The TAN : Aim and explanation
The natural aptitude test (TAN) that it would be more judicious to call "test of behavior" or test of sociability has this name only for the official documents. The term "natural aptitude test" does not appear at all adapted to us as for judging the natural aptitudes we should put the dog inside of a herd and test its capacity of protection since the Podhale Sheperd has initially this function.
On
the one end it doesn't seem very realizable on an orgazational level and
moreover let's keep in mind that almost all our dogs are dogs known as
of « company » and thus haven't seen any herd in
their whole life.
(The protection of a herd requires an extremely deep attachment from the
dog to the herd, considering it as its « family »)…
The tests :
In certain races, the tests done are real training tests, but the « Club des Bergers de l'Est et Italiens » (Club of the East and Italian herding dogs) tried to work out simple tests, clear and accessible to everybody. Of course, a test will not be 100% efficient and the testers do not have the absolute knowledge of the animal behavior, nevertheless they try to trigger reactions of the tested dog likely to analyze with accuracy the large features of its character.
Our dogs are human being and not machines, their character is composed of an accumulation of datas which come from:
* its genetic inheritance which is called the nature
*the environmental influence since its birth until its arrival and life in the new owner's home (breeding conditions, family background, outings, sociabilization, training, etc....), that is to say the nurture
It has to be known that a dog with a good
quality nature can absolutely , further to educational problems, become
timorous and be marked for life, but it is also possible that a dog with
a much weaker nature, can overcome its deficiencies and find a good and
stable balance.
| How the tests take place : | |
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The test is composed of several small "exercises" distributed in the following way: sociability towards the human being, sociability towards its congeneric, umbrella test, and an auditive request . Of course, the test takes place on a neutral ground for the dog, the same test realized in an environment where the dog lives would be completely distorted |
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Registration of the dog with presentation of various papers ( tatoo card, birth certificate or pedigree) Each test is conceived so as to create an emotion and a stress for the dog through events which are out of the ordinary for most of them and to which one the dog must react according to its individual potential by dealing with various stimulis, by keeping a stable behavior, controling its emotion and analizing the situations with calm. These are reactions that the tester will have to interpretate and mark as wisely as possible. |
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| The sociability towards the human being : | |
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sociabililty is the ability to live in society : it is tested
in three steps: - the handling of the dog by the testers as soons as he goes in the ring (the tester shakes the master's hand, dog tatoo checking, strokes etc...) – a passage between the people bordering the ring, with a stop in the middle of the group of people – a last handling by the testers when going out the ring (mainly for judging the improvement of a dog a bit shy or the contrary) |
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When doing this type of test, this is not about impressing the dog by blocking it, continuing it, driving it back or by dropping close to him unspecified accessories, this is about letting him come freely towards the tester, not force it or block it. When going in the ring, an hesitation from the dog is possible but it musts improve its behaviour with the progression of the tests. During these tests, the tester will strongly penalize the strong reactions of fear or aggressiveness. |
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When
going through the people bordering the ring, the tester will also
observe the behavior of the dog towards its congeneric. The dog
tested will not have to express free aggressiveness towards the
dogs bordering the ring. However, facing an aggressive dog, a possible
counterattack will be accepted.
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| The visual request : | |
| Test
often disparaged, and very often badly understood. The type of stimulis
(bottles, ring strips etc...) is not very significant, the object
of that test is that the dog goes by himself through the different
barriers in a more or less fast way, with more or less encouragements.
The dog shall not panic and must be able to analyse the situations
and find a passage. The ideal however is that the dog goes by himself
through the obstacles, without the intervention or call of its master,
all this without fear and the most naturally possible. |
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Visual request called tunnel
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| The umbrella test : |
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This is a situation that can often be met in everyday life when going out in downtown. The umbrella is open in a natural way, the idea not being to open the umbrella against the dog provoking or threatening him. The dog must keep a natural behavior and continue its walk, light surprised is possible and is not penalizing, on the other hand any panic fear, escape or demonstration of aggressiveness towards the tester will be penalizing.
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| The auditive request: |
A shot is fired at around 20 meters
away from the dog, that is not supposed to provoke a reaction, nor
a panic one, nor an aggressiveness one |
| Conclusions: | ||
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The behavior of the dog during the tests, gives a global appreciation of the character of the dog. Some dogs may, due to others parameters, (anger of the master, other person than the owner presenting the dog, etc...) fail to the different tests, that's why the test can be passed again later on up to an accurate rule. The breeder and the owner are considerably responsible for the character of the dog : 1. The breeder : * through the choice of his reprocucers regarding the character of the parents that has to be well-balanced and sociable, the « mummy dog » being responsible for the balance of the litter thanks to their own character stability. * through awakeness and the puppies socialization 2.
The owner : through the life conditions of the dog
, its education, the maintaining of the socialization
and the master-dog relationships.
The dog's character is therefore the outcome of nature and nurture |
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However, the TAN is also a day : When we all meet to have a good time together Tan in St Gervais d'Auvergne in march 2003 |
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When we meet to chat, and have the latest news!!! Important moment in our Podhale's owner life: the new CBEI bulletin release !!
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When we meet to laugh of our dogs ultimate stories But what is so funny ???? |
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This is also sometimes the day when the CBEI organizes conferences on various topics calling sometimes speakers from very far Mrs Terroni, swiss behaviorist during her conference on the dog behavior in St Gervais d'Auvergne (mars 2003) |
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Conference participants
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Finally, the aim of the day is always conviviality and friendship around our common passion : the dog End of the day meal. |
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