Dog Behavior Research Articles

The Use of Triaxial Accelerometers and Machine Learning Algorithms for Behavioural Identification in Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris): A Validation Study.

Assessing the behaviour and physical attributes of domesticated dogs is critical for predicting the suitability of animals for companionship or specific roles such as hunting, military or service. Common methods of behavioural assessment can be time consuming, labour-intensive, and subject to bias, making large-scale and rapid implementation challenging. Objective, practical and time effective behaviour measures may be facilitated by remote and automated devices such as accelerometers. This study, therefore, aimed to validate the ActiGraph® accelerometer as a tool for behavioural classification. This study used a machine learning method that identified nine dog behaviours with an overall accuracy of 74% (range for each behaviour was 54 to 93%). In addition, overall body dynamic acceleration was found to be correlated with the amount of time spent exhibiting active behaviours (barking, locomotion, scratching, sniffing, and standing; R2 = 0.91, p < 0.001). Machine learning was an effective method to build a model to classify behaviours such as barking, defecating, drinking, eating, locomotion, resting-asleep, resting-alert, sniffing, and standing with high overall accuracy whilst maintaining a large behavioural repertoire.

Comparison of the Efficacy and Welfare of Different Training Methods in Stopping Chasing Behavior in Dogs.

Controversy surrounds the efficacy and welfare implications of different forms of dog training with several studies asserting that electronic shock collars have negative welfare impacts while not being more effective than non-aversive methods. However, these studies did not specify the schedule and intensity of punishment used or the effectiveness of the training method. In the current study, we attempted to train dogs across six sessions to desist from chasing a fast-moving lure in one of three randomly assigned conditions and then tested for retention and generalization in four further test trials. Group A was trained with e-collars; Group B was trained with non-aversive methods and the lure moving as with Group A; and Group C was trained as for Group B but with the lure initially moving slowly before its speed was progressively increased. All dogs in Group A stopped running towards the lure after one or two sessions, and none chased the lure in the first three tests: 67% of these dogs chased the lure in the final test in a novel arena. None of the dogs in the either Group B or C successfully refrained from chasing the moving lure in training or any test. Video behavior coding indicated few stress-related behaviors across the training groups.

Effects of a Brief Separation From the Owner While in the Home Environment: Comparison of Fearful and Control Dogs

ABSTRACT Separation from their owner is stressful for some dogs. Studies examining this phenomenon are usually carried out in novel places. However, given that separation distress can also impact the behavior and welfare of dogs in their home environment, it is critical to study them in this context as well. Our first aim was to evaluate the reactions of dogs to a brief separation from their owner in the home. Secondly, we aimed to examine differences in the reactions of dogs classified as fearful, without (n = 27) and with (n = 17) aggressive responses, as well as controls (n = 28). All dogs were adults, from various breeds and mixes, and lived as pets. Each dog’s behavior was evaluated across three phases: (1) 2 min interaction with owner (baseline), (2) 3 min separation from the owner (alone), and (3) 2 min after the owner returned (owner return). We measured exploration as well as affiliative and stress behaviors. The results show that dogs explored the environment more in phase 1, directed more behaviors toward the door through which the owner had left in phase 2, followed the owner leaving at the end of phase 2, and greeted them when they returned in phase 3. Dogs also spent more time near the owner after their absence in phase 3 than in phase 1. A decrease in exploration triggered by the absence of the owner in phase 2 and a lack of full exploration recovery in phase 3 were observed as possible indicators of stress. No differences were found between fearful dogs and controls. The results indicate that it is possible to evaluate dogs’ reactions to separation from their owner in a more naturalistic context. This could aid in the development of strategies to improve separation-related problems in dogs and thus improve their welfare and quality of life.

A hound-inspired pre-hybridized genetic approach for router placement in wireless mesh networks

In the last years, wireless mesh networks (WMNs) have gained more and more popularity in many research and industrial applications thanks to their easy implementation, maintenance, and great reliability at a low cost. Nevertheless, for a large number of nodes, the performance of such networks is heavily influenced by the positioning of routers and gateways over the area to be covered. In this paper, we tackle the router placement problem, which is known to be NP-hard, and its approximate solution through a meta-heuristic approach. The proposed solution empowers the benefits offered by a genetic algorithm pre-hybridized with a local search approach inspired by the behavior of hound dogs. The basic idea is to exploit the dogs’ capabilities in moving throughout the solution space to effectively explore it by placing themselves in areas that are more favorable for achieving a high-quality approximate solution in a reasonable time. Experimental results on several benchmarking instances and comparisons with the most effective state-of-the-art algorithms have demonstrated the potential of the proposed approach. This is evidenced by very high connectivity and coverage, a low number of generations, and a small GA population required for convergence. This results in low computational effort and significant time savings, which are of paramount importance in IoT and edge scenarios. We remark that, although offering potential, at the current state, our proposal is not able to adapt to areas with obstacles or irregular shapes.

