A new method is revolutionising animal personality research, with the help of which it has been revealed what kind of personality free-living dogs have.

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A recent, comprehensive study reliably proves for the first time that behavioural tests are indeed suitable for uncovering the personality of free-living dogs. Experts from Vetmeduni examined the Moroccan dog population using two different methods, and obtained astonishingly stable, consistent results.

A new method can give a real picture of the personality of free-living dogs

A new method for understanding dogs’ personality

Dogs’ personality has long interested researchers, but until now the focus has mostly been on dogs living with owners. However, roughly 80% of the world’s dog population consists of free-living individuals and until now we have had hardly any reliable data about their true character. The latest research of the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna has brought significant progress. The experts examined the behaviour of more than two hundred Moroccan dogs using two complementary methods in order to reveal three key traits: attitude towards people, sociability with conspecifics, and exploratory tendency. The results far exceeded expectations, as it turned out that the personality of the furry ones can be measured consistently even weeks later, whether through observation or experimental tests.

A major breakthrough in personality research

Although research related to animal personality has increased significantly in recent years, it has still not produced clear results. A fresh study by the Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology at the University of Vienna examined how capable experimental tests are of capturing the natural behaviour of free-living dogs. The results showed that behavioural tests can indeed be used to examine the personality of the four-legged ones in everyday situations.

The research methods provided stable and consistent results

According to the study published in the journal iScience, the researchers examined a total of 201 free-roaming dogs living in the Souss–Massa region of Morocco, using two methods. Both methods showed that the same behavioural traits can be measured again even weeks later, which means that the applied tools truly captured durable, individual-specific personality traits. In addition, it was also observed that the results of the two methods can be well compared on an individual level as well, meaning that the personality of free-living dogs can be measured reliably in different situations too.

The lead author of the study, Urša Blenkuš, explains it as follows:

The first method was observational, based on behaviour of the dogs in their everyday environment, while the second involved an experimental test. In this behavioural test battery, each dog was sequentially presented with an unfamiliar human, a dog model, and a novel object to assess their reactions in various social and exploratory contexts.

The research also proves that longer and more complex behavioural tests can be successfully carried out even in noisy external environments, so they are not only applicable under laboratory conditions.

The findings of our study represent an important step in the exploration of personality in wild animals. Our research paves the way for including free-ranging populations in broader personality studies and enhances our understanding of the behavioural ecology of such species.

– Urša Blenkuš concluded their thoughts.

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