


It was also discovered that there are many different genetic factors affecting the dog's fear and aggression traits, and the brain is just one of them. Using several genotype datasets, they found a few primary fear and aggression related traits that differed among breeds: Scientists found that amygdala and hypothalamus are the two main parts of a dog's brain responsible for their aggression, fear, anxiety and prey drive. Many previous studies have looked into a variety of behavioral traits among different breeds and how genetics determine them.įor example, they've investigated obsessive compulsive behaviors among breeds ( 1, 2), behaviors like reactivity, adaptability, affability and wariness ( 3), trainability and boldness ( 4, 5), sociability ( 6) and more.Īggression in different breeds is also highly genetic ( 7).Īnd in one of the most ambitious attempts, geneticists in a 2016 study have managed to map out canine fear and aggression across several hundred breeds using genomewide association. Science on Aggression of Different Dog Breeds Choose a breed that will be easy for you to handle based on your experience level. Think about the qualities that you need in a pet and stick to breeds that are likely to have those qualities. It's important to know which breeds tend to be more aggressive so you can handle the challenges that these breeds of dogs might present. Thousands of people own these dogs or use them as working dogs without any aggression issues. Some may think these dog breeds are more dangerous, but it's not the case understanding aggression in dogs is crucial. Certain dog breeds simply have a shorter fuse or a higher prey drive. There are mellow lazy breeds as well as very active and most aggressive dog breeds.Īll future pet owners and puppy adopters are encouraged to be careful in their choice, especially when it's the first time.Īny dog can become aggressive under specific circumstance. Some people prefer little lapdogs and others enjoy the company of a large slobbering powerhouse.
