I hesitate to generalize about one breed as opposed to another...It's
true that Springers can be hyper, but the same is true of Labs and
Goldens...Dog are like people...some are active and some are real
slugs...I think you would agree that for people, race has little to do
with it; for dogs, breed has little to do with it, although 'breeding'
does...Instead of saying that Springers are hyper/Labs are not...I will
provide you with a Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT) which I have found to be
of value and which I found was recently the subject of an article in one
of the dog publications to which I subscribe.

The test deals with *traits* rather than breeds and has gained wide
responsibility among responsible breeders because it helps so much in
matching puppies to people.  Below is an abbreviated PAT which has been
developed by Micky Rabeneck of Kansas City, MO for pet buyers/gun dog
buyers. Mrs. Rabeneck has been testing puppies with the PAT for years
and, additionally teaches puppy testing techniques for veterinary
technician classes at a community college in her area. This abbreviated
PAT is easy to use and score. You merely choose the breed you want to
select, then administer the test to puppies within that breed.  It will
give you, the novice, all the information you need to select the puppy
best suited to your personality.

                     THE RABENECK PUPPY TEST
              (Score Sheet provided in next message)
The six testing procedures are "Here Puppy, Puppy" [PAT Social
Attraction Test]; "Catch Me, Catch Me" [PAT Following Test]; "Who's The
Boss!" [PAT Restraint Test]; "Still Love Me" [PAT Forgiveness Test];
"Chase The Ball" [PAT Retrieving Instinct Test]; and "Birdiness" [which
has no PAT equivalent].  The scoring categories for each procedure are:
HOT [PAT 1 & 2 scores]; WARM [PAT 3 scores]; COOL [PAT 4 & 5 scores];
and COLD [PAT 6 scores].l  In addition, it is recommended you observe
and note each puppy's overall energy level, as is done in the PAT.
You should test each puppy individually, doing all testing procedures
with one puppy before starting with the next.  Use a separate score
sheet for each puppy.  For each procedure, instead of making a check
mark in the appropriate scoring category box, draw a horizontal line
thru it. If a puppy's reaction falls somewhere between two scoring
categories, draw the line from an appropriate point in one box to the
corresponding point in the other.  Such reactions are not unusual.  Few
puppies are completely consistent from testing procedure to testing
procedure, so don't be surprised if the ones you test have some
scattered scores. But, by drawing lines instead of making check marks,
your score sheet will become a graph of the puppy's reactions. You
should test the pups when they are seven to sixteen weeks old.  Of
course, test only the pups from which you can choose...why fall in love
with a pup you can't have!! Test in an area far enough from the other
pups so that the pup being tested will not be distracted by the others.
Test in a place in which the pups do not normally live or eat, but in
which they will be comfortable...for example, the front room at the
breeder's.

кФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФП
Г         PUPPY TEMPERAMENT TEST FOR CHOOSING PETS              Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФТФФФФФТФФФФФФФФТФФФФФФФТФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГPuppy's Identification      ГHyperГFriendlyГWorriedГNo responseГ
Г                            Гbold ГModerateГSlow   ГFearful    Г
Г                            ГHOT  ГWARM    ГCOOL   ГCOLD       Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФХФФФФФХФФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГHERE PUPPY, HERE PUPPY!     Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГKneel down, have breeder    Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гset pup about 6 ft away     Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гcall enthusiastically,      Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гif no response, coax        Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФХФФФФФХФФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГCATCH ME, CATCH ME!         Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГStand up, and while moving  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гbackwards, have pup catch   Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гup with you and play with   Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гyou                         Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФХФФФФФХФФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГWHO'S THE BOSS?             Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГKneel down, gently place    Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гpup on its back, hold for   Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Г30 seconds. Do not talk     Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гto pup.  HOT-struggles a    Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гlot; WARM-struggles a       Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гlittle; COOL-Doesn't strug- Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гgle, but is relaxed; COLD-  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГDoesn't struggle is         Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гfrightened                  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФХФФФФФХФФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГSTILL LOVE ME?              Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГStill kneeling, let pup up  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Г& stroke it gently after    Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гturning pup to face you     Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГHOT-immediately climbs      Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гright up in your face       Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГWARM-climbs up after a sec- Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гond waist or chest high.    Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГCOOL-Stands still, permits  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гyou to pet                  Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГCOLD-Uninterested, goes awayГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
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ГCHASE THE BALL!             Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГGently restrain pup with oneГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гhand under the chest. CrinklГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гsmall crushed paper ball in Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гfront of pup.  Toss ball 6-8Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гft.  Let pup go-does it likeГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гto retrieve?                Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГHOT-runs way with ball      Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГWARM-retrieve ball COOL-goesГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гto ball, returns without it Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГCOLD-not interested         Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
УФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФФХФФФФФХФФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФХФФФФФФФФФФФД
ГBIRDINESS                   Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГTease pup with fresh-killed Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гpigeon or a bird's wing.  AsГ     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гhe becomes interested, toss Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
Гbird 6-8 ft and let pup go. Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
ГDoes he 'Turn-On'?          Г     Г        Г       Г           Г
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                        HERE PUPPY, HERE PUPPY !!
Have the breeder put the pup down about six feet away from you.  Squat
down, clap your hands and encourage the pup to come to you.  Score <HOT>
if the puppy comes readily, tail up, jumps on you and mouths at or licks
your hands.  Score <WARM> if it comes readily with tail up.  Score
<COOL> if it comes cautiously with its tail down.  Score <COLD> if it
doesn't come at all.

