K. UZUNOVA1, R. BINEV11, Y. MITEV2, V. RADEV2, C. MITEVA2, T. SLAVOV2 and T. PENEV2
1 Trakia University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, BG - 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
2 Trakia University, Faculty of Agriculture, BG - 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria
UZUNOVA, K., R. BINEV, Y. MITEV, V. RADEV, C. MITEVA, T. SLAVOV and T. PENEV, 2013. Rapid identification of the temperament type in Dachshund, Pekinese and Japanese Chin companion dog breeds. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 19: 1134-1139
The aim of this study was to rapidly identify the temperament type which greatly influences the extent of the dog socialization in young puppies using the statuette test. For that, a total of 27, 7 week old puppies from 3 breeds used worldwide as companions (Dachshund, Pekinese and Japanese Chin breeds, 9 puppies from each breed) were tested 2 times after placing an odourless dog statuette in an empty and unfamiliar room, for specific behavioural activities (purposefulness / orientation, confidence, curiosity, indifference, fear and aggressive traits), leading to the establishment of the temperament type. The L (sanguine) type characterizing a strong and balanced temperament (highly correct orientation, high curiosity, no indifference, no fear, and high confidence and no aggressiveness) was encountered in 6 Dachshund, 5 Pekinese and only in 3 Japanese puppies. Two puppies from each breed exhibited the second strong temperament, the F (choleric) type, differing from the first by a weakly lower orientation and by some aggressive traits. The weak and balanced temperament (low orientation, weak confidence and curiosity but fear signs and no aggressiveness), the G (phlegmatic type) was found in only one Dachshund dog but in 4 Pekinese and Japanese Chin dogs whereas the last weak and unbalanced temperament, the A (melancholic or antisocial) type was evidenced only in 2 Japanese dogs. These results show that the strong temperament types (L and F at a lesser extend) leading to a stable and rapid socialisation can be rapidly and easily determined by the statuette test and were more frequently evidenced in the Dachshund than in Pekinese or Japanese Chin dogs.