TEST1
The goal of this test:
To measure your dog's LONG-TERM memory. Does he remember where you have placed a treat, even after 5 minutes has passed?
Do the test:
1. As before, have a helper hold your dog in the center of the room. Show your dog the second treat and let him smell it.
2. Walk to a DIFFERENT corner of the room than you used for Test 6. Call attention to the treat and place it on the floor. Make absolutely sure your dog sees you do it.
3. Now lead your dog out of the room and into a different room or outside. Play with him for 5 MINUTES. Then bring him back to the door of the room.
4. Start your timer, release your dog, and encourage him to get the treat.
SCORING
If he goes directly to the treat...
Score 4
If he goes to the corner where the first treat was, then quickly and directly goes to the correct corner...
Score 3
If he sniffs all around the room, clearly looking for the treat, and finding it within 45 seconds...
Score 2
If he wanders vaguely around and stumbles upon the treat by accident...
Score 1
If he makes no effort to get the treat within 45 seconds...
Score 0
TEST 2
The goal of this test:
To measure your dog's problem-solving skills. Does he figure out that he can't reach a treat under a low table unless he uses hispaw to pull it out?
You'll need:
l a table-like structure or low piece of furniture under which you can tuck a treat that your dog must pull out with his paw
l a hard treat (cookie or biscuit) that your dog can easily pull with his paw
l a stopwatch, or a watch with a second hand
Do the test:
1.If you have a chair or sofa that's close enough to the ground so your dog's head can't fit under it, but his paw CAN fit under it (two to three inches clearance works for most small- to medium-sized dogs).... this will work fine.
Otherwise, you'll need to put together such a structure. It's not difficult!
Make two stacks of large heavy books (such as encyclopedias) for "legs" and place a heavy board on top. Weight the board with a few extra books so your dog can't shove the board off.
2. Show your dog the treat. Tuck it into your closed fist and let him sniff it for a good 5 seconds so he gets excited about it.
3. With a melodramatic flourish, tuck it under your low structure. Push it far enough under so he CAN'T reach it with his mouth, but close enough so he CAN hook it with his paw. It may take some trial-and-error to get it just right, so this is one test you may have to repeat if you accidentally put the treat too close to your dog and he snags it with his teeth, or too far away for his paw to reach even when he tries.
4. Start your timer and encourage your dog to get the treat.
SCORING
If he uses his paw to retrieve the treat within 60 seconds...
Score 5
If he uses his paw to retrieve the treat in 1-3 minutes...
Score 4
If he is persistent in trying to use his paw to retrieve the treat, but hasn't succeeded within 3 minutes...
Score 3
If he is persistent in trying to get the treat, but uses only his nose and muzzle, never his paw...
Score 2
If he makes a few token attempts to get the treat with his muzzle or paw, but gives up within one minute...
Score 1
If he makes no effort to get the treat within 3 minutes...
Score 0
TEST 3
The goal of this test:
To measure how quickly your dog learns a new word. How many repetitions does it take before he can do it?
You'll need:
l MANY treats (20 tiny pieces of cheese or cooked chicken)
l your dog's leash
Do the test:
1. Hopefully the phrase "Come Front" is new to your dog. "Come Front" means your dog should get up from the heel position (sitting on your left side), take a couple of steps forward, turn to face you, and sit in front of you, facing your ankles (or knees or thighs, depending on how big he is!).
2. Here's how to teach it. With your dog on-leash and sitting at your left side, and with your pocket full of tiny treats, say, "Come FRONT!" With both hands, pat your legs just above your knees, as a kind of hand signal.
3. Now show your dog what this means. Step forward with your right foot and use the leash to encourage your dog to step forward with you.
4. When he is up and moving, step BACKWARD with your right foot so you end up back where you started. As you do so, use the leash to turn your dog clockwise toward you, so he is in front of you, facing you. (If your dog is large, you may have to take an additional step back to give him room to turn and face you.)
5. Now use your hands to sit your dog in front of your knees, facing you. Don't SAY sit, just place him with your hands. You want this routine to be one smooth motion of rise, step forward, turn, face you, sit -- all done with ONE phrase: "Come Front." You don't want to complicate things by adding another word.
6. Praise your dog and reward him with a treat. Then place him back in the heel position, sitting beside your left leg, and repeat the whole teaching process FOUR MORE TIMES.
7. Now test your dog. After five complete teaching routines, put him back in the heel position. Say, "Come Front," but don't step forward and don't move the leash.
SCORING
If he rises, turns toward you, and sits (even if sloppily or crookedly), he's a genius... at least on this test!
Score 6
If he doesn't do anything, or if he stands up but doesn't turn to face you, or if he comes around to face you but doesn't sit, don't worry. This is normal. Guide him through the correct motions so that he does end up in the correct front position. Praise and treat. Then repeat the original training process (where you step forward and backward with your leg, guide him with the leash, and seat him in front of you with your hands) FOUR MORE TIMES and try another
test. If on this second test he assumes the correct front position...
Score 5. This is still very, very good!
Otherwise, help him assume the position, then repeat the training process FOUR MORE TIMES and try another test. If on this third test he assumes the correct front position...
Score 4
Otherwise, help him assume the position, then repeat the training process FOUR MORE TIMES and try another test. If on this fourth test he assumes the front position...
Score 3
He has now heard and practiced this new word 20 times. If he still doesn't assume the correct front position, give him credit for whatever part of the routine he HAS learned. If he is coming around to the front and facing you, but not sitting...
Score 2
If he is standing up when you say, "Come Front!" but not coming around to the front to face you...
Score 1. At least he's aware that the word means he's supposed to do SOMETHING.
If he continues to just sit there...
Score 0