"Dangerous" Dog Breeds

bearkisses

tell that to the province in which I live where they are illegal. So sad.

Megs081211

I'm so glad you stepped in to take care of her. And I completely agree they can be the most loyal and loving pets, it really is the OWNER's responsibility and the OWNER determines how dangerous the dog is. However, the breeds all carry a purpose and are developed for a certain task, and a pitbull IS more dangerous than most dogs, because it has been bread to fight and kill and take down large animals with a locking jaw. They all do have their own personalities, and the owner is the biggest determinant for how one acts, but they still do have their developed genetic tendencies and I hope you realize you need to be more vigilant as a happy pitbull owner than as a happy lab owner, especially around dogs and small children, etc.

While I definitely appreciate your view, I have to disagree. I've seen just as much research that suggests that pit bulls DO NOT have locking jaws. Instead, they describe the STRENGTH of a pit bull's jaws as what makes it difficult to lessen a grip from their bite.

Also, in regards to them being more dangerous than labs or any other breeds, I don't think that's true either. In fact, doing a quick search of dog breeds most likely to bite, Labrador retrievers, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Chows are all on the list, so genetically speaking, your dogs are just as inherently dangerous as mine.

Unfortunately, comments like "if he was a pitbull, I probably _______" perpetuate the stereotypes. Pit bulls are no more disposed to be grumpy or vicious than any other dog. It is 100% about training, both the animal and whoever it interacts with.

I do agree with you about the locking jaw and dangerous thing. But you still need to be cautious of what they were bred to do (which is fight and hunt big game). You can't train out instinct. Example: I have a lab/weimariner mix (both big hunting/water dogs) I've NEVER taught my dog to hunt, firs time she saw a squirrel she treed it (ran it up the tree and sat there) and went to go get a bird and a duck at one point (things my sister in laws trained hunting dogs do). I've never done anything to train her to act as a hunting dog but it is in her breed.

Please just keep cautious and realize what they were bred to do. yes training is a large part just keep being vigilant and keep up with training.

Kaken21

I have a pit and he is a sweetheart! He would never hurt anyone and it hurts me when people that don't know him say he is a killer and to keep him away from other people and dogs. Where I live they don't really let people rent apartments with pits....

bonitacash08

I'm not looking to start a feud with the neighborhood, so I'm forced to live with it. My problem is not with pits. It's with the average pit owner. They take in pits and them abandon them in the yard, where they become a nuisance and a hazard.

Now that I think about it, you don't "have" to live with it. I would call animal control if I were you. Those dogs are harassing you and making it hard for you to be outside on your property. Plus I bet if they had a look around those yards they'd see unacceptable living conditions.

Plus, they don't have to know it was you who called. From the way you described it, EVERYONE gets harrassed by those dogs!

toaster6

Any animal has the potential to be dangerous. Pittbulls are actually the most obedient dogs out there so if they are properly trained (like should be done with any pet anyways) a problem is very unlikely to occur. And they actually rank #2 on the list of dogs least likely to attack members of their own household (#1 is a Beagle and Chihuahuas rank very, very low on the list ,if you were curious).

2stepscloser

I totally agree. Any breed can be made aggressive depending upon how it's raised. We have two Shar peis who are very sweet but are very protective. They are super loyal and don't like strangers! Our neighbors had a 13 yr old Irish setter who has never had an aggressive behavior. One day it corned their 1 yr old son and attacked him. Thankfully the baby was ok but all dogs can be set off regardless of the breed.

KxCoyote

I am a firm believer in dogs are as your raise them, of course there's also genetics to take into consideration, but still.

I grew up around 'dangerous' breeds my neighbors and extended family all had pit-bulls, rotties, german shepherds, even a wolf-mix at one point(I don't support wolf hybrids though), nicest dogs on the planet.

However, every single 'toy' breed I've met has either snarled, snapped or bitten me at one point or another. I've heard the 'he won't bite' and yes, I know a LOT about dogs, and how to behave around them, and I just haven't ever met a single small dog that wasn't dangerous. I have many scars from 'toy breeds' and lap dogs.
I myself had a shih-tzu for a majority of my life, and he was abused from a young age before we got him, and he was very nice and sweet to my Mom and visitors, but if I tried to play with him or get close to my Mom with him in the room he'd snarl and bite at me.

maybe little dogs just don't like me. lol

k8blujay2

Interesting site! Thanks for the info! www.atts.org

Just for giggles...here's my 3: (#tested, #passed, #failed, %)

BOXER 449, 375, 74, 83.5%
DOGUE DE BORDEAUX 84 63 21 75.0%
CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER 115 100 15 87.0%

"The pass-fail rate is not a measure of a breed’s aggression, but rather of each dog’s ability to interact with humans, human situations, and the environment."

