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Here's my boy Huxley, our piebald dachshund. He's one helluva guard dog. At the least odd sound, he's up and running, barking furiously, ready to turn an intruder's soft calf into hamburger meat.
Now a study published by Applied Animal Behavior Science reports that the dachshund is the most aggressive breed of dog. Who knew? And guess what breed comes in second for aggressiveness? The chihuahua.
The study involved researchers from the U. of Penna. who questioned about 6,000 dog owners regarding their dogs' behavior. Thirty-three breeds were ranked on their aggression.
The study found that one in five dachshunds has bitten or tried to bite strangers, and one in twelve has shown aggression toward its owners.
The chihuahua, it was found, often snaps at whoever it encounters: its owners, strangers, and other dogs.
The Jack Russell terrier was third, followed by Akita and then Australian cattle dog. The dog most people love to hate--the pit bull--was sixth, followed by beagle, the English springer spaniel, the border collie, and the German shepherd.
The Rottweiler, widely thought of as aggressive, scored average to below average ratings for its hostility toward strangers.
The report indicated that some of the lowest scoring breeds for aggression included the basset hound, golden retriever, Labradors, Siberian huskies, and greyhounds.
Recently, as I sat at my computer, I heard the sound of someone entering the front gate and walking up on the porch to the door. Huxley was flying out there with me a few steps behind him. It was two door-to-door religion peddlers, good books in hand, and one was reaching down to make nice to Huxley. I had to make a split second decision.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said, walking up and grabbing my dog before he took a good bite for religious privacy. These bible thumpers had walked down a driveway over 900 feet long to find out--immediately--that I wasn't interested. At least they got to retreat with all their digits still attached.
posted on July 10, 2008 7:56 PM ()
We had a dachshund named Gretchen when I was a kid growing up. Before that we had a chihuahua named Pedro. I had read about this on another blog somewhere and was kind of surprised. I figured that the chihuahua would be in number one place for aggression. My hubby and I have had chihuahuas about the whole time we have been married. We have two right now. The smaller dogs can be that way for sure. One time when the UPS guy came to our door to deliver a box Sprocket got out the door chasing after him. He got away from hubby at the door. Small dogs think that they are the big dog on the block. That is what a vet told us one time.
where did Doberman Pinschers [?] come in the list... I have been told several times that had I been born an animal I'd be a doberman. I tried to take it as a compliment, but...
Strangely enough, dobermans weren't mentioned. Yes, Huxley is quite overweight, partly my fault for leaving him at home when I go walking (he slows me down, always wanting to sniff things, the same complaint my wife has about me when we go hiking...). He's named after Aldous; nothing philosophically significant; I just liked the name for him.
Laurie
Huxley says thanks and wink-wink.
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