AMERICAN BULLDOG BREEDERS ASSOCIATION

The Temperament Evaluation will be called TE in the following text.

The test contains of three parts A, B and C that contain of 10 tests in total.

Each test of the TE will receive a score between 1 and 5.
With the final score for each part being an average of all tests undertaken. The final result will be the average of the three parts. The least score for a breeding dog is 3.4 in part A on its own and in the whole test.
A score of 4 means the test is passed but the dog is not suitable for breeding.
A retest can be taken to improve the score, but the dog has to wait to for at least two months.

Only one re-test is allowed.
If any single test of the TE results in a 5 score, the whole test is failed and the dog is excluded from any further test.

During the test the owner can not influence the dog. We do not want to see how obedient the dog is, but how stable its temperament is, and how it reacts on its own merits.

A neutral person under the ABBA criteria will evaluate the Test.
They will ideally not breed or own American Bulldogs. If it is the case that the evaluator has an American bulldog they will not be able to evaluate any dog that is bred from their kennel or any offspring from a male that they own /co own, or have owned /co owned
They will have relevant experience and will be accredited as a judge or evaluator or high level sport /obedience competitor within the BSA or the Kennel Club.

Part A: Behaviour against humans

TE 1:  Welcome through the judge

This test will show if the dog is neutral towards a strange person that gets in contact with the dog and if the dog is micro chipped or tattooed.

The dog to be tested will be confronted with the following situations:

The dog sits at a leash next to the handler.
The judge walks up to both and shakes hands with the handler.
After that he talks to the dog and touches it and checks the tattoo or microchip.

 test will be broken off.

TE.2. Behaviour against friendly but strange people

This part will show if the dog is open towards strangers.The dog that is tested will get confronted with the following situations:

Five persons build a circle with a 20m diameter. The handler and dog are in the centre again, the is dog is on loose 2m leash. The handler cannot influence the dog through voice or body. The judge will give the command and the circle will be closed in,

The strangers should walk inwards at normal speed towards dog and handler.

If the dog wants to leave the circle the strangers should stop.

In a second try the circle can be closed in a faster walk. If the dog shows sign of fear the persons stop.

TE.3. Behaviour against friendly but strange people

This part will show if the dog is open towards strangers

The dog that is tested will get confronted with the following situations:

Five persons build a circle with a 20m diameter.

Dog and handler are in the centre of the circle with the dog off-leash ( using a 10m loose leash for security), the handler cannot influence the dog by voice or body movements. The strangers are calling and luring the dog in a pre- defined order.

This is done to show if the dog will cross back and forth across the circle to each stranger as it is called / lured

TE.4. Behaviour against friendly but strange people

This part will show if the dog is open towards strangers. To lure the dog each person holds a piece of sausage in his hand and shouts the dog’s call name. If the dog does not immediately go towards the calling person, the person can make some noises and movements to get the dog’s interest.

Once the dog arrives at this person, it will be handled/stroked at different parts of the body before it gets the treat. This exercise is then repeated by the second person and so on until the dog has visited all of the strangers

TE.5. Playing with a tug-toy

This test should show how strong the dogs play drive is.

A stranger takes a toy the dog likes and try’s to develop a game with the dog which is off leash. Does the dog try take the toy, and show an intensive and long session of tug-o-war?

TE.6. Behaviour against a strange behaving person and a baby-cradle

This test should show how stable the dog is when confronted with strange behaving persons and baby-cradles.

In a street-situation dog and handler will pass a limbing person that is wearing a long coat, a hat and an umbrella. The person walks past dog and handler without taking any notice. After a few meters both parties turn round in when they meet again they stop and handler and the person in the coat are shaking hands and the stranger takes his hat off. Than they walk on and dog and handler now walk past a person with a baby-cradle. Again handler and the cradle moving person shake hands before they walk on.

Part B: Behaviour against environmental influences

TE.1. Behaviour against optical environmental influences

This test should show how the dog (on leash) reacts against unexpected optical influences. Every kind of excitement, aggressive or scaring should not be provoked. The dogs has to be confronted with at least the following situations:

A sailing cloth is hold by two persons, dog and handler walk under it.

Something rolls towards the dog

An umbrella is opened adjacent to but not against the dog and the handler

TE.2. Behaviour against acoustic environmental influences

This test should show if the dog is self-assured and stable with acoustic influences

Every kind of excitement, aggressive or scaring should not be provoked.

The dog tested has to be confronted with at least the following situations:

TE.3. Behaviour against common environmental influences

This test should show that the dog is stable and self-assured.

The dog will be lead on a loose lead over a big plastic/foil, a metal-sheet, a grate and a agility – running board. If the dog shows signs of insecurity the exercise will be repeated to see if the dog learns.

Part C: Behaviour against other dogs

This test should show that the dog is not overly aggressive against other dogs.

5 – 10 Handlers with their dogs place themselves in a circle with about 5m between each

handler. The dogs are on a 1m leash and one obedience command for control is allowed (“sit”, “down” etc.)

The handler with the dog to be tested will walk around the other handlers and their dogs. His dog will be on a 1m leash and gets a basic heel command (“heel” etc.). The distance between the dogs should be about 3m. It is not allowed to let the dogs get into contact with each other.