Scientists Reveal Behavioral Traits of Short-Nosed Dogs Like Pugs
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The behavior of short-nosed dog breeds like pugs and French bulldogs may be linked to their head-shape, body size, and owner's habits, a study from Hungary's Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) has revealed.
These breeds are among the most loved in the country, especially the French bulldog—which in recent years has climbed their way up to the top of the American Kennel Club (AKC) list of popular dog breeds across the U.S.
Despite their natural predisposition to suffer from conditions like breathing difficulties, allergies and skin or eye disorders, these pups are also known for being interactive, friendly and playful.
Previous studies have also found that these breeds are more likely to make eye contact with humans than others, and are better at following human gestures.
But are these behavioral traits that make them so lovable truly shaped by their squished faces, or is there something else?
Stock image of a pug puppy.
Stock image of a pug puppy.
iStock/Getty Images Plus/leadenpork
In the study, ELTE researchers compared four personality traits and four behavioral problems in more than 5,000 purebred dogs. They examined these in relation to head shape, body size, keeping conditions and owner characteristics using questionnaire data collected in Germany.
They found that while flat-faced dogs appear calmer and bolder than their long-nosed counterparts, they are also harder to train, reluctant to return when called and tend to overreact to guests arriving at the house.
But the main reason behind this behaviors may not be their head-shape. While their rounded brains may affect their patterns of brain activity, and their breathing difficulties can impact their activity levels, their behavior is often influenced by their size and the way their owners treat them.
According to data from the study, short-nosed dogs are usually owned by young first-time female dog owners who live alone and often keep their dogs unneutered, untrained and exclusively indoors, spoiling them like babies.
"We found that the low trainability of short-nosed dogs is mainly due to their small body size and lack of training—not their head shape," said paper author Borbála Turcsán in a statement.
"When we control for these influences, there's no difference in trainability across head shapes."
However, while these particular behaviors may not be directly linked to their unique head-shape, others are.
"Calmness, boldness, and poor recall response are all traits specific to short-headed dogs," Turcsán added.
These behavioral traits are directly connected to head shape and remain significant even when we control for background factors."
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about dogs? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
Reference
Turcsán, B., & Kubinyi, E. (2025). Selection for Short-Nose and Small Size Creates a Behavioural Trade-Off in Dogs. Animals, 15(15). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15152221
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