Shiloh Temperament Terminology:
How to describe your perfect pup
Below are some examples of common terms our ISSA temperament testers use to describe puppy aptitudes during testing. Give this a read, and decide what sort of pup you’re most attracted to. Then include some of these terms on your puppy application to further describe what you are looking for!
I WOULD LIKE A PUP WHO IS…
SOCIABILITY:
“Very sociable.” = Inclined to adore strangers and friends alike.
“Moderately sociable.” = Likes people in general, may not love everyone unless you socialize them to do so.
“Not too sociable.” = I need a service dog that will not go running up to everyone he sees. Or, I don’t want our dog to really care about strangers, I just want them to like our family and friends.
INDEPENDENCE:“I want a Velcro pup.” = A pup who will by preference stick to their person most of the time.
“I like a little independence.” = A pup who can entertain themselves at times and doesn’t always want you, you, you.
“I like independence in a pup.” = A pup for a person who is used to working with more independent breeds, or one who wants to do Search-and-Rescue (which requires a more independent dog), or who simply enjoys a dog with a more independent spirit.
DRIVE:“I need a pup with low prey drive.” = A pup for a household with cats or other small animals.
“I would like a really low-drive pup.” = A pup for a low-gear household, perhaps one that has older dogs who will not enjoy a younger pup who always wants to play. Be aware that low drive sometimes can be harder to motivate, and thus harder to train!
“I would like a pup with some play drive.” = A pup for a person who wants to do obedience, rally, or other types of training for fun, or who just wants a pup who will be easy to engage and train.
“I really like moderate drive in a pup!” = A pup for a person who wants to get out and do stuff with their dog! A breeze to train, super-fast to learn, may need a little work on focus because everything can be a game!
“I want a high-drive dog.” = A pup for a person who is down for some serious dog-fun! They want a dog that needs a job because they have one to give it, be it agility, lure coursing, herding, scent-work, trick-training, freestyle or SAR. These pups have the capability to do anything they’re set to do!
These are just a few examples of the sort of things we test for in our litter evaluations at eight weeks. Stay tuned for more upcoming info about our LER (Litter Evaluation Report) system and how it works!
- Go back to part one of the guide here.
- You can also go back to the previous page, here.
- Go back to: Shiloh Shepherd temperament guide, part 2.
- How is a Shiloh Shepherd different from a German or King Shepherd? Read about it here.
And see also: