Understanding Personality by Understanding Companion Dogs

The study of personality is well established in human psychology, with trait theory being perhaps the most widely accepted of the personality theories. Animal personality research has utilized trait theory to identify personality factors in a wide variety of animal species. However, it has been somewhat hampered by attempting to apply human personality dimensions to animals rather than investigating the depth and breadth of personality in individual animal species. Research into animal personality offers human personality researchers the chance to explore the evolution and development of human personality. This can best be done by exploring the expression of personality in other species without restriction to human personality models. This paper suggests that the dog, Canis familiaris, is a suitable species to begin with because of its unique place in human society, its history and familiarity with humans, and its genetic plasticity. A potential structure of canine personality is proposed. Big Five model, dog, personality Personality has been extensively studied in humans, and several theories exist which attempt to organize and explain the differences in thoughts, feelings, and actions that characterize different individuals. Of these theories, trait theory is the most widely accepted in human psychology. What are not explored in these theories are the issues of why do personality differences exist and when did they appear in the evolution of humans? If differences in personality offer some long standing survival advantage, then exploring the issue of animal personality may give some insights into human personality. Certainly, there is a body of evidence describing animal personality, but this often draws heavily on theories of human personality and is thus constrained by existing information. This paper suggests that perhaps identifying the full range of personality dimensions in just one well-known species, the domestic dog Canis familiaris, would offer insight into how personality may be organized in a non-human animal. Identification of points of similarities and differences between humans and dogs may then suggest processes by which personality differences evolved in two very diverse species. Address for correspondence: