Vets warn that aggression is almost TWICE as prevalent in dog breed

Whether it’s a Chihuahua or a German Shepherd, dogs of all shapes and sizes have been man’s best friend for centuries.

But experts at the Royal Veterinary College in London warn that one breed isn’t as friendly after all, with almost twice the aggression in these dogs than any other pup in the UK.

Surprisingly, this turned out to be the English Cocker Spaniel – a beloved pet of countless famous faces, including the Prince and Princess of Wales.

While aggression was experienced by 2.2 per cent of other dogs in the UK, this averaged four per cent for the Spaniel breed.

Golden-coated dogs were found to be even noisier, with aggression prevalent in 12 percent of those studied.

English Cocker Spaniels have been a beloved pet to countless famous faces, including the Prince and Princess of Wales. Pictured with son Prince George and Lupo who passed away in 2020

“The English Cocker Spaniel (ECS) is a popular family dog ​​in the UK, but there is limited information on common disorders of the breed,” the study said.

“The purpose of this study was to describe demographics (age, gender, neuter, and body weight), disease state, lifespan, and reasons for death.”

Scientists looked at a pool of 2,318 English Cocker Spaniels for this study, based on veterinary records from around the country.

Aggression ranks sixth in a list of conditions the breed experiences most often, after others such as anal sac impaction and diarrhea.

Nearly 230 dogs suffered from obesity, which ranked third on the list, with periodontal disease being the leading condition, with a prevalence of 20 percent.

This condition – commonly known as gingivitis – usually develops when bacteria and food particles build up in a dog’s mouth.

Pictured: The Prince and Princess of Wales with their new puppy Orla in Windsor

Actor George Clooney and his wife Amal both own two Cocker Spaniels

David Beckham, 46, gave fans an insight into his home life as he shared a photo of himself with his beloved dogs on Instagram

Still, the pups were most likely to die from neoplasia – a condition that causes the uncontrolled, abnormal growth of cells, often developing in the form of a tumor.

Experts also looked at the coat color of more than 64 percent of the dogs studied to understand possible links between appearance and disorders.

While golden dogs were the most aggressive, brown dogs were the least, with scientists finding that only 4.3 percent were on the feisty side.

Meanwhile, 6.3 percent of black dogs, 4.3 percent of brown dogs, and 6.5 percent of red puppies were seen as aggressive.

Scientists claim these numbers trace back to previous research that highlighted that solid-colored dogs are much more likely to show signs of anger than bicolored and tricolored quadrupeds.

Actress Elizbeth Hurley poses in the sun with her English Cocker Spaniel puppy

Oprah Winfrey owns a cocker spaniel named Sadie and two spring spaniels named Lauren and Sunny, while Elton’s dog is named John Arthur

Despite this, any cause for this association remains unclear, with some believing there is no real link at all.

Pet expert Zita Wells of the Southern England-based Pet Patrol said: ‘In my opinion coat color is mainly determined by genetics and has no direct correlation to a dog’s temperament or behaviour.

‘Temperament in dogs is influenced by a combination of genetic factors, early socialization experiences, training and individual personality traits.

“While certain breeds may display certain general temperaments or tendencies, such as being more energetic, calmer, or more sociable, these traits are not determined by coat color alone.”

READ MORE: Scientists reveal the breeds that grow the MOST from puppies to adults

Welcoming a puppy into the family home is often a dream of many.

But experts urge owners to be aware of what’s in store for them, as certain dog breeds can greatly increase in size as they mature.

Sixty of the UK’s most popular and common dog breeds were measured at eight weeks old and again at one year old as part of research by Petplan.

Labradoodles topped the charts for picking up the most weight, with a 900 percent jump in size from the puppy stage to adulthood.

Labrador Retrievers and Rottweilers followed closely behind, their bodies changing by 700 percent and 692 percent over the same period.

Sixty of the UK’s most popular and common dog breeds were assessed in a Petplan study