A test that can assess a dog's personality has helped to prove what pet owners know, but many psychologists deny: pooches have personality. The test, developed by Sam Gosling from the University of Texas at Austin and his colleagues, may help researchers to unravel the biology of animal and human character. Scientists readily accept that animals and humans share a similar anatomy and physiology, says Gosling, but many are reluctant to say that they share the traits of emotion and personality too. "Some see it as one more blow against the special status of humans," he says. Instead, many people believe that pet owners project their own personality onto their animals, and that true character is lacking. But personality traits are just as likely to have evolved in animals as physical traits, argues Gosling. What was needed was a test to prove that canine character exists. Gosling asked dog owners to rate their pet on four different personality traits. The traits, which are also found in humans, have positive and negative extremes - for example, dogs could be rated as energetic, slothful or somewhere in between.

The other traits were affection-aggression, anxiety-calmness and intelligence-stupidity.Strangers then watched the animals perform tasks in a local park, and rated them on the same characteristics. Anxiety, for example, was assessed from the dog's reaction as it watched its owner walk away with another hound.


View: Full Article | Source: Nature Journal