How to Train Your Dog: A Size-Appropriate Guide |
There are many benefits to owning a dog. Dogs provide companionship for the owner and encourage social interaction with other like-minded dog owners. But most people don’t consider the ease or difficulty of training a dog when they choose their dog. Many people ignore this important factor -- and when they do so, it can lead to owner dissatisfaction.
In 2025 an ELTE study of 5,000 dogs explored whether a dog’s ability to be trained was correlated with physical characteristics of the breed of the dog such as height, weight, and skull shape. The study asked owners of 48 different breeds of dogs about the physical and behavioral characteristics of their dog.
This study found that the size of the dog was one of the strongest predictors of a dog’s behavior. More specifically:
There are clear biological reasons for some of these findings. Small dogs are usually more fearful and........