Dangerous Dogs!! Most of us only ever picture our four-legged, canine companions when it comes to dogs—bringing smiles and happiness into our lives. Every dog, however, is not quite created in the same level of temperament or strength or even behaviour.
Some breeds are categorized as “dangerous” because they are known to have aggressive traits, be capable of causing serious injury or death due to their size and strength, or have a history of an attack on a human being or another animal. While breed definitely comes into the picture in regard to aggression, training and socialization along with individual dog behaviour are very large contributing factors of whether or not a dog is aggressive. In this blog, we take a look at the top 10 most dangerous dog breeds, looking into their history, temperament, and what they can be like when not trained correctly or handled right.
Table of Contents
1. Pit Bull Terrier
The Pit Bull Terrier is notoriously at the top of the lists for most dangerous dogs with a long history of being bred to fight. They are built like a tank: fast, nimble, and powerful. Although the majority of Pit Bulls will make wonderful family dogs, they are responsible for some higher-profile dog attacks due to their powerful jaw strength and aggressive attitude toward other animals. Because of their potentially aggressive nature, many areas have laws against them.
Core Characteristics:
• Powerful white and brindle body
• Strong jaw and bite power
• Needs proper socializing
2. Rottweiler
Rottweilers are massive humans bred for their enormous size and strength. They were originally bred for hunting, and the dogs can be territorial and aggressive if not properly trained. Rottweilers are fiercely loyal, so they can become overprotective about their family, and if not properly socialized, around other strangers or animals, and display aggression.
Core Characteristics:
• Protective Strength and Aggression
• Bite Force
• Needs Early Socialization and Training
3. German Shepherds
A favourite breed for police, military, and protection work. They are an intelligent breed, superb working dogs but can develop aggression if they are not properly trained and socialized because of their protective nature. They are tough, agile, and brave, so that when they feel threatened they get dangerous.
Core Characteristics:
• Highly intelligent and trainable
• Protects its family
• Can be aggressive without the right training
4. American Bulldog
The American Bulldogs may be huge and muscular, with a bite to boot. They are not outgoing with strangers or other animals, and many of them are very territorial. Originating from bull-baiting, they often have an intense prey-drive and as a result require early training and socialization.
Core Characteristics:
• Stubborn and forceful
• Prey drive is high
• Training needs to be continuous
5. Doberman Pinscher
Dobermans are elegant, smart, and fiercely loyal. They were reared to be watchful and suspicious; normally they are defensive towards their family. Although, their natural propensity to defend for themselves can cause them to be aggressive toward strangers or animals if they are feeling threatened. They can make loyal and obedient companions when trained and socialized correctly.
Core Characteristics:
• Strong guarding instincts
• Fast and agile
• Needs early socialization
6. Cane Corso
The Cane Corso is a large and robust dog breed that was originally designed for hunting and as a guard dog. Given they are the largest dog breed, an aggressive one is potentially deadly as mastiffs are strong and powerful! Their natural territorial instincts also lead to potential aggressive behaviour, making them not a good choice for first-time owners without proper training.
Core Characteristics:
• Powerful muscularity
• The need for territory control
• Training and socialization are a must
7. Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamutes are large, strong dogs originally bred for pulling heavy loads in harsh climates. They are generally friendly and affectionate dogs but they have a high prey drive and may get aggressive towards other smaller animals. Their size and power additionally render them tough to restrain if they come to be hostile.
Core Characteristics:
• High prey drive
• Strong and independent
• Requires regular exercise and training
8. Wolfdog (Wolf Hybrid)
Wolfdogs, as their name implies, are a hybrid between wolves and domestic dogs. The wild blood also gives these breeds another set of problems: a powerful prey drive, and inconsistent behaviour. They are more likely to be aggressive than other dogs. More temperamental than their owners, they are best suited for experienced dog handlers who can grasp the ins and outs of these complex dogs and provide an environment in which to excel.
Core Characteristics:
• Primarily wild instincts, and high prey drive
• Unpredictable in nature to handle properly
• Needs experienced handling
9. Chow Chow
Don’t let their downy coats fool you; Chow Chows can be aggressive and territorial. These Dogs are aloof, independent, and protective by nature so they can become aggressive especially when challenged. Because of their stubbornness, one can say that training a Chow Chow takes patience and consistency.
Core Characteristics:
• Stubborn and independent
• Protective of their territory
• Requires firm, consistent training
10. Presa Canario
The Presa Canario is a large and powerful working breed used in its homeland to work livestock. One of the most aggressive dogs, they have a reputation for their guard dog abilities. Originally bred to be hunters, from birth they must be thoroughly trained to avoid them running wild and hence the reason for them being considered one of the most dangerous dog breeds.
Core Characteristics:
• Inherent guarding tendencies
• Large and solidly built
• Best suited for breed-experienced handling and training
Is It Breed or Training?
Before we see the list of the most dangerous dogs, a note on temperament: these breeds become so hateful because they were bred that way — but a dog is effectively an innocent being whose behaviour mostly shapes up depending on how it was raised, trained, or socialized. By putting these dogs into the right situation with responsible ownership, they can become loyal and loving companions. Yet, their size and strength matched with their natural instincts can spell trouble if not handled correctly.
It is imperative that if you are considering adopting any of these breeds, you need to spend time properly training, socializing, and offering structured guidance in order for them to grow into a healthy adult canine citizen. The list shows that it ultimately doesn’t matter what breed of dog you own–no dog is born ‘dangerous’; it’s how a dog is managed and any breed-specific traits present that play a big part in their behaviour.
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