Personality Unleashed: Surveying Correlation of Neuter Status and Social Behaviour in Mixed-Breed Male Dogs across Weight Classes.

This study investigates the behavioural differences between neutered and intact dogs. A total of 230 questionnaires of neutered (n = 115) and intact (n = 115) mixed-breed male dogs were collected. Small, medium, large, and giant dogs were analysed to investigate a possible influence of body size. The results showed neuters were significantly more stressed than intacts (multinomial logistic regression, p = 0.001). In terms of stress by influences (such as separation anxiety and anxiety at car rides), neutered small, medium, and large dogs were more stressed than giant dogs (multinomial logistic regression, p = 0.05). Neuters were also found to be more aggressive in general (multinomial logistic regression, p = 0.04) and more aggressive on the walk (multinomial logistic regression, p = 0.02). In addition, personality questionnaires revealed significant differences in all characteristics. Neuters were less emotionally calm (multiple ordinal regression, p = 0.03), less trainable and less sociable (each multiple ordinal regression, p < 0.001). They also scored lower on extraversion (multiple ordinal regression, p = 0.04). These findings highlight the importance of further research into the behavioural effects of neutering dogs, as well as the need for evidence-based guidelines for neutering practices.

Everyday Misanthropy: Attitudes towards Owning a Dog as a Pet in Today's Serbia

Although the general thematic framework of this text is the relationship between humans and animals, the comments and testimonies about dogs presented in this text are, in fact, comments and testimonies about humans. Dog behavior represents a framework and an occasion for dealing with human behavior by commentators and respondents. It aims to highlight the inaction of what is being commented on or what is being said, whether it is seen through the perspective of people who own dogs, or that of people who do not and who consider the current practice of keeping them excessive. Not all comments and statements are unambiguously formulated according to the "for" and "against" principle of a given practice, but in spite of that, most of them have a clear value orientation in favor or against it. The commentators and respondents’ tendency to present their point of view as unbiased is the starting point of their discursive confrontation with the opinions and behaviors that they do not like. The final part of the procedure is the evaluation of other people in a way that it equates them with their attitudes: people are assessed based on the evaluation of how well their opinion aligns with the part of the worldview related to the specific topic being commented on by those who are evaluating. The purpose of the evaluation is to establish one's own statement about what the sociocultural normative should look like in terms of what is being commented on. The evaluation is based on personal views and experiences related to the behavior of the actors in the given practice – dogs and their owners – with the notion of what is culturally normal in this regard. The notion of cultural normality is based on what is perceived as common everyday interaction among people, guided by the idea of sociability, as well as on the knowledge of the legal regulations of the given area. The idea of the commentators and respondents is that it is possible to establish an ideal image of the behavior of dog owners, their pets, and the people they interact with in public in sociocultural everyday life. Respecting mutual needs in terms of using shared physical space, as well as maintaining hygiene in it, having a positive affective attitude towards both dogs and people, not disturbing others in any way, including unprovoked judgment, are the basic elements of this ideal image – regardless of the perspective from which it is viewed. Deviation from this in specific actions – whether it is not collecting feces after a dog's defecation, mocking dog owners for any reason, or anything else – is considered non-committal. Misanthropic attitudes, therefore, arise in the expected form of disdain for such behavior, or at least pointing out human mistakes.

