How to Temperament Test a Dog

When you adopt a dog you are essentially adding a new member to your family. Temperament testing is usually performed in shelters to evaluate a dog's suitability for adoption. Temperament testing ensures that a dog will fit in with his new adoptive family. Follow these steps to learn how to temperament test a shelter dog.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Wait until the dog has had a chance to become acclimated to life in a shelter before you temperament test him. If the dog has been abused he may be a bit shy in the new environment and you will get more accurate test results once he calms down.
2. Watch for signs that the dog is sociable. Check to see if he will come up to you when called, how he reacts to being petted, and how he responds to being hugged; all of the things that his new family is going to do with him.
3. Check for food aggression by giving him a yummy treat and then walking up to him while he is eating. If he growls he is food aggressive; food aggression can be a very dangerous problem in dogs.
4. Open an umbrella in front of him to see how he reacts to unknown objects. He should seem curious and go to investigate. It's okay if he seems startled at first, but barking and aggression isn't a good sign.
5. Introduce him to a friendly dog. Watch how he interacts with other dogs. If he is aggressive at all he shouldn't be placed in a home with other dogs. Watch his reaction to a cat; the cat should be in a carrier a safe distance away while the dog is restrained on a leash. If the dog shows any aggression to cats he needs to be placed in a home without cats and small animals.
6. Examine him like his veterinarian would, pick up his feet, look inside of his mouth and ears. It will come in handy in the future to know if he needs to be muzzled when he goes in for a check up.