Stranger Test Behaviour Study

[Shakti]

please tell us......pleeeeeeeeeeease!

[KismetKat]

Sorry - daughter got on the computer.

Now consider the room is a rectangle with the door at the bottom. The station outside the room where the student is monitoring the cameras is on the top right hand corner of the rectangle.

When I exited the room I walked to this monitor station to watch what the dog did.

The room is made of solid plywood with no gaps at the bottom and no way the dog can see out (no windows).

What did my dog do???

Trot to the corner of the room that was physically closest to where I was standing and sat, focussing on the plywood wall she could not see thru. She knew where I was.

I made sure that once I saw that I was extra special quiet (she may have heard my footsteps) and eventually she gave up her vigil at the blank wall and went and lay across the only doorway, patiently waiting my return.

She totally ignored the 'stranger'. No reaction at all.

Funnily enough when I went back into the room she finally showed some signs of stress. I was still under instructions to ignore her. so I sat on the chair with folded hands. She did a funny yawning thing until I was finally 'released' and allowed to interact. Then she was fine.

And just back to the collie - it really was a surprise. I send them, together, to a groomer every 6 weeks (the mutt just to keep the collie company). The situation there is that he is fine the whole time, but the mutt does stress, but only when the collie is not with her. Like I said, I wonder if it was being with the OH that made the difference.

[Odin-Genie]

After a while the 'stranger' aproaches you and you talk together. Then the 'stranger' tries to say hello to the dog. The stranger then goes back and sits down and you let the dog off lead and sit down with hands on lap.

This is interesting. Do you think the personality of the 'stranger' also matters? My dogs would greet some strangers with great enthusiasm, but with others they would be withdrawn.

Also, do you think the results would be different if the test was done at the dog's home?

[Kirislin]

I'm taking Zig Saturday week - I think I know what he'll do.....will be very interesting

She's probably got enough doggies by now anyway but could you please PM me the details too?

[t-time]

Fascinating stuff.....did the subject dog have to be considered a "friendly" dog to start with?

Or are they also working with fearful dogs? Particular breeds? (Oh sorry just realised you said they were doing all breds and mutts ;) )

Most of my Havanese are lap "sluts" LOL - any lap is a good one :D They are bred to be companions. :D My Tibetan Terrier (bred to be wary of strangers) would have a bark fest if I left the room - no way in hell she would let a stranger come near her!

It would be fab if they did a study to accomodate the temperaments of different breeds

[My Mad GSP]

I have to wonder when the dogs are placed not only in an unfamiliar environment (which I think is ok in itself) but also a very 'novel' type of environment which puts the dogs under additional stress how well they are able to accurately determine 'amicability'. My dog is also participating in this study and is highly socialised and friendly and am very curious how this novel environment affects her behaviour. For those interested you can view the Phd students lecture on the topic and some footage of this test on youtube.

If the link doesn't work, do a seach on 'building better dogs' the Phd student name is Tammie King.

[KismetKat]

I know she needs more doggies - so anyone interested in taking part please get in touch with her.

Odin - as to the 'stranger', it is always the same guy (I think he is Tammie's, obviously very patient, boyfriend). The whole idea is that everything is the same for every dog, even using a lead supplied by the student (and a flat collar if you don't have one).

t-time - at this stage the different temps of different breeds doesn't matter. This is data collection to document the range of behaviours that may occur - so I guess the more varied dogs she gets the better. There is no/right/wrong or pass/fail - it's just to record what the dogs do in the situation.

edited for clarity

Edited March 5, 2010 by KismetKat

[Kirislin]

How do we get in touch with her?

[Sheridan]

I'm still not sure what the point of this is.

[KismetKat]

How do we get in touch with her?

Here's some details from the Monash website

I'd be interested in reading the experience of others - did your dog/s do what you thought? Or did they surprise you?

Edited March 5, 2010 by KismetKat

[yellowgirl]

I think I know what my dogs would do but I'd be interested to know for sure.

I would love to have some cameras set up at home to see what they get up to when I'm not there ;) . I used to think they slept most of the time but since Pepper joined us, I often come home to toys strewn all around the place and cushions and pillows on the floor. I really wonder what they've been doing, particularly since out of the three of them, two of them (including Pepper) are slow-poke seniors

I'm still not sure what the point of this is.

Tammie explains it at the end of the second youtube video

. Had to laugh at the big wolfie dog trying to play with the 'stranger' when the owner left

[Bundyburger]

. I am seeking people over the age of 18 who own a dog who is 18 months of age or older (or between six to eight months old)

Does this mean she wants puppies? I know what mine would do He will be playing madly and trying to lick the stranger to death...

[KismetKat]

Yes she wants some puppies of a certain age, with testing again in a year's time.

