Puppy Tests

Watching a puppy's brothers playing is a great puppy test that will allow you to have a clear idea of the puppy's character; which one tries to be the boss, and who is the more obedient. But be careful: within a puppy's litter roles can change many times a day. So indications will be very general.There is an easy way of knowing if the puppies have received a proper imprinting: place yourself between them. If they are happy and want to play with us, there's no doubt. The "violent" behavior of a puppy (biting someone's pants) is not a symptom of a potential aggressive dog. Usually he is only playing with people, which means he has received a correct imprinting. These are not cases to worry, but puppies excessively shy, or with fear to human beings.

The Campbell Test: This famous test can give us very reliable indications over the future character of the puppy. It must be done between six and eight weeks of age, by a person the puppy does not know (for instance, the future buyer), in a place new for him with no possibilities of distraction. During the test, never talk to him, do not praise or pet him. Previously we'll have prepared a table as follows to mark the reactions of the different puppies. The test is divided in five phases.

Social Attraction: As soon as we enter the place, we walk away from the puppy in opposite direction to the one we used to arrive, we bend down and give him a soft slap to attract his attention, without calling him.

Facility to Follow: Starting at a point close to the puppy, we walk away normally, without inducing him to follow us.

Reaction to Orders: We kneel, place the puppy upside down and we keep him in that position (holding him softly by the chest with one hand), during thirty seconds.