Seattle Dog Whisperer Announces "Canine Temperament Assessment Checklist"

SEATTLE - Aug. 23, 2015 - PRLog -- Dog "temperament" engulfs disposition, personality, nature, constitution, mind and spirit. Our Canine Temperament Asessment Checklist fairly evaluates a dog through leashed interactions with a professional behaviorist. Measurements are real world instead of pass/fail. While not  all-inclusive, insightful benchmarks fairly reveal a dog's strengths and weaknesses.

"This tool can shed insights even on puppies," shares Seattle Dog Whisperer Lyndy. "And it is quite valuable in assessing rescues."

Canine Temperament Assessment Checklist

1. Human Presents Self as Authority Figure

In a small setting, handler presents self as gentle, patient and firm leader meaning dog no harm. Walks towards dog, slightly moving into his space.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Friendly and relaxed with respectful, obedient, calm submission. Typically goes into a Sit or Down on his own. Soft eye contact asks "What comes next?"

___ Needs Work - Overly excited or cautious, tense, still. Would fearfully flee if not on leash. OR avoidance with no aggression. OR defensive lunging with no eye contact.

___ Danger Zone - Stiff frozen body. May growl, snarl, bare teeth. Hackles raised. Eyes are hard and glaring at handler's face. May lunge to attack and harm. OR may fearfully panic, running away to disappear if not on leash.

2. Toy Possession

Using a toy or ball with attached rope, engage the dog and then pull back on rope to withdraw the toy.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Gives up easily with playful attitude. May have slight resistance to toy removal but then gives in and loses interest.

___ Needs Work - Possessive over toy. Strong resistance but no aggression. Threatens to keep toy but doesn't follow through, or attempts to move toy out of human's reach. Playful engagement and vocal noise.

___ Danger Zone - May growl, freeze or snap when behaviorist retracts toy. Becomes aggressive and intends to injure and harm behaviorist.

3. Human Touch and Handling

___ Acceptable/Desired - Softens with petting, engages handler. Licks, muzzles, seeks attention, rolls onto back. OR remains neutral, moving away slightly. OR accepts the handling but does not seek more.

___ Needs Work - Over-excited, mouthy, paws human. OR becomes skittish and avoidant. Hind quarter and tail touching sensitivity. OR becomes actively avoidant, extremely stiff, overly jumpy.

___ Danger Zone - Aggresses to try to harm and injure the handler.

4. Food Possession

Offer a bacon shaped treat and allow dog to take it. Repeat but gently pull back and remove treat as dog begins to bite. Then drop treat on ground and cover with foot when dog starts going to it. Lastly, when dog is eating treat, mildly touch and handle dog's body, then remove what is left of the treat from the dog's mouth.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Indifferent or friendly. OR confused, looking for instructions on what happens next.

___ Needs Work - Vocal low growling. Hoards and threatens to retain treat but doesn't follow through. May paw at and get pushy for the treat, overly focusing on it while refusing to look at handler.

___ Danger Zone - Aggresses with intent to harm and injure.

5. Reaction to Adjustments Outdoors on Leash

Dog is walked near other people and distractions, then allowed to sniff or become interested in something. Then handler slightly tugs leash to regain dog's attention and focus.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Easily, compliantly responds. OR slowly responds but does so with more tug intensity or a different technique.

___ Needs Work - Eventually responds but takes multiple repeated corrections. OR unresponsive/ignores corrections. OR drops in defensive fear. OR stubbornly fights without giving in.

___ Danger Zone - Aggressively turns on and attempts to attack and bite the handler.

6. People Dominance

Behaviorist pushes down on dog's shoulders using hands or forearm, maintaining pressure for a moment.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Submissively melts under slight pressure.

___ Needs Work - Remains unresponsive but does not react. OR stiffens up, turning strongly towards handler.

___ Danger Zone - Growls or snaps at the handler. OR aggresses to harm and injure.

7. Other Dog Introductions

Introduce test dog to a stable dog through fence or at a distance. Then walk by other dog a few times, finally allowing the two to greet using a slack leash. Permit sniffing for a few seconds, then separate and re-introduce.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Interested in and social towards other dog. Soft, relaxed body language, possible play bow.

___ Needs work - Uninterested and aloof, not engaging other dog. Or rude posturing, barking, growling, lunging with hackles raised. Becomes controllable with a correction.

___ Danger Zone - Offensive harmful aggression to other dog, possibly handler as well.

8. Other Dog Food Issues

Bring other dog into near but not reachable vicinity. Offer other dog a treat while ignoring test dog. Then bring dogs closer and drop treat for each.

___ Acceptable/Desired - Ignores other dog's treat, does not interfere with his eating. Takes treat at the same time as other from ground. Not at all forceful.

___ Needs Work -  Dominantly threatens to keep own treats, bullying other dog for his as well. Threatening growling, posturing, guarding but no attack.

___ Danger Zone - Aggresses on other dog and possibly handler to obtain all treats.

9. Conclusion/Overall Temperament

___ Acceptable/desired - Happy go lucky, calm, stable, relaxed, friendly, easily handled. Stress free.  Does not seek attention.

___ Needs Work - Cautious, slow to engage. Signs of stress. Pushy, unresponsive, challenging, disrespectful. May jump on handler, become mouthy, barky, dominant.

___ Danger Zone - Aggressively interacts with and pursues handler and/or other dogs to harm. OR rock bottom fear, checked out, shaking, wants to flee. Avoids interactions altogether.

Please consult a professional for help with "Danger Zone" and "Needs Work" dogs. For more information, visit seattledogwhisperer.com.