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Small and ferocious dogs: why they behave like this and what to do for everyone’s safety

Small and ferocious dogs: why they behave like this and what to do for everyone’s safety

Since she came home, her dog has shown a quick temper, but all the fuss and biting was funny coming from a 20cm tall little creature. Now he has his birthday, and although he hasn’t grown much, what used to be a mischief looks different, Why does the puppy go by angry, he gets angry if he sees other dogs, he wants to get on visitors, he destroys things if they leave him alone for a moment, and he seems to hate children?

Some people feel betrayed when, trying to contain it, their little terror bites them. Others justify it. He is nervous. He is sick. You don’t have to provoke it. You don’t have to leave it alone Don’t touch your things. The aggressive ones are the other dogs. And they instruct their friends and visitors not to look at him, talk to him or go near him.

The methodical work of humans creating various breeds of dogs according to their interests and tastes has given rise to the fact that in the same species there is a difference in size between a yorkshire terrier and an Italian Mastiff. Y the dramatic variation in size and shape of dogs does affect canine psychologyreports the study from the University of Sydney led by Dr. Paul D. McGreevy, and published in the scientific journal PLos One.

Artificial genetic selection has created tiny dogs with puppy-like traits and behaviors that persist with age. Photo: Shutterstock

The behavior problems of domestic dogs are linked to certain characteristics of height, weight and the shape of their head, the latter one of the aspects in which the human being has intervened the most. Specifically, it does matter if the dog’s head is more brachiocephalic (much wider than long, with a short muzzle, like an English bulldog) or more dolichocephalic (much longer than it is wide, with a long snout, like the greyhound).

In humans, the shape of the skull makes no difference to personality or behavior. In dogs, yes. Imaging studies show that artificial selection has affected the shape of the skulls and the organization of the brains of different breeds.

For example, dogs bred to hunt and chase often have thin heads and long muzzles. Dogs bred to be lapdogs, on the other hand, have broad faces and flat muzzles. They look and act like puppies, even as they get older, which has its advantages and disadvantages.

The study led by McGreevy reveals that there are about thirty undesirable behaviors in a companion animal, and most of them are related to the height of the dog. Other factors are weight, skull width to length ratio, and combinations of all of that.

The researchers describe it like this: Average height in dogs shows a significant decrease in behaviors like wanting to mount on people or objects, getting irritated by any touch, urinating or defecating if left alone, fearing other dogs, not being separated, attacking the people they live with, beg for food and ‘mark’ the house. An average weight dog shows a decrease in what we call hyperactivity.

Photo: Shutterstock

Do you recognize these tendencies in your puppy? You may consider him smart and scold him, thinking he ‘knows’ not to do certain things, but instinct is probably stronger than him, he has been (artificially) designed with those handicaps, originally intended to make him funny as a baby, only over time we see them for what they are, behavior problems. And these problems increase as the height of the dog decreases.

In additiondogs with a good skull width-to-length ratio tend to engage in positive behaviors, such as social grooming (which allows them to interact with other dogs)and a lower tendency to chase.

That doesn’t negate the fact that small dogs exist, we created them, and they need homes. Before bringing one of them to live with you, consider the factors and also the lifestyle that you will give it, if you have a place where the dog will not have to interact as often with other dogs or with many people, if it will be able to give him a lot of attention and tolerate his eccentricities, or if you have a large family with several children, animals and frequent visitors, and you need it to be a safe space for everyone. These things matter.

When small dogs attack, what to do?

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking that only large dogs can cause terrible injuries,” says attorney Fernando D. Vargas, whose law firm specializes in personal injury.

Photo: Shutterstock

In his experience, It’s not just large, jawed canids that can do a lot of damage. when they are not well trained and cared for. Much smaller dogs are capable of terrorizing their communities, as in the case of a pack of stray Chihuahuas on the streets of Phoenix, Arizona (2014 reports). They formed groups of 8 to 15 and posed enough of a threat to not let the children out alone.

“The truth is that a dog of any size has the potential to be aggressive and cause injuries,” Vargas says. The following Six breeds of dogs are considered especially prone to bad behavior. “If you come across any of them, be careful, avoid provoking them, keep going,” says the lawyer, who not in vain specializes in cases of dog attacks.

  1. The dachshunds they are more likely to get angry at dogs and people, just as often as a large dog. Its name means badger dog, and it was bred to dig into badger burrows, chase them down, and kill them, though badgers are by no means defenseless.
  2. The chihuahuas they can be impressive when they make an enemy. It’s barely six pounds, but an attitude of several dozen. They are very attached to their owners and aggressively protect them from the friendliest of approaches. Do not allow your Chihuahua to bark, growl or jump at others, even if he is small and seems harmless to you, he will grow up and then you will not be able to change those traits or teach him to socialize.
  3. The Cocker spaniel He has a sweet expression, but some develop a syndrome known as ‘genetic anger’ that causes them to explode for no reason, and then return to their placid state, as if nothing had happened.
  4. To the pekingese they do not like strangers or children. They have an impulsive temperament, were bred to be Chinese imperial court dogs, and for centuries were treated like royalty, as only nobles could own one.
  5. To the beagles they were bred to follow scents and hunt, it is their strongest instinct. They are also full of energy and easily excited. Do not let them loose, they could catch the clue of something and not respond to the call, and run away.
  6. The jack russel He was also bred for the purpose of hunting foxes and rats, and now, trying to adjust to being a pet, his extreme energy requires a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to keep him from becoming stressed. A jack russel bored or unaccustomed to socializing can become aggressive. (F)

Font: McGreevy PD, Georgevsky D, Carrasco J, Valenzuela M, Duffy DL, Serpell JA (2013) ‘Dog Behavior Co-Varies with Height, Bodyweight and Skull Shape’. PLOS ONE 8(12): e80529. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0080529

Source: Eluniverso

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