As most of us have heard the news, Dachshunds are the most aggressive dog breed in the world, according to a University of Pennsylvania report recently announced.
Okay, well as a Dachshund enthusiast/owner, this news does not surprise me, nor do I consider it a revelation! The Dachshund breed dates back as far as St. Hubert (656 to 727 C.E.), known as the now-extinct St. Hubert Hound, which was known for its exceptional scenting skills and long, low body. However, the Dachshund breed today was developed in Germany by farmers, foresters, and hunters in the 1600s and 1700s who wanted a dog adept in tracking and scenting game, in addition, competent enough to enter animal dens and warrens, while restraining the prey and barking loud and long enough for the hunter to catch up to eradicate the prey.
Did this type of breeding make the Dachshund aggressive? Let’s examine the word, aggressive, for a minute. According to my dictionary, the word aggressive means attacking, boldly assertive. And Dachshunds were originally bred for what purpose? A dog bred to hunt badgers or foxes had to be aggressive, i.e. attacking, and being boldly assertive! Does this mean they display this kind of behavior toward their owners and other dog breeds? Absolutely not unless their owners are provoking them without cause or other dog breeds exhibit a behavior that is perceived as a threat or challenge.
Let’s be real. Any dog breed of any size or weight is capable of exhibiting signs of aggression. Take my two adorable brother and sister, Shi Tzu’s, Sam and Libby. On the average, they are sweet, loving, docile, and affectionate. But, occasionally and for no apparent reason, they will get into an altercation that unless I want to experience teeth chomping off a finger or two, I best leave well enough alone and let them fight it out without any interference on my part! My 1.5-year-old Dachshund, Miss Molly, stands off in the background barking at them, wagging her tail, making no move on them while they are interlocked with each other. Now that’s aggression and it’s not a pretty sight!
While I do not disagree with this aggressive dog report, it is important that we don’t accept our first thoughts and the statements made on this report at face value, instead, we should evaluate the accuracy of statements and the soundness of the reasoning that links them. In other words, exactly what data and reasoning supports this viewpoint? For example, approximately 6,000 dog owners were questioned about their dogs’ behavior and 33 breeds were ranked on their behavior. My first question regarding the Dachshund breed would be how many were spayed or neutered. As we know, spaying or neutering your pet will improve your pet’s temperament. While testosterone along does not cause aggression, it may facilitate and escalate the aggression.
My next question regarding the Dachshund breed would be how many were professionally trained. What I mean by that is, the owner, rather than a professional trainer, is likely to be the target of the aggressive behavior in a dog simply because of its relationship with the owner! More importantly, the uninstructed owner will often revert to using physical punishment or force that can be perceived as threatening or challenging to their dog!
In sum, I believe it is important to maintain a balanced perspective in any argument and/or statement. We should value knowledge and wisdom more than we value our ego, and more importantly, the measure of any argument and/or statement is not the depth or sincerity of belief, but the quality of the evidence that supports it. The Dachshund breed, in the hound category, can be aggressive, but so can all other breeds if provoked!
