Aggressive dog breed owners 'more hostile'

Washington, August 12 (ANI): Owners of stereotypically aggressive dog breeds are more likely to have hostile and aggressive personalities as compared to those who own typically laid-back canines, a new study has revealed.

The study conducted at Queen's University Belfast found that aggressive dog-breed owners scored higher in the personality trait of 'psychoticism', which is marked by anger, hostility and aggression.

"This might imply (although has yet to be proven) that people choose pets that are an extension of themselves," study researcher Deborah Wells said.

Dr. Wells and her colleague Peter Hepper recruited 147 dog owners from obedience classes in Northern Ireland and asked them to fill out a personality questionnaire.

The study included only the owners of German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers.

"We deliberately wanted to focus on breeds that are commonly owned, but at opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of public perception of temperament - both Germans shepherds and Rottweilers are commonly perceived to be aggressive, while labs and retrievers (breeds frequently used to advertise organizations such as Guide Dogs for the Blind) are more likely to regarded in a nonaggressive light," Wells said.

Of the personality traits, which were studied, the only difference between breed types that emerged was in psychoticism.

According to Wells, the study still leaves open the question of whether aggressive people choose aggressive dog breeds and then intentionally train them to be vicious.

She also said that other factors beyond personality, such as allergies and size could influence dog-breed choice.

"Just because someone with a higher psychotic tendency owns a breed that is widely perceived to be aggressive, does not necessarily mean that animal is a threat to society," Wells said.

The Study has been published in journal Personality and Individual Differences. (ANI)