Researchers using science to predict dogs' personalities
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Researchers are now using math and computer science to predict dogs' personalities.
And it's all thanks to some research happening right here in Pennsylvania.
Scientists in the U.K. are using the behavioral records of more than 70,000 dogs from the University of Pennsylvania to create an algorithm to classify canines.
It divides them into five groups, and researchers say it has a 99% accuracy rate.
They hope the information can help predict the best dogs for sniffing out drugs or guiding the blind.
"These personality types are defined based on the behavioral attributes, not the breed, not the gender of the dog. If we have an idea about the dog's personality in advance, we can select the right dog for the right job," according to senior lecturer Dr. Mohammad Hossein Amirhosseini at the University of East London.
Researchers say this could also help families find the best dog for them.
Nearly 50% of people who return dogs to shelters in the U.S. say behavioral issues were a factor.
