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TEMPERAMENT TESTING IN NSW
The NSW State Government is shortly to introduce compulsory Temperament Testing in NSW for all cross breeds whose Sire or Dam is one of the five restricted breeds. It is anticipated that a number of individuals and organisations will apply to the Government for approval to conduct these temperament tests.
The Royal New South Wales Canine Council (RNSWCC), being the largest dog owning and dog training organisation in New South Wales, has decided that it would like to apply to conduct temperament testing of the restricted cross breeds. This is proposed to be carried out though it's Obedience Clubs, both as a service to the general dog owning public and also as a means of raising additional revenue for the RNSWCC and its affiliated Obedience Clubs.
There is no one authority or approved method for testing dog temperament in Australia. However, there are a number of individuals and organisations which claim to have the rungs on the ladder to participate in a wholesale temperament testing program. However, in reality, there are not many that have the experience and years in dogs that most of our RNSWCC Obedience Judges and Instructors do.
So as to put the RNSWCC on a favourable basis to compete, it has been able to secure a strategic alliance with the American Temperament Test Society, Inc. (ATTS), which is acknowledged as the world leader in temperament testing of all breeds and cross breeds of dogs. Please refer to its website for more information http://www.atts.org
The ATTS has undertaken in excess of 26,000 temperament tests and the
President of that organisation, Mr Carl Herkstroeter, is credited with having overseen, as Chief Tester, well in excess of 9,000 of these tests.
As part of our alliance with the ATTS, we have been able to obtain an international copyright on not only the test, but also on its stationery and all of its extensive commercial property. We have been granted the exclusive rights by that organisation for the conduct of its temperament tests in Australia. In fact, any certificate for successful completion of this test carries the logo of the RNSWCC and the ATTS and is endorsed "has successfully passed a Temperament Test conducted by Dogs NSW (our new name) under the rules of the American Temperament Test Society, Inc."
Mr Herkstroeter has been in Australia for two weeks and he has conducted over 130 individual Temperament Tests on dogs at our Erskine Park Complex. He has been able to conduct a Temperament Test training program for 18 of our members, who have been given the responsibility of ensuring that the key objectives of the Government's requirements are achieved in an extremely tight time frame.
It is obvious to me that the concept of temperament testing will also be a highly sort after qualification for obedience and show people alike in the future. It is anticipated that temperament testing days will become a regular feature of activities conducted by Obedience Clubs on behalf of all those generally interested in this subject and qualification.
I am sure that there is and will continue to be a keen interest in
temperament testing and I am committed to its expansion not only across all our NSW Obedience Clubs, but eventually nationally. I hope that it will eventually be an approved ANKC test and dog title.
At this time, the RNSWCC is undertaking a commercial competitive bid to not only be allowed to conduct tests on behalf of the NSW State Government, but to also obtain a fair share of the anticipated revenue that will be generated by legislated temperament testing of restricted cross breeds.
I am of the view that there will be a place for each and every Obedience Club and Obedience Judge wishing to undertake temperament testing and be involved in this new initiative. As soon as it is possible, additional information will be circulated through forthcoming though mail outs to Judges and Obedience Clubs and through articles in the National Dog and our Canine Journal.
A special thank you to my fellow members of the RNSWCC Breed Assessment and Temperament Testing Working Party, Vicki Etherington, Wayne Richards, Ron Johnson, John Hugo and Dianna Fenton. These Judges and Senior Obedience Instructors gave up their time to qualify under the 4-day training program. Thank you also to the members who assisted by providing dogs for the assessment program.
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