'Vicious' dog, vicious owner?

Owners can affect dogs' behaviour

New Scientist vol 202 no 2704, April 18 2009 p15

A study of owners of dogs from breeds sometimes seen as 'vicious' has found that these owners are more likely to confess to fighting, usage of illegal drugs, vandalism and other crimes, than are owners of other breeds, or people who do not own dogs. The study was carried out by Laurie Ragatz and a team from West Virginia University, Morgantown, who used a questionnaire with 758 students. The study classed breeds as vicious if they were seen as posing a high risk of injuring people according to the American Kennel Club. The study was reported in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2009.
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