A preliminary study on the use of the Socially Acceptable Behavior test as a test for shyness/confidence in the temperament of dogs

In this study, the possibility to use an already existing behavioral test, the Socially Acceptable Behavior (SAB) test, to define a part of a dog's temperament related to the behavioral characteristics shyness/confidence was tested. The height of the dog's posture was scored combined with the position of the tail, corners of the mouth, and the ears (as a posture score), and also the presence of signals of stress, fear, and aggression. The presence or absence of the owner seemed to be the most important factor responsible for changes in the posture score during the test and not its duration. Two distinct groups of dogs with significantly differences in posture scores were identified. Female dogs were significantly (P = 0.007) more represented in the group with a more crouched posture. A significant association was found between the posture score of the dogs in 2 subtests and the behavioral elements, aggressive biting, and attempts to flee. Test results of the SAB test were compared with the results of the Canine Behavioural Assessment and Research (CBAR) questionnaire. The posture score of the dogs in the subtests related to contact with strangers was significantly correlated with the score related to "fear for strangers" in the CBAR questionnaire. For the subtests where the dogs were confronted with unfamiliar visual or acoustic stimuli, no correlation with the factor "nonsocial fear" was found. Based on this experiment, the SAB test could be used to classify a population of dogs with regard to shyness or confidence and can provide interesting information on the behavior of the tested dog in particular. Additional research on a larger number of dogs is necessary to confirm these preliminary findings, the validity, and the reliability of the test. (C) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.