gentle giants
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Large dogs are much less likely to show aggression compared to small dogs with short muzzles, such as pugs and bulldogs.
If you are afraid of dogs, you may be wary of large breeds such as Dobermans or Great Danes. But researchers at the University of Sao Paulo found that heavier dogs tend to be more obedient than smaller animals.
Small breeds with a short muzzle, such as pugs, bulldogs and shih tzu, are the most difficult breeds to train.
During the study, the team set out to understand the factors that influence aggression in domestic dogs.
The experiment involved 665 domestic dogs of 57 different breeds. Their owners filled out three online questionnaires – one about themselves, one about their pet’s characteristics, and one about instances of any aggressive behavior, such as barking or attacking.
The results showed that the heavier the dog, the less likely it was to exhibit aggressive behavior. In fact, it has been found that for every additional 1 kg of body weight, aggressive behavior is reduced by three percent. Interestingly, small dogs with short muzzles were the most aggressive.
Flavio Airosa, one of the authors of the study: “Aggressiveness towards the owner was 79% more likely in brachycephalic dogs than in mesocephalic ones.”
Brachycephalic dogs have short, flattened muzzles and include pugs, bulldogs, Boston terriers, and Shih Tzu.
In contrast, mesocephalic breeds, including Beagles, Golden Retrievers, and Labrador Retrievers, have a more elongated skull.
The gender of the pet also affects its aggression.
“The likelihood of aggressive behavior towards the owner was 40% lower in female dogs than in males,” Airosa added.
In addition, dog aggression was 73 percent more common among male owners than among female owners. Also, dogs that were walked every day were less aggressive.
“In the case of the dog walking factor, for example, it could be that people walked their dog less because the animal was aggressive, or the dog might have become aggressive because the owner didn’t take it outside enough. Characteristics such as weight, height, skull morphology, sex and age affect the interaction between dogs and the environment. For example, because of the weather, animals can spend more time in the house, ”said the scientist.
The researchers hope the results will highlight that dog behavior is not only dependent on the animal, but is the result of interactions between the animal and its environment.
“The environment and the relationship between owner and pet, as well as morphology, are all factors that influence how pets interact with us and how we interact with them,” said study co-author Professor Briseida de Resende.
Christina DENISYUK.
Message gentle giants first appeared on Moscow truth.
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