RR Litter Search & Rescue Test
The RR Litter was tested at 53 Days
RR litter background information
RR litter pedigree
Mr. Green went to Wisconsin for obedience competition and Schutzhund. Miss Pink went to Pennsylvania for agility and obedience competition and therapy dog work. Miss Gray went to NW Montana and Mr. Blue went to southern Wyoming as pets. Mr. Purple & Mr. Brown are available.
The main difference I see between the police/narcotics test and the SAR test is the attitude of the tester. In the police test, the tester is very quiet, talking little and using very little body movements. No other people are present and the environment is kept quiet. In the SAR test, the tester (often two do the test together) is somewhat more enthusiastic, uses some verbal praise and body movements to get the pup “up” and gives praise. Other people are sometimes present to watch, though they are asked to be as quiet as possible. This would fit well with the ultimate purpose of the dogs being tested for both types of training. In police work the dog must be able to dig down deep inside himself or herself to find the courage and aggression to confront a criminal and/or to search independently and at great distance from the handler. In SAR the handler is usually closer to the dog and is able to praise and encourage him, especially in extended searches. There is also generally all kinds of activity and distraction at a search scene so the dog must be able to filter out the extraneous activity and focus on her job. Both tests are fascinating to watch as is the difference in the pups’ responses in each test.
Usually we have two SAR testers, but only Janet was able to come test this litter. She recruited people who were getting pups to help her with the testing and another person to write down her comments and ratings.
Acceptance/Attachment The first test involves evaluating the pup’s acceptance of the strange place and its willingness to interact with the stranger. Ideal reaction is eye contact and interest in the stranger but no sign of nervousness in the interaction (we don’t want a “Protect me!” attitude), followed by visual investigation of the surroundings and then a return of attention to the tester.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 7
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 9
Purple Male: 10
Eye Contact Desire to connect with the tester by looking them in the eye was noted.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 9
Brown Male: 8
Gray Female: 9
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 8
Purple Male: 10
Confidence The confidence part of the test involves holding the pup out at arm’s length for several seconds. Again, the pup should accept the handler putting it in position and remain calm.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 9
Brown Male: 9
Gray Female: 7
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10-9
Independence How comfortable is the pup, will it work away from the tester or does it stay underfoot? Or does it avoid dealing with the tester by staying away and playing on its own.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10-9
Brown Male: 10-9
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 7
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10, “when hunting food”
Pain Sensitivity The loose skin over the ribs is gently pinched and the pup’s reaction is noted. Ideal reaction is to notice the pinch but be unconcerned by it. We also look for a willingness to forgive the tester.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 9-8
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10
Retrieve Next, willingness to retrieve is evaluated using different toys and balls. Ideal reaction is to repeatedly being the toy back to the handler rather than moving off to “possess” it. The type of bite on the toys is evaluated: a full mouth bite shows more confidence and drive than a front-teeth-only bite.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 4
Pink Female: 9.5
Purple Male: 10
Metal Object Tester tosses a set of car keys and observes to see if pup will put its mouth on it, pick it up and/or retrieve it.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 9.5
Brown Male: 10+
Gray Female: none; “didn’t pick up keys”
Green Male: 10; “licked keys”
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: none; “no interest”
Perseverance (Chase) Then perseverance is evaluated by seeing how enthusiastically they will pursue and grab hold of an object. Ideal reaction is to pursue enthusiastically and grasp with a full mouth bite.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10 “for food”
Brown Male: 10 “for food”
Gray Female: 10 “for food”; 4 for toy
Green Male: 10 “with food”
Pink Female: 10 “for food”
Purple Male: 10 “for food”
Tug Ideal reaction is a full mouth bite, tug and do everything possible to posses the object. We like to see a pup get its whole body on the sack in an effort to subdue it.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 9, “with toy”
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 10 “with food”
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10-9
Purple Male: 9.5
Prey Drive Strength of desire to chase and attack is evaluated.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 9
Brown Male: 9
Gray Female: 5
Green Male: 7
Pink Female: 9
Purple Male: 9-8
Hunt for Toy While playing with ball or soft toy, hide it and encourage pup to use nose to find. Interest? How long will pup search? Uses nose or eyes? When thrown through tunnel, will it go after it? This test is not done with all pups.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 9
Brown Male: 9
Gray Female: 5
Green Male: 8
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 5; “food oriented”
Unstable Footing Since SAR dogs will search in all kinds of terrain and areas of destruction, they must be confident in insecure situations. We used tarps on top of various objects that made a rough, unsteady surface. Toys were thrown or drug over the unstable area.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 9
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 9
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10
Submission The submission test is designed to give an idea of the pup’s tractability, trust in humans, and willingness to submit to a human’s directives. In the submission test the pup is held firmly on its back for a short period of time. The tester counts the seconds it takes for him to resist, then accept, the restraint. She should not passively accept the restraint, nor should she panic or show avoidance of eye contact. Ideal reaction is to resist, then submit and look the tester in the face. We also look for a willingness to forgive the tester.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 9
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10+; comment undecipherable but looked like “willing”
Purple Male: 9.5
Runaway The tester shows pup food or a toy, gets its interest, then runs away. She observes how eagerly the pup comes and how naturally it uses its nose to find her once she hides.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 5, “none”
Brown Male: 10+
Gray Female: 5, “didn’t”
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10+
Reaction to Strange Objects We had a variety of strange objects, including a mirror propped up against the wall and a couple of huge stuffed toys.
