# Temperment testing statistics and criteria



## ErikH (May 26, 2005)

Source: American Temperment Testing Society, Inc. (ATTS)
ATTS - American Temperament Test Society, Inc. - Home

All done by the ATTS (American Temprement Testing Society, Inc.). You can see the complete list at http://www.atts.org/statistics

I can't fit the whole list in this post, but I will make a few comparisons.

Format:

*BREED NAME - # TESTED - # PASSED - # FAILED - PERCENT PASSED*

*AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER----**515----**430----**85----**83.5%*

*AKITA----**438----**320----**118----**73.1%*
*BEAGLE----**59----**47----**12----**79.7%*
*BEARDED COLLIE----**45----**24----**21----**53.3% snap: )*
*BLOODHOUND----**32----**23----**9----**71.9%*
*BORDER COLLIE----**227----**181----**46----**79.7%*
*BULLDOG----**123----**84----**39----**68.3%*
*BULLMASTIFF----**108----**82----**26----**75.9%*
*CHINESE SHAR-PEI----**204----**143----**61----**70.1%*
*CHOW CHOW----**88----**61----**27----**69.3%*
*COCKER SPANIEL----**218----**178----**40----**81.7%*
*DALMATIAN----**310----**253----**57----**81.6%*
*DOBERMAN PINSCHER----**1,438----**1,104----**334----**76.8%*
*DOGUE DE BORDEAUX----**59----**41----**18----**69.5%*
*PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI----**182----**142----**40----**78.0%*
*SHIH TZU----**39----**30----**9----**76.9%*
*WEIMARANER----**204----**162----**42----**79.4%*

*TEST CRITERIA*
The test simulates a casual walk through a park or neighborhood where everyday life situations are encountered. During this walk, the dog experiences visual, auditory and tactile stimuli. Neutral, friendly and threatening situations are encountered, calling into play the dog's ability to distinguish between non-threatening situations and those calling for watchful and protective reactions.

Failure on any part of the test is recognized when a dog shows:

Unprovoked aggression
Panic without recovery
Strong avoidance
The ATTS Temperament Test consists of ten subtests divided into five subcategories:
*Behavior Toward Strangers*
*Objective: To measure the dog's reaction to strangers in a non-threatening situation.*

*Subtest 1: Neutral stranger*
A stranger to the dog approaches the handler, shakes hands with the handler and engages the handler in a brief conversation, ignoring the dog. 
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's reaction to passive socialization and the dog's protective instinct.
*Subtest 2: Friendly stranger*
A stranger to the dog approaches happily and briskly, is very friendly to the dog and pets the dog. 
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's active social skills.

*Reaction to Auditory Stimuli*
*Objective:* To measure the dog's reaction to auditory stimuli and the dog's investigative behavior.
*Subtest 3: Hidden Noise*
The handler/dog team approaches a hidden assistant who rattles a metal bucket filled with rocks and sets this bucket in the path of the team. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the bucket only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the bucket, not on the dog. 
The purpose of this subtest is to test alertness and curiosity.
*Subtest 4: Gunshots*
The handler stops at a designated marker with his/her back towards a well hidden assistant. The assistant fires three shots using a .22 caliber starter pistol (SHOT-PAUSE-SHOT-SHOT). 
The purpose of this subtest is to measure the dog's recovery response to a sudden noise.

*Reaction to Visual Stimulus*
*Objective:* To measure the dog's reaction to a sudden visual stimulus.
*Subtest 5: Umbrella*
The handler/dog team approaches an assistant sitting in a chair holding a closed umbrella parallel to the ground at a 90 degree angle to the approaching team. When the dog is five feet from the assistant, the umbrella is opened. The handler may encourage the dog to investigate the umbrella only when asked to do so. The handler's focus must be on the umbrella, not on the dog.

*Tactile Stimuli*
*Objective:* To measure the dog's reaction to unusual footing.
*Subtest 6: Plastic Footing*
Both the handler and the dog walk the entire length of a 15-foot by 6-foot clear plastic strip.
*Subtest 7: Wire Footing*
Only the dog will walk the entire length of a 12-foot by 3-foot unfolded exercise pen.
The purpose of these subtests is to measure the dog's sensitivity to unusual footing, its ability to recover from the fear of unusual footing and to measure its investigative behavior to the unusual footing.

*Self Protective/Aggressive Behavior*
*Objective:* These tests collectively evaluate the dog's capacity to recognize an unusual situation, its threshold to provocation, its protective instincts, and its propensity to realize when the situation becomes a threat.
*Subtest 8: Non-Threatening*
The handler/dog team stops at the designated marker. A weirdly-dressed stranger crosses the path 38 feet in front of the team. 
The purpose of this subtest is to test the dog's alertness to an unusual situation.
*Subtest 9: Threatening*
The weird stranger advances 10 feet towards the stationary handler in a threatening manner. 
*The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's ability to recognize when an unusual situation turns into a provocation.*
*Subtest 10: Aggression*
The weird stranger advances to within 18 feet of the stationary handler in an aggressive manner. 
The purpose of this subtest is to evaluate the dog's protective instincts.
The stranger is never closer than 10 feet from the dog. The handler's 2 foot arm and the 6' lead is added in for a total of 18 feet. Aggression here is checked against the breed standard and the dog's training. A schutzhund trained dog lunging at the stranger is allowed, but if an untrained Siberian husky does the same, it may fail.


