Procedure

Dog Intelligence Junior

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Procedure:

We will do the following IQ tests on the two dogs we have in our house. We will do these tests during the last part of January.

Larissa’s (Balto) is an English Sheep Dog (7 years old), and Jackie’s (Junior) is a German Shepherd (~3).

This is a test of your dogs problem solving ability.

Things you'll need to do this test
- An empty can, like a soup can
- Some desirable titbit your dog likes to eat, a piece of cheese is good
- A stop watch or a way of timing your dogs response

How to do the test
1. First sit the dog, if it won't stay you'll need someone to hold the dog by the collar.
2. Then show the dog the titbit of food and let it sniff it.
3. Then with the dogs full attention slowly place the titbit on the ground about two meters away from it, and invert the can over the titbit.
4. Start timing and encourage the dog to get the food.

Scoring

If the dog is like Odin, knocks the can over and gets the titbit in 5 seconds or less........................................	5 points
If the dog knocks the can over and gets the titbit in 5 to 15 seconds ....................................................................	4 points
In 15 to 30 seconds ......................................................	3 points
In 30 to 60 seconds ......................................................	2 points
If the dog is like Wiz, sniffs around the can, but didn't get the bait after 60 seconds........................................	1 point

This is another measure of your dogs problem solving ability.

Things you'll need to do this test
- a large bath towel
- a stop watch or a way of timing your dogs response.

How to do the test
1. Your dog should be awake and reasonably active
2. Let the dog sniff the towel
3. With a quick smooth motion throw the towel over the dogs head, so it's head and shoulders are completely covered (you may want to practice this without the dog first). Start timing and watch silently.

Scoring

If the dog is like Odin and frees itself in 5 seconds or less ..................................................................................	5 points
In 5 to 15 seconds .........................................................	4 points
In 15 to 30 seconds .......................................................	3 points
In 30 to 60 seconds .......................................................	2 points
If the dog is like Wiz and hasn't free itself after 60 seconds ..........................................................................	1 point

This is a test of social learning.

Things you'll need to do this test
- the ability to smile.

How to do the test
1. Pick a time your dog is sitting about 2 meters away from you.
2. The dog must not have been told to stay or sit.
3. Stare intently into your dogs face - when your dog looks at you, count silently to 3 seconds and then smile broadly.

Scoring

If your dog is like both Odin and Wiz and comes with tail waging........................................................................	5 points
If your dog comes slowly or only part of the way, with no tail waging ..................................................................	4 points
If your dog stands or rises to a sitting position, but does not move toward you ............................................	3 points
If your dog moves away from you .................................	2 points
If your dog pays no attention..........................................	1 point

This is a more difficult problem solving test, it demands cleverness at moving objects.

Things you'll need to do this test
- A hand towel or tea towel.
- A substantial size titbit your dog likes to eat, a dog biscuit is good.
- A stop watch or a way of timing your dogs response.

How to do the test
1. Sit your dog, if it won't stay you'll need someone to hold the dog by the collar
2. Show your dog the food and let it sniff it.
3. With the dogs full attention slowly place the food on the ground about two meters away from it. Whilst the dog watches, cover the food with the towel.
4. Start timing and encourage your dog to get the food.

Scoring

If your dog is like Odin, and retrieves the food in 15 seconds or less..............................................................	5 points
If your dog is like Gus, and retrieves the food in 15 to 30 seconds.....................................................................	4 points
In 30 to 60 seconds .......................................................	3 points
If your dog tries to get the food, but gives up...............	2 points
If your dog doesn't even try to retrieve it within two minutes ...........................................................................	1 point

This is a test of your dogs problem solving and manipulation ability.

Things you'll need to do this test
- You need to make a table, low enough to stop your dogs head getting under, but high enough off the ground to get it's paw under. You can make it out of some bricks or large books and a board.
- A substantial size titbit your dog likes to eat, a dog biscuit is good.
- A stop watch or a way of timing your dogs response.

How to do the test
1. Make sure your dog is watching you from nearby.
2. Show your dog the titbit of food and even let it sniff it.
3. With the dogs full attention slowly place the titbit just far enough under the table, that the dog can use its paws to retrieve it
4. Start timing and encourage your dog to get the food.

Scoring

If your dog is like Odin, and uses its paws to retrieve the food in 60 seconds or less......................................	5 points
If your dog uses its paws to retrieve the food in 1 to 3 minutes............................................................................	4 points
If your dog uses it's muzzle only and fails to get the bait, or if it uses it's paws and hasn't retrieved the food after 3 minutes ...............................................................	3 points
If your dog doesn't use it's paws, simply sniffs and gives one or two tries with it's muzzle ..........................	2 points
If your dog has made no attempt to retrieve the bait after 3 minutes ...............................................................	1 point

This is a test of language comprehension.

Things you'll need to do this test
- The ability to say the words, refrigerator & movies as if you were calling your dog.
- Your dog has to have a name.

How to do the test
1. Your dog should be settled comfortably around two meters in front of you.
2. In the voice tone you use to call your dog call "refrigerator"

Scoring

If the dog shows some response to come....................	3 points
If the dog does not come, call "movies" in the same tone. If the dog comes......................................................	2 points
If the dog still has not responded call it's name. If the dog comes or shows any tendency to move to you .....	5 points
If the dog has not moved, call it's name a second time. If the dog comes ..............................................................	4 points
If the dog still doesn't come ............................................	1 point

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Starting in February after the tests, we are going to start “teaching” our dogs how to be better problem solvers and in general be smarter.

1) Place Obstacles between the dog and the girls calling their name and/ or food. 1-2 times per week

2) Walk the dog with a leash. Purposely have the least get snagged on a pole. EVERY OTHER DAY

3) Put food up high and tools to help him reach it. When he figures out how to get to the food up high, change the tools that he needs to use. 1-2 times per week

4) Calling out the dog’s name. DAILY

After Spring Break, we will give the dog IQ test again. We will compare the results to see if they grew “smarter.”