Small Dogs Aggression May Be Due to Genetics and Owners Infantilization

Small dog breeds like chihuahuas have always been one of the go-to dog breeds for many owners. However, their adorable size can't hide the fierce reputation they've earned for themselves. Despite their tiny size, these dogs tend to act like they're bigger than everyone.

Large muscular dogs like pit bulls and rottweilers are often perceived as the scariest of the dog breeds. But, evidence shows that smaller dogs, in fact, have a higher tendency of being aggressive than their larger counterparts.

But the question is, why are small dogs so aggressive?

Understanding Small Dogs

Before anything else, let's define what a small dog is. James Serpell, director of the Center for the Interaction of Animals and Society, explains to Live Science that small dogs are breeds that weigh less than 20 pounds.

A 2008 study published in the journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science suggests that chihuahuas, dachshunds, and Jack Russell terriers are the breeds that are most likely to attempt to bite. This data was derived from researchers surveying owners of roughly more than 30 dog breeds.

Other aggressive behaviors associated with small dogs include lunging, snarling, and growling.

Why are Small Dogs More Aggressive?

Serpell says that the breed's small size may have made them more fearful of their surroundings, which increases the risk of them lashing out in self-defense. Smaller dog breeds are more likely to react defensively since they have more to be afraid of.

On the other hand, their reactivity could be an unintended result of their owner's behavior. Serpell explains that owners have a tendency of infantilizing small dogs and them of them as helpless infants. The overprotectiveness of owners may result to decrease social experience for the dogs, which results in their inability to properly react to various stressful situations.

Some theorize that the dog's aggression could have been baked into its evolution. Serpell explains that if a person was attacked by a Chihuahua, consequences are relatively less significant compared to when a person is attacked by Siberian huskies or Great Danes. In short, over the millennia, humans have not been as bothered by the breed's aggressive behavior, which in turn did not experience many consequences from their aggression compared to larger breeds that attacked humans.

A study published in BMC Genomics suggests that the aggressive behavior of dogs has a link to the growth gene, which is why small dogs are small. The relationship between both factors can be coincidental; however, research shows that small dogs aren't just more aggressive than larger breeds; they also have more severe separation anxiety. These breeds tend to bark more and are more likely to mark their home, which provided credence to the new theory that genetics played a critical role in the small dog's extreme temperament.

Today, scientists aren't confident with any of the theories due to limited studies conducted on the root of the small dogs' aggressive behavior. On the other hand, there is a chance that all theories are equally correct.