Free Daycare Temperament Test Form Template

Why Every Daycare Needs a Temperament Test

A temperament test is the single most important safety protocol for any dog daycare. It evaluates whether a new dog can safely participate in group play by assessing socialization skills, handling tolerance, energy level, and behavioral red flags before the dog ever enters a play group.

Skipping or shortcutting temperament evaluations is the leading cause of dog fights, injuries, and liability claims at daycare facilities. A 15-30 minute evaluation can prevent thousands of dollars in veterinary bills, insurance claims, and reputation damage.

How to Conduct the Evaluation

• Step 1 — Arrival (5 min): Observe how the dog separates from the owner, responds to the new environment, and interacts with staff. High anxiety, excessive fear, or immediate aggression are early warning signs.
• Step 2 — One-on-one introduction (5-10 min): Introduce the new dog to a single calm, neutral dog. Watch for appropriate greeting behavior (sniffing, loose body language) vs. warning signs (stiff posture, hard staring, growling, lunging).
• Step 3 — Small group (5-10 min): If the one-on-one went well, introduce the dog to a small group of 3-4 calm dogs. Monitor play style, correction response, and resource behavior.
• Step 4 — Handling test (5 min): Test tolerance for collar grabs, body touching (ears, paws, tail), and proximity to food/treats. Dogs that resource guard aggressively may not be safe in a daycare where treats, toys, and water bowls are shared.

Red Flags That Indicate a Dog Is Not Daycare-Ready

• Lunging, snapping, or biting during any phase of the evaluation.
• Extreme fear or shutdown behavior (hiding, trembling, refusing to move).
• Aggressive resource guarding of toys, treats, or water.
• Inability to disengage from play when redirected by staff.
• Fixating on smaller dogs with predatory body language.
• Mounting that does not stop with correction.

A "not approved" result does not mean the dog is bad — it means the dog is not suited for group daycare at this time. Some dogs do better after training, socialization work, or maturity. Offer to re-evaluate in 4-8 weeks.

Grouping After Approval

The evaluation should determine which play group the dog belongs in. Group by energy level and play style, not just by size. A calm 60-pound Lab may do better with smaller, calm dogs than with high-energy large dogs. Common groupings: calm/senior, moderate play, high energy, and small dog (under 25 lbs).

Documentation and Legal Protection

Keep every temperament evaluation on file permanently. If a dog injures another dog or a person, the evaluation documents your screening process and due diligence. Digital evaluations tied to pet profiles in software like Animal Friends OS are easier to reference and harder to lose than paper forms.