AKC Temperament Test

Rosie - Creekwood’s Sunshine and Roses, FDC, BCAT, FITB, ATT

We were at a recent dog show, waiting to bring our smooth, ZuZu, into the Herding group, and noticed they were holding the AKC Temperament Test at the show.  Since we had a few hours to wait, we decided to sign our Rosie up to take the test.  As collies are known for their sweet, gentle temperaments, I was pretty certain she would do well.  But we had never done the temperament test before, so I was curious to see what the test involved.

The AKC provides the following description of the test:

The AKC Temperament Test (ATT) was developed to bring focus and provide a meaningful evaluation to assess the temperament of our canine companions.

The ATT tests how a dog reacts to a variety of stimuli. Desirable traits are that the dog will be emotionally stable, inquisitive, cooperative, appropriately social for its breed, biddable and demonstrates the ability to recover from a startling situation in a reasonable amount of time.

Undesirable traits are fear, shyness, lack of cooperation and an inability to recover from unfamiliar or unexpected situations. Examples of undesirable behaviors include being afraid of friendly strangers or unfamiliar stimuli, obsessive barking, and aggression.

In the ATT, dogs are tested in 6 categories of stimuli that include:

1. Social
2. Auditory
3. Visual
4. Tactile
5. Proprioceptive (motion)
6. Unexpected stimulus

To obtain the ATT title, Rosie had to do the test twice, under two different evaluators.   They tested her reactions to the following:

Social - the evaluator greets the handler, and then pets Rosie, then does a brief exam of Rosie.  Then another individual approaches Rosie carrying a large bag and also pets Rosie.

Auditory - the evaluator observes Rosie’s reaction to someone shaking a container full of coins, a vacuum cleaner being turned on, and a bike horn.

Visual - the evaluator observes Rosie’s reaction to someone opening an umbrella, walking around her with a roller bag, while waving a streamer.

Tactile - the evaluator observes Rosie walking over a wire grate, plastic and a pegboard

Proprioceptive - the evaluator observes Rosie walking over low bars, intersecting hoops and a low platform.

Unexpected stimulus - the evaluator observes Rosie as an individual approaches her using crutches, observes her reaction to someone dropping a chair behind her, and approaching Rosie with a large object. (stuffed animal)

To pass Rosie had to remain calm and confident.  She could startle at some of the stimuli, but had to recover quickly.  (Less than 5 seconds) Rosie passed all the elements of the test, under both evaluators, earning her the ATT title.  I thought it was interesting that some of the elements, like walking over different surfaces and her reaction to noise, were similar to the Farm dog test and other elements were similar to the Canine Good Citizen test.  It was also interesting to watch as other dog breeds tried the test, and which elements they refused to complete.  Before attempting the test the evaluators did have everyone look up the standard for their individual breeds, and write it on the test application.  By having us write the description on the form, the evaluators knew what was expected for each dog breed.  For the collie the AKC standard had the perfect description.  “The collie is intelligent, friendly, devoted, loving, sensitive and easily trained.”  Rosie definitely fits that description perfectly!

You can find your dog breed’s temperament description here.  And if you are interested in trying out the AKC temperament test, you can find where it’s being offered by searching here.    Below is a short video of Rosie taking the test.

Exciting news!

It’s been a while since we last updated the blog, but things have been very busy.  We have some exciting news to share, and will hopefully have even more exciting news to share in two weeks!

This past weekend we attended a 3 day dog show.  Rosie, Creekwood’s Sunshine and Roses, FDC, BCAT, FITB, ATT won Winner’s Bitch and Best of Opposite all three days.   She also earned the AKC Temperament Test title, ATT, on Saturday with my daughter.  We had never done the temperament test before, but many of the elements, like walking on different surfaces, were similar to the Farm Dog test.  She passed the test twice, under two different evaluators, so she added a new title after name.

ZuZu, CH Creekwood’s Fireheart, FDC, BCAT, FITB took a group 3 in the Owner Handler Herding Group on Saturday, and then on Sunday she won Winner’s and Best of Breed to finish her championship!  She is now CH Creekwood’s Fireheart, FDC, BCAT, FITB, and we couldn’t be more proud of her!

And puppy Nolan, Creekwood Winterberry Rich and Famous, won a Group 1 on Friday, a Group 3 on Saturday and a Group 2 on Sunday in the Puppy Herding Group.

We are so proud of all three collies, they were showing their hearts out for us, and deserved all ribbons they brought home!

Scarlett’s Painting came!

We started a series of collies being featured in art, as they are a favorite subject for artists.  My own collies have been immortalized on both canvas and in digital art.  Scarlett, who will be turning 13 years old on May 1st, had her painting done by artist Barbara Guitas.  