Basically the polar opposite of my household, heh!

Edit: It should be noted that I can definitely see some statistical bias going on with those numbers, so they should be take with a grain of salt. For example, popular breeds, such as labs and pit bulls, have a sample size of 800+ dogs. There were only 115 Chessies, and only 84 Dogues (representing the relative rarity of the breeds). There were numerous obscure breeds listed where "100%" had passed testing....that included a sample size of ONE dog.

Hahaha, I decided to check out the statistics on our dogs breed (Shetland Sheepdog AKA Sheltie)

(#tested, #passed, #failed, %)

SHETLAND SHEEPDOG 502 343 159 68.3%

and Shetlands are supposed to be one of the best dogs to own, always in the top five smartest breeds (according to the AKC)...

Keiras_Mom

And for the no dangerous dogs I have to disagree. I would say a chihuahua lol. I've worked in a shelter for 8 years (yes we've had animal aggressive pits in) but the only dogs I'd ever been bit by there were chihuahua's. lol

I was a vet tech for several years....for me, Chihuahuas and Cocker Spaniels. I know people love them and I am a TOTAL dog lover, but I don't trust either of these breeds. This is also why I prefer big dogs. Big dogs absolutely warn you if you are invading their space....little dogs will just bite you first and ask questions later. That being said, when I get old and can't handle big dogs any more, I think I want a Pug...or maybe a Boston Terrier. Their are some really cool small breeds out there...I need to do more research before I get old.

The only aggressive dog I've ever had was a Cocker Spaniel. I have scars on my nose and eyebrow from her.

I have had Rotties several times and they've been wonderful. I currently have:

1) Tesha is a Boxer/Mastiff mix--4 years old. She's the calmest, most well-behaved dog around.
2) Tempe is a German Shepherd--estimated at 2 1/2 years old. DH found her roaming in a field near his work, severely malnourished and covered in ticks. She was skin and bones (thus her name--after Temperance Brennan a.k.a. "Bones"). She has absolutely no aggressive tendencies, even at feeding time. That was a concern given the fact that she was starving when we took her in. She's now a beautiful, healthy, smart girl. We do need to work on her jumping. She only jumps on us when she's been outside during the day and hasn't seen us. She's very affectionate.
3) Lily is our newest baby. She's a Great Dane/Mastiff mix. She's six months old and 86 pounds currently. She also has shown absolutely no signs of aggression. She's a cuddle bug and loves nothing more than laying on the couch with her head in my lap. Spoiled, much?

StarChanger

and Shetlands are supposed to be one of the best dogs to own, always in the top five smartest breeds (according to the AKC)...

Exactly. The truth be told, I don't think there is any real way to determine the "best" breed for just about anything (I'm sure there may be rare exceptions)....because dogs, ultimately, are bred as human companions and WE are very complicated. What other people see as cute and endearing in THEIR breed, can be annoying, or a deal breaker for others. For example, I had a Beagle growing up. I love how cute ALL the hound breeds are with their big floppy ears, and big pathetic eyes....but for the love of God, I will NEVER own another dog that is bred to howl. This also eliminates the huskys and malamutes (which I find to be beautiful to look at!). Other people would see my mastiff as a big, cumbersome, drool-monster (she's actually not bad)....and my Chessie as a hair-shedding, water-holding, nightmare. To each, their own.

At the time I got my first Chessie, I was still working as a vet tech, but had actually never seen one in person (they aren't that common outside the NE corridor). Hubby and I were in a pet store getting food for our parrots and saw a guy walk in with a cute, fuzzy brown pup. I was in LOVE. HAD to have one. He said there were some siblings left, and the rest was history.

THAT dog was arguably the BEST dog I've ever had...and I've had a few! So when I put her down in 3/2010 due to an aggressive lymphoma that took her out in less than a week, it was heartbreaking. Luckily, I had my Boxer to keep me sane, as my hubby was deployed at the time. It took both of us over a year to get past the hurt and start looking for another pup. We weren't initially going to go for another Chessie, since I love dogs so much, I kind of have a "Doggie Bucket List" of breeds I'd like to try before I die, lol. But then we saw a couple out and about and knew we had to get another one. THIS Chessie is quite a bit different than the first, but she is a good, loyal, smart (to the point of annoying OCDness) and we love her. She keeps us active, and we are "forced" to take her to the dog park several times a week (and to the swimming dogpark at least every weekend) to keep her from driving US bonkers with her fetching. The "forced" dogpark visits keep hubby and I out in the community, and all 3 dogs socially active. Win-win.