Pup – Rating
Blue Male: 9-8
Brown Male: 9
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 8
Pink Female: 9
Purple Male: 9
Wagon Test The pup was placed in a wagon. One tester walked backwards to the side to keep the pup from jumping out, while the other pulled it around the room, going both forward and backwards.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 9, “jumped out”
Gray Female: 10
Green Male: 9.5, “jumped out”
Pink Female: 10, “jumped out”
Purple Male: 10
Courage Test Courage is normally evaluated using something that vibrates, makes noise and moves erratically. Today we used a battery-operated robot that moved, makes noise and flashes all kinds of brilliant lights. Will they stand their ground? Will they go investigate it? Excellent reaction is to go to it and check it out. Extremely excellent reaction is to actually attack it while it moves. Good reaction is to investigate it after the tester turns it off. The tester encourages the pup to investigate after it is turned off, if the pup wouldn’t while it was making noise. She notes how much encouragement is needed.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: undecided (This pup’s responses to the “scary” tests were hard to read; she figured due to immaturity)
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 7.5
Pink Female: 8
Purple Male: 9
Fear A metal can filled with metal items (hinges, bolts, etc.) is dropped behind them from a height of about 2 feet while they are looking away from it. Janet did this when the pup was intent on whatever Bonnie was doing. Will the pup hold its ground and then go look at what dropped from nowhere? Excellent reaction is to acknowledge and turn towards the sound and then confidently go see what made the racket. The tester encourages the pup to investigate, if it doesn’t on its own. She notes how much encouragement is needed. I find most of my pups look towards the racket and keep on playing with the toy they had, rather than stopping their play to go investigate.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 8-10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 10
Green Male: 9-8
Pink Female: 10, “no problem”
Purple Male: 10
Surprise This test involves getting the pup to follow you (or a toy) towards a place with a hidden person, from behind which an umbrella is opened suddenly and then lowered to the ground, still open. The umbrella this year was opened with great vigor. The pups are evaluated on how they recover from being startled and if they’ll go investigate. Ideal reaction is for the pup to startle but hold its ground, then move right up to check out the umbrella. A super excellent reaction is to go up and bite it and/or walk all over it. The tester encourages the pup to investigate after the umbrella is on the top step, if it doesn’t on its own. She notes how much encouragement is needed.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: undecided. “Only pup who noticed umbrella, then ran away.”
Gray Female: 8
Green Male: 10, “no reaction”
Pink Female: 10
Purple Male: 10, “no reaction”
Janet commented that the entire litter was eager to use their noses and used them well.
Hunt for Food I This test begins with a piece of chicken jerky tied on a string and dragged to attract the pup’s interest and see how interested it is, how hard it will work to get it, and how hard it will work to keep it as the tester jerks, tugs and generally prevents the pup from easily eating it. They also hold it high to see if the pup will look up to search for it.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10, “looked up”
Brown Male: 10, “looked up”
Gray Female: 10, “didn’t look up”
Green Male: 10, “looked up”
Pink Female: 10, “looked up”
Purple Male: 10, “looked up”
Hunt for Food II Janet & her helpers hid treats under a tarp. I took homemade turkey treats and homemade salmon treats. The pups had to use their noses to find where the meat was. They were judged on how they how they used their noses and how systematic their searching was.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 10
Brown Male: 10
Gray Female: 10
Green Male: 10
Pink Female: 10, “when hunting, can’t be distracted”
Purple Male: 10
Puppy Drag Janet had me bring my puppy drag, which is a piece of rope I fasten around my waist. Gunny sacks are attached to the rope and move enticingly as I move around, so the pups focus on biting and tugging on them instead of me. I normally wear this as I exercise the puppies’ mother each morning, to divert them from biting my legs or pants. Most pups have a great time as it was drug around the room, chasing, tugging and at times riding on it. This litter was unusually uninterested.
Pup – Rating – Comments
Blue Male: 6
Brown Male: no score; “more interested in food”
Gray Female: 5
Green Male: 3
Pink Female: 10-9
Purple Male: 9-8
Tester Comments
Blue Male: 6 weeks inconsistency (acted more like six-week-old pup than 7 weeks old). Possibly to young (for test) – my guess is he would be good at search, nose work or as a pet.
