In a previous study of canine temperament (Hsu and Serpell 2003), a distinct “trainability” factor was identified, characterized by a dog's willingness to attend to its owner and obey simple commands, combined with a high “fetch” motivation, and low levels of distractibility and/or resistance to correction. This paper explores the distribution of this trait in a large sample of dogs in relation to breed, sex and neuter status. The owners of 1,563 dogs belonging to 11 common breeds were invited to assess them for “trainability” using a standardized questionnaire (C-BARQ©). Highly significant breed differences in trainability were detected. In two breeds with distinct field and show bred lines, show bred dogs obtained significantly lower trainability scores. Although no overall sex differences in trainability were detected, male Dachshunds and West Highland White Terriers were found to be significantly more trainable than females. Neutering was not associated with any differences in trainability in female dogs in any breed, but was associated with positive effects on trainability in male Shetland sheepdogs. The findings suggest that there is scope for improving trainability in most breeds of dog, and emphasize the dangers of generalizing among breeds with respect to sex differences in trainability or the benefits of neutering. The biological basis of the trainability trait is also discussed in light of recent research on the evolution of canine social cognition.

James A. Serpell

Yuying A. Hsu

Anthrozoös

作为人类与动物关系学术对话的重要论坛，ANTHROZOÖS 是一本经过同行评议的季刊，自 1987 年创刊以来，作为该领域的先驱，享有卓越的历史。ANTHROZOÖS 的关键前提是解决其特点和人类学、行为学、医学、心理学、兽医学和动物学等不同领域的人与非人类动物之间的相互作用和关系的后果。因此，文章涵盖了人类与动物关系的方方面面，从艺术和人文学科的治疗，到行为、生物学、社会和健康科学。

Anthrozoos is an important forum for academic dialogue on human-animal relationships. Established in 1987, it is a peer-reviewed quarterly that has a distinguished history as a pioneer in the field. The journal's key premise is to explore the interactions and relationships between humans and non-human animals and their implications across various disciplines, including anthropology, behavioral science, medicine, psychology, veterinary science, and zoology. Consequently, articles cover a wide range of topics related to human-animal relationships, from therapeutic approaches in the arts and humanities to studies in behavior, biology, social sciences, and health sciences.

《Anthrozoos》是人类与动物关系学术对话的重要论坛，创刊于1987年，经过同行评议的季刊，作为该领域的先驱，享有卓越的历史。该期刊的核心理念是探讨人类与非人类动物之间的相互作用及其在不同领域（如人类学、行为学、医学、心理学、兽医学和动物学）中的影响。因此，文章涵盖了人类与动物关系的各个方面，从艺术和人文学科的治疗，到行为、生物学、社会科学和健康科学等领域。

Category	Quartile
农林科学	2
农林科学, 兽医学	2
农林科学, 社会学	4

Effects of breed, sex, and neuter status on trainability in dogs

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Journal Info

Category	Quartile
VETERINARY SCIENCES	2