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

While I definitely appreciate your view, I have to disagree. I've seen just as much research that suggests that pit bulls DO NOT have locking jaws. Instead, they describe the STRENGTH of a pit bull's jaws as what makes it difficult to lessen a grip from their bite.

Also, in regards to them being more dangerous than labs or any other breeds, I don't think that's true either. In fact, doing a quick search of dog breeds most likely to bite, Labrador retrievers, Pit Bulls, German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Chows are all on the list, so genetically speaking, your dogs are just as inherently dangerous as mine.

Unfortunately, comments like "if he was a pitbull, I probably _______" perpetuate the stereotypes. Pit bulls are no more disposed to be grumpy or vicious than any other dog. It is 100% about training, both the animal and whoever it interacts with.

True, there is a lot of argument as to whether they truely have a locking jaw or not. But thats not the point. Neither is whether or not they are actually any more aggressive than other dogs (which I think is over 90% owner). The point is, if there is a situation where a pitbull reacts and latches on, they are more dangerous on average than many other dogs, and the consequences of latching on in a hold if it ever happens are more serious than a few bites. All I'm saying is please be aware and able to counteract as a responsible owner, just in case!

Can German shepherds be dangerous in certain circumstances too? Yes! And as a responsible dog owner, I am constantly moderating my dog's behavior, and if he ever gets into a fight, I have strategies to stop the fight, and am strong enough to control his powerful 130lb frame: its my responsibility as the dog owner. If he was a pitbull I'd have a breaking stick and be ready in my mind as to how I would use it in an extremely unlikely situation, even though he kisses the neighbor's baby gently and acts like a baby at home, if you accidentally drop something on him he'll go run off and mope, not try to bite... All I'm saying is be aware/prepared.

Another example? Ive seen German shepherds, Huskies and labs more likely to knock over/nip at poorly behaved abusive children than pitbulls. In fact I knew of a case where the neighbor brat would get a plastic sword and whack a pitbull over the head with a hard plastic sword repeatedly and he didnt react, he thought it was a fun game. But, again, in that rare case that the pitbull reacts: its reaction can be more dangerous if it happens All I'm saying is its a good idea to lose the concept your dog CANT be dangerous, treat her well, be the dominant loving owner and do the right thing in learning how to control her in case she behaves out of character!

PS ANYTHING can be dangerous, including drinking too much water.

vettecat

I have a little Yorkie and a Husky/whatever jumped the fence. The Yorkie is a personality but Angel, my mixed breed
has issues. I got her at 8 weeks and literally had to sleep on the couch with her on my stomach to get her to even
acknowlege me. I have to bring her to work with me every day and the Yorkie cause she can't be left home alone or
she tears the wooden blinds from the windows. If I have to leave for a little while she's ok but if I take Sassy to groomers,
she goes nuts. She loves kids and is very protective of them. If she is eating don't go near her food she will bite, even me.
She acts like she is starving to death and she always have a full dish of food. (she's really thin)
We went on vacation one year and left dogs at home with my older daughter going over twice a day to make sure she had
plenty of food/water and I called everyday. One day my daughter said Angel had completely unstuff my leather oversized chair.
She bagged up the stuffing and when I got home and looked at the chair I was amazed at how she did it She had taken the seat
cushion off the chair, at the bed of the seat she tore a slit and took out the stuffing. All I had to do was restuff it and put cushion
back on and couldn't tell it was damaged.
If a man comes in the back yard she barks alot then rushes him and nips him. Never a full bite and never breaks the skin but
pinches them. At work she lays under my desk from the time we get there til I take her home. Yorkie stays on top of my desk, and new kitty sleeps anywhere she wants. Any suggestions as to how to make her like people. PS, she's a house dog with
a doggie door so she can go in and out at will.

crista_b

I love pitts and rotts! They're so sweet if you train them well!

Not mine, but my old neighbor used to have the BEST rottweilers ever! He never leashed them in his yard because they didn't need it. They were so well-trained that they wouldn't even bolt if they saw something interesting like some dogs. They were so sweet, never barked, friendly to everyone without being jumpy like some. I adored those 2 dogs. We lived a couple blocks from a Illinois State University so he would have a bunch of students cutting through his yard on weekends to get to/from parties because you could park on our street but not those around us, and he lived on the corner and didn't have a fence. He had signs up asking them to stay out of the yard, but of course, stupid, drunk college kids didn't care and would still cut the corner through his yard being loud and waking up his young kids. So if they woke up his kids, he would send the dogs outside. Of course, because these dogs were so good, they would never do anything to anyone, but it kind of freaked people out to see a couple big rottweilers come out of the house whose yard you just cut through. :laugh:

k8blujay2

.
3) Lily is our newest baby. She's a Great Dane/Mastiff mix. She's six months old and 86 pounds currently. She also has shown absolutely no signs of aggression. She's a cuddle bug and loves nothing more than laying on the couch with her head in my lap. Spoiled, much?

