Beyond Breeding: Re-Interpreting Paradigms in Domestic Dog Aggression Research

Abstract

Pet dog aggression is a research theme of extreme importance since, today more than ever, caretakers have the motivation and interest to better understand and relate to their dogs. However, most of the literature exploring this theme focuses on biased views of breeding, behaviour profiles and aggression itself. That way, many studies regarding incident predictability end in the same pitfall of standardizing aggression by a single factor, like breed, instead of approaching other important factors beyond genetics and learning. In this essay, we propose a new approach to understand aggression in dogs, taking from non-dichotomous and non-urban-western views. Regarding the animal as complex developing systems, that are always shaping and being shaped by its surrounding environment. With said approach, factors such as skull morphology, size, weight, caretaker relationship and culture, should be further incorporated in research for a deeper understanding of dog aggression as a social communicative behaviour.