Short-nosed dog breeds like French Bulldogs and Pugs dominate pet popularity charts. Scroll through social media, and you’ll see their faces everywhere. Scientists at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) explored whether the charm lies in their genes or in how we raise them. The truth? It’s both – with some surprises.

While people often describe these dogs as friendly, calm, and easy-going, such impressions don’t always hold up.

Many owners treat these dogs as babies, which affects their behavior. This pampering often replaces basic training. Without clear boundaries, even calm dogs can act out.

The new study confirms that short-nosed dogs have certain innate traits, but these are shaped – or masked – by lifestyle, body size, and human habits.

Why we treat cute dogs like babies

The popularity of flat-faced breeds may stem from the “baby schema effect.” Their facial features mimic those of human infants, triggering care instincts in adults.

These breeds have big heads, round eyes, and small snouts. Owners report stronger emotional bonds and often project human-like emotions onto these pets.

However, these emotional ties can lead to unrealistic expectations and overindulgence. Owners of brachycephalic dogs are more likely to be younger, first-time dog parents, women, and people who live alone. They often view the dog purely as a companion.

As a result, these dogs are kept indoors, spend time on beds, and receive little formal training.

Small dogs and bad behavior

The ELTE study included over 5,000 purebred dogs across 90 breeds. The team compared personality traits like calmness, boldness, and trainability with behaviors like leash-pulling and reacting to visitors. These were analyzed alongside head shape, size, and lifestyle factors.

The data revealed something critical: smaller dogs are perceived as less threatening, so owners often tolerate bad behavior.

But small dogs – including many short-nosed ones – actually show more behavioral problems. These include poor recall and increased excitability.

The dogs’ size and training history explained many of the traits wrongly blamed on head shape.

Behavior depends more on training

When the researchers accounted for training, size, and living conditions, many behavioral differences across head shapes vanished.

For example, short-nosed dogs seemed harder to train. But when adjusted for lack of training and smaller body size, that difference disappeared. Calmness and boldness, however, remained strongly linked to head shape.

Dogs with short skulls also showed lower dog sociability after controlling for age. This hints at a true personality trait rather than a learned behavior.

Interestingly, these dogs were less likely to pull on the leash or jump up – but only after researchers controlled for size and lack of training. These good behaviors remained hidden under poor dog-keeping habits.

Head shape affects brain and behavior

So why does head shape matter at all? Short-nosed dogs have more rounded skulls. This likely changes brain structure. It might explain why these dogs focus more on humans and less on problem-solving.

Owners see this as loyalty or dependence, but it might reflect pain or restricted movement from chronic health issues. This passivity is often interpreted as calmness.

There’s also evidence that owners view these dogs through a softer lens. Cute appearance may lead them to ignore or excuse problematic behaviors. In some cases, dogs’ behavior goes unnoticed because it matches owners’ emotional needs more than reality.

Many factors affect dog behavior

The ELTE study offers clear insights for dog lovers, revealing that head shape alone does not determine a dog’s behavior. Instead, factors like age, body size, and training history play significant roles.

When properly trained, short-nosed dogs often show lower aggression and better leash manners than commonly believed.

However, without consistent training, these potential advantages can be overshadowed by poor behavior shaped by environment rather than genetics.

Dogs need training and structure

The study also suggests that what many perceive as a calm or gentle personality may sometimes be the result of chronic discomfort or restricted activity due to health issues.

The researchers warn that while brachycephalic breeds might look like perfect companions, proper care and training matter even more. These dogs aren’t toys. They need structure, exercise, and discipline like any other breed.

Their unique combination of calm, friendly, and slightly helpless traits makes them popular. But if that calmness comes from health limitations, we must rethink what traits we admire.

Proper care for a healthy companion

Small brachycephalic dogs offer both advantages and challenges. Selection for small size may increase excitability, while flat faces support calmness and dependence. This trade-off creates a behavior profile that many owners misread.

The charm of these dogs is real, but owners should focus less on appearances and more on their needs.

Training, awareness, and responsible breeding can help their positive traits shine – without relying on perceived cuteness alone. Proper care, not pampering, makes for a truly good companion.

The study is published in the journal Animals.

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