BH-VT, an abbreviation of a German term which roughly translates to "companion dog test with traffic safety part",[a] is governed by rules from Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI).
[6] The BH-VT has become the prerequisite examination for entry into almost all dog sports in Europe that require off-leash work, such as Schutzhund/IPO/IGP, agility and flyball.
[7] With the increase in (non-protection) dog sports for all breeds, the new BH-VT omits the "gun shy" test, which was instead moved to the next higher level of Schutzhund trials.
[9][10] Shelters use temperament tests to help identify dogs with problem behaviors, including aggression, and to help increase the rate of successful adoptions.
[11] Tools used for evaluations might include a leash, bowl of food, a lifelike doll, a fake arm, and dog treats or toys.
[13] The Assess-a-Pet Temperament Test involves use of the Assess-a-Hand, a vinyl or latex mock hand and arm mounted on a wooden dowel, used to avoid bites to the tester who uses it to approach, pet, and then pull away a bowl or toy from the dog.
It was designed to "help shelters learn about the personality and needs of each dog so that behavioral interventions can be implemented and successful matches can be made.
"[13] SAFER (Safety Assessment for Evaluating Rehoming) by the ASPCA is used to "help identify the risk of future aggression and individual behavioral support needed before adoption for each dog in a shelter.
For example, an American standard for an Irish Wolfhound is defined as "a large, rough-coated, greyhound-like dog, fast enough to catch a wolf and strong enough to kill it."
These large breeds (such as Caucasian Shepherd) in Russia undergo the testing called тестовые испытания волкодавов (i.e. testing/examination of dogs meant for hunting wolves).