I had the artist add the Shack on Grass Island, as it’s a local historical landmark, and I’ve always loved it.  And I also asked her to include the iconic image of a Christmas tree in a rowboat, which is the New England version of the little red truck hauling a Christmas tree.  I think the painting came out beautifully, and it’s already hanging on my wall.  I think I found the perfect frame for it too.

I didn’t intend to commission any more art, at least not for a while.  But during the National they held a raffle, to raise money for the show expenses.  I bought some tickets to support the National, and I won a free painting of one of my collies!  Now I have to pick a collie to have a painting done, and I’m struggling to decide on which one.  Do I pick one of the collies I have lost?  Do I pick one of my collies’ puppy pictures, as I don’t have a painting of a collie pup.  Or do I pick one of my favorite pictures?  I’m just not sure!

Spring has arrived!

The Collie National is over, all the collies are back home and Spring has finally arrived here in New England. Our Rosie (Creekwood’s Sunshine and Roses, FDC, BCAT, FITB) and our ZuZu (Creekwood’s Fireheart, FDC, BCAT, FITB) made us very proud at the National. 

And while they didn’t come home with ribbons, Peyton (CH Winterberry’s Lightning Strikes Twice, BCAT, FITB) and Nolan (Creekwood Winterberry Rich and Famous) both looked beautiful and did a great job representing Winterberry collies!

Peyton

Nolan

There is a collie specialty show this weekend in Connecticut, but after that we will only be competing at all breed shows for the Summer.  The collie specialty season won’t start up again until the Fall.  Fingers crossed for ZuZu, as she is entered on Sunday and just needs one single point to finish her championship!

With the dog shows slowing down, I thought it was a good time to try something new.  I took Addison for her very first herding lesson!  It was one of my goals that I set for 2025, and I’m excited to give it a try!  Addi really enjoyed it, but we both have a lot to learn.  The instructor told me that learning how to compete in herding was going to be the most challenging thing we have ever done, and the most rewarding.  (Ignore the barking, they had a Great Pyrenees in the next pasture, and he was protecting his flock.)

Towards the end of the lesson, when Addi was tired and the sheep were tired, they all stood there looking at each other.  Maybe as a thank you for the fun game, or maybe to make sure there were no hard feelings, Addison leaned close, and gave one of the sheep a kiss on the nose.  She is such a sweet collie.  Our next lesson is in two weeks, I can’t wait to see how it goes!

News from the Collie National…

 Wanted to share news from the National…

Our Rosie won 4th place yesterday!  Winning a class placement (1st - 4th) at the National is a huge honor, and we were so excited for our beautiful girl!  When you are surrounded by beautiful collies, and the judge picks your collie out of the line up to award a ribbon, it’s an amazing feeling.

Today was ZuZu’s turn to step into the ring.  

And our beautiful girl won 1st place!  We are so proud of Rosie and ZuZu, they showed their hearts out, and our coming home with two beautiful ribbons!  ZuZu didn’t win Winner’s Bitch, so she stills need 1 more point to earn her championship.  But we are confident she will earn that last point soon.  What an exciting National this has been for us!  

Tomorrow is Peyton’s turn to shine, and Saturday is puppy Nolan’s turn.  This afternoon my daughter is showing a rough boy for a friend of ours.  She is doing such an incredible job handling our collies at this huge show, I’m so proud of her.  Hopefully we will have more news to share!

ZuZu would just like more treats!

Collie Club of America National

This week collie breeders and owners are all gathering in Syracuse, NY.  Traveling from all across the country, as well as visiting from other countries, people are joining together for the Collie National.  The CCA National is the largest collie event of the year.  It’s the time to celebrate our beautiful collie breed and spend the week surrounded by all things collie!

Yesterday was “move in” day.  All the exhibitors began arriving to set up their grooming areas, and to bring in their beautiful collies.  For some, it’s just a space to groom and crate their collies, for others they decorate their space with care.  But no matter how they organize and decorate their areas, it’s the collies that are the main attraction.  Visitors can wander up and down the aisles and meet the breeders and get to see the collies up close.

My family has our grooming area all set up, and our collies are so excited to be there!

