Link to the paper in Science: Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes.
Environment and socialization remain the largest determining factor.
Unsurprisingly, most stereotypes about dog breeds are pseudoscience that come from the eugenics movement. In particular, “popular knowledge” around pitbulls and bulldogs is just thinly veiled racism.
interview on the study from the verge: https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/28/23043508/dog-breed-behavior-genetics-study-stereotypes
The research did find some genes associated with traits like human sociability and howling frequency. But overall, only around 9 percent of dog behavior was explained by breed.
“Dogs are individuals,” said Marjie Alonso, a study author and executive director of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. “What a dog looks like is not really going to tell you what the dog acts like.”
Edit: modern “purebred” breeding literally came from eugenicists, that’s why this old political cartoon even exists. Documentary on pedigree dogs and their many issues: https://vimeo.com/166015460
If all dogs can be aggressive than most people still shouldn’t own large dogs because most people can’t train a dog worth shit. Everyone and their mother in my neighborhood owns a big ass pit mix which is fine except for the fact that they freak out anytime they see another dog on a walk because they’re not trained. My in laws used to have a great pyrennes that they refused to train until it almost took someone’s hand off. An untrained dachshund is a menace but any dog that you can pick up when it’s trying to attack the neighbors’ dogs isn’t really a problem. But that’s just me with a thing about big dogs because one took a piece out of my ear as a kid
Like my college friend has a lab mix rescue that’s insane and they refuse to acknowledge it. They live in a standard apartment building and because of unfortunate circumstances someone’s chihuahua walked out into the hallway as their dog passed their door and it actually picked it up and hat it in it’s mouth. That’s fucking horrifying. Don’t own these dogs if you can’t take care of them and can’t take care of the safety of other people around you. Cops use attack dogs for a reason
It's a good thing everyone is working 40+ hours a day and has no leisure time in which they could do something like train a dog.
Then maybe they shouldn't own an animal capable of maiming or killing people.
Then maybe they shouldn’t own an animal ~~capable of maiming or killing people.~~
:vegan-seitan: :inshallah-script: