Temperament Evaluations for Dogs

Dog trainers, owners, shelters, breeders and behaviorists use a series of tests called temperament evaluations to determine a dog's individual temperament, measuring traits such as friendliness, play drive, shyness, stability, aggressiveness, confidence, protectiveness, prey instincts and the ability to distinguish between nonthreatening and threatening situations. Temperament testing can determine a dog's suitability for adoption as well as if it is a good candidate for breeding or can be trained as a therapy, assistance or search and rescue dog. According to Paw Rescue, the tests serve as a predictive tool of how a particular dog might act and react in various situations.

  1. Hereditary Influences

    • Much of any dog's behavior will be heavily influenced by hereditary factors, and the specific breed or mixture of breeds is the first obvious consideration when attempting to temperament test a dog. Each individual dog breed has in-born tendencies toward certain behaviors and temperament. Herding breeds tend to be energetic and active. Working dogs will lean towards adapting to the use they were originally bred for. For example, German shepherds are naturally protective and make good police and watch dogs, but often need a strong, dominant handler. Newfoundland dogs can be proficient in the water rescue work, but their size and stubbornness can make them difficult to train. Bernese mountain dogs are generally good family pets and if trained properly, can be adept at pulling carts, but some might also have a nervous disposition. While oft times cute and extremely intelligent, terriers can also be assertive and under certain circumstances aggressive. These particular hereditary influences need to be one of the first things considered in temperament testing.

    Environmental Influences

    • A dog's behavior is influenced as much by its environment as its genes: its actions and general temperament is often heavily influenced by its caregivers, training and surroundings. A dog breed with dominant tendencies can become a mature and safe, yet protective dog in the right environment. That same dog can become aggressive and dangerous towards other dogs and even humans when improperly handled.

    Shelter Dog Temperament Testing

    • Often when dogs are given up to animal shelters, it's usually because they have never received proper guidance or training. Many shelter dogs have been abused or were owned by people lacking the education and skills to handle the dog. These dogs are often dismissed as a "problem pet," when often the problems can be corrected by applying knowledge about canine care and management. Shelter workers and rescue volunteers often use temperament assessment to learn more about individual dogs in order to determine their adoptability. Temperament testing can determine what types of training and home environment will make a particular shelter dog adoptable.

    Puppy Temperament Testing

    • Socialization, education and environment are much more important to determining a puppy's potential than temperament testing, according to Shelter Dogs. However, assessing a puppy's sensitivity to various stimuli with temperament testing techniques can give you a general idea of a puppy's temperament.