Since the dog became an equal member of every family, a number of dog temperament statistics have been conducted to determine the behavior of each breed as well as to determine which dogs have the higher and lower temperaments. Many factors affect the temperament of dogs, from genetics, environment, socialization with other dogs as well as the behavior of their owner. Do you think female or male dogs are more aggressive? The answers from our article might surprise you.
Numerous studies indicate that certain dog breeds are an ideal choice for families with children. For some dog breeds you might be sure, but do you know all of the top 10 breeds with the best temperament for families? On the other hand, there are dogs that are very temperamental, easily attack and bark at strangers.
Do you know what percentage on the temperament test some dogs got? Or which small dogs are the meanest ones? We researched the 16 most interesting statistics and facts that you can see below
Top 8 Most Dog Temperament Facts
(Editor’s Pick)
- Dog temperament tests have been measured since 1977.
- The average pass rate of all tested breeds in 2017 was 83.7%
- Smaller dogs tend to be more aggressive compared to bigger dogs.
- The most aggressive dog breed of small pets is Rough Collies.
- Male dogs are more aggressive than females.
- Dogs that spent more time with other pets are less aggressive.
- The average temperament score for pitbull breeds is 87,9%.
- From 10 meanest dog breeds, Chihihuhua is on the top.
16 Most Interesting Dog Temperament Statistics & Facts
1. Dog temperament tests have been measured since 1977.
The American Temperament Test Society is doing different types of measuring since 1977. The temperament test measured aggressivity, shyness, stability, and social aspects as well as dog insists for protection.
Measurement also tests dogs’ behavior in different situations as well as different scenarios which include different noises such as a gunshot, fireworks, etc.
If the dog failed the test, he shows unprovoked aggression, intense avoidance during some situations, fear of noises, and panic without easy recovery. Direct aggression is not a factor during the test and other dogs are not present.
Source: medium.com
2. The average pass rate of all tested breeds in 2017 was 83.7%
According to The American Temperament Test Society survey from 2017. they tested 34, 686 dogs of different breeds and sizes. The results show that 29,017 dogs passed the test and 5,669 failed. This makes the pass rate of 83.7%.
Source: medium.com
3. From 10 breeds highest rate has French Bulldog
The American Temperament Test Society did a survey about 10 different dog breeds ranked by temperament highest score had French Bulldog. 32 dogs were tester and 96.2% passed out.
In the second place, out of 57 tested dogs is Boerboel with 94.7% The last breed of all tested dogs was Bull Terries with a score of 91.6%
Source: aaastateofplay.com
4. According to research, smaller dogs tend to be more aggressive compared to bigger dogs
According to the dog statistics and American Kennel Club’s Most Popular Dog Breeds ranging in 2018. the top most popular dog breeds are Labrador Retriever, German Sheperd Dog, and Golden Retriever. The least popular dog breed from 10 different breeds is a boxer.
Many of the most popular dog breeds have a high rank on different temperament tests and this is the reason why are so beloved.
Source: aaastateofplay.com
5. According to research, smaller dogs tend to be more aggressive compared to bigger dogs
The University Of Helsinki made a research about the behavior of small and midsized and large dogs. They revealed that smaller dogs will usually be more aggressive and bark more than bigger dogs.
Source: countryliving.com
6. The most aggressive dog breed of small pets is Rough Collies
A new study that included more than 9,000 pets shows that one of the most aggressive dog breeds is Rough Collies. It doesn’t mean that ever Rought Collies will be aggressive, but they have a high temperament that can sometimes look very dangerous.
Source: countryliving.com
7. Around 56,9% temperament score is for Bearded Collie
According to ATTS Breed Statistics, one of the lowest scores for temperament got Bearded Collie, around 56.9% from all 130 breeds that were tested.
Source: countryliving.com
8. Male dogs are more aggressive than female
Scientific reports present research that shows that usually male dogs are more aggressive than female dogs. This depends on different factors such as the sex of another dog, dog personality as well as how social he is with other dogs.
Source: countryliving.com
9. Dogs that spent more time with other pets are less aggressive
There are many dog temperament statistics that’s monitoring dogs’ behavior when they’re around other dogs and how it is connected to their temperament. Studies show that dogs that usually spent time with other canines are usually less aggressive than those who don’t.
According to dog park statistics, parks are the perfect place to socialize your dog from a young age, which can help with aggressivity when he is older.
Source: countryliving.com
10. The average temperament score for pitbull breeds is 87,9%
All the dog attack statistics in the last years show how Pit bulls are one of the most aggressive dogs because there cause many fatal cases. The average score for different pitbull breeds such as Pitbull, American, and Staffordshire shows they score 87,9%.
Source: pitbullinfo.org
11. Staffordshire Bull Terrier has a 90.9% temperament score
According to ATTS Breed Statistics, one of the highest temperament scores, which is 90.9% has Staffordshire Bull Terrier. In second place with an 87,4% score is American Pit Bull Terrier. In third place is American Staffordshire Terrier that has around 85,5%.
Source: pitbullinfo.org
12. Pitbulls are less likely to show aggression than other popular dog breeds
Even if the dog fatality statistics show that Pitbulls caused the highest amount of attacks with fatal consequences, their score on the temperament test show different.
According to the temperament test, they’re less likely to show aggression comparing it to different dog breeds such as Beagles, Bul dogs, Bichon Frise, Corgis, German Shepherds, Poodles, Yorkshire Terriers, Chihuahuas, and other breeds.
Source: dogtime.com
13. According to research, 3 breeds have the highest 96.2% score
From the data that included 130 different dog breeds, the highest test score temperament was 96.2%. This included 3 breeds which are Dutch Shepherd, English Shepherd, and French Bulldog.
Source: pitbullinfo.org
14. From 10 meanest dog breeds Chihihuhua is on the top
According to a survey that included 10 dog breeds of different sizes, from small to large dogs, the number one meanest dog is Chihuahua. Chihuahuas are small dogs that are very loyal but usually, they don’t like strangers so it is a high possibility to bite or start barking.
The temperament test results show that from 46 tested dogs, about 32 passed which is a 69.6% passing score.
Source: pethelpful.com
15. Less meanest dog from 10 breeds is the Siberian Husky
The less meanest dog that was included in the dog temperament test is the Siberian Husky. They are medium-sized dogs and high-personally dog breeds. On the test there were 304 Siberian Huskies, 264 passed the test which represents an 86.8% score.
Source: pethelpful.com
16. One of the dogs with the best temperament for the family is a golden retriever
Vet street did a list of 10 dogs with the best temperament that will be the perfect choice for every family. One of the most popular dog breeds and the perfect dog for families with children is Golden Retriever.
Other nine dogs include Collie, Saint Bernard, Great Dane, Pugs, Boxers, Staffordshire Bull terriers, Bulldog Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and Labrador Retriever.
Even if some of the dog breeds on the list are much larger dogs than others, and seem to be aggressive, those 10 breeds are the first choice for families, according to dog ownership statistics.
Source: care.com
To Sum Up
One of the most interesting statistics is dog temperament statistics that are showing a range in personalities of breeds. We can conclude that female dogs are less aggressive than males. Surprisingly, small dogs tend to attack or bark at strangers more than large dogs. One of the meanest dogs is Chihihuhua, which is very loyal and usually doesn’t like strangers. The temperament is not determined only genetically, there are serious factors that include circulation, socialization with other dogs, and also the upbringing of the dog owner.
