Michigan Havanese

My friend Stephanie helped me with the personality testing yesterday. The test is most successful if the puppies do not know the tester. It was so much fun for me to stand back in a secret corner and watch the pups interact with her. She has two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and loves dogs…so she was a perfect choice for this delightful task.

Stephanie testing Oreo’s reaction to an uncomfortable position.

Hershey and Marli

For better or for worse, there isn’t much extraordinary to say about the puppy’s personality testing. All six are basically very laid back, relaxed, happy and playful puppies. There are a few differences.

The first test is for Social Attraction. Here I take the puppy into the testing area and disappear as quickly as possible. Stephanie takes it from there and, crouching, coaxes the puppy to her in a direction away from where I dropped the puppy off.

For this test Twizzler, Taffy and Snickers all scored a 6, which means they weren’t terribly interested. On the other hand, Hershey, Twix and Oreo all scored a 3, which means they came to Stephanie readily, their tails up!

Oreo watching Lily use the doggie door

Test 2 is for Following. Stephanie stands up and walks away from the pup. Not following indicates the pup is more independent. Twizzler, Taffy and Snickers did not follow Stephanie…rating a score of 6.  Hershey, Twix and Oreo all scored a 3, meaning they followed her readily, their tails up.

Stephanie reading her notes for the next test.

Twizzler ready to pounce!

Test 3 tests the pup’s Reaction to Restraint.  For this test Stephanie crouches down and gently rolls the pup on its back and holds it there for 30 seconds. It measures the degree of dominance or submissiveness in the pup as well as how it accepts stress when physically (and socially) dominated. The scoring is from 1 to 6 with 1 being the pups that struggled most fiercely and 6 being no struggle at all.  Twizzler scored a 6. Taffy, Hershey, Twix and Snickers scored a 5. And Oreo scored a 3.

Taffy (in front) and Oreo romping

Ouch!

Test 4 is another test of the pup’s Social Dominance tendencies. Here Stephanie lets the pup stand and gently strokes it from head to tail until a recognizable behavior is established. The pups options are to jump up (a display of dominance) or walk away (a display of independence). Every one of our pups simply stood there and let Stephanie pet them. In other words, they are all snuggle bugs!

Test 5 is for Elevation Dominance. Like test 3 it puts the pup in an uncomfortable position. Stephanie leans over the pup and cradles its belly with her interlaced fingers and gently lifts it off the ground. The pup is held there for 30 seconds. It offers insight into how the pup accepts dominance when it is in a position of no control.  The scoring is from 1 to 6 with 1 being the greatest amount of struggle and 1 being a pup who freezes. Oreo and Taffy scored a 1. Twix, Snickers, Hershey and Twizzler were a 3 which meant they did not struggle and were very relaxed.

Snickers finds a bone

The remaining tests were more for Training Aptitude than Personality. They are typically relied on with dogs used for hunting, protection and activities such as “search and rescue.” Since our little guys are rarely used for any of these tasks I don’t put much credence into them but still found some of the results interesting.

Retrieving was test 6. Our kids “flunked” across the board. No interest in bringing back the wad of paper Stephanie tossed out. Actually I think they are a bit young for this as they will retrieve a toy playfully. It is a learned exercise, though, for Havanese as it is with most pups. You have to play this game with them frequently for it to become a habit.

Touch Sensitivity was the 7th test. Stephanie takes a front paw and applies a pinching pressure to it for a count of 10 or until the pup shows discomfort. All the pups made it to a count of 2 except for Snickers who lasted until 3! As a rule Havanese don’t like their feet touched. This is why I try to trim their nails regularly, even if it is just one or two, to get them used to this necessary grooming activity. You should do the same. Even if you don’t trim, make sure to handle their little paws several times a week so they get accustomed to it. You’ll thank yourself for this when the puppy reaches adulthood.

Taffy with Marli and Phoebe

Sound Sensitivity (test 8) demonstrates the pup’s sensitivity to sound.  Stephanie places the pup in the center of the testing area and makes a sharp noise nearby with a metal spoon striking a pot. The scores again are 1 to 6 with 1 being the pups who walk towards the sound barking and 6 being the pup who ignores the sound and shows no curiosity. Twix, Twizzler, Hershey and Taffy all scored 6. Snickers scored a 4 and Oreo a 5 (she backed off and hid).

Our last test was for Sight Sensitivity. For this Stephanie placed the pup in the center of the testing area and wiggled and dragged a dishtowel across the floor in front of the pup. It tests the pup’s response to a strange object.  Oreo, Twix and Taffy expressed curiosity and investigated the towel. Twizzler, Hershey and Snickers basically ignored it.

Marli and Max with Twix

Twix

My conclusion is that there is not a huge range of difference in these puppies. They are very relaxed and confident for the most part. Even my vet said he was impressed with how relaxed the puppies are when he gave them their first shots yesterday! I know Oreo showed some concern over the banging pot but she is actually quite outgoing so that confused me. She’s the one who is often the last to come in from outside, even for dinner!

I do these tests not because I expect to find some major deviations but to make sure my families get the puppy that is best for them. I don’t see any puppy in this litter that would not do well with any of the families anxiously waiting to bring one home!