The 3 Most Aggressive Dog Breeds Revealed

[jerney]

Old article, but not really that surprising. I had two Rottweilers growing up and they couldn't have been any sweeter. Rottweilers and Dobermans are such beautiful dogs and it's really sad that they have such a bad rep now, especially when there's no one to blame except people. Also, little dogs are mostly just obnoxious.

The study involved researchers from the University of Pennsylvania as well as 6,000 dog owners. The number one aggressive breed out of the 33 dogs surveyed? The Dachshund. Yes – the wiener dog. The study found that “one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners.”

Number two on the list is an even more diminutive breed – the Chihuahua, while Jack Russells came in third.

The researchers say that the bite statistics that have been released in recent years are skewed because most dog bites are not reported. Big dog bites are more likely to require medical attention, but this does not mean that those breeds are doing the majority of the biting.

One of the teams researchers, Dr. James Serpell, believes that smaller breeds may be more genetically predisposed to aggressive behavior than their larger counterparts. Serpell says, “Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs.”

Pit Bulls and Rottweilers scored average or below average in the aggression study. Breeds that scored on the low end are Basset Hounds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Siberian Huskies and Greyhounds.

http://www.dogguide.net/blog/2008/07...-be-surprised/

[Groenewolf]

Pretty logical, of the instincts remain the same the smaller dogs have more to proof, since they are less secure in their position in a pack. And this shown in more aggressive behavior in order to gain themselves a higher place in the pack picking order.

Also small trivia I had picked up from someone who owns a wolf-dog hybrid. They have gained their bad reputation because of hybrids breed to be used as dogs for border patrol by some eastern European country during the Cold War. They where breed to be more deadly then snipers.

[Wyn]

The aggression shown by small dogs makes sense as they are most likely to feel threatened. A boisterous 8-year-old is nothing to a Great Dane or Doberman, but to a Jack Russell may seem like a major threat.

It is a shame that Dobermans, Rottweillers and so on have been bred to achieve a level of aggressiveness. Dobermans are some of the nicest dogs I've ever encountered.

[antonio]

It's OK. But, for me, at same injury, owner liability of a Chihuahua should not be the same than the one of a Pitbull owner. Some years ago, an Asturian old peasant on a suburbial zone got his two ams amputated after a pitbull attack. If dog were a "normal" race, even without denying owner liability, it could be considered an abnormal grade of damage and so his blame diminished, but, on a pitbull attack, chances of provoking such extensive damage were really plausible.

[Groenewolf]

It is a shame that Dobermans, Rottweillers and so on have been bred to achieve a level of aggressiveness. Dobermans are some of the nicest dogs I've ever encountered.

They have been breed to serve as guard dogs. Of course a properly breed guard dog knows who is the alpha male/female and that is not the dog itself.

[Peasant]

Jack Russel's are great dogs, and they are not afraid to show a disliking to people! My dog I used to have would show his teeth to people he didn't like, and would nip them if they carried on putting their hands near him.

[NSFreja]

I really don't find pitbulls more aggresive than any other dog...as long as they are not trained for fight other dogs (or other animals)...

I got 2 pitbulls, and i would never ever want to be without them or change to another breed.

Hugo is 11 years now and Elsa is 6 months old and non of them have ever been agreesive towards another human or animal.
Both of them are raised in a big family with 4 kids and 5 cats...and i can, without being worried, leave my kids alone with the dogs and know that nothing will happen...

[Tabiti]

I've had two dobermans. The one (male) was very sweet and calm dog, while the female was quite aggressive, however she appeared to bark mostly, not to attack. They are too unpredictable and unstable emotionally - I still carry few scars left from both of them.
Now I have a minipincher and she is as same aggressive as the doberman and even bites more (always in back), not only barks.

[Germanicus]

As you all know i have two Staffordshire Bull Terriers, a dog and a bitch.
My dog is very friendly, well balanced, loving, and passive, i took him to puppy training as soon as he was able, getting along with other puppies and young dogs was invaluable to his good behaviour.
My bitch who is one year old this week, she was taken to the same puppy classes, we felt after she graduated that it would be fun for dog and owner to try the basic and the intermediate class, she graduated in both.
My dog is very very passive, he oozes confidence.
My bitch however is top dog, she is the boss, all aspects of feeding, treats, and ball ownership is hers, she is boss in all things.
When taking them out for long walks we encounter other breeds of dogs, my dogs are off leads always unless i see dogs that i do not know or on a leash.
When other dogs come over to check my two out my bitch totally ignores them, as topdogs do, my dog sniffs them and if a dog has been nuetered he will adopt bitch ritual with it, as he cannot smell semen and will treat it as a bitch.
My bitch will allow the sniff ritual, but only a little before she shows teeth, when teeth are not taken serious she bites and stands ground. (bless)

[Stygian Cellarius]

This could be the result, or at least in part, of mans influence in controlling and supressing environmental dangers.

Besides the reasons already said, it could be possible that smaller dogs exhibit more aggressive behavior because they experience less human pressure to behave well. Larger dogs can't get away with "misbehaving" because someone could get injured.

Small dog bites master and depending on masters mood, he laughs or swats the dog away.
Large dog bites master, man stands up and the law comes down!

This will certainly have an effect on the dogs behavior.

Anyhow, Cats rule, Dogs are dumb.