Canine hyper-sociability structural variants associated with altered three-dimensional chromatin state

Strong selection on complex traits can lead to skewed trait means and reduced trait variability in populations. An example of this phenomenon can be evidenced in allele frequency changes and skewed trait distributions driven by persistent human-directed selective pressures in domesticated species. Dog domestication is linked to several genomic variants; however, the functional impacts of these variants may not always be straightforward when found in non-coding regions of the genome. Four polymorphic transposable elements (TE) found within non-coding sites along a 5 Mb region on canine CFA6 have evolved due to directional selection associated with heightened human-directed hyper-sociability in domesticated dogs. We found that the polymorphic TE in intron 17 of the canine GTF2I gene, which was previously reported to be negatively correlated with canid human-directed hyper-sociability, is associated with altered chromatin looping and hence distinct cis-regulatory landscapes. We reported supporting evidence of an E2F1-DNA binding peak concordant with the altered loop and higher expression of GTF2I exon 18, indicative of alternative splicing. Globally, we discovered differences in pathways regulating the extra-cellular matrix with respect to TE copy number. Overall, we reported evidence suggesting an intriguing molecular convergence between the emergence of hypersocial behaviors in dogs and the same genes that, when hemizygous, produce human Williams Beuren Syndrome characterized by cranio-facial defects and heightened social behaviors. Our results additionally emphasize the often-overlooked potential role of chromatin architecture in social evolution.

Behavioural differences and similarities between dog breeds: proposing an ecologically valid approach for canine behavioural research.

The behaviour of dogs holds great relevance for not only scientists from fundamental and applied research areas, but also due to the widespread roles of dogs in our societies as companions and working animals; their behaviour is also an important factor in animal and human welfare. A large proportion of dogs currently under human supervision belong to one of roughly 400 recognised breeds. Dog breeds can be characterised by distinctive, predictable and reproducible features, including some of their behavioural traits. To the scientist, the comparative analysis of the behaviour of dog breeds provides an opportunity for investigating an array of intriguing phenomena within an easily accessible model organism created from natural and human-driven evolutionary processes. There are many ways to design and conduct breed-related behavioural investigations, but such endeavours should always be based around biologically relevant research questions and lead to ecologically valid conclusions. In this review, we surveyed recent research efforts that included dog behaviour-related comparisons and applied a critical evaluation according to their methods of breed choice and the subsequent research design. Our aim was to assess whether these two fundamentally important components of experimental design provide a solid basis to reach valid conclusions. Based on 97 publications that fulfilled our selection criteria, we identified three primary methods used by researchers to select breeds for their investigations: (i) convenience sampling; (ii) hypothesis-driven, ancestry-based sampling; and (iii) hypothesis-driven, functional sampling. By using the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) evaluation system, we highlight each of these techniques' merits and shortcomings. We identify when particular methods may be inherently unable to produce biologically meaningful results due to a mismatch between breed choice and the initial research goals. We hope that our evaluation will help researchers adopt best practices in experimental design regarding future dog breed comparisons.

Umwelt and Melody: The Inter-Species Dynamics of Search and Rescue Dog Teams

This text explores Search and Rescue (SAR) dog work, examining the interplay of Umwelt, semiosis, and behavior in both dogs and humans. Drawing on Uexküll’s notion of Umwelt, the discussion unfolds across two semiotic levels: endosemiosis, involving the constitution of species-specific Umwelten through non-mimetic processes, and exosemiosis, reflecting semiotic interactions within the established Umwelt. Emphasizing the Kantian influence on Uexküll, the text parallels the concept of transcendental schematism with monogram drafting, illustrating how organisms constitute their Umwelten. The exploration extends to Merleau-Ponty’s interpretation of the monogram in Kant and the Umwelt in Uexküll, framing behavior as melodic and underscoring the reciprocal influence between an organism and its Umwelt. Shifting focus to SAR dog teams, the essay elucidates the melodic teamwork between human handlers and dogs. It discerns the convergence of distinct search tones—human-driven rescue tones and dog-driven reward tones—harmonizing in a dynamic inter-species melody. The melodic metaphor, inspired by Merleau-Ponty, illuminates the shared behavioral space where humans and dogs contribute tonalities to the melody of SAR searches. The exploration underscores the handler’s role in facilitating this melodic collaboration, requiring interpretation deeply immersed in the movements of the dog, and a balance between guidance and trust in the dog’s autonomy during the search.

