Campbell Test: How to Test a Puppy’s Personality?

Personality Test for Puppy

How to test a puppy’s personality has always been an important question usually asked by many dog lovers. Just as us, dogs have their very unique personality that can be clearly understood when they reach the age of 1½ to 2 months. Now the question is how you can determine what kind of personality the puppy has. And why should you know this at all? Well, I think every dog lover should spare thoughts on this very important issue not after they bring puppies home; rather while they intend to select and buy puppies at the breeder's home. The motive is to avoid making mistakes by picking wrong puppy. Right puppy means the one with sound mental state and easy-to-handle. Knowing the personal traits in advance helps you to know him/her better. This will in turn make it easy to train him/her properly. Training becomes effective only when you know your puppy’s personality in advance. RAISING A NEW PUPPY becomes easier if you can identify the personality trait of the puppy.

Conditions to test a puppy

Well now let us jump on to the point. What are the conditions in which a puppy can be put to the test? At the very outset, it is to be remembered that the venue must be a place where the puppy has never been to before. Plus the place must be free from any kind of external factors that can distract your puppy’s attention. In saying that, I intend to mean a place that’s free from noise, mob, flashing lights, etc. An enclosed room is preferable, as an outdoor test will end up with false report, as the puppy’s attention might be distracted by chirping birds, flying butterflies and falling leaves.

The second most important thing is the age. Puppy must reach the age of at least 1½ to 2 months. At this age the personality is set, but not yet attached to the human beings completely.

The third most important thing to be remembered is that the one who is carrying out the test must be a stranger to the puppy.

Finally, it is also important that no acquaintances of the puppy should be allowed in the test room. The presence of known people, like the owner or breeder or anybody who the puppy knows, will not give correct test report.

What is this Campbell test of puppy personality all about?

Campbell test for a puppy’s personality actually aimed at evaluating the relationship between the puppy’s grades or score and the factors that influence the puppy’s personality. These factors included age, gender, size, breed and group under which the FCI has registered the breed and even the color of the dog’s coat. Cambell’s test of puppies had been carried out on 151 females and 191 males of different breeds. Campbell concluded that it was more appropriate to allot each puppy with numeric scores than by grouping them under different classifications. The mean value obtained irrespective of breed and gender was corresponding to the “Campbell’s submissive stable category”. The mean value was lower in female dogs than in males, which means females are more submissive with low social domination in normal condition.

Most experienced dog owners tend to put special emphasize the puppy’s personality alongside the physique of the dog. Canine experts and behaviorists have developed complicated personality test for puppy and adult dogs. Although there are testing techniques like Wilsson and Sundgren’s test, but Campbell test has proved to be the most popular method of behavior testing in puppies. Experts, on the other level, also believe that Campbell test, conducted on puppies, may not give a strong layout to determine the future behavior. These results should be interpreted for the puppies only, as this behavior test is carried out to assess the influence of certain external factors on puppies, which may differ when the puppy becomes old.


Criterion of Campbell Test on Puppy Personality

This test is carried on to score a puppy based on five distinctive criterion, which are as follows:

• Social attraction
• Social domination
• Facility to follow
• Response to obligation
• Acceptance to be lifted

Social attraction test on puppy’s personality: For testing the social attraction the person (examiner – must be a stranger to the puppy) sits a few feet away from the puppy. He observes the behavior of the puppy… that is to say whether the puppy approaches the stranger or if he runs back and scout his surroundings. If it comes to the stranger, it is then observed whether it is coming with fear with tail carried low or in a friendly mood with the tail carried normally and wagging.

Social domination test to assess temperament of a puppy: I have found this to be the most interesting phase in the process of evaluating the puppy’s behavior. The motive is to assess how much a puppy is naturally socialized by birth. The examiner sites near the puppy, and strikes it softly. It is observed if the puppy crawls close towards the stranger. If it does, it is then observed what it does after coming close to the stranger… whether he bites his hand or licking and start playing. If the puppy doesn’t come closer, it may move away or stay back at the same place.

Facility to follow test to assess puppy’s behavior: While testing the behavior of the puppy through testing the facility to follow, the examiner (stranger to the puppy), tends to put the puppy behind him and walk slowly. He observes how efficiently the puppy follows him. Does he follow him at all or stays back or wander off hither and thither by himself? If it follows the test person, it is observe whether it is following close or from a distance! If it is following close, observation is done whether the puppy is biting the stranger’s heel or shoes. A puppy with a strong personality trait will follow you close and will try to nip your heels/shoes with confidence.

Response to obligation test to assess puppy’s temperament: The response to obligation test is carried out to assess how the puppy reacts when put to obligations. In this test the test person, the puppy is put on his back and held down on to the surface, placing the hand flat on his chest. It is observed how intensely the puppy protest, if he protests at all. If he protests, it is observed whether he tries to bite the stranger’s hand or whether it makes a protest and cools down immediately. It is also observed if the puppy is enjoying it and licking the hand with calm temperament. The test person observes how efficiently the puppy tackles different adverse situations.

Acceptance to be lifted test to judge the puppy temperament: This is the last round of the personality test of puppy. Acceptance to be lifted is judged by lifting the puppy by placing the hand flat beneath its chest. The puppy is lifted from the back, so that it cannot see who the person is. It is observed whether he is feeling disturbed and trying to bite or whether it is enjoying the lift.

First time owners are advised to check the temperament record alongside the health and anatomy. Fact remains that good bloodlines do not always produce good puppies. First time owners should pick a puppy with medium scores. Extreme test results mean that the puppy might be too dominant or too shy. Highly submissive puppies cannot be handled by novice owners, while on the other hand extremely dominant puppies will require an experienced handler.

You can carry out the test by yourself and put marks on their behavior. Extreme personality traits should be red marked!

Responsible dog ownership not only means providing your dog with good food, fresh water, and enough exercise, but something more than that! IDENTIFYING THE DOG EMOTION IS A MUST! If you cannot identify the personality trait of your puppy at the beginning, you cannot analyze the his emotions at the later phase of his life!

Stay tuned… up next more on puppy personality.

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