MM Litter Search & Rescue Test
The MM Litter was tested at 51 Days
Miss Green went to southern Colorado to be a farm dog (dairy goats and chickens) and therapy dog. Miss Gold went to Virginia to be a Search & Rescue dog (their 3rd SAR dog from me). Miss Pink went to Washington state for Schutzhund, obedience and tracking. Miss Red went to Ft. Collins, CO to be a family companion and do obedience & nosework competition (their second dog from me). Mr. Blue went to the Denver area to be a therapy dog and family companion for two busy boys. Mr. Yellow went to Cheyenne, WY to be a therapy dog (her second dog & second therapy dog from me) but was rehomed at 16 months.
Janet came alone this time to do the SAR test (usually she brings a 2nd tester and they work together). The main difference I see between the police/narcotics test and the SAR test is the attitude of the tester. In the police test, the tester is very quiet, talking little and using very little body movements. No other people are present and the environment is kept quiet. In the SAR test, the tester (often two do the test together) is somewhat more enthusiastic, uses some verbal praise and body movements to get the pup “up” and gives praise. Other people are sometimes present to watch, though they are asked to be as quiet as possible. This would fit well with the ultimate purpose of the dogs being tested for both types of training. In police work the dog must be able to dig down deep inside himself or herself to find the courage and aggression to confront a criminal and/or to search independently and at great distance from the handler. In SAR the handler is usually closer to the dog and is able to praise and encourage him, especially in extended searches. There is also generally all kinds of activity and distraction at a search scene so the dog must be able to filter out the extraneous activity and focus on her job. Both tests are fascinating to watch as is the difference in the pups’ responses in each test.
Pups are given a rating from 1 – 10, with 10 being the highest.
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. The testers put in the test area a large metal wise man from an outdoor nativity scene to see what reaction the pups might have.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 9
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 10
Eye Contact
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 5
Gold Female: 8
Green Female: 9
Pink Female: 5
Red Female: 7
Yellow Male: 8
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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 6
Independence
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: nothing marked
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: nothing marked
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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 8
Green Female: 8
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 9
Retrieve Next, willingness to retrieve is evaluated using different toys and balls. 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 – Comments
Blue Male: 6; “Will retrieve just fine!”
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 0
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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: N/A
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: N/A
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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 8
Green Female: 8
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 9
Yellow Male: N/A
Tug 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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 4 – 5
Pink Female: 10+
Red Female: 9
Yellow Male: 8
Prey Drive Strength of desire to chase and attack is evaluated.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 8
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
Blue Male: N/A
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 8 – 9
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 5
Hunt for Food I This test begins with a piece of jerky 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
Yellow Male: 10 (no others rated)
Hunt for Food II Janet hid treats 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
Blue Male: 9 – 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 5
Pink Female: 7
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 10
Cadaver A jar with human cadaver scent was opened and placed a distance away. The testers note if a pup is interested, and how intensely.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 9
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 9
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 9
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, carpet and a float cushion on top of pieces of plywood resting on pvc pipes and a ladder, plus a strip of plywood on a wooden sawhorse set on its side, which made a see saw.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10+
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 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.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: no rating
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 10
Yellow Male: 5 – 6
Reaction to Strange Object (Stuffed Rocking Lamb) The friends in whose shop we did the temperament test had a sheep ranch for years and have a large stuffed wool-covered rocking lamb (instead of a rocking horse), a good 2′ high. Janet set it out and watched how the pups reacted to it. Most startled initially but soon were grabbing at it.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 9
Yellow Male: 10
Puppy Drag The wheelbarrow the testers normally use, wheeling the pup in it around the room and then noting its willingness to dismount, was not available this time, so they had me bring my puppy drag, which is a piece of rope I fasten around my waist. Gunny sacks are attached to the rope and move enticingly as I move around, so the pups focus on biting and tugging on them instead of me. Each pup had a great time as Janet drug it around the circumference of the room, ending where a person leaned over the barrier offering a treat. No ratings were given.
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 – Comments
Blue Male: 8
Gold Female: 9
Green Female: 7 – 8
Pink Female: 7; “bitchy!!”