Impact of hypersensitivity-hyperactivity syndrome on the quality of life of dogs and their owners

This study investigates the impact of the behaviours of dogs with hypersensitivity-hyperactivity syndrome (HSHA) on their quality of life (QoL) and that of their owners. Dogs classified under this diagnosis label present polymorphous and productive symptoms that often leads to owner exhaustion and significant challenges in daily life. Utilizing a survey to collect data on the mental and physical health of dogs and the well-being of their owners, the study compared 20 HSHA-affected dogs with matched 20 control dogs. Resultsreveal that owners of HSHA dogs report significantly lower QoL scores compared to owners of control dogs, citing increased stress, physical injuries, and emotional distress. Additionally, HSHA dogs exhibited lower well-being and more frequent physical health issues, such as injuries and digestive problems, compared to control dogs.The findings underscore the need for early diagnosis and effective management of HSHA to improve the welfare of affected dogs, prevent potential relinquishments or euthanasia, and enhance the quality of life for their owners. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies with larger and more diverse populations to develop targeted strategies for managing HSHA in dogs, ultimately fostering healthier and happier human-animal relationships.

A Novel Technique for the Optimization of Energy Cost Management and Operation of Microgrids Inspired from the Behavior of Egyptian Stray Dogs

Managing costs in microgrids presents a formidable challenge due to the intricate blend of renewable and non-renewable energy sources that underpin their power generation. Ensuring seamless integration of microgrids with the national grid is pivotal for continuous load demand satisfaction and adherence to liberalized energy market mandates. To address this challenge, this paper introduces a new optimization technique for the Cost Management and Operation System (CMOS) of multi-source microgrids through a smart management unit. The cornerstone of this unit is the Egyptian Stray Dog Optimization (ESDO) algorithm, meticulously designed to optimize operational costs in line with load demands, energy cost dynamics, and generation proficiencies. Rigorous testing of the proposed system was conducted on a multi-resource microgrid using MATLAB, encompassing various operational scenarios. The simulation outcomes consistently highlighted the unit’s capability to achieve optimal cost-efficiency. Comparative analysis with other optimization techniques, particularly Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), demonstrated the superior performance of the Egyptian Stray Dog algorithm, underscoring its potential as a leading solution in this domain.

Dose-dependent responses: a preliminary investigation into the olfactory effects of essential oil concentrations on canine behavior.

The positive impact of essential oils (EOs) on stress release has been demonstrated in both humans and dogs. Among the EOs known for their anxiety-reducing properties, including Cananga odorata, Citrus aurantium, Cupressus sempervirens, Lavandula angustifolia, and Litsea citrata, there is a lack of consensus on the optimal concentration for efficacy. This exploratory study sought to investigate the effects of olfactory enrichment with a blend of these EOs on dogs introduced to an unfamiliar environment. The authors sought to determine the minimum concentration required to achieve increased relaxation. In a randomized controlled crossover study design, 54 dogs were exposed to 0, 1, 5, and 10 drops of the EO blend applied to their collars before entering an unfamiliar room with their owners. Behavioral observations were employed to quantify the total duration of activity and relaxation related behaviours for each dog under each treatment condition. A significant difference in panting was identified among the treatments (χ2(3) = 9.88; p = 0.020). Dunn-Bonferroni post-hoc tests revealed a significant reduction in panting during the 10 drops treatment compared to the control treatment (p = 0.047). No significant differences were observed for other behaviors. To provide a comprehensive overview of behavioral tendencies in this canine population, owners also completed the Canine Behavioral Assessment and Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ), revealing low scores for anxiety in the study group. These preliminary findings suggest that a concentration of 10 drops of the EO blend on a dog's collar induces increased relaxation, specifically reflected in decreased panting behavior. Lower concentrations did not exhibit a significant relationship with the observed behaviors. These initial findings underscore the importance of exposing dogs to an appropriate concentration of EOs when exploring their potential benefits on welfare among dogs with low anxiety levels. Further research in this area is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the potential benefits of EOs for canine welfare.

An incredible journey from veterinary nursing to human-animal bond researcher.

Sandra McCune volunteered at her local animal shelter aged 13 and, fascinated by dog and cat behaviour, she went on to become an RVN and then a leading researcher in the field of human-animal interactions.

New Advances in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-like Dogs.