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## smokey_joe (Oct 14, 2005)

Gotta watch out for those collies, huh?


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

That was an interesting post I think Mikado would fail as he wouldn't protect me from a wierd strange person I think he would want me to protect him:hammer: It would fun to take the test tho.


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## pitlover1981 (Jul 2, 2006)

I dont think my boy Bones would pass...animal aggressive and I dont know why, I socialized him with other animals at a young age. I'm not sure if Chubby would pass or not, cause he is kinda a big baby, just falls over when other animals or strangers come up on him. Bubby would pass, he would kinda growl a little then scuff his back feet but then give in and play. Chopper would do just fine with everything, he is just one mellow dog:woof:

I must have missed the subtest 9-threating...Bones would definitely NOT pass that one he thinks he has to protect me from everything. My guy mystic in the pic which I forgot to mention would do just fine with everything as well.


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## OUTLAW (Nov 3, 2006)

No wonder Lassie didn't come home.  :goodpost:


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## OldFortKennels (Mar 10, 2006)

this is why the B.S. BSL doesnt have a legal leg to stand on!


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## OUTLAW (Nov 3, 2006)

After today I wonder how many of apbt's tested came from backyard breeders? Im serious! But im pretty sure it didnt make a difference. Im sure all the other breeds had some backyard breeding as well.:love2:


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## mizgreeneyez (Jan 11, 2007)

My dog would hide behind me when the umbrella opened...LOL


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## ILuvPits87 (Aug 8, 2007)

APBT have the ability to be like a angle or be like the devil himself but it all depends on the trainner on weather a dog will be a angle or a devil

:angeldevi So whats it gonna be traininers? :angeldevi


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## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

my browser won't pull this site up... is there another way to get this link active on my PC? My grandmother is debating me on bite statistics as well as the over all temperament on the breed and this would be the icing on the cake to give her this information.


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## over_thaedge (Feb 4, 2008)

:clap: nice post:clap: :clap: good read


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## NesOne (Feb 7, 2008)

NEELA said:


> my browser won't pull this site up... is there another way to get this link active on my PC? My grandmother is debating me on bite statistics as well as the over all temperament on the breed and this would be the icing on the cake to give her this information.


Try this one, I believe the missing ".html" is what caused your browser to not work, it happened to me too: http://www.atts.org/statistics.html

Or just try: http://www.atts.org


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## budwinstonblue (Jun 1, 2008)

dogs not asocciated with dog fighting

BEARDED COLLIE 45 24 21 53.3% 
TIBETAN MASTIFF 13 5 8 38.5% not sure about the fighting
TIBETAN TERRIER 11 6 5 54.5% not sure about the fighting


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## budwinstonblue (Jun 1, 2008)

dogs that might make little kids cry at the sight of them

AKITA 489 362 127 74.0% 
AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER 586 494 92 84.3% 
AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER 548 457 91 83.4% 
ALAPAHA BLUE BLOOD BULLDOG 6 4 2 66.7% 
BELGIAN MALINOIS 229 209 20 91.3% 
BOERBOEL 9 9 0 100.0% 
BOXER 381 321 60 84.3% 
BULL TERRIER 63 58 5 92.1% 
BULLDOG 130 91 39 70.0% 
BULLMASTIFF 113 87 26 77.0% 
CHINESE SHAR-PEI 205 144 61 70.2% 
DOBERMAN PINSCHER 1487 1,146 341 77.1% 
DOGO ARGENTINO 10 9 1 90.0% 
GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG 2875 2,401 474 83.5% 
GREAT DANE 264 209 55 79.2% 
MASTIFF 161 135 26 83.9% 
MINIATURE BULL TERRIER 7 7 0 100.0% 
MIXED BREED 805 687 118 85.3% 
PRESA CANARIO 26 23 3 88.5% 
TOSA 3 3 0 100.0% 


only 5 fairly uncommon breeds had ten or less dogs tested and three had 100% marks


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## budwinstonblue (Jun 1, 2008)

but the point is not to stop bsl for just pitbulls they dont have the right to take anyones dog from them even if the law is passed. They want all dogs with a baiting or fighting history to be banned.so that takes just about every dog on the second list and makes it illegal to own one.

i would some pretty extreme stuff to save my dog.

who knows i might just be a freak.


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## thaim (Feb 6, 2009)

im assuming that this temperment would probably be based on opinion because i really dont think you can really determine something like this because most dogs are raised differently.. maybe if you tested UNTAMED dogs then the tests would be more accurate because every handler is different.. and most pitbull owners like us are alot more responsible owners because we have to be. so as helpful as this info might sound. it means nothing to me


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## dan'sgrizz (Oct 22, 2008)

YAY PIT BULLS! I know grizz would protect me from a stranger...im glad so many APBT pass this test.


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## apbtmom76 (Nov 4, 2008)

My Penny has passed this and Orion will be taking this test in a few weekends. It is a good test and they are linient about somethings.


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