Homing age is related to the prevalence of aggressive and avoidance-related behaviour in adult dogs

Researchers at the Helsinki University, Faculty of veterinary medicine sent a survey to Finnish dog owners, and the data showed that late homing age in puppies is associated to increased aggression and fear behaviours at dogs´adult age.
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Over 3700 owners of dogs representing 111 different breeds, all of which had been raised in the breeder's actual living quarters before homing, participated in the electronic survey .

Increased age of homing appeared to be connected to a higher prevalence of aggressive/avoidance behaviour towards unfamiliar people and dogs, both inside and outside adult dogs’ homes and, as such, support previous findings. Adult dogs obtained later than 8 weeks of age are more likely to show later aggression outside their home.

The study is in press in Applied Animal Behaviour Science - journal.

 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.06.003

MORE INFO:

DVM Olli Jokinen,  olli.jokinen(at)fimnet.fi
prof. Anna Valros anna.valros(at)helsinki.fi