With over 700 collies entered, the building echoes with the happy barks of all the collies!  The conformation, and obedience judging started today.  The herding and agility competitions started earlier in the week.  Tonight is the Top 10 ceremony, where the top 10 winners in conformation, performance and junior handling are all honored for their accomplishments in 2024.  And then tomorrow, Friday and Saturday the breed judging continues until the final Best in Show winner is chosen.  It’s a very exciting week, everyone is hoping to come home with a bit of ribbon and bragging rights that their collie won at the National.  But win or lose, the entire week is full of friendship, fun and new memories made with our beloved collies.  This afternoon Rosie will be stepping into the ring, tomorrow ZuZu will be shown, Friday will be Peyton’s turn, and then Saturday morning little Nolan will be in the puppy class.  Keep your fingers crossed for us, as we attempt to win a ribbon at the National!

Rosie is busy getting ready!

Ryder, the best boy…

I’ve written many posts about the collie breed, about Sunnybank and about Lassie.  I’ve written about books I enjoy and the history of the collie.  I’ve written product reviews and shared our news about the wins and new titles my collies have earned.  But looking back, I realized I don’t write nearly enough stories about my collies, to share their personalities and antics, to share their lives.  That’s something I’m going to work on in the upcoming months.

To that end, let me dedicate this post to Ryder.  We have/had quite a few smooths, but until Rosie joined our family, there has only been one rough collie, our Ryder.  Ryder was the 1st puppy born in our 1st litter, and the story of his birth is here.  At 72 lbs, he is a big guy, and is taller than our girls.  Lad was our 1st collie ever, and our 1st boy, and we lost him when Ryder was just a young puppy.  Since then, Ryder has been our only boy. (until Nolan joined the family this weekend.)

Ryder has always been incredibly sweet and gentle.  He inherited his temperament from his Mother, Abby.  Like Abby, there has never been an instance when he has lost his patience, except once.  I think Ryder was around 4 years old at the time.  He was out in the backyard with the other collies, and I heard barking.  I went to the back door to see what was causing the commotion.  Just outside the doorway I spotted Ryder, and I could tell he was upset.  And that’s when I noticed two small birds swooping down and pulling his fur!  Apparently they had built their nest in the tall shrub next to the back door, and were protecting their babies, when Ryder had ventured too close.

Before I could intervene and save Ryder, he reached up and quickly caught one of the birds mid flight.  He gently dropped the stunned bird onto the ground, where it stared at him for a moment before flying away.  To catch a bird in the air, and to release her unharmed, showed just how gentle my boy is in all things.  And honestly, he was only defending himself, he wasn’t really angry.  His calm gentle nature is what made him an ideal therapy dog.  For 8 years Ryder did therapy visits, bringing comfort and smiles to countless individuals.  He was so popular, in part because of his beautiful coat and sweet face, and because he instinctively knows when people are stressed or sad.  

When I would get annoyed or upset, Ryder would immediately appear at my side, leaning against me to sooth me or make me smile.  He’s now 13 1/2 years old, a very old man.  He limps when he walks, and is on daily pain medicine and a monthly Librela injection.  He sleeps a lot, but he is still ready to cuddle whenever I ask.  He can no longer jump on the bed, so I lift him up, and he curls up next to me.  We snuggle together for hours, and I treasure every moment.  I know he will be leaving me soon, and I can’t bear to think about it.  He’s irreplaceable, and I hope we get to celebrate his 14th birthday this August.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Peyton posed for this illustration

And I’d like to introduce….

 A new family member!  

This cutie is Nolan, Creekwood Winterberry Rich and Famous, and he joined our family this weekend.  He is living with my daughter, and we co-own him with his breeders.  Nolan is a 12 week old smooth, tri color collie.  His sire, Noah, is a rough blue Merle, and his dam is a smooth tri color named Liz.  There was a lot of serious discussion about what to call him, and after much debate, we settled on Nolan.  Nolan means champion in Irish, and seemed to fit since everyone was celebrating All Things Irish this weekend.  (My maternal great-grandparents immigrated from Ireland, so I love Irish names.)  Also, as his sire’s registered name includes the word “fame,” all the puppies in the litter will have Fame in their registered names.  And there was a famous baseball player, Nolan Ryan, who was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, so it fits the theme…We are very excited about this little boy, and can’t wait to see what his future holds!  Welcome to Winterberry collies Nolan!

This Is The Collie

I’m always looking for new topics to cover in the blog, and decided to combine our series of book reviews with my love of researching and sharing the history of the collie.  This week I wanted to share another “must have” addition to the our book list, for anyone wanting to learn more about the collie.  The book, This is the Collie, by Esther McCloskey, was originally published in 1963.

My copy was part of my Uncle Fran’s collection, which makes it even more special to me.  The book is well written and covers a variety of topics, from the origin of the collie, coat color inheritance, breeding and whelping puppies, showing and grooming, as well as many other topics.   I also love viewing the old pictures included in the chapters.

