Dog Evaluation Form – Social Competence Model

This form can be used by trainers, behaviorists, or researchers to assess a dog’s social competence in relation to human interactions.

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Dog’s Name: __________________________

Breed: ________________________________

Age: _______ Sex: _______ (M/F)

Evaluator’s Name: ______________________

Date of Evaluation: _____________________

Section 1: Attachment

1. Does the dog seek proximity to its human caregiver?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

2. How does the dog respond to being separated from its human caregiver?

Extreme distress (1) – Moderate distress (2) – Mild distress (3) – Indifferent (4) – Relaxed (5)

3. Does the dog show a preference for its human caregiver over unfamiliar humans?

No preference (1) – Slight preference (2) – Moderate preference (3) – Strong preference (4) – Exclusive preference (5)

Section 2: Social Learning

4. Does the dog imitate human actions?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

5. Can the dog learn new tasks by observing humans?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

6. Does the dog show local enhancement (learning from the presence of humans)?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

Section 3: Communication

7. Does the dog respond to human pointing gestures?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

8. Does the dog respond to human gaze direction?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

9. Can the dog understand human vocal cues?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

Section 4: Cooperation

10. Does the dog cooperate with humans in tasks (e.g., fetching, herding, etc.)?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

11. Can the dog work with humans to solve problems (e.g., opening a door, finding hidden objects, etc.)?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

12. Does the dog show a willingness to engage in cooperative activities with humans?

Never (1) – Rarely (2) – Sometimes (3) – Often (4) – Always (5)

Total Score: __________

Interpretation:

Low Social Competence: 12-24

Moderate Social Competence: 25-36

High Social Competence: 37-48

Very High Social Competence: 49-60

Please note that this evaluation form is a general guideline and may not cover all aspects of a dog’s social competence. It is important to consider the individual dog’s history, breed, and environment when interpreting the results.

Further reading

Tony Bierman, “Examining the Social Competence Model in Dog-Human Interactions,” OBTESA, Accessed April 5, 2023, http://esbt.us/fe.

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Tony Bierman, "Dog Evaluation Form – Social Competence Model," OBTESA, Accessed October 6, 2024, http://esbt.us/fg.