One of my most favorite dogs, though he was dumber than a box of rocks... was a Great Dane, Black Lab, Shar Pei mix (he was as tall and long as a great dane, had the fur color of the lab, and the smooshy skin of the Shar Pei)... he got left on the side of the road (which is how my parents get most of their dogs... including a westland terrier)... sweetest and most loyal thing... unfortunately his life was way too short (along with our husky/coyote mix dog that was also very loyal and loving)... we suspect they were one of the many dogs that died due to the Walmart brand dog food at the time. They both died very suddenly and neither of them were ill. We called the first dog I described Dusty (I think the other one was Buster), because he liked to roll in the dirt, that poor thing showed up on our doorstep having been shot at with a bb gun and limping...


Tangant:
It's sad how people treat dogs and then expect them to not show any signs of aggression.

There was one story, here locally, where a Pit Bull mauled and killed a sleeping toddler that a grandmother put in a big bed... but the facts that the people always ignore about this particular story is... at this same moment the dog mauled the child, it's owners (a husband and wife... or maybe it was girlfriend/boyfriend... either way it was baby mama and daddy) were involved in a domestic situation in the front yard. They were being aggressive towards each other, to the extent the cops were called on them... Also the "man" of the house was also a convicted criminal.... I would be surprised if that living situation wouldn't make any breed of dog aggressive... perhaps not to the point of killing a child (in the case of the cat toy breeds)... but enough to lash out towards "their" humans.

vettecat

PS, I raised 2 Rotties and they were the sweetist, (thought they were lap dogs).

SoLongAndThanksForAllTheFish

PS, I raised 2 Rotties and they were the sweetist, (thought they were lap dogs).

We had a friend who had a Rottie who liked vegetables more than some meats: carrots, eggplant, celery, potatoes, peppers and lettuce. Pretty funny to watch her feed the giant Rottie carrots and eggplant.

My male dog loves to play with Rotties in the dog park: it scares the non large dog owners, but they play fight and do the Rottie thing of jumping on their hind legs and chest bumping and kind of growl/bark/pawing at each other in the air over and over before wagging tails and running around. You'd think he's part Rottie the way he acts with them, but then when he gets around Huskies he acts much differently and there is very little in the way of barking/rough housing, they paw/kick at each other from the ground position and the rough housing is different. There really is a very strong different behavioral language with different breeds of dogs. He also used to think he's a lap dog, but we let him have the old couch instead (130lbs isnt too comfortable on your lap)

jnite

And for the no dangerous dogs I have to disagree. I would say a chihuahua lol. I've worked in a shelter for 8 years (yes we've had animal aggressive pits in) but the only dogs I'd ever been bit by there were chihuahua's. lol

I was a vet tech for several years....for me, Chihuahuas and Cocker Spaniels. I know people love them and I am a TOTAL dog lover, but I don't trust either of these breeds. This is also why I prefer big dogs. Big dogs absolutely warn you if you are invading their space....little dogs will just bite you first and ask questions later. That being said, when I get old and can't handle big dogs any more, I think I want a Pug...or maybe a Boston Terrier. Their are some really cool small breeds out there...I need to do more research before I get old.

I agree with Chihuahuas and add Min Pins. Omg those things are soooo mean. Would never adopt into my family.
My aunt had a cocker spaniel. He was hyper, but loved him. great dog!

I have to say, there may be dogs you don't like, but saying these kind of things are like saying all pitbulls are dangerous. My min pin is a sweetheart everybody loves her and she loves everybody, she may be yappy at times but she does get corrected. My friend had a couple of chihuahuas that were the best dogs I've seen. Generalizations hurt every breed, your experiences are yours,but not every dog is like that!! My opinion is that all pugs are dumb, but I know there are probably some smart pugs out there, I just haven't come across any yet:)

Just pointing out that no matter what generalizations aren't good for any breed and because you don't want pitbulls generalized you shouldn't be doing that to other breeds either!!

FitToBeKim

Pits are my favorite and I will always have them IN doors and part of the family !