BLUF

Research shows that a dog's behavior is influenced more by environment and upbringing than its breed.

Summary

KEY POINTS:

  • Breed alone explains just 9% of the variation in behaviour among dogs.
  • Response to human training and toy affinity showed some association with the breed but were not strong predictors.
  • Age was found to be a better predictor of behaviour than breed.
  • The study's findings raise doubts about the effectiveness and fairness of breed-specific legislation targeting certain breeds.

References