# Personality Types in Dog People



## Maren Bell Jones

Anyone ever taken anything like the Meyers-Brigg personality type tests? I'm curious what personality types are out there amongst dog enthusiasts. I'm either an INTJ or ENTJ, depending on the test. That's apparently very uncommon in the rest of the population, particularly women, but quite common in veterinary medicine for some reason...

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp


----------



## Jennifer Coulter

ENFJ

So......apparently my talents are wasted as a ski bum. My ideal carreer choices are teacher, psychologist, counceling...you know all that idealist crap. 8-[


----------



## Bob Scott

ENFP here! Whatever that means. 
I guessing we subconsciously or otherwise put down what we want to be on these tests to make ourselves feel better. :lol: 
I'll have to ask my wife her opinions on who/what I am. :-o 8-[ 8-[ :-$ ........then pick something inbetween. :grin:


----------



## Daryl Ehret

Less hooey than throwing bones, I suppose. I got INTJ also, so we're two of a kind.

I once started the eharmony questionairre, and my wife (acquaintance at the time) went back through and changed all my selections to what "they'd want to find in a man". :-D I should have realized then, how controlling she would be! :lol:


----------



## Bob Scott

Daryl Ehret said:


> Less hooey than throwing bones, I suppose. I got INTJ also, so we're two of a kind.
> 
> I once started the eharmony questionairre, and my wife (acquaintance at the time) went back through and changed all my selections to what "they'd want to find in a man". :-D


You obviously adjusted to what she wanted! :grin: :wink:


----------



## Daryl Ehret

Actually, that sort of became a problem. I learned to be stubborn from her, and now we're getting divorced. I'm no longer the malleable/biddable person I used to be, and she decided there'd be easier prey than me. She still wants to be kennel partners, though I'll finally have more control in the manner it affects me.


----------



## Nancy Jocoy

I have wavered between INTJ and INTP for almost 20 years [I have taken the formal complete test twice and the online tests a few times]. The J/P are right on the line. It is amazingly spot on. According to the report I got [they do a lot when they do it for work], the core personality type is the middle two letters and the outer two letters are modifiers.


----------



## Jesus Alvarez

I'm a ISJT otherwise called inspectors.


----------



## Chris Michalek

I am an INFJ though sometimes it's INTJ either way the descriptions say I'm basically an asshole. But it fit with me being a musician, psychic and otherwise evil genius.

http://www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html
http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html


----------



## Chris Michalek

Bob Scott said:


> ENFP here! Whatever that means.
> I guessing we subconsciously or otherwise put down what we want to be on these tests to make ourselves feel better. :lol:
> I'll have to ask my wife her opinions on who/what I am. :-o 8-[ 8-[ :-$ ........then pick something inbetween. :grin:



C'mon Bob, let's have a beer. \\/

INFJ's natural partner is the ENTP, or the ENFP.


----------



## David Scholes

I come out as INTJ


----------



## David Scholes

Daryl Ehret said:


> Actually, that sort of became a problem. I learned to be stubborn from her, and now we're getting divorced. I'm no longer the malleable/biddable person I used to be,...


Interesting. I also came out as INTJ and am going through the same thing with a controlling spouse, who now feels cheated that I'm no longer her puppy dog. It says that romantic relationships are the achilles heel of the INTJ.


----------



## Amber Gentry

I came out INTJ as well.


----------



## leslie cassian

I did it twice. Not sure which answers I changed but, ENFP the first time and INFP the second.


----------



## Jeff smith

im a *INTJ *what ever that means..


----------



## Anne Vaini

I'm an INFJ .... and/or an INTJ


----------



## Anne Vaini

Chris Michalek said:


> I am an INFJ though sometimes it's INTJ either way the descriptions say I'm basically an asshole. But it fit with me being a musician, psychic and otherwise evil genius.
> 
> http://www.personalitypage.com/INFJ.html
> http://www.personalitypage.com/INTJ.html



I knew we had something in common with our mutual evilness. :lol:


----------



## Chris Michalek

Anne Vaini said:


> I knew we had something in common with our mutual evilness. :lol:


Forget about Bob, How about we get a beer and plot against Bob?


----------



## Chris Michalek

leslie cassian said:


> I did it twice. Not sure which answers I changed but, ENFP the first time and INFP the second.



oooooooh another natural partner... maybe you should buy me a beer. I spent all my money on bob and he didn't appreciate me. :-({|=


----------



## Ellen Piepers

Took the test and that resulted in INFJ.


----------



## Gerry Grimwood

ISFJ, it sounds like a type of car.


