16 July 2007
If your pet dog seems worried or is showing signs of neurotic behaviour, don't worry, it could be just their personality.
A new world-first study by Monash University researchers shows dogs have personalities that are very similar to our own and include traits such as self-assuredness, extraversion and amicability.
The study used methods drawn from human psychology to detect the key characteristics of canine personality and could be used to better match dogs with owners.
A survey of more than one thousand dog owners asked them to describe their dog's personality according to 67 descriptive words. The words were then grouped into five underlying personality components.
The results revealed personalities including energy and extraversion, nervousness and sensitivity, self-assuredness and motivation, responsiveness to training and amicability. Amicability translates, in human terms, to friendliness, but since dogs don't have the capacity to engage in the altruistic behaviour characteristic of human 'friendships', the alternative term amicability was used.
Senior Lecturer with the School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, and co-author of the paper, Dr Pauleen Bennett said since dogs had a strong relationship with humans it seems logical to know more about them and their psychological make up.
"There are of course differences between animals and humans, but we carefully selected adjectives which could be applied to dogs and the results confirm what devoted pet owners have always known; that individual dogs definitely have very distinct personality profiles," Dr Bennett said.
Dr Bennett said the study results could assist pet shelters to help pair dogs and potential owners.
"An outgoing young family might cope with an energetic puppy, while a dog with a placid personality would probably better suit an elderly person and a motivated dog may be the best type to engage in farm work or join our policing services," Dr Bennett said.
While broad stereotypes can already be applied to particular breeds of dog, co-author Dr Jacqueline Ley said there are plans to conduct further research in this area.
"Certain types of personality can be linked to breeding, but there's no guarantee that, for example, a kelpie will be hard-working or a labrador loyal," she said.
"The psychology test that we've used requires a person to have been in contact with the dog for at least a year so they can accurately interpret a dog's personality. We hope that further studies done in conjunction with animal shelters and dog handlers will enable an accurate testing method, regardless of the individual relationship between human and canine."
For more information, contact Ms Samantha Blair, Media & Communications on 03 9905 9315.
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