In this picture is Sally (Sara) Futh, of Starberry Collies, a well known collie breeder and highly respected judge.
 

I love reading these old books, containing the advice and breeding perspective of past collie experts.  They contain valuable information that might otherwise be lost to us.  I’m including an old dog food commercial that was filmed at Starberry Kennel.  Enjoy!

A Study of the Collie

I feel very fortunate to be a part of preserving a dog breed that has such a well documented history.  Being able to research our pedigrees online, and trace our collies’ ancestry all the way back to the first documented collies, is such an incredible gift.  This is largely due to the efforts of the Collie Club of America, our National club.  The CCA was formed in 1886, making it one of the oldest specialty clubs in America.  The American Kennel Club was formed in 1884, just two years earlier.  The CCA has had countless members working to carefully document and preserve our history.  They have many books and publications available for any newcomers to the breed, and for those who are just interested in learning more about the development of our beloved breed.

With that in mind, I thought I would share some of the books available for anyone interested in learning more about the collie.  This is only a partial list, as there too many books and resources available to list them all in one post.  These are the ones that I have found to be particularly useful over the years.

The Collie by O.P. Bennett and C.H. Wheeler, written in 1924.  The authors were highly respected, as Dr. Bennett was a President of the Collie Club of America and C.H. Wheeler was an expert on the history and origins of the Collie in the United Kingdom.  The book is illustrated with rare vintage photographs of Collie Champions from 1874 through 1923.

The Magnificent Collie, by Patricia Starkweather, of  Glen Hill Collies.  This book was printed in 1997, and was written with the help of John Buddie of Tartanside Collies.  This book is a great resource, as it includes a chapter on the origins and history of the collie by Gayle Kaye, the breed standard, chapters on both the smooth and the rough collie, and information about influential collie breeders and kennels of the past.

Collie Concept, by George Bobbee Roos, 1988.  Roos shares her priceless knowledge and explains how to develop an eye for a dog, graphically illustrates balance, and teaches handling and care.

The New Collie, by the Collie Club of America.  There are different publications, with the white cover being the updated 1996 version and the red cover being the 1983 edition.  This is the book description: An important update of the story of one of America's most beloved purebreds, this book traces the Collie's origin from his beginnings as a herding dog in Scotland to the favorite of millions. With chapters on the Standard, on training, breeding, showing, grooming, breed character, general care and modern applications of the breed's natural herding ability, it's a "must have" reference.

And of course, I have to include American Collie Champions, published by the Collie Club of America.  There are eight separate volumes in the Library of Champions, beginning with volume 1, 1884 - 1961.  In each volume you will find pictures of all the collies who earned their championship title along with the names of their breeders and owners.  Learning the names of the collies in your pedigrees is fascinating, but having these books as a reference, to actually see pictures of those collies, is priceless!

There are many other books and resources for those interested in learning about the collie.  I will have to do additional posts to cover more of them.  Of course, after writing this, I want to go look through my own copies now!

Down the Rabbit Hole I go…

Lately, I have been reviewing the pedigrees of our collies.  It started when I created pedigrees for our current collies, and I was looking back through the pedigrees of  the sires of our Addi, Rosie and ZuZu.  I can lose all track of time while researching all the collies that helped create our current generation, as I find it pretty fascinating.  This is a quiet time of year for us, as there aren’t many dog shows, and Winter weather limits our travels.  So researching collie history is a great way to fill the time during these long, cold, dark Winter days.  As I’m sure I will be writing many posts in the upcoming weeks on the subject, I thought I might begin by sharing one of my first blog posts, written back in May 2012.

I've written previous posts about how I traced our collies back through the generations to the first collies imported to America, and all the way beyond to the first collie, CH Trefoil.  And so to prove it, here is just one of the ways I can trace my collies back to these famous collies, as they can be traced back through many of the dogs in their pedigrees.

