Temperament Assessment Algorithm in Dogs

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the temperament of dogs on the basis of behavioral observations, with emphasis on 24 selected traits and behaviors. From the observations, the temperament of the dogs was determined and the animals were assigned to one of two personality groups: introvert or extrovert. The study involved 46 dogs. The agglomeration method, Pearson’s 1-r distance, and Ward’s binding method were used. As shown by the statistical analysis, 18 dogs (39%) were assessed as introverts and 28 dogs (61%) exhibited extrovert traits. To construct a model for the assessment of canine temperament using the identified traits, logistic regression was performed with the independent variables, number of extrovert traits (ETs) and introvert traits (ITs), and a dichotomous dependent variable (1 = extrovert, 0 = introvert), reflecting the assessment of the temperament of the dog based on the observations and results of the original questionnaire.