DOG PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE
TRAIT  & FACET DESCRIPTIONS

Each of the DPQ traits can most easily be thought of as a spectrum along which dogs' personalities vary. The labels assigned to each trait describe one end of the spectrum. Below, each trait is illustrated as a spectrum.

Each DPQ trait consists of a number of facets. Facets are composed of groups of items that are highly related to each other (e.g., items describing fearful behavior towards people). Below, the facets associated with each trait are listed and briefly described.
FEARFULNESS
The opposite of a dog who is high in Fearfulness is a dog who could be described as Couragousness, Confidence, or Emotional Stability. Dogs who score very high on Fearfulness will tend to show fear across a variety of situations.  They may show fearful behavior that falls into each of the four facets of Fearfulness: Fear of people, Non-social fear, Fear/Submission towards other dogs, and Fear during handling.

Examples of DPQ items that measure this trait include "Dog behaves fearfully towards familiar people," "Dog is shy," "Dog is confident," and "Dog easily gets over unpleasant experiences (e.g., painful toe nail clippings)."
AGGRESSION TOWARDS PEOPLE
The opposite of a dog who is high in Aggression towards People is dog who is extremely friendly towards people, though dogs can also be non-aggressive and show little interest in people (e.g., be aloof). Dogs who score highest on Aggression towards People will tend to show aggression on both facets of Aggression towards People -- General and Situational. General aggression towards people is characterized by dogs' showing aggression typically towards unfamiliar people. Situational aggression towards people can also be thought of as reactive or defensive aggression. Dogs who score high on this facet of aggression may react aggressively when they feel threatened or are made nervous during interactions with people (e.g., when the dog is handled, stared at).

Examples of DPQ items that measure Aggression towards People include "Dog behaves aggressively towards unfamiliar people," "Dog behaves aggressively towards people with unfamiliar objects (e.g., canes, wheelchairs, umbrellas)," and "Dog behaves aggressively in response to perceived threats from people (e.g., being cornered, having collar reached for)".
ACTIVITY/EXCITABILITY
The opposite of dog with a very high level of Activity/Excitability is a dog who tends to be very calm, and one who might even be lazy or lethargic. Dogs who are rated as very active and excitable tend to be very engaged in their surroundings. Interest in and responsiveness to the environment, people, and and play, along with general activity can fall into any of the four facets of Acitivity/Excitability: Excitability, Playfulness, Active Engagement (or interest in the environment), and Companionability.

Examples of DPQ items that measure Activity/Excitability include "Dog tends to be calm," "Dog is active during play with other dogs," "Dog is curious," "Dog follows people around," and "Dog works at tasks (e.g., getting treats out of a Kong, shredding toys) until entirely finished".

RESPONSIVENESS TO TRAINING
The opposite of a dog who is highly responsive to training is one who is difficult to train, or who tends to be difficult to control and unmanageable. A dog who is rated highly on Responsiveness to Training will tend to be easy to train, will learn quickly, and will typically exhibit self-control and be manageable (i.e., not unruly). Responsiveness to Training is subdivided into two facets, one of which is specific to training (Trainability) and the other of which is refers to behavior outside the training situation (Controllability).

Examples of DPQ items that measure Responsiveness to Training include "Dog ignores commands," "Dog is intelligent," "When walking on leash, dog tends to pull ahead," and "Dog is quick to sneak out through open doors, gates."
AGGRESSION TOWARDS ANIMALS
The opposite of a dog who is high in Aggression towards Animals is a dog who is friendly (and sometimes playful) with other animals, though a dog might be non-aggressive without being particularly friendly. These dogs might, for example, show little interest in other animals. Dogs who score highest on Aggression towards Animals will tend to show aggression on all facets of the trait: Aggression towards dogs, Prey Drive, and Dominance over dogs. Therefore, a dog who is extremely aggressive towards other dogs but friendly with other animals (e.g., cats, squirrels) may not be rated as being as aggressive as another dog who is somewhat aggressive in all contexts.

Examples of DPQ items that measure Fearfulness include "Dog is playful with other dogs," "Dog is very excitable around cats," "Dog is dominant over other dogs," "Dog frequently urine marks," and "Dog has a tendency to attack (or attempt to attack) other dogs."