Small dog breeds get some major bad press


Posted on Jul 14, 2008
By Julia Szabo

According to London's Daily Mail, a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science has found that smaller dog breeds are more genetically predisposed toward aggressive behavior than large dog breeds - including several widely feared ones.
 
The study revealed that the Dachshund topped the list for aggression, with one in five "wiener dogs" having bitten or tried to bite a stranger. The Jack Russell terrier also ranked high for this undesirable trait.
 
Among the study's other surprising discoveries, the Pit Bull, Rottweiler, and Rhodesian Ridgeback rated average or below average for hostility toward strangers. That's great news for dog rescue groups dedicated to Pits and Rotties, which often have a hard time re-homing these commonly misunderstood breeds.
 
The Golden Retriever, Basset hound, Labrador, Siberian husky, and Greyhound also ranked low on the list for aggression. Canine behavior consultant Jacquie Bunn told the Daily Mail, "Aggressive behavior is much more prevalent in small dogs than in large and it's something behaviorists and trainers have known for years."

Meanwhile, AP reported that an Illinois woman had her right big toe gnawed off by her year-old miniature Dachshund, Roscoe. Linda Floyd, 56, has no feeling in her toes because of nerve damage from diabetes. Her toe had been bandaged because of a healing hangnail, and she discovered the toe was missing after waking from a nap; it could not be reattached. In a tearful interview, Floyd told the Alton Telegraph that Roscoe the dog was euthanized because of safety concerns.
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