Small dogs are not more aggressive than large ones, according to an expert: “They are just more tired of us”

That small dogs are more aggressive than large ones is a widespread popular belief that, today, is taken as true. However, Experts deny this statementindicating that a dog’s aggressiveness does not depend on breed or size.

This is how Mary WildBehav, the name of the expert in popularizing ethology (animal behavior) based on scientific evidence, explains it through a publication on her X account: “I have started working with a family with a Chihuahua because now, at 3 years, He is starting to growl and bite at them. Because?”the divulger asks.

Three factors that influence dog aggression

Mary WildBehav begins by explaining that animals, out of pure survival instinct, feel threatened by larger individuals, and generally all individuals a Chihuahua interacts with are larger. So, The greater insecurity of these and other small breed dogs is normalwhile adding another factor: “Many dogs (of any size) do not socialize or are incorrectly faced with different types of experiences during the critical socialization period.”

“Many dogs do not cope correctly with the critical period of socialization”

In this way, it is important that in this socialization period (from three to 14 weeks) the dog is exposed progressively and positively to other environments, people, dogs, events, noises, etc.: “Yes, as happened to the Chihuahua I am working with, during this period the dog interacts with children who are invasive, who pull his ears, who they take it without their consent, etc. the dog will associate children with stress and discomfort,” he says.

In addition to insecurity and incorrect socialization, there is a third factor: “Dogs tell us all the time when they feel uncomfortable.but very often we do not realize it or, worse still, we realize it and ignore them,” says the expert. “At first the signs are more subtle such as licking their lips, looking away, squinting, etc. But if our dog tells us over and over again in a polite way ‘please stop’ and we never listen to him, there will come a time when his nose will swell and he will stop the niceties. going on to growl, show teeth, bark or even bite.

The reason why small dogs bite sooner

“The reason why small dogs begin to bite sooner is that we are much more invasive with them (we touch them all the time without their consent, we constantly grab them making them feel vulnerable, etc.) and on top of that their warning signs make us until grace,” clarifies the divulger. “So sooner or later they end up getting tired and They go from growling to biting, since they have realized that it is the only strategy they have to be left alone,” he concludes.

“Sooner or later they end up getting tired and go from growling to biting”

That is why it can be stated that small dogs are not more aggressive than large onesNeither Chihuahuas nor other small breeds are just more tired of us.

WhatsAppTwitterLinkedinBeloud