Individual and group level personality change across the lifespan in dogs

Abstract

In humans, age-related changes in personality occur in a non-random fashion with respect to their direction, timing, and magnitude. In dogs, there are still gaps in our knowledge about the detailed dynamics of age-related personality changes. We analysed the personality of 217 Border collies aged from 0.5 to 15 years both cross-sectionally and longitudinally using a test battery, to specify age periods when changes most prominently occur, assess the magnitude of changes, and analyse individual differences in personality change. We found that similar to humans, changes in personality occur unevenly during the dogs’ life course, however, their dynamics seems to be specific for each trait. Activity-independence decreased mostly from puppyhood (0.5–1 years) to adolescence (> 1–2 years), then continued to decrease in a slowing rate. Novelty seeking did not change markedly until middle age (> 3–6 years), then showed a steady linear decrease. Problem orientation increased strongly until middle age then showed no marked changes in later age periods. We also revealed individual differences in personality change over time, and showed that a few individuals with potential age-related impairments significantly affected the general age trajectory of some traits. These results raise caution against the over-generalisation of global age trends in dogs.

Reliability and Validity of a Dog Personality and Unwanted Behavior Survey

“…In the future, we plan to analyze the dataset collected with this questionnaire, for example, examine the environmental factors associated with personality and unwanted behavior and the heritability of these traits. Behavior and personality traits are highly complex, as they are influenced by possibly hundreds of genes, tens of environmental factors in different life stages and interactions between these different factors [63], and behavior may change during life as well [64]. Therefore, longitudinal studies would be needed to assess the effect of these factors and trait change throughout life.…”

How Old Is My Dog? Identification of Rational Age Groupings in Pet Dogs Based Upon Normative Age-Linked Processes

“…Therefore, dogs that are 1 year old (aged between 12 and 24 months) could be classified as being "Young adults." Previous research has used a similar structure, with dogs aged 6-12 months classified as being in "late puppyhood" and dogs aged 1-2 years as "adolescents" (7,38).…”

“…The limited data available on the timing of behavioral maturation in dogs suggest that adolescent development may continue until dogs are ~2 years of age, as they still exhibit behavioral changes between the age of 1 and 2 years ( 7 , 36 ). Therefore, dogs that are 1 year old (aged between 12 and 24 months) could be classified as being “Young adults.” Previous research has used a similar structure, with dogs aged 6–12 months classified as being in “late puppyhood” and dogs aged 1–2 years as “adolescents” ( 7 , 38 ).…”

Successful and Unsuccessful Brain Aging in Pets: Pathophysiological Mechanisms behind Clinical Signs and Potential Benefits from Palmitoylethanolamide Nutritional Intervention

“…In veterinary medicine, "successfully aging" pets are considered those who do not show important impairments in daily routine [6] while usually manifesting slow deterioration in general activity and playing behavior [7]. Failure to respond to commands, decreased interest toward novelty, increased time spent sleeping, and frequency of phobias, as well as reduced ability to cope with mild social challenges are further features of normal aging in pets [8][9][10][11]. Learning and memory are not negatively affected in most cases, although cognitive abilities tend to slow down over time [12,13], especially if comorbidities are present, due to the recently acknowledged "frailty syndrome" of the elderly [14,15].…”