A few days ago the Game On litter turned seven weeks old, and on that morning — Day 49 — all eight puppies took their turn at formal Volhard temperament testing. We wrote last week about why seven weeks is the magic number for this test: it’s the age a puppy’s brain finishes wiring itself into an adult’s, so their true, innate temperament shows through before learned habits start to cover it up. One at a time, a person they’d never met walked each puppy through a series of gentle little exercises in a neutral room — how readily they came to a stranger, whether they followed, how they took being lifted or held, how they answered a sudden sound and, above all, how quickly they bounced back from it, plus their interest in chasing and bringing a toy back.
There’s no pass or fail on a test like this. What we come away with is a portrait of eight distinct little personalities — and now that the scoring is in and we’ve had a few days to sit with it against everything we already knew from living with these puppies day and night, we can introduce you to who they’re becoming. Here’s the whole crew, collar by collar.
Wildcard — pink collar · liver & white girl
Wildcard is the people’s puppy. She came trotting straight up to the tester with her tail in the air, followed happily, melted into being handled, and brought the toy right back — one of the most socially forward, human-focused pups in the whole litter. When something new made her pause, she gathered herself and got curious again in a heartbeat. That combination — loves people, loves to retrieve, recovers fast — is the kind of all-around foundation that makes an easy, into-everything companion and a natural at obedience or rally down the road. Born the smallest puppy in the litter, she has never once acted like it.
Domino — teal collar · black & white girl
Domino is the sweetheart of the group. She’ll take one thoughtful beat to size up a new person — and then she’s all in, wagging and leaning in for the connection. She relaxed completely in handling, happily brought the toy back, and is as gentle and affectionate a puppy as you could ask for. She’s the kind of pup who gives you her whole heart once she trusts you, and who blossoms with calm, kind, reward-based attention. A wonderful companion in the making, and a lovely gentle-obedience or therapy-minded prospect for the right patient home.
Purdey — green collar · black & white girl
Purdey has the brain of a sport dog. Drop her into a new situation and she’ll take a moment to read the room — then engage, problem-solve, and get on with it. She recovered from every surprise, stayed curious, chased down the toy, and showed the steady toy-and-food motivation that makes training a joy. She’s not the puppy who barrels in without looking; she’s the one who thinks, then commits — exactly the pattern you love to see in a performance-minded pup with a patient partner who’ll reward her for figuring things out.
Diver — purple collar · liver & white girl
Diver is our quiet observer, an old soul in a puppy body. Where some of her littermates rush the room, she likes to take the world in first, watching carefully before she decides — and she is wonderfully calm and unbothered through handling, the sort of puppy who simply settles into your arms. She’s a gentle, low-key personality who will thrive in a calm, predictable home where she can come out of her shell at her own pace. For the family who wants a peaceful, undemanding shadow rather than a whirlwind, Diver is a gem.
Skeet — orange collar · black & white girl
Skeet is grace under pressure. She met the whole test with a quiet, unflappable composure — no squirming, no fuss, just a soft and gracious little girl taking it all in. Give her a moment to settle and her curiosity comes out; she checked out the umbrella, brought the ball back, and warmed to each new thing on her own terms. She’s a puppy who rewards a gentle, consistent hand with steady, willing partnership. Calm, sweet, and easy to be around — a genuinely lovely companion.
Hunter — gray collar · liver & white boy
Hunter is the strategist. He likes to watch and assess before he engages, and once he’s in, he’s a curious, methodical investigator — he actually walked up and licked the umbrella to figure out what it was. He lights up for a soft toy and a good food reward, which tells us exactly how to reach that clever brain of his. The heaviest puppy in the litter at birth, he’s grown into a thoughtful, observant boy who’ll shine for an active owner happy to trade a treat for engagement and build a partnership piece by piece.
Trap — blue collar · liver & white boy
If Wildcard is the people’s puppy among the girls, Trap is her match among the boys. He came right up tail-wagging, handled like a dream, and — tellingly — chose people over the toy every time; the tester came away saying he was her favorite of the morning. He’s stable, socially forward, and simply happiest when a human is part of the picture. That’s the profile of a wonderful family companion and a real standout for therapy, obedience, or rally work, where a puppy who works for connection is worth his weight in gold. Trap is still looking for his family.
Tracker — yellow collar · liver & white boy
Tracker is our confident, independent explorer — and, as it happens, the growth leader of the whole litter right now. He took his test at the very end of a long morning and still investigated everything put in front of him, showing the easygoing self-assurance and healthy food motivation of a puppy who’s comfortable in his own skin. He’s the into-everything type who checks things out for himself before deciding they’re interesting, and he’ll be a rewarding partner for an active owner who enjoys developing a bright, self-possessed dog. Like Trap, Tracker is still available and looking for the right home.
One litter, eight originals
That’s the whole Game On crew: people-lovers and thoughtful observers, sporty problem-solvers and gentle sweethearts, all in one litter. None of these little portraits is a grade or a guarantee — a seven-week test is a snapshot, and puppies keep growing into themselves. But taken together with everything we see from these eight every single day, it’s the best tool we have for the job that matters most to us: making sure each family goes home with the puppy that truly fits their life. A driven, into-everything pup and a gentle, watch-first soul both make marvelous companions — just for different families. Matching those up is the whole point.
Two of these personalities — Trap and Tracker, our two liver-and-white boys — are still looking for their people. If reading about them made you smile, we’d love to hear from you.
As always: when you meet your puppy, thank Etta first.
— Albert & Terra
Three Doves Performance Dogs — AKC Breeder of Merit, English Springer Spaniel
www.three-doves.com · info@three-doves.com · 636-751-3971
