New Dog Aggression Studdy in the UK

[BlueCoyote 0]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...ssive-dogs.html

 

Forget pit bulls, rottweilers and Rhodesian ridgebacks, it's the sausage dog that's the most aggressive breed.

The Short-Haired Dachshund

GETTY

Miniatures bite their way to the top: The Short-Haired Dachshund tops an index of canine aggression

 

They may be small, but new research found that one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners.

 

Known as sausage dogs for their elongated bodies, dachshunds have not, until now, had a fearsome reputation, although they were originally bred to hunt badgers in their setts.

 

However, they topped a list of 33 breeds which were rated for their aggression, after academics analysed the behaviour of thousands of dogs.

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Chihuahuas, an even smaller breed, were the second most hostile, regularly snapping or attempting to bite strangers, family and other dogs. Another small favourite, the Jack Russell, was third.

 

In Illinois last week, Linda Floyd had to have her dachshund, called Roscoe, put down after the dog gnawed off her big toe while she slept. Mrs Floyd, 56, woke up too late because nerve damage from diabetes had left her with no feeling in her toes.

 

Dr James Serpell, one of the researchers, said smaller breeds might be more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour than larger dogs.

 

"Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs," he added.

 

Until now, research into canine aggression has almost exclusively involved analysis of dog bite statistics. But the researchers said these were potentially misleading as most bites were not reported. Big dogs might have acquired a reputation for being aggressive because their bites were more likely to require medical attention.

 

The findings have angered owners of small breeds. Chris Moore, secretary of the Northern Dachshund Association, said: "As far as breeders in the UK are concerned, this is rubbish. It is not in the dogs' nature. I have never been bitten in 25 years."

 

Tony Fitt-Savage, president of the British Chihuahua Club, added: "I have had Chihuahuas for 30-odd years, and they've never put anybody into hospital. They can be a little bit stroppy."

 

The study, published this week in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, involved researchers from the University of Pennsylvania questioning 6,000 dog owners.

 

Breeds scoring low for aggression included Basset hounds, golden retrievers, labradors, Siberian huskies and greyhounds.

 

The rottweiler, pit bull and Rhodesian ridgeback scored average or below average marks for hostility towards strangers.

 

Joyce Summers, treasurer of the Rottweiler Club in Britain, said: "I have lived with rottweilers for 40 years and they give nothing but love and affection. I am not surprised Jack Russells are up there near the top; they are yappy little things."

[BlueCoyote 0]

in the dog forum people are saying "well duh.. any dog that is brave enough to take on a BADGER....."

 

but my question is this.... according to a member i was talking to recently from here, Doxies/Teckels/what ever.. arent intended to fight and kill the badger, but draw it out....

i dont know anything about badger hunting either, so is their purpose still a good enough reason to be so fierce with people?

i'm kinda skeptical on it because pit bulls have to be pretty damned fierce too, and yet they are the least likely to bite.

[Simoman 110]

James Serpell, who it says is one of the researchers wrte a good book on canine evolution and domestication but along with the other "academics" they really do come out with some rubbish. Canine aggression and human aggression are two totally different things.

And how many times have we heard the line "Its bred to hunt so it must be aggressive"

 

Waste of paper............

[BlueCoyote 0]

i have to agree with your feelings on "born to hunt so it must be aggressive"

maybe if the dog is allowed to be.....

[Malt 379]

James Serpell, who it says is one of the researchers wrte a good book on canine evolution and domestication but along with the other "academics" they really do come out with some rubbish. Canine aggression and human aggression are two totally different things.

And how many times have we heard the line "Its bred to hunt so it must be aggressive"

 

Waste of paper............

Any dog that has been bred to work with humans has had all human aggressiveness bred out of it. Even the fiercest fighting dogs were bred to be placid around humans, after all, what's the point of working with an animal that has every chance of turning around and biting chunks out of the people that are working with them?

[Malt 379]

and the most f*****g anoying thing is i split up with my girlfreind becuase her parents were all for killing all bull breeds thats staffys english bullies pits all of them my family has always had them and never even been growled at.......

she has these sasage dogs "millie" "bertie" booth nasty little shits that bite you if you stroke them and when i liftyed my hand "mock hit" like id do too any dog that bit and drew blood and they all shouted at me and hugged this nasty little b*****d dog saying "he looks so scared"

thank f*****g crist i got out of there fast

Sounds like you had a bit of a close shave there, will! (no jokes about your haircut today mate! )

They sound like my brothers girlfriend, tw*ts!

[Simoman 110]

Tony Fitt-Savage, president of the British Chihuahua Club, added: "I have had Chihuahuas for 30-odd years, and they've never put anybody into hospital. They can be a little bit stroppy."

 

This quote sums it up, if a yappy ankle muncher like a Chihuahua nips you then it tends to be ignored and doesn't require attention, there poor behaviour is also often ignored as they are often kept as knee warmers. If a rottie or similar sized dog displays the same characteristics and behaviour if often results in a trip to the hospital, a newspaper article and a dead dog.

 

Saying that the most painfull bite I have endured was an accidental bite on the testicles by my terrier

[BlueCoyote 0]

Tony Fitt-Savage, president of the British Chihuahua Club, added: "I have had Chihuahuas for 30-odd years, and they've never put anybody into hospital. They can be a little bit stroppy."

 

This quote sums it up, if a yappy ankle muncher like a Chihuahua nips you then it tends to be ignored and doesn't require attention, there poor behaviour is also often ignored as they are often kept as knee warmers. If a rottie or similar sized dog displays the same characteristics and behaviour if often results in a trip to the hospital, a newspaper article and a dead dog.

 

Saying that the most painfull bite I have endured was an accidental bite on the testicles by my terrier

 

but think about this...

EVERYONE is crossing Chihuahuas with Doxies with Cockers with Poodles with Goldens with Labs..... you see where this is going right?

pekechis, pekepoos, cockachi's, cockapoos, chiapoohs, doxiepoohs, chidoxies .. or is it doxiechi? the list goes on.

as they breed them the size goes up a notch. but i cant tell if the attitude is changing.

 

and its not exactly true that the small size doesnt send someone to the hospital. most dog bite cases involve children. and who owns these little yappers? old people. what do old people tend to also have? grandkids over to visit. my grandmother had a mini poodle that was vicious 24/7 around kids. she had another that was only vicious if my grandmother wasnt around. if you made the mistake of walking into the bedroom this dog would come out from under the bed like a rabid wolverine.

its also been in the news that a Pomeranian killed a baby, another similar breed chewed the toes off a baby. the danger isnt in their size. its that their stupid ass owners have it in their stupid ass heads that these dogs are small and harmless. what could they possibly do?? a lot of times people dont bother training these dogs because they're afraid they'll hurt them by correcting them.

the capability is there if the circumstances are right.

 

at the end of the day...... its just another dog. i wont leave my kids alone with any dog, no matter how big or little it is because thats just a set up for failure.

[Simoman 110]

With children and dogs the onus is on the parent to be responsible, I trust my dogs as much as I would ever trust a dog around children but I still never leave them together unsupervised