As of: February 7, 2024, 11:01 a.m
By: Sophie Kluß
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Berlin's dachshunds are making headlines.
Despite their cute appearance, they come in second place in dog bite statistics.
But how aggressive are Dachshunds actually?
In the city of Berlin's dog bite statistics for 2022, the dachshund comes in second place among pedigree dogs after the German shepherd.
According to statistics, 24 people and eleven other dogs were injured by him in 2022.
The basis for the survey is the reports received by the district offices of the city of Berlin.
But how aggressive are Dachshunds actually?
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Second place in the Berlin dog bite statistics: Are dachshunds aggressive?
Even if you don't look at them, Dachshunds are hunting dogs.
© Arterra/Imago
With its cute appearance, the dachshund takes the hearts of dog lovers by storm.
But the elongated four-legged friend should not be underestimated.
Dachshunds are hunting dogs and do their job well.
According to a US study, the breed was found to have an above-average tendency to aggression.
According to Spiegel
, the dachshund is considered the most aggressive dog.
His aggression would not only be directed against members of his own species, but also against people.
“Breeds with the highest percentage of dogs exhibiting severe aggression (bites or attempted bites) toward humans included Dachshunds, Chihuahuas and Jack Russell Terriers (towards strangers and owners), Australian Cattle Dogs (towards strangers), and American Cocker Spaniels and Beagles (versus owners),” the authors of the study, Deborah L. Duffy, Yuying Hsu, James A. Serpell, summarized their results in the online scientific database
Science Direct
.
According to the study, the dachshund was also far ahead in the ranking of attacks on owners or other family members: it came in second place after the beagle.
Participants from veterinary practices and breeding associations – US study not representative
However, the scientists openly communicated that their study was not really representative.
One reason for this is the selection of the study participants: they were recruited in veterinary practices and from member lists of breeding associations.
This means there is no meaningful mix of participants, including with regard to their socialization.
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Aggression in dogs: Various factors determine behavior
A study from 2021, however, identified factors that can affect the aggressive behavior of dogs.
What other factors - in addition to race - increased the likelihood of aggressive behavior towards people in the study:
Older age
masculinity
anxiety
Small height
Lack of companionship from other species
Inexperienced owners (with first dog)
The results confirmed older studies.
They “suggest that improvements in owner education and breeding practices could reduce aggressive behavior towards humans, while genetic studies could reveal the associated hereditary factors,” conclude study authors Salla Mikkola, Milla Salonen, Jenni Puurunen, Emma Hakanen, Sini Sulkama, César Araujo and Hannes Lohi their work.
Scientists have discovered in a Harvard study that dogs react aggressively to heat.