----------



## Carol Boche

INTJ here....


----------



## Jerry Lyda

I'm a ENFJ


----------



## Matthew Grubb

Why am I the only one whos an ESTJ!!! lol


----------



## David Scholes

Can we add a poll to this? It would be interesting to compare the percentage against the distribution in the general population.


----------



## David Scholes

Matthew Grubb said:


> Why am I the only one whos an ESTJ!!! lol


and why are there so many INTJ when they supposedly make up less than one percent of the population?


----------



## Anne Vaini

David Scholes said:


> and why are there so many INTJ when they supposedly make up less than one percent of the population?


I have a few theories. My favorite at the moment is this: I know that getting into dog training dramatically affected the way that I think, act and perceive the world. I am INTJ/INFJ _because_ of dog training. 

I want to see this as a poll. Maren? ...


----------



## David Scholes

Anne Vaini said:


> I have a few theories. My favorite at the moment is this: I know that getting into dog training dramatically affected the way that I think, act and perceive the world. I am INTJ/INFJ _because_ of dog training.
> 
> I want to see this as a poll. Maren? ...


Have there been any studies to test people as children or young adults then again later in life? I'm still up in the air on if it's a chicken or egg situation.


----------



## Anne Vaini

David Scholes said:


> Have there been any studies to test people as children or young adults then again later in life? I'm still up in the air on if it's a chicken or egg situation.


My first interest is the application of the information. For instance, with polling dog owners across the spectrum, there may be a correlation that shows that certain personality types tend towards certain types of dogs or training disciplines. If this correlation actually exists and is reliable enough to be a predictor of "fit" between dog and handler, or handler and sport, it might be helpful to shelters, service dog trainers, or breeders looking for a good fit.

Second, is my untested theories about using dog training as treatment for certain mental illnesses. I really believe it works, as it has in my life. Before really getting into dog training, I was disabled by a panic disorder and I did not have healthy coping skills. Now - I'm good! It took about 2 years of consistent motivational (dog) training to see permanent change.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

I don't doubt at all that people can change in time, but generally tend not to overly much.

I forced my introverted self into becoming more extroverted by working many jobs where I had to communicate in person with dozens or even hundreds of people "one on one" daily, but still came out introverted. At the end of the day, I'd prefer to just be alone. I've not been very sensitive or touchy feely since highschool, but even in recent years my skin has thickened all the more. I'm not really that judgemental, except in regards affecting myself.

Some of these breakdowns could be further refined by their proper context I'm sure, and dynamically changing throughout our lives, either gradually, or dramatically due to a life changing event. No model can ever represent such full likeness as the real thing, _without becoming the real thing_.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

_"or breeders looking for a good fit"_

So, do you compliment the dog/person, as the human matchmaking goes? Personally, my own dog's vibrant energy makes up for the lack of my own, but I couldn't see a controlling dog matched to a less assertive handler!


----------



## Anne Vaini

Daryl Ehret said:


> _"or breeders looking for a good fit"_
> 
> So, do you compliment the dog/person, as the human matchmaking goes? Personally, my own dog's vibrant energy makes up for the lack of my own, but I couldn't see a controlling dog matched to a less assertive handler!


I was thinking more of the lines of - X% of working dog owners are of these X number of personality types. When a working dog is placed with any other personality type, there is an X% chance the placement will fail.

To be a good tool, I believe that the following data would need to be gathered:

Personality type
Area of Dog's Training - none, pet, inconsistent, protection, agility, flyball, disc, hunting, etc.
Style of training - clicker-only, some corrections, luring/baiting

Information gathered from - successfull placements and unsuccessful placements.

For instance, what if we find that motivational trainers fall into a set of personality types. Or that certain dog sports fall into a group of personality types.

Or that when a working dog is placed with X personality type, there is an X% chance of the placement not working out.


----------



## Laura Bollschweiler

I came up with ISTJ, a Guardian Inspector.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

And if people misrepresent themselves on the test, as the person they want to be, and not the person they really are? Would you need a certified judge to measure the dog's profile with some form of consistency? Would the testing then be optional, or enforced (by shelter requirements or legislative law)? Possibly opening a whole new bag of problems... Might _even discourage shelter adoption_, for those who don't want the hassle or are covetous of their privacy.


----------



## Anne Vaini

Daryl Ehret said:


> And if people misrepresent themselves on the test, as the person they want to be, and not the person they really are? Would you need a certified judge to measure the dog's profile with some form of consistency? Would the testing then be optional, or enforced (by shelter requirements or legislative law)? Possibly opening a whole new bag of problems... Might _even discourage shelter adoption_, for those who don't want the hassle or are covetous of their privacy.


