Study Finds Dogs’ Personalities Change with Age

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Researchers from the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, discovered that much like humans going through a midlife crisis when they hit middle age, dogs also experience predictable changes in their behavior as they grow older. The researchers gathered 217 border collies between six months and 15 years old and analyzed how adventurous and active they were. They found that dogs’ behavior and personalities change as they grow older before their personalities become stable by age six. After this, the dogs’ temperaments are likely to stay the same for the rest of their lives. The study showed that dogs’ interest in new things wanes at age three, and older dogs exhibit more reluctance to seek novelty. The study also found that dogs' frustration levels do not increase as they get older. In addition, the researchers found that although dogs' personalities change as they age, they remain social and obedient to their owners throughout their lives. The researchers did tests to determine when significant personality changes happen to dogs. They also evaluated the scope of these changes and the differences between individual dogs. One of the tests involved watching the dogs' reactions to new experiences by allowing them to explore an unfamiliar room and letting them interact with a self-moving toy. Another test assessed the dogs’ problem-solving abilities by making them find a piece of sausage hidden inside a container. The researchers demonstrated how to get the treat, then observed how the dogs would try to get the treat themselves. In addition to these, the researchers also looked at the dogs’ frustration levels by swinging a piece of sausage on a string out of their reach for one minute. Dr. Friederike Range, co-author of the study, said that future studies could re-test the dogs to confirm their findings. She added that following up on the same dogs would allow researchers to learn more about their behavior and understand more about individual differences in how the dogs’ personalities develop.