Temperament is a common term used to describe the behavioral characteristics of dogs. Understanding dog temperament is crucial for prospective dog guardians, breeders, and working dog organizations when deciding what kind of dog will be the best fit for companion or working roles. It is one of the main things people consider when acquiring a pet dog or training a working dog and is a large contributing factor to the surrender of dogs to animal shelters (Schneider et al., 2013).
What is Dog Temperament?
In human research, temperament is defined as inherited tendencies that continue throughout life and serve as the foundation of personality—the characteristics of an individual that describe consistent patterns of feeling, thinking, and behaving (Jones & Gosling, 2005). It is much the same with dogs.
As such, temperament can affect all aspects of a dog’s life including how they perceive the environment, different situations, people, and animals they encounter. It can also influence a dog’s play style, how they socialize, and how they engage in training and learning. For example, a confident and sociable dog is more likely to enjoy trips to the dog park and café whereas a shy or fearful dog might find these situations overwhelming and is less likely to enjoy them. Temperament also influences how easily a dog becomes stressed and how they cope with stress.
Common Temperament Traits in Dogs
Temperament traits are measured on a scale with individual differences common both within and between breeds. Common temperament traits in dogs include:
- Sociability (friendliness vs. aloofness): Sociability refers to how social a dog is with people and other dogs. Dogs who are high in sociability are better suited to people and families who are also social whereas dogs who score low on sociability are better suited to quieter homes and less social people.
- Confidence (boldness vs. shyness): Bold dogs tend to cope better in new situations and environments whereas shy dogs benefit from gradual exposure and may need additional support to build their confidence.
- Fearfulness (calm vs easily startled/anxious): Calm dogs recover quickly following a scary event and are more resilient to stress whereas fearful dogs can react strongly to loud noises, strangers, or sudden changes in the environment and may take longer to recover.
- Excitability (high energy vs. low energy): Dogs who score high on excitability can become over-aroused quickly leading to jumping up, barking, and zoomies. Low energy dogs typically remain calmer, even in high energy environments or situations.
- Training focus (focused vs. easily frustrated): Focused dogs persist even when the task is difficult, demonstrating they will work hard for reinforcement whereas dogs who are easily frustrated may give up quickly or struggle to stay engaged during training.
- Aggression threshold (tolerance vs. reactivity): Some dogs have a higher threshold before displaying aggressive behavior whereas those with a low threshold may react quickly when stressed or scared.
Why Temperament Matters for Dog Owners
Dog temperament matters for potential dog owners as it should be used to inform the selection process when bringing a dog into the family. When people carefully consider a dog’s temperament and whether that dog will match their home environment and lifestyle, there’s a greater likelihood that person will enjoy a wonderful bond and the dog will have a life-long home. A mismatch can result in poor welfare and could pose a safety risk to the owner.
What Are Dog Temperament Tests?
Dog temperament tests are structured assessments designed to evaluate a dog’s typical behavioral responses to different everyday situations. Utilized by a variety of establishments including animal shelters, dog breeders, and working dog organizations, these tests aim to identify stable traits such as sociability, fearfulness, anxiety, and aggression threshold. The results of these tests are often used to help determine which dogs are best suited for breeding and working roles and to help match rescue dogs to prospective adopters (Mornement et al., 2010).
How Accurate Are Dog Temperament Tests?
Although dog temperament tests can provide a snapshot of a dog’s behavior, research suggests they are not particularly accurate at predicting future behavior, especially in a shelter setting (Mornement et al., 2015). This is because behavior is context specific and the shelter environment can be highly stressful for many dogs, affecting the results of temperament tests. For example, a study by McGuire et al., (2020) found that more than half of dogs identified as resource guarders in a shelter did not exhibit the behavior post adoption. Other limitations include the experience and knowledge of the person conducting the test and observing the dog, how the dog is handled during the assessment, the immediate environment (i.e. other dogs, people, noises in close proximity), and the test design itself.
When and How Should Dog Temperament Tests Be Conducted?
Dog temperament tests should be conducted ethically and fairly in a way that minimizes stress and anxiety and avoids pushing a dog beyond their limits to intentionally elicit an aggressive response. Temperament tests should involve exposing the dog to everyday situations, such as meeting people, meeting other dogs/animals, walking on lead, assessing known behaviors (e.g. sit, drop etc.), handling, and observing the dog’s responses.
The information collected should be used to inform the type of home the dog is suited to and to identify gaps in socialization or training that could be addressed prior to adoption. Temperament tests should be used as part of a broader assessment—not in isolation—and the results alone should not determine adoption suitability or euthanasia decisions. Those conducting temperament tests should be trained professionals with qualifications in dog behavior.
Beyond Tests: How To Determine a Dog’s Temperament
Rather than relying on temperament tests, a dog’s temperament is better understood across different real-world contexts and over time. If acquiring a dog from a registered and reputable breeder, inquire about the temperament of the parents. However, this does not guarantee the puppies will have similar temperaments. It’s common for puppies to vary in temperament traits even within a litter. Visiting the puppies and observing them yourself can provide clues but it’s important to understand that temperament is not stable until around 2 to 3 years of age. This is because puppies and dogs experience a number of developmental stages during this time and these, as well as life experiences, can influence temperament, even into adulthood.
Potential adopters can evaluate the temperament of dogs for adoption by speaking to shelter staff about the dog’s general behavior during their stay, their history (if known), and previous behavior/temperament traits if any information was obtained via a surrender questionnaire or interview. Foster carers are another excellent source of information regarding dog temperament in a less stressful home environment.
Temperament is an important consideration for everyone who breeds, works, or lives with dogs. Understanding the common temperament traits in dogs and choosing a dog well suited for the role of companion or working dog has welfare and safety benefits. However, temperament tests only provide a snapshot and a wholistic approach should be taken when collecting information about a dog’s temperament.
References
Jones, A. C., & Gosling, S. D. (2005). Temperament and personality in dogs (Canis familiaris): A review and evaluation of past research. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 95(1-2), 1-53.
McGuire, B., Orantes, D., Xue, S., & Parry, S. (2020). Abilities of canine shelter behavioral evaluations and owner surrender profiles to predict resource guarding in adoptive homes. Animals, 10(9), 1702.
Mornement, K. M., Coleman, G. J., Toukhsati, S., & Bennett, P. C. (2010). A review of behavioral assessment protocols used by Australian animal shelters to determine the adoption suitability of dogs. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 13(4), 314-329.
Mornement, K. M., Coleman, G. J., Toukhsati, S. R., & Bennett, P. C. (2015). Evaluation of the predictive validity of the Behavioural Assessment for Re-homing K9’s (BARK) protocol and owner satisfaction with adopted dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 167, 35-42.
Schneider, L. A., Delfabbro, P. H., & Burns, N. R. (2013). Temperament and lateralization in the domestic dog (Canis familiaris). Journal of Veterinary Behavior, 8(3), 124-134.
