Articles about American Pit Bull Terrier
American Temperment Test for Pit Bull
The ATTS Temperament Test focuses on and measures different aspects of temperament such as stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as well as the dog's instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the face of a threat. The test simulates a casual walk through a park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions. Dogs must be at least 18 months old to enter this test. The test takes about eight to 12 minutes to complete. The dog is on a loose six-foot (6') lead. The handler is not allowed to talk to the dog, give commands, or give corrections. Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows: Unprovoked aggression. Panic without recovery. Strong avoidance. The ATTS Temperament Test consists of ten subtests divided into five subcategories: Behavior Toward Strangers Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to strangers in a non-threatening situation. Subtest 1: Neutral stranger A stranger to the dog approaches the handler, shakes hands with the handler and engages the handler in a brief conversation, ignoring the dog. The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's reaction to passive socialization and the dog's protective instinct. Subtest 2: Friendly stranger A stranger to the dog approaches happily and briskly, is very friendly to the dog and pets the dog. The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's active social skills. Reaction to Auditory Stimuli Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to auditory stimuli and the dog's investigative behavior. Subtest 3: Hidden Noise The handler/dog team approaches a hidden assistant who rattles a metal bucket filled with rocks and sets this bucket in the path of the team. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the bucket only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the bucket, not on the dog. The purpose of this subtest is to test alertness and curiosity. Subtest 4: Gunshots The handler stops at a designated marker with his/her back towards a well hidden assistant. The assistant fires three shots using a .22 caliber starter pistol (SHOT-PAUSE-SHOT-SHOT). The purpose of this subtest is to measure the dog's recovery response to a sudden noise....to continue reading this article please click on here...
