Poster Presentation The International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ): 27th Annual Conference 2018

Investigating performance on the Kong test with domestic dogs. (#239)

Tania C Plueckhahn 1 , Luke A Schneider 1 , Paul H Delfabbro 1
  1. The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia

Introduction: Laterality is measured using a variety of tests to determine an individuals’ preference for using one side of the brain over the other during a particular task. In the domestic dog, lateralisation has been found to be associated with success in service roles, such as Guide Dogs (Batt et al., 2008), whereas strength of paw preference has been shown to be related to noise phobia (Branson & Rogers, 2006). The Kong® test is a widely used method for testing lateralisation in domestic dogs. Historically very few researchers have reported non-response to the test.

Methodology: Assessment of paw preference was conducted on 96 dogs, with additional demographic and temperament data collected from the owners (MCPQ-R; (Ley et al., 2009); CBARQ; (Serpell & Hsu, 2001)). The criteria for completion of the test was standardised for this study to 50 left or right paw touches of the Kong within a one hour time limit; each dog was presented with a Kong filled with the same frozen food.

Main results: The results showed almost 25% did not engage with the test, 15% failed to reach the required 50 touches and 60% of dogs completed the test. Those dogs less likely to complete the task had higher owner rated levels of “neuroticism” (MCPQ-R; t(94) = 2.17, p = 0.033, CI95% [0.67, 15.42], d = 0.44). The location where the assessment took place showed a non-significant trend towards dogs tested in a novel environment less likely to respond. Factors unrelated to performance on the test included other temperament measures; being from a single or multiple dog household; and the, sex and age of the individual dog. Taller dogs and those who slept apart from their owners were the most likely to complete the test.
 
Principal conclusions and implications for the field: The results suggest the Kong® test is most appropriate for larger breeds, those often used in service positions, and may be a preferred method for assessing this group Future research may further investigate these factors and how they might influence performance on the Kong® test of motor.

  1. Batt, L., Batt, M., Baguley, J. A., & McGreevy, P. D. (2008). Factors associated with success in guide dog training. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 3(4), 143-151. doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2008.04.003
  2. Branson, N. J., & Rogers, L. J. (2006). Relationship between paw preference strength and noise phobia in Canis familiaris. J Comp Psychol, 120(3), 176-183. doi: 10.1037/0735-7036.120.3.176
  3. Ley, J. M., McGreevy, P., & Bennett, P. C. (2009). Inter-rater and test–retest reliability of the Monash Canine Personality Questionnaire-Revised (MCPQ-R). Appl Anim Behav Sci, 119(1-2), 85-90. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2009.02.027
  4. Serpell, J. A., & Hsu, Y. (2001). Development and validation of a novel method for evaluating behaviour and temperament in guide dogs. Appl Anim Behav Sci, 72, 347-364.