>
With their adorable faces and wagging tails, it’s no surprise that dogs have been man’s best friends for thousands of years.
But not all breeds are created equal when it comes to training – and if your dog is misbehaved, it can become a huge source of stress.
In a new study, researchers from the University of Helsinki have revealed the easiest breeds to train.
Their findings suggest that Australian Cobberdogs, Australian Labradoodles and Golden Labrador Retrievers have the best focus when it comes to training.
In contrast, Bull-type terriers, Sled dogs and Parson-type terriers are the most difficult to train, according to the study.
In a new study, researchers from the University of Helsinki have revealed the easiest breeds to train. In the photo: an Australian Cobberdog
Bull-type terriers (pictured), sled dogs and Parson-type terriers are the most difficult to train, according to study
In the study, the team looked for the personality differences between dog breeds.
“The breed of the dog is the most important determinant of personality differences,” said Dr Milla Salonen, lead author of the study.
“All dogs are individuals and all breeds have different traits, but breeds differ in what kind of personality most dogs within each breed have.”
The team collected a huge dataset of behavioral studies with information on 11,000 dogs from 300 different breeds.
These were then divided into 52 groups.
The data revealed a strong link between race and seven personality traits.
These were insecurity, training focus, aggressiveness/dominance, energy, canine sociability, human sociability and perseverance.’
In terms of training, the ‘other breeds’ group topped the list as the easiest to train.
Parson type terriers proved to be some of the trickiest breeds to train. In the photo: a Parson Russell Terrier
This group included Australian Cobberdog, Australian Labradoodle, Golden Labrador Retriever, Indian Pariah Dog, Peruvian Hairless Dog Large, Peruvian Hairless Dog Medium sized, Peruvian Hairless Dog Miniature, Seskar seal dog, Unknown breed, Wolfdog, Xoloitzcuintle Intermediate and Xoloitzcuintle Standard.
This group was closely followed by Labrador Retriever, Border Collie and Spanish Water Dog.
At the other end of the scale, Bull-type terriers, Sled dogs, Parson-type terriers and Pinschers/Schnauzers were considered the most difficult to train.
Aside from breed, several other factors have been found to affect a dog’s trainability.
Female dogs were found to be easier to train, while training also became easier as dogs aged.
Meanwhile, neutered dogs proved more difficult to train than those that had not yet been spayed.
‘Based on our research, personality traits are extremely complex and have amazing similarities between dogs, humans and other animals,’ Dr Salonen added.