The ideal herding dog: Personality and behavioral traits predict herding ability

The value of herding dogs depends on how effectively they perform their job. Improving the rate of success for herding dogs requires understanding which dogs succeed and why. The present study determines whether dog personality and behavioral traits can be used to predict herding performance. We began by replicating Wilson and colleagues (2022), who found that personality traits predict herding ability in Australian kelpies. We asked American owners of herding dogs to complete an online survey about their dog’s ( n = 335) personality, behavior, and herding ability. We grouped related personality variables together in a principal components analysis to create dog personality traits. Next, we determined whether any dog personality traits predicted herding ability. We partially replicate Wilson et al.’s (2022) findings, with similar personality traits predicting herding ability. We then expanded on the previous study by creating a new set of traits that also included behavioral variables. The personality and behavior model captured the observed data better than the personality-only model. Lastly, we compared the personalities in our American herding dog sample to Wilson et al.’s (2022) Australian kelpies. The two groups of herding dogs were different on some key personality variables. We propose that herding dog handlers and breeders should focus on key personality and behavioral traits when making decisions about herding dog career paths and training efforts.