A controversial study from the University of Leicester, in the United Kingdom, has shown a link between the kindness of people and their preference for certain dog breeds. According to the research results, less friendly young people generally prefer dogs considered “potentially dangerous” as pets.
In Spain, according to Royal Decree 287/2002, of March 22, which develops Law 50/1999Some breeds such as the Dogo Argentino, the American Staffodshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, the Pit Bull Terrier, or the Rottweiler are considered potentially dangerous dogs.Well, according to a study carried out by Vincent Egan and his colleagues at the Leicester School of Psychology, in the United Kingdom, unkind young people tend to prefer these types of pets.
According to the principal investigator, Dr. Vicent Egan, “young people with a low level of friendliness (that is, less concerned with the needs of others and more prone to hostile reactions) preferred dogs with an aggressive reputation”.
The study did not find any type of relationship between liking a dog included in the “potentially aggressive” breeds and crime. According to Vincent Egan, “This type of study is important, as it shows that the assumptions do not conform to a complete reality. Owners of aggressive dogs (or dogs perceived as aggressive) are supposed to be more antisocial. However, we did not observe that people who show a preference for aggressive dogs had committed more criminal acts “
In the study, published in the journal Anthrozoos, the dogs classified as the most violent by users were those of the bull terrier breed, while the Labrador Retrievers and Cocker Spaniels were described as the least aggressive.
