Of spaniels and Spaniards
A new study says the English cocker spaniel is the most aggressive dog breed – at least in Spain.
They may look like floppy-eared bundles of sweetness, but, according to the study, the English cocker was responsible for the highest number of canine aggression cases brought to a veterinary teaching hospital from 1998 to 2006.
“In our country and according to our database, the English cocker spaniel is the breed that shows more aggression problems,” says lead author Marta Amat, a researcher in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the Autonomous University of Barcelona.
She and her colleagues analyzed 1,040 cases and found English cocker spaniels to be most often involved in aggression cases, followed by Rottweilers, boxers, Yorkshire terriers and German shepherds, according to Discovery News.
The study, published in the latest Journal of Veterinary Behavior, also reported that golden varieties of the breed were more likely to act aggressively, as were males.
Amat noted that “inadequate handling by the owners” is a contributing factor.
The English cocker is a different breed than the smaller, American cocker — though both breeds, like other Spaniels, originated in Spain. The English Cocker Spaniel Club of America describes the breed as being “a homebody” that is “typically affectionate, loyal and reserved with strangers.”
Posted by jwoestendiek May 26th, 2009 under Muttsblog.
Tags: aggression, american cocker spaniel, autonomous university, barcelona, behavior, breeds, cocker spaniels, dog, dogs, english cocker spaniel, spain, spaniards, spaniels, study, veterinary
Comments
Comment from JorgeG
Time May 26, 2009 at 11:44 am
i agree, Inadequate handling. They look so cute that handlers don’t think they can harm anyone, and that’s why they don’t set rules. The same reason why chihuahuas are sometimes so unstable and vicious.
Of course, though the english spaniel could be the most aggressive, the rottweiler attacks can kill you, which still makes that breed more scary.
Comment from Anne’n'Spencer
Time May 26, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Aagh, JorgeG, you are so right! I had an absolutely awful encounter with a Chihuahua in a local store recently. “Mommy” had him in a sort of front sling, like a human infant, and you couldn’t approach within five or six feet of him without setting off a hurricane of growls and barks. She admitted that he rides in that thing all the time. He never gets to walk outside or move around on his own, never feels grass beneath his feet, never enjoys the scents and sounds of other dogs, and never gets to meet humans on his own terms. She’s completely robbed him of any “dogness.” He’s a sort of half-being, existing only to look cute, in a terribly constrained environment. All he could do was defend this pitifully small territory–a pocketbook. I’m sure he has the best in food, veterinary care, and grooming–but I’d have to say he was one of the most abused dogs I’ve ever encountered.
Comment from tara
Time May 28, 2009 at 1:04 pm
I am an owner of an English Cocker Spaniel. He is the sweetest little pup you could ever meet. English cockers are a great breed. They are gentle, loyal and loveable. My dog does not have a single aggressive bone in his body. I think the aggression discussed in this article comes from poor breeding.
Comment from Anne’n'Spencer
Time May 26, 2009 at 10:24 am
This has been known about for years and years as a potential problem in Cocker Spaniels. In fact, it’s been given the rather sensationalistic name “Rage Syndrome,” though I suspect veterinarians and people who breed the dogs properly would prefer some other term. Nobody knows what causes it–it could be a form of epilepsy, a chemical imbalance in the brain, or a number of other issues. It also affects several other breeds. Inbreeding and owner temperament could also contribute. Nobody knows, but just about everybody seems to feel there’s something to it. If you Google “rage syndrome” you’ll find a million articles that need to be sifted through. I had never heard of it until a couple of years ago when I encountered some people who felt they’d needed to have their Cocker put down because they could not find a remedy for it.