Adopting a dog is a big decision and often, we focus on the surface level things like breed, appearance, or perceived sociability. However, these factors are not a reflection of a dog's true personality, and in fact, 25% of dogs chosen for these reasons end up in shelters. To find the perfect companion for our lives and homes, it's important to understand a dog's true character, including traits such as fearfulness, energy levels, aggression, excitability, motivation, and amicability. But how can we measure a dog's personality?

Traditionally, dog personality has been assessed by experts through observational assessments or psychological scales administered by the owner. These methods can be expensive, time-consuming, and prone to biases. But now, there's a more accessible solution.

Researchers from Nokia Bell Labs and EPFL have made an exciting discovery in the world of dog behavior. They found a way to use wearable devices to predict a dog's personality! They created a special device called "Patchkeeper" to help pet owners better understand their furry friends. Simply strap the device to your dog's chest, and you'll have access to four activity levels: moderate-vigorous activity at 92%, light and sedentary activity at 96%, and sleep at 98%.

In a one-week study, the researchers recruited dog owners to participate with their pets. They successfully monitored 12 healthy dogs and asked their owners to fill out a validated personality questionnaire covering ten traits: fearfulness, excitability, amicability, aggression towards people or other animals, extraversion, neuroticism, responsiveness to training, training focus, motivation.

By analyzing each dog's activity patterns, the researchers were able to make connections between the dog's personality and their activity levels. For example, they found that dogs who engaged in regular patterns of rest, following their internal circadian rhythms, were more likely to show characteristics such as fearfulness, excitability, motivation, and amicability, rather than aggression. On the other hand, dogs with high movements in the morning were more extraverted and potentially anxious or neurotic. Light activity in the morning was found to improve the dogs' alertness and responsiveness, resulting in better training focus and outcomes.

Many dog owners who participated in the study raved about the benefits of using wearable devices to monitor their pets' activity levels. One owner even said, "My dog can't talk, so a device that lets her 'speak' and show her feelings is priceless."

When you're searching for a new furry friend, don't just focus on looks. Get to know the real personality of your potential pet. It's not just the breed that makes a dog unique, it's their mind and soul. With Patchkeeper, we now have the ability to better monitor the sleep quality of our dogs.

Publications

• Quantified Canine: Inferring Dog Personality From Wearables. ACM CHI 2023 PDF