Can Dog's Size & Head Shape Predict Their Behavior?

2 years ago
17

Did you know that a dog's head shape, weight and height can predict their temperament according to a large study done at the Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney in Australia? This is a massive study, involving 67,368 dogs from 45 different breeds. Data collection was done over a period of eight years at 235 testing areas in Sweden. The behavior testing was done using the Dog Mentality Assessment Test, which is a standardized behavioral test involving 10 different subtests designed to measure a dog's aggressiveness, defensiveness, playfulness and sociability, fearfulness, chase instinct, curiosity and so forth.

The physical variables that the researchers were interested in were primarily the height and weight of the dog, and the shape of the dog's head. While the first two variables are obvious the shape of the dog's head requires a bit of explanation. There is a lot of variability in head shape among the various dog breeds. Put simply, head shape ranges from the long-headed dogs, technically called "dolichocephalic" (such as the Afghan Hound or the Greyhound) to the broader wide-skulled dogs technically called "brachycephalic" (such as the Pug or French Bulldog). In between are the "mesocephalic" (sometimes called "mesaticephalic") which would include the Golden Retriever or the Beagle. The dog's height predicted a number of aspects of the dog's behavioral tendencies. It may be a surprise to many people to find that shorter dogs were found to be generally more aggressive than taller dogs. In addition the taller dogs tended to show more affection, cooperation, and playfulness with humans.

The dog's weight also predicted certain personality characteristics. Heavier dogs tended to be bolder, more inquisitive, and attentive. Lighter dogs tended to be more cautious and fearful.

Head shape also predicted some differences in temperament. The brachycephalic dogs seem to be more engaged with their owners with a higher interest in human-directed play. On the other hand these short-faced dogs were more defensive when faced with a difficult to interpret situation (such as seeing a person dressed like a ghost). The dolichocephalic dogs seem to be less likely to engage in object play, especially with unfamiliar humans. However, these long-faced dogs were not as easily startled and recovered more quickly when an unexpected event occurred.

These are just the major findings. However, the overall conclusion is that the height, weight, and head shape of dogs can predict certain important behavioral and temperament variables including certain aspects of aggression, fearfulness, sociability, and affection. In general, it supports Sigmund Freud's contention that "Physiology is destiny," at least when it comes to the size and shape of dogs.
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