Behavioural reactivity of the Korean native Jindo dog varies with coat colour

Abstract

This study aimed to compare the behavioural reactivity of undo dogs with two different coat colours. Fawn (16 males, 15 females; mean age +/- S.D.= 7.2 +/- 2.1 years) and white (10 males, 10 females; mean age +/- S.D. = 6.9 +/- 2.1 years) undo dogs were exposed to a set of behavioural tests. All of the dogs were videotaped during the testing period to allow further analysis. The intensity of social, aggressive, fearful, and submissive reactivity and the frequency of urination as a scent-marking behaviour were scored on a scale running from 0 to 4 points. For each dog, each variable was defined as the average of the scores of nine behaviour tests. Then, the behavioural reactivities of Jindo dogs of each coat colour were compared. The results suggested that Jindo dogs of fawn coat colour exhibited a significantly lower intensity of fearful and submissive reactivity than those of white coat colour. In addition, fawn undo dogs produced scent-marking behaviour significantly more frequently. The results of the present study may provide useful information for scientific researchers, potential owners and breeders of Jindo dogs. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.