Brown Male: Strongly interested in food.
Gray Female: Good nose. Good for pet or nose work.
Green Male: Immature – will grow up as a solid pup. Nosework – already places down a lot.
Pink Female: Already likes rocks. Retrieve drive not there yet, more like six-week-old pup. Meticulous use of nose. When hunting cannot be distracted. Immature, could be a super pup.
Purple Male: Good overall pup – could do anything.
Summary
Acceptance/ Attachment
10: Blue, Brown, Green, Purple
9: Pink
7: Gray
Eye Contact
10: Green, Purple
9: Blue, Gray
8: Brown, Pink
Confidence
10: Green, Pink
10-9: Purple
9: Blue, Brown
7: Gray
Independence
10: Pink, Purple
10-9: Blue, Brown
8: Gray
7: Green
Pain Sensitivity
10: Blue, Brown, Green, Pink, Purple
9-8: Gray
Retrieve
10: Blue, Brown, Purple
9.5: Pink
8: Gray
4: Green
Metal
10+: Brown
10: Green, Pink
9.5: Blue
No score: Gray, Purple
Perseverance (chase)
10: All – for the food (jerky on string).
4: for toy – Gray
Tug (normally with toy)
10: Brown, Green
9.5: Purple
9: Blue
No score: Gray, Pink
Tug with jerky on a string
10: Gray, Pink
Prey Drive
9: Blue, Brown, Pink
9-8: Purple
7: Green
5: Gray
Hunt for Toy
10: Pink
9: Blue, Brown
8: Green
5: Gray, Purple
Unstable Footing
10: Blue, Pink, Purple
9: Brown, Green
8: Gray
Submission
10+: Pink
10: Blue, Brown, Green
9.5: Purple
9: Gray
Runaway
10+: Brown, Purple
10: Green, Pink
5: Blue, Gray
Strange Object
10-9: Pink
9: Brown, Purple
9-8: Blue
8: Gray, Green
Wagon
10: Blue, Gray, Pink, Purple
9.5: Green
9: Brown
Courage (robot)
10: Blue
9: Purple
8: Gray, Pink
7.5: Green
No score: Brown (undecided)
Fear (can of bolts dropped)
10: Brown, Gray, Pink, Purple
9: Blue
9-8: Green
Surprise (umbrella)
10: Blue, Gray, Green, Pink, Purple
No score: Brown (undecided)
Hunt for Food I (chicken jerky on string)
10: ALL
Hunt for Food II (hidden treats)
10: ALL
Puppy Drag
10-9: Pink
9-8: Purple
6: Blue
5: Gray
3: Green
No score: Brown
Comparison
Mr. Blue
10: Attachment, Sensitivity, Retrieve, Perseverance (for food), Unstable Footing, Submission, Wagon, Courage, Surprise, Hunt for Food I & II
10-9: Independence
9.5: Metal
9: Eye Contact, Confidence, Tug, Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy
9-8: Strange Object
6: Puppy Drag
5: Runaway
Mr. Brown
10+: Metal, Runaway
10: Attachment, Sensitivity, Retrieve, Perseverance (for food), Tug, Submission, Fear, Hunt for Food I & II
10-9: Confidence, Independence
9: Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy, Unstable Footing, Strange Object, Wagon
None: Courage, Surprise, Puppy Drag
Miss Gray
10: Perseverance (for food), Tug (with food), Wagon, Fear, Hunt for Food I & II
9: Eye Contact, Submission
9-8: Sensitivity
8: Retrieve, Unstable Footing, Strange Object, Courage
5: Prey Drive, Hunt for Toy, Runaway, Puppy Drag
4: Perseverance (toy)
Mr. Green
10: Attachment, Eye contact, confidence, Sensitivity, Metal, Perseverance (with food), Tug, Submission, Runaway, Surprise, Hunt for Food I & II
9.5: Wagon
9: Unstable Footing
9-8: Fear
8: Hunt for Toy, Strange Object
7.5: Courage
7: Independence, Prey Drive
4: Retrieve
3: Puppy Drag
Miss Pink
10+: Submission
10: Confidence, Independence, Sensitivity, Metal, Perseverance (for food), Hunt for Toy, Unstable Footing, Runaway, Wagon, Fear, Surprise, Hunt for Food I & II
10-9: Tug, Puppy Drag
9.5: Retrieve
9: Attachment, Prey Drive
8: Eye Contact, Courage
Mr. Purple
10+: Runaway
10: Attachment, Eye contact, Independence (when hunting food), Sensitivity, Perseverance (for food), Unstable Footing, Wagon, Courage, Fear, Surprise, Hunt for Food I & II
10-9: Confidence
9.5: Tug, Submission
9: Strange Object, Courage
9-8: Prey Drive, Puppy Drag
5: Hunt for Toy