MH, Mental Test
The MH-tests roots go as far back as the 30s (some say the 10s) and is a tool for breeders and owners alike. It is not a competition, it doesn't have a winner. Or it has all winners, thanks to the MH a breeds mental development can be accessed, a breeder can see how different dogs cross on each others - and it's a tool to get rid of fear and aggression problems within a breed.
For the working dogbreeds such as rottweilers, german shepherds and malinois passing the MH-test is demanded if you want to breed, attend certain shows and train your dog as a patrol dog, or similar. Being not affiliated with any breeding organizations in North America, that - of course - can not be a rule of ours. We want to bring in the MH-test as a tool for breeders and owners to access their dogs in a way that is hard to do without a test like this. We're not doing this to point a finger or trash someones breedingprogram, we're doing this to see if we can take a well tried test over here to give You as breeders another tool in your breeding program to raise the quality of the working dogbreeds.
The MH-test describes the behaviours that, thru science, have been proven to be inherited traits in the dogs. During an MH-test the dog and handler walk thru a trail where with different stations where all responses are documented.
The individual that are documenting the responses/reactions is a mental accessor. They have atleast 125 hours of teoretical education behind them and a couple of years practical experience from being a helper during the MHtests.
In a set protocoll and based on an intensityscale the dogs reactions are described, the test takes about 45 minutes.
The different stations
Social/contact
The accessor tries the dogs reactions via contact and teamwork with a stranger. They will also study how the dog will allow to be handled by the test director.
Play/Playdrive
The accessor tries the dogs will to work with a human by studying the will to chase and grip a rag, and how engaged it is in the play.
Hunt/Tracing
The accessor studies the dogs will to follow a fleeing object, how fast it starts and what the dog does with the object once found.
Activity
In this moment, activity level, the accessor watches how the dog acts while passive, with the owner standing still and the dog on a leash. Dogs will react different to this, but the wanted reaction is a dog that can relax in a passive situation even tho it's been active just the moment before.
Curiosity/interest
The accessor studies the dogs curiosity, will and curage to leave its owner to go and check out what just happened, and to possibly become engaged with whatever it was that could have been experienced as scary for the dog. They also document the dogs interest to start, or reply to a play invite by a helper standing some ways away from the owner.
Shots (Gun, normally a start gun)
A noice sensitive dog will not feel well in todays noicy society and dogs who are scared, or stressed, by shots tend to pass that trait down to its offsprings. For use in breeding and training it is of major importance that the dogs are not scared of shots/loud noices. During an MH-test this will be tried both when the dog is playing with its owner and while in a passive state.
Fear
In some scenarios the rational reaction in a dog can be fear, a sudden threat, as in the part of the test where a coverall will be pulled up/out right infront of the dog. It is very important that the fear doesn't linger once the surprise/threat has passed by/ends, and that the dog will relax and might even show curiosity and a will to check it out. This, and how much support the dog searches for from its handler will be studied in several different stations.
Threat
For this station they use helpers dressed as ghosts to see how the dog will react to unknown threats that are slowly approaching the dog. The accessor will take notice of how the dog stands its ground against the threat, if it wants to defend it self and its owner, and if the dog shows interest in checking the ghosts out once they've quit acting in a threatening manner.
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For the working dogbreeds such as rottweilers, german shepherds and malinois passing the MH-test is demanded if you want to breed, attend certain shows and train your dog as a patrol dog, or similar. Being not affiliated with any breeding organizations in North America, that - of course - can not be a rule of ours. We want to bring in the MH-test as a tool for breeders and owners to access their dogs in a way that is hard to do without a test like this. We're not doing this to point a finger or trash someones breedingprogram, we're doing this to see if we can take a well tried test over here to give You as breeders another tool in your breeding program to raise the quality of the working dogbreeds.
The MH-test describes the behaviours that, thru science, have been proven to be inherited traits in the dogs. During an MH-test the dog and handler walk thru a trail where with different stations where all responses are documented.
The individual that are documenting the responses/reactions is a mental accessor. They have atleast 125 hours of teoretical education behind them and a couple of years practical experience from being a helper during the MHtests.
In a set protocoll and based on an intensityscale the dogs reactions are described, the test takes about 45 minutes.
The different stations
Social/contact
The accessor tries the dogs reactions via contact and teamwork with a stranger. They will also study how the dog will allow to be handled by the test director.
Play/Playdrive
The accessor tries the dogs will to work with a human by studying the will to chase and grip a rag, and how engaged it is in the play.
Hunt/Tracing
The accessor studies the dogs will to follow a fleeing object, how fast it starts and what the dog does with the object once found.
Activity
In this moment, activity level, the accessor watches how the dog acts while passive, with the owner standing still and the dog on a leash. Dogs will react different to this, but the wanted reaction is a dog that can relax in a passive situation even tho it's been active just the moment before.
Curiosity/interest
The accessor studies the dogs curiosity, will and curage to leave its owner to go and check out what just happened, and to possibly become engaged with whatever it was that could have been experienced as scary for the dog. They also document the dogs interest to start, or reply to a play invite by a helper standing some ways away from the owner.
Shots (Gun, normally a start gun)
A noice sensitive dog will not feel well in todays noicy society and dogs who are scared, or stressed, by shots tend to pass that trait down to its offsprings. For use in breeding and training it is of major importance that the dogs are not scared of shots/loud noices. During an MH-test this will be tried both when the dog is playing with its owner and while in a passive state.
Fear
In some scenarios the rational reaction in a dog can be fear, a sudden threat, as in the part of the test where a coverall will be pulled up/out right infront of the dog. It is very important that the fear doesn't linger once the surprise/threat has passed by/ends, and that the dog will relax and might even show curiosity and a will to check it out. This, and how much support the dog searches for from its handler will be studied in several different stations.
Threat
For this station they use helpers dressed as ghosts to see how the dog will react to unknown threats that are slowly approaching the dog. The accessor will take notice of how the dog stands its ground against the threat, if it wants to defend it self and its owner, and if the dog shows interest in checking the ghosts out once they've quit acting in a threatening manner.
.