Similar to humans, dogs could suffer an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder-like syndrome (ADHD-like). In fact, several studies highlight the use of dogs as a model for studying ADHD. This condition entails behavioral problems expressed through impulsivity, attention issues, hyperactivity, and/or aggression, compromising the quality of life for both the caregiver and the dog. The pathophysiology of ADHD-like is complex and is associated with dysregulation of various neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine. The expression of ADHD-like behavior in dogs would appear to depend on a classical gene-environment interaction as is the case with many neurological disorders in humans. In addition to the described symptomatology, ADHD-like dogs can exhibit strong comorbidities with compulsive behaviors, aggressiveness, inappropriate elimination and fearfulness, in addition to epilepsy, foreign body ingestion, and pruritus. In spite of the fact that there is no veterinary consensus about the diagnosis of ADHD-like, some validated questionnaires could be helpful, but these cannot be used as a unique diagnostic tool. The use of drugs, such as fluoxetine, in addition to an adequate environmental enrichment, relaxation protocols, and behavior modification can achieve an adequate quality of life for both the dog and caregivers.

Effectiveness of canine training using suit-mounted feeder

Enhancing Canine–Human communication during training is an important research. We aim to strengthen the communication between canines and humans during the training of canine remote control using robotic technology. Training using rewards is a widely known technique to boost canine ability. So far, this method has consisted of giving rewards from humans, thus creating a strong connection between humans and canines; however, this method can also cause canines to become overly fixated on the people who feed them. Fixation prevents canines from performing behaviors away from people. For that reason, this study explores the possibility of using robotic technology to reduce canine fixation on their trainer. This paper evaluates dog behavior during training with reduced human intervention using a backpack-like device, which provides food as a reward. This method of training is assessed in two dogs by comparing the training time, number of feedings, and number of times the dog looks at nearby humans, as compared to the traditional method. The suit-mounted feeder was used to train the two dogs to follow a spot-light, achieving a success rate of 96.4% in feeding during training. There was no significant difference in training time or number of feedings required for training with this method compared to traditional human-rewarded training methods. On the other hand, it was suggested that the device could reduce the number of times the dogs looked at their trainer by up to 84.7%. Changes in gait caused by the suit and feeder were also evaluated based on the percentage of the swing phase of gait. The results indicate that the presence or absence of the feeder device does not affect the dog's gait. Continued canine training without fixation on the feeder or the trainer could allow the working dogs to demonstrate its abilities in remote areas.

Invasion in cold: weather effects on winter activity of an alien mesopredator at its northern range

Whether an invasive species thrives in cold ecosystems depends on its response to winter weather. A potential threat to these ecosystems in Europe is the invasive raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides). The survival of this mesopredator is supported in cold weather, because it can periodically use winter sleep, but its winter activity levels compared to native mesopredators remain unclear. We investigated the winter behaviour of raccoon dogs in Finland, near the edge of their invasion front, and compared their activity to native red foxes and badgers. Using wildlife cameras, we found that raccoon dogs do reduce activity during the coldest months, but camera observations did not strongly correlate with temperature perhaps due to feeding at camera sites. That is, artificial food sources may have increased raccoon dogs’ winter activity. Nevertheless, they responded more clearly to temperature drops than red foxes, but were more active than badgers that were mostly dormant and thus absent from our data. GPS-tracked raccoon dogs remained at some level active through winter, even near subarctic regions, but the cold and snowy weather clearly decreased activity and individuals stayed close to their nests during the coldest periods. Overall, these findings suggest that raccoon dogs can maintain some winter activity even in extremely cold environments, and they readily exploit human-provided resources. This potential ability to thrive in cold regions highlights the invasive potential of raccoon dogs. As winters become milder due to climate change, their numbers could increase significantly within cold-adapted ecosystems, impacting native species and posing conservation challenges.

Advanced techniques for automated emotion recognition in dogs from video data through deep learning

Inter-species emotional relationships, particularly the symbiotic interaction between humans and dogs, are complex and intriguing. Humans and dogs share fundamental mammalian neural mechanisms including mirror neurons, crucial to empathy and social behavior. Mirror neurons are activated during the execution and observation of actions, indicating inherent connections in social dynamics across species despite variations in emotional expression. This study explores the feasibility of using deep-learning Artificial Intelligence systems to accurately recognize canine emotions in general environments, to assist individuals without specialized knowledge or skills in discerning dog behavior, particularly related to aggression or friendliness. Starting with identifying key challenges in classifying pleasant and unpleasant emotions in dogs, we tested advanced deep-learning techniques and aggregated results to distinguish potentially dangerous human--dog interactions. Knowledge transfer is used to fine-tune different networks, and results are compared on original and transformed sets of frames from the Dog Clips dataset to investigate whether DogFACS action codes detailing relevant dog movements can aid the emotion recognition task. Elaborating on challenges and biases, we emphasize the need for bias mitigation to optimize performance, including different image preprocessing strategies for noise mitigation in dog recognition (i.e., face bounding boxes, segmentation of the face or body, isolating the dog on a white background, blurring the original background). Systematic experimental results demonstrate the system’s capability to accurately detect emotions and effectively identify dangerous situations or signs of discomfort in the presence of humans.

