ii Litter Search & Rescue Test
The ii Litter was tested at 51 Days
Janet took Mr. Blue for Search & Rescue; I kept Miss Gold for nosework and agility competition and breeding
Acceptance/Attachment The first test involves evaluating the pup’s acceptance of the strange place and its willingness to interact with the stranger. Ideal reaction is eye contact and interest in the stranger but no sign of nervousness in the interaction (we don’t want a “Protect me!” attitude), followed by visual investigation of the surroundings and then a return of attention to the tester.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10 tail always up, very engaged in all
Gold Female:
Janet: 9
Bonnie: 10 tail up
Eye Contact (Janet only)
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male: 2 avoided
Gold Female: 2
Independence (Bonnie only)
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male: very independent
Gold Female: independent
Confidence The confidence part of the test involves holding the pup out at arm’s length for several seconds. Again, the pup should accept the handler putting it in position and remain calm.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10 no panic
Gold Female:
Janet: 7
Bonnie: 10 no panic
Pain Sensitivity The loose skin over the ribs is gently pinched and the pup’s reaction is noted. Ideal reaction is to notice the pinch but be unconcerned by it. We also look for a willingness to forgive the tester.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 9
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Retrieve Next, willingness to retrieve is evaluated using different toys: a stuffed toy, and a tennis ball. Ideal reaction is to repeatedly being the toy back to the handler rather than moving off to “possess” it. The type of bite on the toys is evaluated: a full mouth bite shows more confidence and drive than a front-teeth-only bite.
Pup Rating
Toy Ball Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10 7 – 6
Janet’s comments: brought holey ball back well; did not bring thick rope ball back
Bonnie: 7 7
Bonnie’s comments: faced person and made eye contact–seemed more of a challenge to see if he could keep it
Gold Female:
Janet: N/A (8 on notes)
Janet’s comments: more into keeping toy/ball than Mr. Blue
Bonnie: 6 6
Bonnie’s comments: eye contact, faced person – more ready to take it and leave in order to keep it
Retrieve Metal Object Tester tosses a set of car keys or other piece of metal and observes to see if pup will put mouth on it, pick it up and/or retrieve it.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Janet’s comments: picked up and ran off with keys
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 9
Bonnie’s comments: picked it up but would get the plastic fob instead of the metal
Lamb We put a stuffed rocking sheep about 3′ high off to the side, and drug the tug toy over to get the pup to notice it and to see the pups’ reactions. A lot of times things like that will blow a puppy’s mind and it will bark and carry on, but both pups went right up to it and wanted to bite it – Mr. Blue wanting the fleece while Miss Gold wanted the moving rockers.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: Both approached tail up and were into biting when it moved
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: Both approached tail up and were into biting when it moved
Perseverance (Chase) Then perseverance is evaluated by seeing how enthusiastically they will pursue and grab hold of an object. Ideal reaction is to pursue enthusiastically and grasp with a full mouth bite.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: growled while tugging, made eye contact
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: adjusted for better bite when she could, made eye contact
Tug (Janet only) Ideal reaction is a full mouth bite, tug and do everything possible to posses the object. We like to see a pup get its whole body on the sack in an effort to subdue it.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male: 10+ grabbed with feet, growling
Gold Female: 10 – 9
Janet’s comments: bite not as good as Blue’s; tug with green ball: “She’s controlling the game”
Prey Drive Strength of desire to chase and attack is evaluated.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: aware of everything that moved; engaged right away
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: very aware of everything, engaged right away
Hunt for Toy While playing with ball or soft toy, hide it and encourage pup to use nose to find. Interest? How long will pup search? Uses nose or eyes?
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Janet’s comments: did not find squirrel toy – distracted by food smell?? Found green ball toy. “Not fun unless it’s moving.”
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 7
Janet’s comments: no interest in searching for green ball under carpet; when hid fox tug she showed more interest in attacking the carpet than looking underneath, second time did look under…
Bonnie: 6
Bonnie’s comments: She stayed in the area, just didn’t seem to understand the “game” when the toy was gone & engaged with the carpet rather than hunt for the toy. She was more motivated with the food component, and this was done after the umbrella surprise event.
Hunt for Food I This test begins with a piece of bacon tied on a string and dragged to attract the pup’s interest and see how interested it is, how hard it will work to get it, and how hard it will work to keep it as the tester jerks, tugs and generally prevents the pup from easily eating it.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10 Great prolonged hunt – good nose!
