Swedish Mental description for dog
 

Mental description is a testform that are used to get a good picture of a dogs mental status. They are 10 different  element for the dog to get through. The test leader is the one that goes whit the owner and the dog through the 10 different element. The judge is the one that  enter the dogs reactions in the minutes.

1. Contact


The dog owner and the dog walks around amongs pectators and the dog gives an opportunity to pass by the people. Then the test leader, a person that the dog does not know, take the dog in leash and move away from the owner and try to create contact and invite to cooperation. The owner take the dogs leash and the test leader handle the dog by feel hes thorax, legs and look at he's teeth.
 
 The judge observe the dogs reactions at contact and in cooperation whit a a strange person, and how the dog allows to get handle by the test leader. Desirable is that the dog is not reserved  or show exaggerated ingratiating and that the dog can become involved in cooperation whit other people.

2. Play


After the first element its time for the test leader to play whit the dog. The test leader call the dog whit a rag, the dogs gets opportunity to pull and chase the rag, then the test leader throw away the rag.  The dogs shall be unleash. The judge looks at the dogs will to cooperate whit a human, he's will to chase and capture  the rag and how involved the dog is to play.

If the dog is going to be use in traning and/or duty, its good if the dog is easy to involved in some kind of object and that he shows cooperativeness.

3. Hunt


In this element  describes the dogs will to hunt. The dogs is given the opportunity to chase a "rabbit" a rag that is dragged in a zigzag pattern.

The judges looks at the dogs intressed to chase the "rabbit", how quick he starts and what he does if he catch the "rabbit" If the dog is going to be use in traning and/or duty its desirable that the dog has some kind of hunt interest

4. Activity level


In this element the dogs describes when nothing happends around him. During the three minutes  the owner stands still whit the dogs in leash.

The judges looks at how the dog behave. Some dogs starts to whine other start to looks for sticks or just laydown.
Desirable is that the dog can vary between activity and passivity and to stay calm and still.

5. Play at  distance


In the first element the test leader play whit the dog close to the owner. In this element the dogs gives opportunity to seek and to engage in play on a distance from the owner. Here a figure act on a distance of 40 metre from the dog. The figure is dress in a big coat and plays whit an object and calls for play. After that the figure hide himself behind a bush. The dog is set free to look up the figure. Its good if the dog is curious and whants to leave he's owner. When the dog gets to the figure, he has removed hes coat and starts to play whit the dog.

The judge looks at the dogs curiosity, will and courage to leave hes owner and inquire into the figure and if he has any interest to start playing whit the figure.

6. Surprise


In this element the dogs is expose to a visual surpirse through a overall that pops up in front of the dog. Here the dogs reacts in many diffrent ways, some dogs gets  frightened aothers gets angry. The most important things is that the dog both react and relieve. It means that the fear or suspicious release and that the dog can take contact whit the overall. The dog is given opportunity to relieve through walk by the overall, back and forward whit the ownera a few times. When the dogs stops by the overall he is given opportunity to sniff the overall. The dog owner is allowed to support and help he's dog in anyway.

The judge is looking at the dogs curiosity and ability to relieve and how much support he needs from hes owner.

7. Sound sensitivity


In this element the dogs is expose to a acoustic surprise in form of clatter. Its a chain that is being drag on corrugated sheet metal. Dogs reacts diffrent on sounds, some reacts strong on this sudden noise and some dogs dont care at all.

The judge looks most at how long time and how extensive the dogs reaction are and how quick he can get over possible fear reaction.

8. Ghost


In this element the intend to describe how the dog react  in front of threatening mobility objects thats slovely  approaching the dog. Two human is dressed out as ghost, i.e. wear white clothing from head to toe. Eyes and mouth is strong mark whit black colour, this contribute that the dog feels a threat. Its important that the wind blows  from the dog, so he can't identify the ghost as humans. They moves stereotyped so the dog not recognize  a human behaviour. When they are 4  metre from the dog they shall turn away from the dog so the threat decrease and the dog is given a opportunity to investigate and  greet.

The judge looks at the dogs ability to stand up to the threat and if the dog show will to defend oneself and hes owner and which interest the dogs shows to investigate the ghost when they have turn away from the dog.

9. Play inclination


In element two describes the dogs play inclination. The dog has afterward been exposed to experience that could affect the dog in different directions. There by its off interest to see if the dogs still is playfull.

10. Firing test


In the end describes the dogs reaction in relation whit firing. A marksman is hidden 20 metre from the dog. The dog is testing in activity in form of play whit a rag and in  passivity. This time is the owner the one who plays whit the dog.

Swedish text from: Svenska Brukshundklubben. Translate by Susanne Petrusson, FireWoods Kennel


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