The purpose of this temperament test is to help CRAH Doggy Daycare maintain a safe environment for the employees and the dogs in their care.
All dogs are individuals, and they have their own unique behavior profile. This test will help you determine if a dog who is new to the playgroup will be comfortable and enjoy the doggy daycare setting.
How does the temperament test work?
Each section will be graded as pass/fail. If the dog who is being tested passes one section, they go on to the next section, and so on. If they pass all five steps, they will move into the observation period. The observation period lasts for the first five days that the dog visits after the initial temperament testing day.
If the dog fails any one of these sections, the temperament test is then over, and the dog is disqualified from attending the daycare. Not all dogs are meant to be in a doggy daycare setting, and that’s alright. If the dog is disqualified, and the client would like to have other recommendations, we will make those available.
How to safely set up the temperament test:
You’ll need two employees to perform the test. The dog who is being tested should be on a slip lead to begin. One employee will hold the lead, while the other employee works through each step. There will be steps in each section where the dog is off lead. Make sure to put them back on the lead before moving to the next section.
Observe the dog’s body language with each new step. If they seem loose and comfortable then they are ready to move on to the next step. If they appear slightly nervous, take a little extra time to make sure they’re ready to move forward.
If the dog shows high levels of anxiety or stress at any step, or if they react aggressively towards either an employee or another dog, they will be disqualified.