Hunt for Food II Janet placed treats on and under a tarp. The pups had to use their noses to find where the meat was. They were judged on how they how they used their noses and how systematic their searching was.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 9
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Cadaver A jar with human cadaver scent was opened and placed a distance away. Both pups showed immediate and enthusiastic reactions to it, honing in quickly from a distance and ignoring the treats Janet offered as rewards, trying to push her hands away so that they could get to the scent jar. No aversion at all.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: Both were very interested and used their noses to completely search it out after the first sniff. Neither were that interested in the food reward (especially since they were all about the food earlier), but were much more interested in getting to the cadaver source. No aversion at all – instead a very heightened interest in this new smell.
Unstable Footing Since SAR dogs will search in all kinds of terrain and areas of destruction, they must be confident in insecure situations. We used a tarp and a float cushion on top of pieces of plywood resting on pvc pipes, plus a strip of plywood on a wooden sawhorse set on its slide, which made a see saw.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10 seesaw = 10
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 10 seesaw = 10
Bonnie: 10
Runaway Tester shows pup food, gets its interest, then runs away. She observes how eagerly the pup comes and how naturally it uses its nose to find her once she hides. This test was only done on Day 1.
Pup/ Rating Additional/ Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Janet’s comments: chased & chewed on legs; 2nd time tolerated being held back by Bonnie
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: Liked this game!
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: All about that food. No hesitation going to stranger to get it. Used her nose.
Submission Test The submission test is designed to give an idea of the pup’s tractability, trust in humans, and willingness to submit to a human’s directives. In the submission test the pup is held firmly on its back for a short period of time. The tester counts the seconds it takes for him to resist, then accept, the restraint. She should not passively accept the restraint, nor should she panic or show avoidance of eye contact. Ideal reaction is to resist, then submit and look the tester in the face. We also look for a willingness to forgive the tester.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10 cried, dominance – rating of 8
Bonnie: 8
Gold Female:
Janet: 8
Bonnie: 7
Bonnie’s comments: Didn’t submit – she was mad! No panic, just determined to get up.
Courage and Aggression Courage and aggression is evaluated using a police car that when turned on plays sirens and loud voices. Will they stand their ground? Will they go investigate it? Excellent reaction is to go to the car and check it out. Extremely excellent reaction is to actually attack it while it moves. Good reaction is to investigate it after the tester turns it off. The tester encourages the pup to investigate after it is turned off, if it wouldn’t while it was making noise. She notes how much encouragement is needed.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 8
Bonnie: 8
Bonnie’s comments: Not really interested in the car but not afraid of it either.
Fear A metal can filled with metal items (horseshoes, nails, bolts, etc.) is dropped behind them from a height of about 2 feet while they are looking away from it. Will the pup hold its ground and then go look at what dropped from nowhere? Excellent reaction is to acknowledge and turn towards the sound and then confidently go see what made the racket. The tester encourages the pup to investigate, if it doesn’t on its own. She notes how much encouragement is needed. I find most of my pups look towards the racket and keep on playing with the toy they had, rather than stopping their play to go investigate.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10 flinched
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: stopped but came right back
Gold Female:
Janet: 8
Bonnie: 8
Bonne’s comments: ran off a few feet but came back with a wary eye on the can
Surprise The last test involves getting the pup to chase you (or a toy) towards a place with a hidden person, from behind which an umbrella is opened suddenly and then lowered to the ground, still open. The umbrella this year was opened with great vigor. The pups are evaluated on how they recover from being startled and if they’ll go investigate. Ideal reaction is for the pup to startle but hold its ground, then move right up to check out the umbrella. A super excellent reaction is to go up and bite it and/or walk all over it. The tester encourages the pup to investigate after the umbrella is on the top step, if it doesn’t on its own. She notes how much encouragement is needed.
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 8
Bonnie: 10
Gold Female:
Janet: 6
Janet’s comments: did come back but ran away again
Bonnie: 8
Bonnie’s comments: Seemed “betrayed” by this event. I think she likes to control her world and this lack of control flustered her for a while.
Interaction with Strange Dog
Pup/ Rating/ Additional Observations
Blue Male:
Janet: 10 interested, cautious
Bonnie: 10 tail up
Gold Female:
Janet: 10
Janet’s comments: stressed but wanted to check out
Bonnie: 10
Bonnie’s comments: sought some support when he barked but remained engaged and wanted to check out on her terms
Tester Comments (from Bonnie; none from Janet):
Nice dogs!!!
Blue Male: Very confident – unstable surfaces no problem – very strong – tail always up, always engaged – likes to “kill” his toys -very independent, very friendly
Gold Female: Very confident, independent, mind of her own! Explores things, takes life in stride. Wants to be in control of her world. I think she will be very loyal but independent thinking girl!