A new study at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences found that owners, not breeds, are the cause of aggression in dogs.
Researchers conducted a survey of U.K. dog owners to find potential risk factors for dogs showing aggression towards humans, according to the Huffington Post. The three contexts in the study were when the dogs were with family members, around strangers outside and around strangers inside of the house.
Out of the 14,000 owners, only 4,000 responded. Three percent of the owners reported aggression, such as barking, lunging, biting and growling, towards family members. Seven percent reported it towards strangers coming in the house, and five percent reported it towards strangers outside the house, One Green Planet reported.
Dogs owned by older owners were less aggressive towards family members and strangers entering the house. While older dogs were less aggressive towards family members, they were more aggressive to strangers outside the house. Sterilized female dogs were less aggressive in all three areas, the Huffington Post reported.
Dogs that were purchased through breeders were less aggressive than those bought through pet shops and shelters, according to One Green Planet. Participation in training classes correlated with less aggression towards strangers and more aggression towards family members. Dogs that socialized with other people also showed less aggression towards strangers.
Researchers also found that some breeds were more aggressive than others. These breeds include poodles, miniature schnauzers, and Boston terriers, as opposed to pit bulls, German shepherds and rottweilers, which are often stereotyped as the more dangerous breeds. While these breeds are stronger and have more potential to injure and kill than smaller breeds, they aren't any more aggressive than other breeds, One Green Planet reported.
Lead researcher Rachel Casey said in a blog post that passing laws against certain breeds won't help, and that dog owners should instead take driver's ed-like classes to teach their dogs to be friendlier, the Huffington Post reported.
"Every new driver is given a thorough education, which is bench-marked by a standard theoretical and practical driver set," Casey said. "We have well-established, and largely accepted, codes of practice that govern drivers' behavior to reduce accident risk, and laws to enforce them. It would make sense to take the same approach for reducing aggression towards humans in dogs."