In the case of in dog selection, if the person does not know how a personality type correlates to a dog, then the person doesn't have motivation to falsify the answer to achieve an effect.

For example, someone emails me looking for a dog for a purpose. With a personality type, maybe I can let them know that X% of this type of placement fail and s/he may want to reconsider, foster, get involved in the sport or whatever to make a successful placement. Or I might see that the type has a high success rate with the type of dog, and move forward.

Obviously not for every shelter, but could be useful for limited-intake rescues that are run out of foster homes. A dog coming back into one of these small organizations can be a real hardship, so they do whatever they can to screen potential adopters carefully.

In creating the statistics, volume will reduce the margin of error. I believe minimum 1,000 responses would be required to begin to get accurate statistics. It could be found that the statistics are not a reliable indicator of anything. but i find it interesting that for such a rare personality type, there are so many in this particular group (us) that have dogs that all fall into a particular group (working/high drive) and that train in a particular style (motivational).


----------



## Chris Michalek

Lots of INTJs which from what I have read are quite rare. I think certain personality types are drawn to certain things. Training working and sport dogs is much different than having a pet companion that you train to sit for a cookie and that's about it.

In the music world there are lots of INFJ and ENFJ at least in the jazz and world music circle I travel in. All are very intuitive and tend to believe in mystism, paranormal and otherwise "outside" stuff. Many of my artists (drawing painting etc) are INFP or ISFP. Most are very introverted and "burdened"

I know a few Dancers and they all seem to be Exroverted types. They are very sensitive and quite flamboyent.

It would be interesting to see personalities broken down by chosen sport. Like in music, I think there are many types and the jazz personalites are going to be very different from the Pop personalities. From what I have seen, schH seems to draw Sensing Thinking types where as some of the ring sport clubs I've been party to seems to involve iNtuitive Feeling types. The show folks that I know seem to be mostly Sensing Feeling types. (The kind of folks that would calls the po po on peeps like us for beating our dogs)

Of course there are exceptions to everything.


----------



## Don Turnipseed

I am a ISTJ but there are a lot of redunant questions on there. Stands to reason for example, If you don't like large groups in one question, you are going to preferr the company of two women over a party in another question. Daryl after 3 or 4 divorces you will be a certifyable a$$ ho believe me. I used to be easy to get along with but now.....


----------



## Anne Vaini

David Scholes said:


> Interesting. I also came out as INTJ and am going through the same thing with a controlling spouse, who now feels cheated that I'm no longer her puppy dog. It says that romantic relationships are the achilles heel of the INTJ.


Same here. :lol: divorced from controlling spouse after I became less controllable.


----------



## Julie Ann Alvarez

I came out as ENFJ- I took a similar test in 1985 (when I was in high school) and it said the same thing basically. 

Julie


----------



## Anne Vaini

With 20 responses, we are at:

ENFJ 10%
ENFP 10%
ESTJ 5%
INFJ 15%
INTJ 40%
ISFJ 5%
ISTJ 15%


----------



## Don Turnipseed

I *T*hink we can assume anyone that has an *F* as the third letter is a liberal? LOL


----------



## Lynn Cheffins

ISFJ
so I am in the minority

as usual 8-[


----------



## Nancy Jocoy

As an INTJ, I am what most of you would call a policital "liberal" [I would say social liberal, fiscal conservative]. I have also been married for 28 years  - my husband is ENTJ - only real problem I have is he talks a LOT more than I do about meaningless crap; drives me crazy. I don't talk so much unless I have something to say.

We are both stubborn SOBs. Maybe we are really "Ps" who want to be "J's" at least we are both disorganized and I *have* flipped on the P. We first took the test in 1987 when we did not have a clue about it [our church did it] so those, I think, are the most "honest" answers but still remain pretty much the same.


----------



## Kristen Cabe

Oh my GOSH that was hard! :-o Seriously; I had a hard time answering a lot of those questions. 

