CFAES Give Today
Ohio 4-H Youth Development

Ohio State University Extension

CFAES

PetPALS SPP #9

SPP Test 9. Supervised Separation 

This test demonstrates that if you leave your animal with a trusted person it will maintain its training and good manners.

The youth will leave the animal with the evaluator and go out of sight for 3 minutes. The evaluator will hold the animal on his/her lap, with the pet either wearing a harness and on a leash, or in a pet bed or basket. The evaluator may interact with the animal, but not restrain the pet from trying to leave. When 3 minutes are up, the youth will come back for the pet.

During the 3 minutes the pet should not be excessively nervous, fearful, show extreme stress, try to leave the evaluator, show aggression, or continually vocalize.

In this video clip, the youth hands the cat to the evaluator and then leaves for 3 minutes. The evaluator pets the cat, and the cat shows no separation anxiety for her handler.

In this video clip the evaluator holds the basket containing the guinea pig while the handler is out of sight for 3 minutes. The evaluator does not interact with the guinea pig; however, could occasionally pet the animal during the 3 minutes. This video clip could also represent the Sit and Down on Command in SPP Test 6.