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Should Dog Owners Take a Personality Test?

Monday, February 21, 2005

Dr. Sam Gosling, a psychologist who conducted research on dog owners to assess their relationship with pets, thinks that people and dogs should take personality tests before pairing up with each other.

Published today in the Scotsman:
He told the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC: "Dog shelters have to kill hundreds of dogs if they cannot find them homes, so they have a high incentive for trying to work out how well-matched a dog would be to a new owner."
A high incentive to find a well-matched dog??

Imagine going to an animal shelter, and being greeted by an "animal consultant" sounding a bit too much like a used-car salesman. "I want to show you this chocolate-lab that I think you're really going to love. What? You don't want a big dog? No problem! I've got a maltese that's perfect for you. It's a got a slight overbite, but hey it's nothing a little trip to the vet can't fix! You want a dachshund? We got dachshunds. You want a jack russell? We got jack russells."

All kidding aside. I think that personality matching does have merits. But I also think that it could prevent some dogs from getting adopted. Knowing what a dog's personality profile is could prevent some people from adopting it.

4 Comments:

  • "knowing what a dog's personality profile is could prevent some people from adopting it" that's the idea. There are some people who shouldn't adopt certain dogs. For instance, a softie should, as far as I've read, definitely not get a dog such as a German shephard. They need someone who can be firm but kind, a real leader. On the other hand, a Japanese chin would be miserable with an authoritarian type owner. They require a gentle touch. If a person gets a dog that is a bad match, it's more likely to be back at the shelter, and dogs who come back, have a super low chance of being adopted for good.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 9:07 AM, February 22, 2005  

  • I agree that its important to match pets to the right owner. Its counterproductive to place a pet in a home that isn't suitable for all involved. However I think that using a formal test as the only means of determining whether someone is a match or not is an extreme approach and could have a negative effect. I think that if used right and in conjunction with other means of determination, such as looking at the home environment, then any tool that can help make the best decision for animal and person is a good idea.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 10:07 AM, February 22, 2005  

  • I like the idea in priciple.
    However, if they had told me what my previously abused dog would be like, I may have run a mile! Which is heartbreaking because I love her to bits - quirky behaviour and all.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:43 PM, February 22, 2005  

  • I think a personality test would be a good suggestion for someone who is not sure what they are looking for in a pet, also the animal shelter could feel confident that the potential owner is legitt. (I hope spelled legitt right)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:06 PM, July 11, 2006  

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