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Left handed dogs are more likely to be aggressive to strangers than their right-pawed friends, a study has found

The left paw is controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, which other studies have shown is linked to negative emotions.

The results mirror those for humans as research has shown the same is true of people.

For the canine project, Dr Luke Schneider studied 75 pets, including labradors, border collies, golden retrievers, Shetland sheepdogs and crossbreeds.

They were given a cylindrical toy containing food, which they tried to get out. Because of the  shape, the dogs had to use one paw to hold it still and the other to get at the treats inside.

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Over at least 50 attempts for each, Dr Schneider, from the University of Adelaide, could establish a left or right preference.

Only 10 per cent of humans are left-handed but the ratio was much more even for dogs. Around a third were classed as left-pawed and a third as right with the remainder being 'ambilateral' or being able to use both equally.

When owners detailed how the  pets behaved with strangers, there was a clear split.

The left-pawed dogs scored almost twice as high for aggression than the ambilateral ones and markedly higher than the right-pawed.

None of the dogs in the project were particularly noted for their aggression, it was reported in the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour.

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TAKE THE TEST: FIND OUT IF YOUR PET IS A 'LEFTIE' OR A 'RIGHTIE'


If you teach a dog to shake, which paw does it offer you first and most often?

Fill a toy with something delicious and put it in the center of the dog's visual field. Which paw does it use to touch the toy first? Which paw does the dog use to hold the toy?

Put something sticky on a dog or cat's nose. Which paw does the animal use to remove it?

Place a treat or a piece of cheese under a sofa, just beyond a dog or cat's reach. Which paw does it use to try and get it out?

Dangle a toy over a cat's head. Which paw does it lift to bat it?

Put a treat under a bowl. Which paw does the cat or dog use to move it?

When a dog wants in the backdoor, which paw does it 'knock' with?

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