PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

How common is aggression in UK dogs?

2014-01-07
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Joanne Fryer
joanne.fryer@bristol.ac.uk
44-011-733-17276
University of Bristol
How common is aggression in UK dogs? Aggressive dogs represent a serious risk to human health, tragically causing fatalities in rare cases. The development of aggression can also impact on a dog's welfare, because of a breakdown of the human-pet bond, euthanasia or relinquishment. New research has estimated the prevalence of human-directed aggression in different situations, and examined the potential risk factors for dogs showing aggression towards people.

The study, led by academics at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences and published online in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, investigated the occurrence of dog aggression towards people with a survey of UK dog owners.

Around 15,000 questionnaires were distributed to dog owners of which 4,000 were returned and used in the analysis. The researchers found that aggression towards unfamiliar people was reported more commonly by owners than aggression to family members.

Nearly seven percent of owners responded that their dog barked, lunged, growled or actually bit when people came to the house, and five percent reported these behaviours on meeting people when out on walks.

In contrast, about three percent of dogs were suggested by owners to show aggressive behaviour towards family members. The study highlighted that the majority of dogs showing aggression do so in just one of these situations. This indicates that the common tendency to categorise dogs as either generally 'safe' or 'vicious' is a misconception, and that most dogs show aggression as a learnt response to particular situations.

Dr. Rachel Casey, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare, said: "Dog owners and members of the public need to be aware that any dog could potentially show aggression if it is anxious or feels threatened, even when it has never done so before.

"On the other hand, dogs which have shown aggressive signs in one situation are not necessarily 'dangerous' when in other contexts – an important consideration in the assessment of animals, such as in rehoming centres."

The study also compared the characteristics of those dogs reported to show aggression with those which had never done so. It was revealed that factors such as training classes attended, type of training method used, the sex and neuter status of dogs, the age category of owners, and the breed of dogs were all associated with the occurrence of aggression.

Interestingly, different risk factors were found to be significant in statistical models examining aggression to family members and unfamiliar people. This suggests that different factors are important in the development of aggressive signs depending on the situation.

The research also highlighted that although general characteristics, such as breed type, are significant risk factors across large populations they explain only a small amount of the overall difference between aggressive and non-aggressive dogs. This suggests that it is not appropriate to evaluate the risk of aggressive behaviour in an individual dog using characteristics such as breed type.

### Paper: Human directed aggression in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): occurrence in different contexts and risk factors, Rachel A. Casey, Bethany Loftus, Christine Bolster, Gemma J. Richards, Emily J. Blackwell, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, published online 11 December 2013.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Temperature found to be most significant driver of the world's tallest trees

2014-01-07
Temperature found to be most significant driver of the world's tallest trees Understanding forest biodiversity and how carbon dioxide is stored within trees is an important area of ecological research. The bigger the tree, the more carbon it stores and a study in New Phytologist ...

MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10

2014-01-07
MRSA drug dosage calculations found to be inaccurate for children over 10 The emergence of MRSA (Staphylococcus aureus), dubbed a 'superbug' due to its resistance to many antibiotic drugs, has resulted in the glycopeptide antibiotic Vancomycin being commonly prescribed for patients ...

New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics

2014-01-07
New global stroke repository offers regional comparative statistics In many countries strokes are seen as a lower priority when compared to other diseases despite their public health impact. This is partly due to a lack of readily accessible data to make the case for the development ...

Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories

2014-01-07
Vikings & superheroes: How interconnected characters may reveal the reality behind the stories The Icelandic sagas of the Norse people are thousand-year-old chronicles of brave deeds and timeless romances, but how true to Viking life were they? Writing in Significance, Pádraig ...

New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs

2014-01-07
New, simple technique may drive down biofuel production costs Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a simple, effective and relatively inexpensive technique for removing lignin from the plant material used to make biofuels, which ...

Beating the poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion

2014-01-07
Beating the poppy seed defense: New test can distinguish heroin use from seed ingestion Heroin is one of the most widely used illegal drugs in the world, but drug testing has long been challenged by the difficulty in separating results of illicit heroin users from those who ...

Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders

2014-01-07
Neurotransmitters resarch can promote better drugs for brain disorders Hebrew University scientists decipher mechanism Jerusalem, January 7, 2014 -- Although drugs have been developed that inhibit the imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain – ...

The 5 fingers of our feathered friends: New research results on the evolution of bird wings

2014-01-07
The 5 fingers of our feathered friends: New research results on the evolution of bird wings In most tetrapods (land vertebrates) the fourth (ring) finger is the first to develop in the embryo. And in birds, the finger on the outside of the hand (posterior, ...

Gemini Planet Imager first light

2014-01-07
Gemini Planet Imager first light World's most powerful exoplanet camera turns its eye to the sky This news release is available in Spanish. After nearly a decade of development, construction, and testing, the world's most advanced instrument for directly imaging ...

To keep their eye on the ball, batters mostly use their heads

2014-01-07
To keep their eye on the ball, batters mostly use their heads How do hitters track pitches in baseball? Study in optometry and vision science gives new insights Philadelphia, Pa. (January 7, 2014) - Baseball players at bat follow coaches' advice to "keep ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Pink skies

Monkeys are world’s best yodellers - new research

Key differences between visual- and memory-led Alzheimer’s discovered

% weight loss targets in obesity management – is this the wrong objective?

An app can change how you see yourself at work

NYC speed cameras take six months to change driver behavior, effects vary by neighborhood, new study reveals

New research shows that propaganda is on the rise in China

Even the richest Americans face shorter lifespans than their European counterparts, study finds

Novel genes linked to rare childhood diarrhea

New computer model reveals how Bronze Age Scandinavians could have crossed the sea

Novel point-of-care technology delivers accurate HIV results in minutes

Researchers reveal key brain differences to explain why Ritalin helps improve focus in some more than others

Study finds nearly five-fold increase in hospitalizations for common cause of stroke

Study reveals how alcohol abuse damages cognition

Medicinal cannabis is linked to long-term benefits in health-related quality of life

Microplastics detected in cat placentas and fetuses during early pregnancy

Ancient amphibians as big as alligators died in mass mortality event in Triassic Wyoming

Scientists uncover the first clear evidence of air sacs in the fossilized bones of alvarezsaurian dinosaurs: the "hollow bones" which help modern day birds to fly

Alcohol makes male flies sexy

TB patients globally often incur "catastrophic costs" of up to $11,329 USD, despite many countries offering free treatment, with predominant drivers of cost being hospitalization and loss of income

Study links teen girls’ screen time to sleep disruptions and depression

Scientists unveil starfish-inspired wearable tech for heart monitoring

Footprints reveal prehistoric Scottish lagoons were stomping grounds for giant Jurassic dinosaurs

AI effectively predicts dementia risk in American Indian/Alaska Native elders

First guideline on newborn screening for cystic fibrosis calls for changes in practice to improve outcomes

Existing international law can help secure peace and security in outer space, study shows

Pinning down the process of West Nile virus transmission

UTA-backed research tackles health challenges across ages

In pancreatic cancer, a race against time

Targeting FGFR2 may prevent or delay some KRAS-mutated pancreatic cancers

[Press-News.org] How common is aggression in UK dogs?