And we've just analysed the collie's barking - there was a pattern.

yip yip yip, woof woof woof, yip yip yip

smart doggie

[SmoothieGirl]

KK, your Collie's reaction is what I would expect Bronte would do. She's went into stranger danger mode when she turned 10 months, particularly with men. Once she has met them a few times she's ok, but I think doing this test she would initially freak out, especially when I left the room.

I'll have a look at the details, but I'm not sure I would want to put her in that kind of situation given her age, I actually want her to get over her stranger danger phase.

Fascinating study though, especially your other dogs reactions. I suspect while your dog couldn't see you, it could smell you.

Edit - Can't type.

Edited March 7, 2010 by SmoothieGirl

[gundoglover]

I wonder if it feels and maybe even smells like a trip to the vet for these dogs? If so, their reactions will differ depending on previous vet experiences. Or is it really set up like a visit to someone's home? From the description it seems a bit sterile for that.

[WoofnHoof]

Yes she wants some puppies of a certain age, with testing again in a year's time.

And we've just analysed the collie's barking - there was a pattern.

yip yip yip, woof woof woof, yip yip yip

smart doggie

Lol if you translate that into beeps for morse code you get three short bips, three long bips, three short bips = SOS

[KismetKat]

Yes she wants some puppies of a certain age, with testing again in a year's time.

And we've just analysed the collie's barking - there was a pattern.

yip yip yip, woof woof woof, yip yip yip

smart doggie

Lol if you translate that into beeps for morse code you get three short bips, three long bips, three short bips = SOS

Said he was a smart doggie Now if only I knew the morse code for "Timmy's down the well"

Smoothiegirl - the collie is not a pup, he's 3. We've had him for over 1 year. He's generally so affable (tho a little tiny bit reserved) I really did not think he would react that way. I would not have put him thru it if I thought he'd get stressed (tho funnily enough I expected the mutt to stress, which she didn't, but that didn't bother me so much, but as the collie is a rescue... perhaps he was thinking he was in the pound again???)

gunlover - I don't think it's like being at the vet's. Collie is fine at the vet's but the mutt isn't so good. It IS a "strange" situation though. From what the student said, some dog's don't give a rat's tho. She mentioned one dog that, as soon as the owner left, ran over and flung itself into the "stranger's" lap and kissed him to death.

I wonder in the scales of possible behaviour there is one named "total tart"

[gundoglover]

Well, it will be interesting to see the results. Were you given a likely time-frame for the study outcomes?

[SmoothieGirl]

Yes she wants some puppies of a certain age, with testing again in a year's time.

And we've just analysed the collie's barking - there was a pattern.

yip yip yip, woof woof woof, yip yip yip

smart doggie

Lol if you translate that into beeps for morse code you get three short bips, three long bips, three short bips = SOS

Said he was a smart doggie Now if only I knew the morse code for "Timmy's down the well"

Smoothiegirl - the collie is not a pup, he's 3. We've had him for over 1 year. He's generally so affable (tho a little tiny bit reserved) I really did not think he would react that way. I would not have put him thru it if I thought he'd get stressed (tho funnily enough I expected the mutt to stress, which she didn't, but that didn't bother me so much, but as the collie is a rescue... perhaps he was thinking he was in the pound again???)

gunlover - I don't think it's like being at the vet's. Collie is fine at the vet's but the mutt isn't so good. It IS a "strange" situation though. From what the student said, some dog's don't give a rat's tho. She mentioned one dog that, as soon as the owner left, ran over and flung itself into the "stranger's" lap and kissed him to death.

I wonder in the scales of possible behaviour there is one named "total tart"

Hmm, it gets more and more intriguing. When my girl goes to the vet she loves the waiting area, yips and yaps to say hi to everyone, patients, nurses, vets and the clinic cat - she loves cats. She's a quite subdued and a little worried in the diagnosis rooms, but she happily goes in them. Didn't used to, but does these days. However when I took her to a different vet last week to see a dermatologist she was very quiet and concerned in the entire place, the waiting room being no different to the cubicle. So it seems with her that it depends quite a bit on prior experience of a particular place.

ps. Well done on taking on a rescue Collie.

[KismetKat]

Well, it will be interesting to see the results. Were you given a likely time-frame for the study outcomes?

No - it's a PhD so they take a little while don't they?. As to 'results" I think the main point of the study is to see if a scientifically valid test is actually possible (she concedes it might not be) - but am sure some interesting data may become apparant. Perhaps she will publish some preliminary findings/theories/observations?

Smoothiegirl - getting our rescue collie was the best thing we ever did. He's a gorgeous cuddlebunny and a great mate for ort little mutt. Here's my favourite

Edited March 8, 2010 by KismetKat