Red Female: 9
Yellow Male: 8
Courage and Aggression Courage and aggression is normally evaluated using a police car that when turned on plays sirens and loud voices, but for some reason it wouldn’t work so we used a Bumble Ball, which vibrates and hums and moves erratically. Will they stand their ground? Will they go investigate it? Excellent reaction is to go to the it 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 the pup wouldn’t while it was making noise. She notes how much encouragement is needed.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 9
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 9
Red Female: 9
Yellow Male: 5 – 6
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? Janet also swung a large brass outdoor chime. 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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 9
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 9 – 10
Red Female: 8 on can; 7 on chimes
Yellow Male: 7
Surprise This test involves getting the pup to follow 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
Blue Male: 10
Gold Female: 10
Green Female: 10
Pink Female: 10
Red Female: 8
Yellow Male: 10
Tester Comments
Blue Male: Overall well rounded, good puppy
Gold Female: Good all around pup. Good for SAR! Good for Schutzhund, maybe good for herding.
Green Female: Friendly, very nice. Tug isn’t there but everything else is. Could be good for SAR.
Pink Female: Best at tug. Really good, high drive puppy. #1 candidate for SAR, Schutzhund
Red Female: Good confidence, sometimes tentative. Would be a good SAR dog, maybe good for obedience.
Yellow Male: Happy puppy!!
Comparison of Ratings
Acceptance/Attachment
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Red, Yellow
9: Pink
Eye Contact
9: Green
8: Gold, Yellow
7: Red
5: Blue, Pink
Confidence
10: Blue, Gold, Pink, Red, Green
6: Yellow
Independence
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Red
Pain Sensitivity
10: Blue, Pink, Red, Yellow
9-8:
8: Gold, Green
Retrieve
10: Gold, Green Pink, Red
6: Blue
0: Yellow
Metal
10: Blue, Green, Pink, Red
Perseverance (chase)
10: Blue, Pink
9: Red
8: Gold, Green
Tug
10+: Pink
10: Blue, Gold
9: Red
8: Yellow
6: Green
Prey Drive
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Pink, Red
8: Yellow
Hunt for Toy
10: Gold, Pink, Red
9: Green
5: Yellow
Unstable Footing
10+: Green
10: Blue, Gold, Pink, Red, Yellow
Submission
9: Gold, Red
8: Blue, Green, Yellow
7: Pink
Runaway
10: Blue, Green, Pink, Red
10-9:
6: Yellow
Strange Object (stuffed rocking lamb)
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Pink, Yellow
9: Red
Cadaver
10: Gold, Green, Red
9: Blue, Pink, Yellow
Aggression/Courage (bumble ball)
10: Blue, Green
9: Gold, Pink, Red
6: Yellow
Fear (can)
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Pink
8: Red
7: Yellow
Surprise (umbrella)
10: Blue, Gold, Green, Pink, Yellow
8: Red
Hunt for Food I (jerky on string)
10: Yellow
Hunt for Food II (hidden treats)
10: Gold, Red, Yellow
9: Blue
7: Pink
5: Green
Summary of Ratings
Blue
10: Attachment, Confidence, Independence, Sensitivity, Metal, Perseverance, Tug, Prey Drive, Unstable Footing, Runaway, Lamb, Aggression & Courage, Fear, Surprise
9: Cadaver, Hunt for Food II
8: Submission
6: Retrieve
5: Eye Contact
Gold
10: Attachment, Confidence, Independence, Retrieve, Tug, Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy, Unstable Footing, Lamb, Cadaver, Fear, Surprise, Hunt for Food II
9: Submission, Aggression & Courage
8: Eye Contact, Sensitivity, Perseverance
Green
10+: Unstable Footing
10: Attachment, Confidence, Independence, Retrieve, Metal, Prey Drive, Runaway, Lamb, Cadaver, Aggression & Courage, Fear, Surprise
9: Eye Contact, Hunt for Toy
8: Sensitivity, Perseverance, Submission
5: Tug, Hunt for Food II
Pink
10+: Tug
10: Confidence, Sensitivity, Retrieve, Metal, Perseverance, Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy, Unstable Footing, Runaway, Lamb, Surprise
9: Attachment, Cadaver, Aggression & Courage
7: Submission, Hunt for Food II
5: Eye Contact
Red
10: Attachment, Confidence, Independence, Sensitivity, retrieve, Metal, Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy, Unstable Footing, Runaway, Cadaver, Hunt for Food II
9: Perseverance, Tug, Submission, Lamb, Aggression & Courage
8: Fear (can), Surprise
7: Eye Contact, Fear (chimes)
Yellow
10: Attachment, Lamb, Surprise, Hunt for Food I, Hunt for Food II
9: Sensitivity, Cadaver
8: Eye Contact, Tug, Prey Drive, Submission
7: Fear
6: Confidence, Aggression & Courage, Runaway
5: Hunt for Toy, Aggression & Courage
0: Retrieve