Genome-wide association study for morphological and hunting-behavior traits in Braque Français Type Pyrénées dogs: A preliminary study

High-throughput genotyping offers great potential to increase our understanding of the genomic basis of canid variation. Braque Français Type Pyrénées (BRA) are smart, agile, and friendly dogs originally developed for tracking, hunting, and retrieving feathered game. On a population of 44 unrelated BRA dogs, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data from the CanineHD Whole-Genome Genotyping BeadChip and evaluation scores for 12 traits related to morphology and hunting performance were available. After quality filtering, 95,859 SNPs on the 38 dog autosomes (CFA) were retained. Phenotypic scores were expressed on a scale from 1 (worst) to 6 (best) and were mostly poorly to moderately correlated except for some morphological traits (e.g. r = 0.81 between the conformation of the head and that of the eye). From GWAS, a total of 378 SNP-phenotype associations with posterior odds of association > 1 have been detected. The strongest associations were found for the eye conformation, for the skull/muzzle ratio, and for connection to the hunter. These included both new and previously identified markers and genes potentially involved with type and behavior traits in BRA. Six of the significant markers mapped within SETDB2, a gene known to be related to pointing behavior in dogs. These results advance our understanding of the genetic basis for morphology and hunting behavior in dogs and identify new variants which are potential targets for further research.

Evaluation of cortisol levels and behavior in dogs during animal-assisted interventions in clinical practice

Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) is designed to improve the physical or psychological condition of clients through targeted work that involves animals. For the long-term high-quality implementation of AAI, the maximum welfare of the participating animals must be ensured. The most frequently involved type of animal is the dog and therefore the aim of this study was the assessment of the cortisol level and the behavior of dogs during AAI. Fifteen dogs with long-term working experience in clinical practice with AAI were involved in the study. Cortisol was evaluated from a saliva sample during 4 experimental and 4 control days. On each day, the samples were taken three times in total - before the therapy, after its end, and with a half-hour interval. At the same times, samples were taken on control days as well. The ethogram questionnaire was used. After each session, the handler completed a questionnaire consisting of 25 behaviors. For each type of behavior, the handler indicated whether it occurred during the session and, if so, added the frequency of the behavior. Statistical analysis of the baseline data of the measured cortisol concentrations showed no statistically significant difference between the sampling times, on both experimental and control days. There was also no significant difference when comparing the data from the experimental and control days. The ethogram questionnaires recorded a difference between the different categories of behavior. Results indicate that when AAI is properly guided and respects the individual needs of the dog, AAI can be a meaningful and fulfilling activity that creates fun and active contact for the dog with its handler and the client.

Towards an Objective Measurement Tool for ADHD-like Traits in Family Dogs: A Comprehensive Test Battery.

Family dogs exhibit neuropsychological deficits similar to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in humans. Questionnaire methods have mostly been used to assess ADHD-like behaviours in dogs. In addition to our validated questionnaire (Dog ADHD and Functionality Rating Scale-DAFRS; 2024), we developed a simple behavioural test battery covering the ADHD symptom domains (i.e., inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity) in dogs. Our main aim was (i) to provide a final external validation step to the DAFRS by examining its associations with the test variables (N = 59); and (ii) to compare owner- and trainer-rated factor scores' associations with the test variables (n = 38). We developed four tests covering the ADHD symptom domains: the attention test (inattention), the plush dog test (impulsivity), the leash test, and the sit test (hyperactivity). All four behavioural variables correlated with their respective questionnaire scores, i.e., the strongest for hyperactivity, and the least strong for inattention. Both owner- and trainer-rated scores (n = 38) correlated with the relevant test variables in an expected direction. Dogs' training status was linked only to the sit test results. Test-retest analyses (n = 34) indicated moderate-to-excellent agreement across all behavioural variables. Our findings support the validity of our novel human-analogue questionnaire for dogs as the behavioural tests strongly correlate with the relevant questionnaire scores, indicating that the two constructs together can effectively assess inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity in dogs.