Psychologists in England set up a study for owners of purebred dogs to help determine how an individual’s personality traits correlated with the type of dog they owned. The researchers measured what psychologists call the “Big Five personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and anxiety. They then split the dog breeds into seven Kennel Club categories: gun dogs (Labrador or Golden retriever); hound dogs (greyhound); herding breeds (German shepherds and collies); terriers (Staffordshire bull terrier); toy breeds (Chihuahuas); utility breeds (bulldogs); and working breeds (Doberman).
The results revealed correlations between the type of dog and the owner’s personality. People who own herding or utility breeds are the most extroverted of any dog owners. Owners of gun dogs and toy dogs were the most agreeable. The most emotionally stable people tended to own hounds, including beagles and Afghans. Toy dog owners tended to be the most open and imaginative bunch. And while the study suggests that dog owners naturally gravitate toward breeds that fit their personality and lifestyle, the information could also be used to create a questionnaire that could help people pick the dog that would best fit themselves and their lifestyle – something that could lead to far fewer dogs being sent to shelters.
Another study by a different group of UK psychologists looked at the reasons why some people prefer aggressive dog breeds. They found that people who were younger and who were lower in agreeableness (i.e., being less concerned with the needs of others and may be competitive, suspicious, or unfriendly) tended to like an aggressive dog. Their study, like the previous one, also confirmed the basic idea that the dog one chooses tends to match their personality.
If we look more closely at the issue of aggressive dogs, can it be said that some breeds are more dangerous than others? The Maryland Court of Appeals recently decided that they could when they ruled that pit bulls and pit bull mixes are “inherently dangerous.” The term “inherently dangerous” implies that all pit bulls are, through genetics or their environment, born with a vicious streak. This is a common misconception. Actually, the top three biters of humans are smaller dogs: Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Jack Russell terriers.
Pit bulls didn’t always have such a bad rap. In the early part of the 20th century, this breed was in fashion and became quite popular as a family pet. But over breeding and selection for more aggressive dogs, especially for dog fighting, has changed that. Studies of behavior in foxes have shown that a trait affecting personality can appear in just two or three generations. Pit bulls bred this way seem to be more aggressive against other dogs, but not necessarily humans. And before we consign all pit bulls to the category of unredeemable let’s remember that an 8-year-old pit bull named Lilly recently pulled her unconscious owner from the train tracks moments before a freight train barreled through. The owner was uninjured, but Lilly was struck by the train and lost her right front leg. Fortunately, she survived with the assistance of the veterinary staff at Angell Animal Medical Center in Boston.
So it seems that our dogs are a reflection of us. I’d like to hope that we are also a reflection of the better traits of our dogs. There is no closer relationship on this planet between two species than between man and dog. Stories of this relationship are common, but one of the most poignant ones I know about is that of Ann Elizabeth Isham and her Great Dane. There were 12 dogs on the Titanic when it sank. Only three survived. Legend says Isham climbed out of a lifeboat after being informed that her dog was too big to join her and returned to the ship’s kennel. A few days after the sinking her body was found by a recovery ship, clutching her beloved canine.
Dr. Kiel is the U.S. Army veterinarian currently supporting NAS Whidbey Island and Naval Station Everett. Please send questions or comments to joseph.kiel@navy.mil.
