Bad dog owners to blame for aggressive animals not their breed. Dangerous dogs which are outlawed in Britain may be no more unsafe than other breeds – they simply attract bad owners, researchers have suggested. Currently under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is illegal to own certain types of dog including the Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Filo Brasileiro. But the University of Lincoln has argued that the act stigmatises breeds which are not inherently more aggressive while making owners too trusting of dogs which are not banned. Criminals or gangs are often drawn to banned pets as ‘weapon of status dogs’ which has ‘created a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy about their behaviour through environmental rather than genetic effects,’ researchers argue. The claim the ‘type of person attracted towards certain breeds and encouraging certain behaviours may be a much better predictor’ of aggression. For more information please use the link posted. New research to explore genetic causes of aggressive behaviour in dogs Dogs walking A new study by academics at the University of Lincoln, UK, is looking at genetic factors that may contribute to impulsive aggression in dogs. Some dogs may be predisposed to act aggressively with little warning, which can lead to people being injured and the dogs then being rejected by their owners and euthanised without treatment. Life Sciences PhD student Fernanda Fadel is trying to identify the genetic risk factors of dog aggression. She said: “While aggressive behaviour is a normal part of every animal’s make up, it is important to identify individuals who represent a higher risk, in order to manage this risk effectively. For more information or if you wish to participate in this study please use this link https://lincoln.ac.uk/news/2014/03/861.asp and not the link below
Posted on: Sun, 25 May 2014 19:06:22 +0000