[SIZE=+1]Your Type is [/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]* [SIZE=+2] INFJ[/SIZE]*[/SIZE]
Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging 

[SIZE=+0] Strength of the preferences %[/SIZE] 56 25 12 22​ 

I don't know how accurate that is, though, since I had such a difficult time with the questions. I tend to over-think things.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones

As Anne requested, here's the poll!

http://www.workingdogforum.com/vBulletin/f27/meyers-brigg-personality-type-test-9995/


----------



## Konnie Hein

I'm another INFJ.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

Well, since the INTJ's are in the majority here, take a look at this. I've got a list of canine behavioral characteristics as they relate to work. I'm tenatively calling it "EWAT" (Evaluation of Work And Temperament). The only thing, missing are evals on scenting, tracking, and herding, but they perhaps don't apply for temperament matching anyway. You can argue my brief definitions if need be, but each could be assigned a relative corresponding appropriate Jung-type for the type of handler best involved. Some of these eval breakdowns could be cross related in groups to other elements in the list also, or combined to analyze more complex behaviors.

http://www.ehretgsd.com/EWAT.pdf


----------



## Kristen Cabe

Don Turnipseed said:


> I *T*hink we can assume anyone that has an *F* as the third letter is a liberal? LOL



Um, not me!


----------



## Konnie Hein

I took this test a second time, changing a few answers that I thought could go either way (the ones where it really depends on the situation as to how I would respond). The second result for me was INTJ.


----------



## Chris Michalek

shall we guess on what Jeff Oehlsen is? 

I say ESTJ


----------



## todd pavlus

Chris Michalek said:


> shall we guess on what Jeff Oehlsen is?
> 
> I say ESTJ


Try SOBJ


----------



## Daryl Ehret

I was thinking about that earlier. _We may have discovered a whole new category!_


----------



## Nancy Jocoy

Daryl, your table is a VERY INTJ thing to do. I think it is wild that so many of use have similar types, it is really quite fascinating since it is such an uncommon type. My own training log is a spreadsheet with pivot tables that calculate reliablity, distribution of various problem types and scent sources etc etc. The log itself is very simple - got tired of overly complex records that did not tell me anything. Problem is, anyone I share it with is lost because they don't know how to enter data for successful use by pivot tables and data sort.

OMG I was reading a quote from the INTP page on this site from "The prophet" http://www.personalitypage.com/careers.html

[remember I said that I flip on the P] and that quote we wrote into in our wedding vows! too much of a coincindence..................


----------



## David Scholes

This really makes a lot more sense. In my real estate sales training we usually classify in 4 personality goups; analytical, driver, amiable and expressive. In some ways I'm a driver but most people think I'm analytical. However 99% of people classified as analytical drive me nuts because they can't make a decision. Coming out on this test as INTJ is a much better definition and now explains why so few people are similar in personality.


----------



## Nancy Jocoy

This is another variant of the same test - and this variant has been out there for years too. More room for "shades of grey" answers.

http://www.kisa.ca/personality/


----------



## Anne Vaini

Nancy Jocoy said:


> This is another variant of the same test - and this variant has been out there for years too. More room for "shades of grey" answers.
> 
> http://www.kisa.ca/personality/


That was the perfect test for me.  I love the "in between" option. Which is not completely correct for me as I swing from each extreme to the other. (That's fun)

Anyway, I filled in the "in between" option for all of them and the result is ESTJ. Now I know how to define a person with NO personality. :lol:

Now I'm going to take the d*mn thing again and use my brain.


----------



## Kristen Cabe

That one was more my style.

My result this time was *INTP
**Introverted (I) 82%* Extraverted (E) 18% *
Intuitive (N) 68%* Sensing (S) 32% 
*Thinking (T) 80%* Feeling (F) 20% 
*Perceiving (P) 55%* Judging (J) 45%


----------



## susan tuck

I took Maren's test twice, came out as an INFJ (Counselor) and I scored about the same percentages each time too.


----------



## Maren Bell Jones

Hmmm...on that "in between" test, I'm an ENTP instead of INTJ. I think the INTJ works a little better for me based on the descriptions. :-k Back in first year of vet school, they made us take a similar test called the DiSC, which is not based so much on your private life personality, but your working life personality. Turns I was high on D (dominance) and moderately high on C (conscientiousness).


----------



## Julie Blanding

whoops don't know what happened to my last post.


I was typing...
I remember DISC, that was a prior work thing for me too.

In the 1st test I was INFJ and the second I was ENTJ. Interesting.

Julie


----------



## Maren Bell Jones

Oh yeah, if there are any Harry Potter fans in the house, here's one for that. As an INTJ or ENTJ, I'm Severus Snape (awesome!) or Minerva McGonagall respectively.  :twisted: 

http://piratemonkeysinc.com/quiz.php


----------



## Nancy Jocoy

I guess I better stop before I get in any trouble
I switched back over to the INTP realm and am Lord Valdemort. Eeeew


----------



## David Scholes

On the in between test I'm still an INTJ.