Our Abby, as a puppy

CH Marchello’s Seraphim Song, Abby (CH Signet’s Twice is Nice, ROM  x CH Marchello’s On Angel’s Wings)
CH Signet's Twice Is Nice, ROM (CH Marnus Golden Ruler, ROM x CH Signet's Hopelessly In Love, ROM)
CH Marnus Golden Ruler, ROM (CH Overland Everlasting II x Marnus Golden Rule)
CH Overland Everlasting II (CH Clouddawn's Grandeur Promise x CH Overland Imari)
CH Clouddawn's Grandeur Promise (CH Twin Creeks Grand Master x Clouddawn's Promise O' Twin Oaks)
CH Twin Creeks Grand Master (CH Twin Creeks Head Master x CH Twin Creeks C.O.D.)
CH Twin Creeks Head Master (Twin Creeks Post Master x CH Joius The Last Farewell)
Twin Creeks Post Master (CH Twin Creeks Post Script x CH Joius Amber Dream)***
CH Twin Creeks Post Script (Ch Twin Creeks True Grit x CH Twin Creeks Nitty Gritty)
Ch Twin Creeks True Grit (Ch Lochlomun's Interlock x CH Lee Aire's Amazing Grace)
Ch Lochlomun's Interlock (Ch Vi-Lee's Myster Mac x Lochlomun's N Lee Aire's Virgo)
Ch Vi-Lee's Myster Mac (Vi-Lee's Classic Contender x Vi-Lee's Tenth Thyme)
Vi-Lee's Classic Contender (CH Vi-Lee's Jubilant Jonathon x Vi-Lee's Jovial Jewell)
CH Vi-Lee's Jubilant Jonathon (Ch Vi-Lee's Redd Robbyn x Vi-Lee's Jeanne Belle)
Ch Vi-Lee's Redd Robbyn (Vi-Lee's Country Chipper x Bonneja's Trooper)
Vi-Lee's Country Chipper (Vi-Lee's Parading Chieftain x Vi-Lee's Tweedle O'Twill Parade)
Vi-Lee's Parading Chieftain (CH Silver Ho Shining Arrow x Lodestone Bandolieara II)
CH Silver Ho Shining Arrow (Honeybrook Big Parade x Silhouette of Silver Ho)
Honeybrook Big Parade (Ch Future of Arken x Honeybrook Helen)
Ch Future of Arken (Ch El Troubadour of Arken x Nymf of Arken)
Ch El Troubadour of Arken (El Capitaine of Arken x Gailly Arrayed of Arken)
El Capitaine of Arken (CH Eden Emerald x CH Halbury Jean)
CH Eden Emerald (CH Poplar Perfection x CH Eden Elenora)
CH Poplar Perfection (Ch Magnet x Pickwick Peeper)
Ch Magnet (Tonge Admiration x Southport Seal)****
Tonge Admiration (Clarksfield Superior x Clarksfield Countess)
Clarksfield Superior (CH Seedley Superior x countess of Clarksfield)
CH Seedley Superior (Seedley Squire x Seedley Constance)
Seedley Squire (CH Squire of Tytton x Southport Sissie)
CH Squire of Tytton (CH Balgreggie Baronet x Helle of Boston)
CH Balgreggie Baronet (CH Wishaw Clinker x Old Hall Duchess)
CH Wishaw Clinker (Heacham Galopin x Last Rose)
Heacham Galopin (Ormskirk Galopin x Wishaw Dolly)
Ormskirk Galopin (CH Ormskirk Emerald x CH Ormskirk Memoir)
CH Ormskirk Emerald (Heather Ralph x Aughton Bessie)
Heather Ralph (CH Stracathro Ralph x Apple Blossm Heather Ralph)
CH Stracathro Ralph (Ch Christopher x Stracathro Fancy)
CH Christopher (CH Metchley Wonder x Ch Peggie II)
CH Metchley Wonder (Sefton x Minnie)
Sefton (CH Charlemagne x CH Madge I)
Ch Charlemagne (Trefoil x Maude)

Trefoil


***It's through CH Joius Amber Dream that I can trace my collies back to the Sunnybank collies.

****Southport Seal is a dam, and this pedigree above only goes back through 40 generations, tail-male.  This doesn't even begin to cover all the collies that my own collies are related to through the bitches.

Southport Seal (Parbold Picador x Leyland Lucy)
Parbold Picador (Master Willie x Moss Hill Vera)
Master Willie (CH Anfield Model x Sweet Mary)
Ch Anfield Model (CH Parbold Piccolo x Bellfield Beauty)
CH Parbold Piccolo (CH Wellesbourne Conqueror x Parbold Pinafore)
CH Wellesbourne Conqueror (Wellesbourne Councillor x Wellesbourne Beauty)
Wellesbourne Councillor (CH Southport Perfection x Wellesbourne Chirstabelle)
Ch Southport Perfection (CH Edgbaston Marvel x Tabley Rose)
CH Edgbaston Marvel (Ch Christopher x Sweet Marie)

And this is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.  There are hundreds of other collies in our pedigree that I haven't begun to trace!

Trefoil, born in 1873, the ancestor of all collies

CH Charlemagne, born in 1879, a son of Trefoil

CH Metchley Wonder, born in 1886, grandson of CH Charlemagne

CH Christopher, born in 1887, son of Metchley Wonder.  All collies trace back to Christopher, and through him, back to Trefoil.