Temperament Testing puppies
"There is no perfect puppy, only a puppy that is perfect for you"
Why temperament test puppies?
How we temperament test puppies at Harman Corgis
- We temperament test puppies by performing is a series of tests on puppies to help predict their temperament including energy levels as adults.
- These tests give us an insight into what a puppy will accel at as an adult. For example, in Golden Retrievers it might predict which dogs will be best at retrieving, search and rescue, or companions.
- We watch and record each pups personalities from a young age. During this time we observe their interactions with each other, mom, people and other animals. Starting around 4 to 5 weeks of age we document which puppies are more energetic, which like to be held, which ones are more independent, more dominant, etc.
We formally temperament test puppies using the Avidogs APET test when puppies are 51-53 days old. We use the APET test because we feel that it better fits the characteristics of our breed and the needs of our buyers.
- Corgis were originally bred to herd livestock and we still see many herding traits in the breed today. We realize that few of our dogs will be used for herding but instead most will become loving family pets therefore we focus on temperament tests that will help our buyers select the right puppy for their lifestyle.
Why temperament testing puppies is helpful
- The temperament of a dog is a result of genetics, the environment and a dogs experiences through their lives therefore a dogs temperament is not set at birth. Both the breeder and the owner have an impact on the final temperament of the dog.
- Temperament traits are normally categorized as a Stable Trait or Tweakable Traits.
- Stable traits are traits that remain the same throughout the life of the dog while tweakable traits can change with training and socialization.
- We feel that by temperament testing puppies we can help buyers pick the right puppy for their lifestyle. We are also able to point out possible areas that might need work and give buyers training tips.
Stable vs Tweakable Traits
Stable Traits
- Energy level
- Assertiveness with people & other dogs
- Biddability
- Courage
- Environmental focus
- Forgiveness
- Handshyness
- Forgivability
- Self-Confidence
- Stress type
"Remember, there is no perfect dog. All will have traits that you would like to change. You have to decide if you can live with the trait or not"
Tweakable Traits
- Focus on other dogs
- Eye contact
- Following
- Food desire
- Learning speed
- Object focus
- Patience
- People focus
- Play desire
- Resilience
- Sound sensitivity
- Sight sensitivity
- Stability
- Pain threshold
- Stress level
Important temperament traits for pet homes
Confidence & Resilience
These traits tell us how puppies will approach new things and how easily they will bounce back from stressful situations.
People who are very active want a high energy pup while others will prefer a lower energy dog. High energy pups will also probably do better if the buyer has a backyard.
I will warn you that children are not babysitters for Corgi puppies. When children get ramped up running and screaming, a puppy will also get ramped up and quickly spin out of control.
Even though Energy Level is a stable trait (traits that remain through life), we find that Corgis normally become calmer and like to snuggle more as they age. Most of our pups will have a moderate energy level for a Corgi. Sometimes we do get those that are less energetic and those that are high energy dogs. We have found that energy follows blood lines and are currently working on a line of lower energy dogs.
Focus
As a whole, Corgis are very focused on their environment. They will quickly let you know when anything is out of place or is something new is added to the living space.
They are often described as “not listening” or “stubborn” but this is purely the fact that they are heavily focused on their sniffing out their environment.
Puppies can also be highly focused on people, objects or activities. People focused puppies must greet every person that they see while object focused puppies will fixate upon an object and not be able to concentrate on anything else. For the most part we find that our Corgis are mainly focused on the environment.
Pain Threshold
Pain threshold gauges if a puppy can tolerate a normal amount of pain. Puppies with a low threshold will need extra handling and rewards for gentle touching to prepare them for grooming, vet visits, etc. Puppies with a high pain threshold will not feel their owners on the end of a leash and will develop a tendency to pull on walks. These puppies are also at risk at hurting themselves during play. Most of our puppies have a middle of the road pain threshold.
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a dogs reaction to something that is negative. Highly forgiving dogs take responsibility for everything that goes wrong in the home like arguments or fighting. They do not do well in loud, rambunctious households. These dogs will often hide when something happens and be reluctant to come to their owners.
Highly unforgiving dogs have no problem in loud, excitable households as long as they are not blamed for things that they do not do. These dogs will shake it off and come back to their people when something happens. Our pups are almost always middle of the road here however we sometimes get pups on both ends of the spectrum.
Patience
Puppies that are patience will patiently wait while their owner is busy and not demand attention nor be destructive. Most of our puppies are patient and can occupy themselves during downtime.
Desires
Knowing your puppy’s desires can help you determine how to reward your but when training. Corgis strongest desire is almost always food over playing, retrieving or affection.
Biddability
Biddability refers to a puppy’s willingness to work, follow direction and understand instructions. Almost all Corgis are extremely smart and biddable. They are normally highly motivated by food so reward based training is highly successful with this breed. We recommend that buyers invest in Baxter & Bella online dog training and have partnered with this company so that buyers receive a discount.
Assertiveness
People assertive puppies will want to jump on people when they meet them. We work on properly meeting people but this training should be continued.
Dog assertive puppies will need to be taught polite dog greeting etiquette. Otherwise these puppies may get into fights because they are rude to other dogs. Puppies that are less dog assertive will need to be protected when playing with assertive puppies until they develop confidence in other dogs.
Most Corgis are very assertive and bossy with people and other dogs. I always tell people that they are a big dog in a little body. Dogs left intact can and most likely will be assertive with other dogs.
Energy Level
As a whole, Corgis are very energetic dogs. They all require time for exercise and play but some will require more time than others. Their mind is always working and they
will need mental stimulation as well as physical exercise.
People who are very active want a high energy pup while others will prefer a lower energy dog. High energy pups will also probably do better if the buyer has a backyard.
I will warn you that children are not babysitters for Corgi puppies. When children get ramped up running and screaming, a puppy will also get ramped up and quickly spin out of control.
Even though Energy Level is a stable trait, we find that Corgis normally become calmer and like to snuggle more as they age. Most of our pups will have a moderate energy level for a Corgi. Sometimes we do get those that are less energetic and those that are high energy dogs. We have found that energy follows blood lines and are currently working on a line of lower energy dogs.
