How clever is YOUR dog? Website uses games to test the intelligence and even personality type of man's best friend
- Pet owners begin by filling out personality questionnaires about their dogs
- They then play games with their pets, designed to test cognitive abilities
- These include games to test memory, reasoning, cunning and empathy
- Site creates a detailed report explaining the dog's full cognitive profile
- This can be compared to other dogs, breeds, ages and sizes
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The Dognition site uses questionnaires and games to determine a dog's personality type and character traits
Is your dog really as dopey as it seems, or is it just playing dumb to get its own way? Have you ever wondered why your pet runs round in circles, or barks at random things? It could be all down to their personality type.
The Dognition site, based in North Carolina, uses questionnaires and games to help dog owners determine how empathetic their pet is, how clever it is at solving problems, whether it is choosing to ignore you or genuinely doesn't know what you're saying, and more.
Dogs are assigned personality types with character traits and these can be compared to other dogs of the same breed, age and size, as well as other breeds.
It can be used by owners to learn more about how their dog thinks, train their pet more effectively or help decide which breed of dog to get next, for example.
Pet owners begin by filling out a personality questionnaire about their dog, including whether it is well-behaved, whether it listens to instructions, how it responds to being left alone or told off and so on.
Based on the results of this test, the owners are given a series of science-based games, designed to test a dog's level of empathy, communication, cunning - including whether they are trustworthy and loyal, or wily and devious - memory, and reasoning abilities.
Empathy involves reading and responding to the emotions of others, Communication tests how a dog uses information from others to learn about their environment, to test Cunning the games see how dogs use information to avoid being found out when doing something wrong.
The Memory game tests how the dogs use past experiences to influence future choices, and Reasoning looks into how the dog finds a solution to a new problem.
Pet owners begin by filling out a personality questionnaire about their dog. Based on the results of this test the owners are given a series of science-based games, designed to test a dog's level of empathy, communication, cunning, memory and reasoning abilities
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Linda Handlin from the University of Skövde in Sweden found owners who kissed their dogs the most had higher levels of oxytocin than other owners.
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These include a yawning game, to test whether a dog yawns with an owner and is therefore empathetic.
Another is an arm pointing game, designed to test communication skills, in which the owner points at a treat and the dog has to respond.
Once the owner plays the games, all the results are fed into the database and Dognition creates a detailed Profile Report that explains how the dog thinks.
Each dog is also categorised into one of nine personality types, including Einstein, Expert, Socialite, Stargazer, Charmer, Renaissance, Protodog, Maverick and Ace.
For example, the Renaissance Dog is a pet which is 'good at a little bit of everything' and Socialites are outgoing pets that are easily excitable.
The report also compares the results to other dogs of the same breed, age and sizes, as well as dogs from other breeds, to see whether the trait is specific to the breed or the individual.
This can help determine how a dog needs to be trained.
For example, if a dog or doesn't listen but understands the command they might not be cunning, they might instead need a specific method of communication such as eye contact.
Each dog is categorised into nine personality types, including Einstein, Expert, Socialite, Stargazer, Charmer, Renaissance, Protodog, Maverick and Ace, pictured
All the results are fed into the database and Dognition creates a detailed Profile Report that explains how the dog thinks. The report also compares the results to other dogs to see whether the trait is specific to the breed, or the individual
Charts, pictured, show how dogs compare with others in terms of each section. The white area is the average, and the dotted line is the individual dog's score
'These are science-based games that should be very fun to play with your dog, for both human and dog alike. And while you're doing it, you can know that you are participating in actual science that can be used to help dogs,' said Dognition founder Dr Brian Hare from Duke University.
'At the same time, it can reveal how your individual dog is thinking.'
All the results are anonymously stored so scientists can research dog behaviour and cognition and Dr. Hare and his team want to gather the data to analyse why some dogs or breeds communicate more effectively with humans, while others are more sociable.
One toolkit for one dog costs $39 (£24), which gives the owner a detailed report.
A toolkit plus yearly membership paid in full is $99 (£60) and entitles the owner to the games, detailed report as well as personalised training tips.
The most expensive option is $147 (£90) which is the yearly membership, but is paid for on a monthly basis. Dognition also donates a toolkit to charity Canine Companions in the U.S for every toolkit bought.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2439934/How-clever-YOUR-dog-Website-uses-games-test-intelligence-personality-type-mans-best-friend.html#ixzz2gsq8pBG9
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