Aussiedoodle Temperament: The Truth About Puppy Matching & Temperament Testing

One of the most common questions I receive is, “How do you temperament test your puppies?” Closely followed by, “How do you match puppies to families?”

The truth is…I think our industry has oversimplified a very complex topic.

Over the years, “puppy matching” has become one of the biggest marketing buzzwords in the dog world. Somewhere along the way, many families were led to believe that a breeder can watch a puppy for a few minutes at seven or eight weeks of age, perform a standardized temperament test, and accurately predict what that puppy will be like for the next 12 to 15 years.

I don’t believe that’s how canine behavior works.

In fact, I think that way of thinking unintentionally places far too much emphasis on a single day in a puppy’s life while overlooking the things that science—and decades of experienced breeders—have consistently shown matter most.

Temperament Begins Long Before Birth

Long before puppies are born, I’m evaluating potential pairings.

Not based on coat color.

Not based on what markings will sell the fastest.

Not based on what combination might produce the trendiest puppies.

I’m evaluating confidence, resilience, prey drive, sociability, trainability, recovery from stress, biddability, environmental stability, health testing, structure, and how each dog’s strengths complement the other’s weaknesses.

That’s one of the reasons I love having a diverse breeding program. Every female isn’t bred to the same male, and every male isn’t the right choice for every female.

Each pairing is intentional.

Every breeding is designed around the type of puppies I hope to produce.

To me, that’s where temperament matching truly begins.

A Great Breeding Program Should Produce Consistency

One of my goals as a breeder is consistency.

Of course, every puppy is an individual. Some are naturally more outgoing. Some are a little more thoughtful. Some mature faster than others.

But there shouldn’t be dramatic swings in temperament from one puppy to the next if you’re consistently selecting parents with stable, proven temperaments and raising every puppy with the same intentional curriculum.

When people ask me to “pick the calm one” or “pick the therapy dog,” I think we’re asking the wrong question.

The better question is:

“What kind of parents produced this litter?”

Because genetics lay the blueprint.

Everything we do during those first eight weeks builds on that blueprint.

Everything you do during your puppy’s first year continues shaping the adult dog they’ll become.

Those factors tell me far more about a puppy’s future than a single temperament test ever could.

So…Do I Believe in Temperament Evaluations?

Absolutely.

I observe my puppies every single day.

I watch how they interact with people, recover from new experiences, solve problems, move through developmental stages, respond to change, and engage with the world around them.

That’s valuable information.

What I don’t believe is that one structured evaluation performed on one afternoon at seven or eight weeks can accurately predict a dog’s entire future.

Puppies continue changing every single week. They move through normal developmental milestones and fear periods. One puppy may confidently navigate one new experience and need more support with the next. That’s normal development—not a permanent personality trait.

Research on canine development has shown that much of a puppy’s behavioral foundation is still developing through approximately 14 weeks of age. That’s why I believe it takes genetics, daily observation, intentional early development, and continued education—not one score sheet—to truly understand a puppy’s potential.

My Philosophy

At Remedy Ranch, I don’t believe my job is to predict the future.

I believe my job is to stack the odds in every puppy’s favor.

That starts with intentionally pairing exceptional parents.

It continues with an advanced Puppy Culture curriculum and purposeful early development.

And it doesn’t stop when puppies go home. I spend just as much time educating families because what happens during that first year matters tremendously.

When someone asks me how I match puppies, my answer is simple:

I don’t rely on one temperament test.

I rely on years of carefully selecting parent dogs, thousands of hours raising puppies, daily observation, and giving every family the education they need to help their puppy become the dog they were born to be.

That’s the kind of “matching” I believe changes lives.