BB's page

BB is the blue boy. His name is Oberon and he trains in search and rescue. Even though his LER was not indicative of this, BB has a phenomenal toy drive. Huge credit goes to his mom Lisa who really brought out all the potential he has and then some. Lisa and BB are a very promising SAR team. They have passed their first evaluation, the trail problem, when BB was only 9 months old. Lisa and I will post much more information on the talented BB. Thos boy has tremendous confidence, bright, sunny personality, and has not met a stranger yet. He is a lover, not a fighter. He will mature into an awesome working dog and companion.

BB's mom started her own web site for them. Check them out here . And here are some of my pictures.

2 days old	16 days	29 days	31 days		LER at 7.5 weeks	going home with Lisa, 8 weeks

8 weeks	11.5  weeks, SAR runnaway		"smoking" at puppy reunion, 17 weeks

Each Shiloh Shepherd puppy has to have a litter evaluation (LER) before being placed in his or her new home. There are numerous reasons for this. One part of the test is devoted to a temperament evaluation. The results of this along with breeder's observations determine the suitability of each pup for its prospective home, based on the puppy's personality and the expectations of the owners. This is a crucial step in matching up the future companions for life. The importance of a proper temperament test cannot be overemphasized. The other part of the test is concerned with the conformation of the pups. Lot can be forecasted even at this young age. Once again, the experience of the evaluator plays a very important role in accuracy of the LER. We use Wendy Volhard's basic puppy temperament test as well as specialized SAR aptitude tests as desired. Since this was a working litter, most of the pups were evaluated in this was as well.
Our LER was done by Patti Schaeffer of the Shenandoah kennels. She is the most trustworthy, experienced Shiloh breeder and deservedly was named the ISSDC Breeder of the Year. Unfortunately, the testing area proved to be full of unwanted distractions and the LER results are not totally accurate. Fortunately, most of the pups are doing better then predicted.

Here is BB's LER done at 7.5 weeks of age.

 Courtesy of Wendy Volhard

PUPPY APTITUDE TEST

Interpreting the Scores

• Mostly 1's A puppy that consistently scores a 1 in the temperament section of the test is an extremely dominant, aggressive puppy who can easily be provoked to bite. His dominant nature will attempt to resist human leadership, thus requiring only the most experienced of handlers. This puppy is a poor choice for most individuals and will do best in a working situation as a guard or police dog.

• Mostly 2's This pup is dominant and self-assured. He can be provoked to bite; however he readily accepts human leadership that is firm, consistent and knowledgeable. This is not a dog for a tentative, indecisive individual. In the right hands, he has the potential to become a fine working or show dog and could fit into an adult household, provided the owners know what they are doing.

• Mostly 3's This pup is outgoing and friendly and will adjust well in situations in which he receives regular training and exercise. He has a flexible temperament that adapts well to different types of environment, provided he is handled correctly. May be too much dog for a family with small children or an elderly couple who are sedentary.

• Mostly 4's A pup that scores a majority of 4's is an easily controlled, adaptable puppy whose submissive nature will make him continually look to his master for leadership. This pup is easy to train, reliable with kids, and, though he lacks self-confidence, makes a high-quality familly pet. He is usually less outgoing than a pup scoring in the 3's, but his demeanor is gentle and affectionate.

• Mostly 5's This is a pup who is extremely submissive and lacking in self-confidence. He bonds very closely with his owner and requires regular companionship and encouragement to bring him out of himself. If handled incorrectly, this pup will grow up very shy and fearful. For this reason, he will do best in a predictable, structured lifestyle with owners who are patient and not overly demanding, such as an elderly couple.

• Mostly 6's A puppy that scores 6 consistntly is independent and uninterested in people. He will mature into a dog who is not demonstrably affectionate and who has a low need for human companionship. In general, it is rare to see properly socialized pups test this way; however there are several breeds that have been bred for specific tasks (such as basenjis, hounds, and some northern breeds) which can exhibit this level of independence. To perform as intended, these dogs require a singularity of purpose that is not compromised by strong attachments to their owner.

The remainder of the puppy test is an evaluation of obedience aptitude and working ability and provides a general picture of a pup's intelligence, spirit, and willingness to work with a human being. For most owners, a good companion dog will score in the 3 to 4 range in this section of the test. Puppies scoring a combination of 1's and 2's require experienced handlers who will be able to draw the best aspects of their potential from them.

Many thanks to Wendy Volhard for her advice in setting up the tables. She has made some comments as to how this test compares to her original one. The sight sensitivity test is done to show the degree of response to a moving object, such as chasing bicycles, children or squirrels, not as stated on your test which better belongs on the stability test which has been left out. The original order of the tests is: social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, elevation, retrieving, touch sensitivity, sound sensitivity, sight sensitivity and stability (opening of an umbrella some distance from the puppy to see response) to show how pup reacts to a strange object, then structure. go to our web page for the correct information  (http://www.volhard.com). Please see her wonderful website and especially the sections on puppy selection and the Puppy Aptitude Test scoring, the interpretation of scores, and what do they mean.

CONFORMATION EVALUATION

PAWS Working Dog Evaluation

http://www.wtp.net/ASDK9SAR/articles/paws.html

This test, designed by Jona Decker, evaluates working potential of pups and dogs. Since several of Nyssa's pups are in SAR homes, we evaluated some of the pups as well. 

According to this test, This puppy is not interested in toys but has a high pack drive and is more motivated by food.

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Contact us at mpshiloh@hotmail.com

Michelle Pelescak.
Copyright © 2000, 2001 MD Shilo Star Kennel. All rights reserved.
Revised: December 27, 2001 .