What Can Your Dog’s Personality Tell You?

April 23, 2019

Somewhere along the 15,000-year timeline of selective breeding in dogs, certain personality traits developed that can determine how long your pet will live. 

The difference between aggressive and docile dogs

According to one study out of Quebec published in the American Naturalist (June 2010), docile, shy, obedient dogs will live longer than bold, aggressive and disobedient breeds. The study also found that aggressive breeds have higher energy needs than unaggressive ones. But what does this mean?

Selective breeding in dogs

Over the centuries dogs were not just bred as faithful companions, they had a job to do: to help catch food for the humans, to keep rodents out of the barns, and to protect the home and livestock from predators. Depending on their job determined the size, appearance, and stock of the breed of dog. 

Live fast, die young

Through this selection process, other traits have coevolved accidentally like personality. The study found this connection by comparing life expectancy data of dogs who are easy to train to the mortality stats of aggressive, hard-to-handle breeds. Dogs of similar size were also compared to rule out discrepancies in natural lifespan. The researchers uncovered a live-fast-die-young connection between obedience and longevity: 

“Poodles, for instance, are about 30 per cent more docile than boxers and four times as likely to live past 10; the English springer spaniel, meanwhile, is 34 per cent more docile than the basset hound and twice as likely to see its 10th birthday.” ~ Study Lead, Vincent Careau, Ph.D. 

Pace-of-Life Syndrome

This is important as similar findings in human studies exist showing a correlation between personality, growth rate, energy output, reproductive history and lifespan, known as the Pace-of-Life Syndrome:

Proactive personalities in dogs exhibit high levels of activity, boldness, and aggression, and these relate to a fast “pace of life.” 

Whereas docile, obedient dogs with lower energy needs are quite content to just to stay by their owner’s side and watch the world go by. They take life at a slower pace and never get too worked up about anything.

Steady pace wins the race

We can all learn from this research and from our amazing dogs. Those docile, obedient pups know a secret or two about life: steady pace wins the race.

Photo credit:  DaPuglet ~ Young At Heart!