puppy has probably not learned to play
tug-of-war like the poodle. People who are interested in checking
"birdiness" usually use a bird's wing to replace the towel in the
sight sensitivity test because it simulates the fluttering of a bird,
although they may also use it for the retrieving test.

Hope this gives you a bit more info! Monna
>
>--David C. Adams  Statistician  Cray Research Inc.  dadams@cray.com
>___________________________________________________________________
>       member--Minnesotans for Global Warming.
>
>.
>.

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