Personality consistency—the stability of behavioral traits across time and contexts—is an important factor in selecting and training working dogs. In this study, Choi et al. (2017) investigated whether cloned Beagle puppies showed more consistent personality traits compared to control puppies. Six cloned and four control puppies were evaluated at 7–10 weeks and again at 16 weeks using a modified Puppy Aptitude Test (PAT), which included subtests assessing social attraction, dominance, prey drive, and responses to stress.
The results indicated that cloned puppies maintained consistent average scores (P = 0.7991) across both testing periods, while control puppies showed inconsistent results (P = 0.0089). Specifically, cloned dogs demonstrated consistency in Pack Drive and Fight or Flight Drive, whereas neither group showed stable results for Prey Drive. These findings suggest that genetic identity significantly contributes to personality stability, especially for traits related to social behavior and stress responses.
The study provides the first evidence that cloned dogs may offer a predictable behavioral profile compared to naturally bred dogs. This has important implications for the selection of quarantine and working dogs, where consistent behavior is vital for reliable performance. However, the authors caution that not all traits are equally influenced by genetics, with prey-driven behaviors showing more variability.
Overall, the research highlights how genetic background can shape personality consistency in dogs, and offers a potential pathway to improving the efficiency of working dog selection and training programs.
Source: Choi, J., Kim, H., Kang, Y., Kim, M. J., Lee, S. I., Oh, H., Kim, G. A., Jo, Y., Park, E., Park, J. Y., Choi, Y. G., & Lee, B. (2017). Personality consistency analysis in cloned quarantine dog candidates. Acta Veterinaria Brno, 86, 273–283. https://doi.org/10.2754/avb201786030273. Authors: Jin Choi, H. Kim, Y. Kang, M. J. Kim, S. I. Lee, H. Oh, G. A. Kim, Y. Jo, E. Park, J. Y. Park, Y. G. Choi, Byeong Chun Lee. Journal: Acta Veterinaria Brno.
