Dogs are still the most popular pet in the U.S. (sorry, cats) and only getting more popular. Just last year, the percentage of homes with at least one dog rose to nearly 45 percent, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
For many of these first-time pup parents, smaller breeds may seem the easier or safer option. But looks can be deceiving.
According to numerous studies over the past two decades, certain pint-sized breeds are stubborn as mules and prone to barking, biting, snapping and snarling — while plenty of larger dogs take “man’s best friend” to the extreme. And researchers have some pretty good hypotheses for why.
