How Well Do You Know Your Dog?

How well do you know your dog? You'll find out lots more about your pet's personality by answering the questions in this chart. Mark each box below with the number (from 1 to 5) that best describes your dog. Then add the numbers and put the total in the Score box.

1 - Almost always
2 - Over half the time
3 - About half the time
4 - Not usually
5 - Almost never

Training - My Dog:

___ Obeys well
___ Was easy to house-train
___ Is relaxed, not easily excitable
___Score

How trainable is your dog?

With a acore of 6 or lower, your dog should be trainable. Excitable dogs are easily distracted, so training them is more difficult.

Dominance - My Dog:

___ Obeys and doesn't growl at me
___ Is quiet, doesn't bark at noises in our home
___ Is nice to strangers and doesn't bark or growl at them when they come to our home
___ Doesn't seem to mind when disturbed
___ Score

A score of 6 or less means you have a great family pet. If your dog scores higher than 16 you should consult a veterinarian.

Relations with Humans - My Dog:

___ Is nice to people, doesn't bark at them
___ Is comfortable with strangers
___ Likes to be petted
___ Is comfortable with children
___ Score

Does your dog get along well with humans?

A score lower than 8 means your dog has adapted well to life in human company. A high score suggests that your pet has poor social skills and could be a fear-biter.

Relations with Other Dogs - My Dog:

___ Is self-assured in the presence of strange dogs
___ Is relaxed around other dogs
___ Likes to play with other dogs
___ Score

Does your dog get along with other dogs?

If your dog scores lower than 6, he or she likes being with other dogs. A high score means your pet probably wouldn't enjoy having other dogs in the house.

Activity Needs - My Dog:

___ Destroys things
___ Barks when excited or upset
___ Whines and demands attention
___ Needs physical activity
___ Score

How much activity does your dog require?

A score over 15 means you have a relaxed and self-contained pet. A low scoring dog requires lots of exercise and activity. These traits are largely inherited so there's not much you can do about them.

This information was obtained from Scientific Explorer.