                        CATCH ME, CATCH ME !!
Stand up and walk away from the pup, encouraging it verbally to follow
you.  Score <HOT> if the pup follows readily, tail up, getting under
foot.  Score <WARM> if it follows readily, tail up, but doesn't get
under foot.  Score <COOL> if it follows cautiously with its tail down.
Score <COLD> if it doesn't follow.

                        WHO'S THE BOSS ??
Gently roll the pup over on his back and hold it there for 30 seconds.
Score <HOT> if the pup struggles wildly and continuously.  Score <WARM>
if it alternately struggles vigorously and settles, struggles vigorously
and settles.  Score <COOL> if it struggles slightly and settles or
doesn't struggle at all.  Score <COLD> if it doesn't struggle but
strains to avoid eye contact.

                        STILL LOVE ME ??
Immediately after the previous test, let the pup back up, stroke the pup
and put your face near it.  Score <HOT> if the pup jumps up, paws and
mouths or licks you.  Score <WARM> if it cuddles up to you and tries to
lick your face.  Score <COOL> if it sits quietly, accepts petting, and
nudges or licks your hand, or it it rolls over and makes no eye contact.
Score <COLD> if it goes away and stays away.

                        CHASE THE BALL !!
Attract the pup's attention with a crumpled ball of paper.  When the pup
is watching, toss the ball about 6-8 feet.  As the pup goes after it,
back up a couple of feet and encourage it to come back to you.  Score
<HOT> if the pup chases the ball, but does not return to you, doing
instead, any of the following: picks it up and runs off, stands over it,
or lies down with it.  Score <WARM> if it chases the ball, picks it up
and returns to you.  Score <COOL> if it chases ball but returns to you
withut it, or if it starts to chase but loses interest.  Score <COLD> if
it does not chase at all.

                        BIRDINESS (for hunting dogs, only)
Tease the pup with a fresh-killed pigeon or pigeon wing, then toss it
6-8 feet.  This is a birdiness test, not another retrieving test.  Score
it on the basis of the puppy's reaction to the bird, not on whether it
retrieves to you.  Score <HOT> if pup "attacks" the bird as you tease
with it, chases vigorously when you toss it and grabs it immediately
when he gets to the bird.  Score <WARM> if pup shows excitement during
teasing, runs after the bird readily when you toss it and picks it up
quickly.  Score <COOL> if pup shows mild interest during teasing, trots
after the bird when you toss it, but either doesn't pick it up or picks
it up hesitantly.  Score <COLD> if the pup show little or no interest
during teasing and fails to go after the bird when you toss it.

                        ENERGY LEVEL
As in the PAT, this is an overall observation, not a separate testing
procedure.  Observe the puppy's general behavior during the other tests
and score his energy level according to the following criteria:
HIGH-The pup runs continually, pounces, wiggles, paws
MEDIUM-It most trots, occasionally runs, pounces and wiggles
LOW-It walks slowly, sits quietly and usually remains in position.

Don't convert your observations on energy level to <HOT> <WARM> <COOL>
or <COLD>.  This is just an overall evaluation of the puppy's energy
level-which is an important consideration in puppy selection as you will
see below.

                        WHAT THE SCORES MEAN
Some pups may score in only one category (Hot, Warm, Cool or Cold) for
all testing procedures.  Others may score in two adjacent categories.
Still others may scatter their scores all over the page.  What does it
all mean?  Which pup should you choose?
First, believe the scores-even if you have never tested pups before.  If
you followed the instructions in the previous message, your scores are
valid.  Puppies are totally honest...what you see at seven weeks is what
you will get.  Don't think, and don't let the breeder convince you, that
a pup will outgrow something you didn't like during the testing
procedures.  Let's now discuss what the scores mean...

<HOT> - Bold, fast and often distractible.  FOr those very active people
who will seek and pursue training of the dog with a qualified
professional.  These dogs usually excel in competitive events when they
have been provided with the necessary training.  They are usually
kenneled since they are too rambunctious to live in the house.

<WARM> - Has a reasonable amount of energy.  Very interested and
interactive.   Will usually take training well, working hard to please.
A good all-around choice for the person who want to have a decent gun
dog in the field and then come home to live with the dog in the house.

<COOL> - Very cautious and sometimes fearful.  Will respond eventually.
A good pick for someone who does not have time, energy or physical
ability to interact with the dog.  Could develop some irrational fears.

<COLD> - Does not respond no matter how much you may try to coax it.
Runs away, deliberately ignoring you.  Should not be chosen as a pet.
May very well develop serious behavioral problems.

What about the pup that scores all over the sheet, with no apparent
pattern??  That's exactly how it will grow up...totally unpredictable.
Such a pup will surprise its owner (pleasantly or unpleasantly) almost
every day.

                        GOOD NEWS !!
Interestingly, after testing all of the pups, you will be drawn to
exactly the right pup for you.  Why?  Well, these tests will help you
find a pup with a temperament and personality quite similar to your own.
You will like that pup above the others and you will relate to it
better, too.  I guess you might say that the secret to success is less
in the breeding than in matching the right pup to the right owner.
---