Persistence and human-directed behavior in detection dogs: Ontogenetic development and relationships to working dog success

Abstract

Dogs are increasingly utilized for specialized scent detection tasks. Methods for accurately identifying suitable candidates are lacking, as evidenced by the high rate of dogs failing to be placed in service. Given that behavioral factors have the greatest influence on working dog success, developing better methods for their identification is critical. The aim of this study was to use the ‘Unsolvable Task’ to measure persistence and social behavior in a population of candidate detection dogs (n = 81) to determine ontogenetic effects and potential relationships to detection dog success. Both human- and task-oriented behaviors were assessed in candidates of 3, 6, and 11 months of age. We found that human-directed gazing during the Unsolvable Task was nearly absent in puppies 6 months or younger and increased significantly at 11 months (p < .001), indicating that human-directed gazing increased with age and experience. Gazing was also predictive of future suitability as a detection dog; greater levels of gazing at the human experimenter during the Unsolvable Task at 11 months was associated with successful placement in service at 12 months (p = 0.001). Persistence was high across all age groups and was not predictive of future placement. Our findings provide further insights into ontogenetic effects on canine social cognition, and have potential implications for working dog selection and training.