----------



## Cate Helfgott

I was ISFJ with this test...but I dont think that was what I was when I took the original last year...I'll try to find the old paperwork on that O,o

found it : I was ENFP when I took the Kiersy temperment sorter...I think that one fit me a little better.

~Cate


----------



## Bob Scott

ENTP here!


----------



## Konnie Hein

I like the DiSC assessment better. I was a DC too - "Creative" type. Fit me to a T.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

OK, so if you do a temperament/personality test for dogs, would you do one like the DDR survey or Czech survey, measuring the tolerance to corrections, hardness, and sharpness of temperament? What do you think are the most important aspects of their behavior, esp. hereditary or non-learned behavior?


----------



## Cate Helfgott

Honestly I prefer a system that goes into as much as possible...I think the Czech and DDR systems are rather limited that way....but then again that also may be me and my Warmblood Horse sense talking.

I think environment is huge when it comes to puppies and how they end up in the future. Genetics play a part in it -- but if you can stimulate the puppies at an earlier age, introduce them more often to stress build their confidence then I think you're going to end up with more confident, environmentally sound pups. Starting to stimulate their drives from a young age certainly can't hurt either.

I dont know if I feel that any one is more important than the other...though I feel (and this might be hopeful thinking because I dont have much experience in the matter) that the way you raise pups can improve alot on the genetics you've got...I think too few breeders (at least where my breed is concerned) dont put as much stress on the dogs at a young age as they could...and as a result alot of dogs do come out nervy....and frequently out of two dogs that are not -- that also makes me wonder...because you often see bad coming from good...is that the genetics or the environment?

~Cate


----------



## Gillian Schuler

Sorry to disturb you:razz: I'm ENFJ


----------



## leslie cassian

In the Harry Potter test I'm ENTP, Sirius Black. The big black dog thing works for me.


----------



## ann schnerre

i'm an INTJ, and after looking at the definition of the "mastermind" (love it!!), realize that i have, somewhere, the original book ("Please Understand Me") around here. 

at any rate, i am what i am, Jungian psych for better or worse (or worthless). but i do kinda like the "mastermind" deal--oh the power   . which someone evidently shut off....


----------



## Tammy McDowell

[SIZE=+1]Why do I suddenly feel like a complete unsocial recluse after taking that? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE] 
[SIZE=+1]ISFJ[/SIZE]

Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging

Guardian Portrait of the Protector
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE] 
[SIZE=+1][/SIZE]


----------



## Tammy McDowell

Took the Harry Potter one too...

Albus Dumbledore
INFJ


----------



## Terrasita Cuffie

Tammy, you're not alone. I was the other ISFJ, which makes three of us. I'm trying to get hubby to to stay awake and answer all the questions.

Terrasita


----------



## Courtney Guthrie

> Your Type is
> ESTJ
> Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging
> Strength of the preferences %
> 44 1 75 44


This is my results and they are fairly accurate. I'm definetely an Extrovert and Think WAY too much!!! lol lol 

Courtney


----------



## Selena van Leeuwen

[SIZE=+1]Your Type is [/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]*[SIZE=+2]ISFJ[/SIZE]*[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+1]Introverted [/SIZE][SIZE=+1]Sensing Feeling Judging[/SIZE]
[SIZE=+0]Strength of the preferences %[/SIZE] 
[SIZE=+1]33 1 25 89[/SIZE]

in the harry potter test I'm INTJ: Severus Snape


----------



## Jennifer Marshall

Hmm. I took the test - ENTJ. My BF scored me on the test - ENTJ. My mother scored me on the test also... ENTJ. Go Figure. I'm also a Taurus and a Fire Tiger (Chinese Zodiac). Keeps life interesting.


----------



## Daryl Ehret

I proposed a couple ideas where to go with this, sounds like everyone's still hung up on the idea, or just not interested? Just trying to keep it progressive.


----------



## Anne Vaini

Daryl Ehret said:


> I proposed a couple ideas where to go with this, sounds like everyone's still hung up on the idea, or just not interested? Just trying to keep it progressive.


DID EVERYONE POST ON THE POLL?!!


----------



## susan tuck

Maren Bell Jones said:


> Oh yeah, if there are any Harry Potter fans in the house, here's one for that. As an INTJ or ENTJ, I'm Severus Snape (awesome!) or Minerva McGonagall respectively.  :twisted:
> 
> http://piratemonkeysinc.com/quiz.php


I came out the same on that test as I did on the first one. INFJ (Albus Dumbledore).


----------

