Whether it be a chihuahua or a German shepherd, dogs in all shapes and sizes have been man's best friend for centuries.
But experts from the Royal Veterinary College in London warn that one particular breed is not so friendly after all, with aggression almost twice as prevalent across these dogs as any others in the UK.
Surprisingly, this turned out to be the English cocker spaniel - a beloved pet of numerous famous owners including the Prince and Princess of Wales.
While 2.2 per cent of other dogs in the UK were rated as aggressive, this figure rose to 4 per cent for teenmexxx.com cocker spaniels.
Those with a golden coat were found to be even more boisterous, with aggression prevalent across 12 per cent of those studied.
Cocker spaniels with a golden coat were found to be even more boisterous, with aggression prevalent across 12 per cent of those studied
English cocker spaniels have been a beloved pet of numerous famous faces including the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Pictured with son Prince George and Lupo who died in 2020
TOP 10 MOST COMMON CONDITIONS AMONG ENGLISH COCKER SPANIELS | CONDITION | PREVALENCE (%) |
|---|
| Periodontal disease | 20.97 |
| Otitis externa | 10.09 |
| Obesity | 9.88 |
| Anal sac impaction | 8.07 |
| Diarrhoea | 4.87 |
| Aggression | 4.01 |
| Cutaneous mass lesion | 3.15 |
| Lameness | 2.93 |
| Conjunctivitis | 2.8 |
| Post-operation wound complications | 2.8 |
'The English cocker spaniel is a popular family dog in the UK, but there is limited information regarding common disorders affecting the breed,' the study read.
'The goal of this study was to describe demography (age, sex, neuter, and bodyweight), disease occurrence, lifespan, and reasons for death.'
Scientists looked at a pool of 2,318 English cocker spaniels for this study, drawing from veterinary records from all over the country.
Aggression ranked sixth in a list of disorders most commonly experienced by the breed, coming after others such as anal sac impaction and diarrhoea.
Almost 230 dogs experienced obesity which ranked third on the list, while the top disorder was periodontal disease, with a prevalence of 20 per cent.
This condition - commonly known as gum disease - usually comes about when bacteria and leftover food particles build up in a dog's mouth.
The Prince and Princess of Wales with their new pup 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 snap of himself with his beloved dogs on Instagram
AGGRESSION AMONG DIFFERENT COLOURED ENGLISH COCKER SPANIELS | COLOUR | PREVALENCE (%) |
|---|
| Golden | 12.1 |
| Red | 6.5 |
| Black | 6.3 |
| Brown | 4. |