In this issue we are proud to present a great gift to our visitors and all whippet dog lovers, an exclusive interview with Bo Bengtson, whippet breeder, judge, writer and undisputed authority in his field.

He is one of the few people who have judged whippets at Crufts and Westminster Dog Show. He is also owner of Bohem Whippets, one of the world’s oldest, smallest and most successful whippet kennels.

You can still vote for a photo or enter a picture in our Whippet Photo Contest. The prize is a very special leather collar. I found this kind of collars in a Spanish shop and I fell in love with them. They are handmade with a typical local leather working technique that reminds of the beautifully intricate Moorish patterns. These collars are originally made for Spanish galgos but can fit also a biggish whippet like most American whippets are.

So, warm up your cameras and start taking whippet pictures! To win this wonderful collar, send your pictures with a short story with the form on this page. We are waiting for your favorite pictures!

Choosing a Puppy

Choosing a Puppy - The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test
By Jonathan Florentino

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test, created by Wendy and Joachim Volhard, is one of the systematic methods to determine which puppies are right for you, your living conditions and your purpose of acquiring a dog.

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test's history goes way back in the 1930's, originally just a test that the Volhards developed for dogs meant to become Guide Dogs. As the years pass, more factors and tests are integrated into the aptitude test to become the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test.

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test evaluates the puppies based on ten factors:

1. Social Attraction, or the degree to which the puppy is willing to interact with people, its confidence or dependence;

2. Following, or the puppy's willingness to follow a person;

3. Restraint, or the puppy's degree of dominant or submissive tendency when physically dominated;

4. Social Dominance, or the puppy's degree of acceptance of social dominance by a person, e.g. being stroked;

5. Elevation, or the puppy's degree of accepting dominance while in a position of no control, e.g. being raised up and cradled by someone;

6. Retrieving, or the puppy's degree of willingness to do something for you.

7. Touch Sensitivity, the degree of the puppy's sensitivity to touch;

8. Sound Sensitivity, the degree of the puppy's sensitivity to sound, especially to loud noises;

9. Sight Sensitivity, the degree of the puppy's response to a moving objects; and

10. Stability, or the degree of the puppy's startle response to a strange object.

Some of these factors will also help determine what kind of method can be used to train the puppies in the future.

According to the Volhards, "the ideal age to test the puppy is at 49 days of age when the puppy is neurologically complete and it has the brain of an adult dog. With each passing day after the 49th day the responses will be tainted by prior learning."

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test involves placing a single puppy in a room or an area that it has never been before. The only person in the area is the tester, which needs to be an unfamiliar person to the puppy. A scorer may also be in the area as long as he/she doesn't have to move or do anything that could distract the puppy.

The tester will then perform a series of activities necessary to evaluate the puppy on the ten factors required by the test. Both the tester and scorer will pay attention to the dog's reactions to each activity.

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test uses a six-point grading system to evaluate the puppy in each factor. The scores in each factor are then summed up.

The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test results will show which dogs have a strong desire for leadership (thus, not good with children), which dogs have a high level of energy (thus, needing frequent exercise and not suitable for small-spaced homes), which dogs are easy to train and are quiet (good for elderly people and children), which dogs need special handling, and which dogs doesn't need you or people at all (good as guard dogs).

Wendy and Jack Volhard are experts regarding dogs and are internationally recognized for their contributions to dog training, health, and nutrition. For 30 years, the Volhards have taught dog owners, through print, films or demonstrations, how to communicate effectively with their pets. A full-text instructions of the Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test is available for free at http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php

Jonathan Florentino hails from the Philippines who loves writing, researching and blogging interesting topics. He has previously worked for publishing company CannonCreek Asia Inc., and has dealt on writing abstracts and updates on bankruptcy proceedings and/or environmental litigation faced by certain multi-million U.S. dollar companies.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Florentino

https://EzineArticles.com/?Choosing-a-Puppy---The-Volhard-Puppy-Aptitude-Test&id=2545918

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Whippeteer.

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They all made my job more rewarding and our site more interesting for everyone.

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