What Are the Most Dangerous Dog Breeds Around Children and Babies?
When it comes to picking the right dog breed for your family, I always go for the argument of nurture over nature. Ive seen just about every breed of dog act both wonderfully and poorly depending on how it was raised or socialized. If you have a family of small children—kids, toddlers, and babies alike—you might be wondering which dogs are safe to be around them and which ones might be dangerous.
Between energy level, care, activity requirements, size, aggression, herding instincts, and risk of bite and attack injuries, some breeds do come with more risk than others. While all dogs can be wonderful, including mixed-breed dogs, some breeds simply have the potential to do more damage than others if provoked accidentally by a child. Sometimes, this is simply due to size or instinct. The 10 breeds with the highest potential for danger when it comes to children are listed below.
Smooth-coated border collies are not great around children if they were not raised around children.
Border Collies are brilliant dogs, and they can actually be wonderful family companions if raised correctly and raised around children, but they also make one of the worst breeds to be around kids if they are not acclimated, exposed, trained, and supervised correctly.
Border Collies are bred to herd, and their herding instinct absolutely drives them, which is why they are such good workers and so diligent. Now, while that might sound like a good thing because you imagine them herding the baby away from the pool or keeping your kids in sight, this can come with the instinct to bite. Ive seen far too many times that a Border Collie was “surrendered” to a shelter because it bit a kid that tried to take its dog toy or bit a babys leg while running by in mid-air, etc. I love this breed, but it is only recommended for experienced dog families.
Siberian Huskies can be unpredictable and easily startled around small kids.
Siberian Huskies are another incredible breed that I personally love, and I have seen these dogs be fantastic in households with older children, but caution should be taken when having an adult Siberian Husky around babies and small children.
The reason this breed is not naturally good around kids is that it is very intelligent, and, therefore, quite skeptical. Huskies can be neophobic—skeptical of new things, weird movements, unpredictable noises, and most events that take place in a household with small kids. Huskies can totally be wonderful if they are raised around kids, but if you are looking to rescue an adult, you might find them to be incompatible with a busy household. Also, the larger the breed, the larger the bite, and bites can be unprovoked.
The American Akita is beautiful but can cause great injury when provoked.
Akitas are wonderful protectors and have a long history of being a breed known for its noble, loyal qualities. They make great guard dogs and are fantastic to look at. That said, they are big and have a powerful jaw and a powerful grasp. They are also fairly stoic and dont often give warning of their motives.
Akitas have an incredible jaw capacity. They were bred as hunting and fighting dogs and do police and guard work. For that reason, they are quick to act in the ways they were bred for, and sometimes this can be misdirected at a small child or something that startles them. Due to their powerful nature, the damage, even when accidental (like a bit or nip) can be irreversible.
Again, the larger the breed, the more damaging the bite. In addition, Akitas demonstrate prey drive and may not do well around smaller animals. So, if youd like to have a cat or hamster in your household someday, you are best passing on this breed.
Australian Cattle Dogs have a tendency to nip.
The Australian Cattle Dog (like the Border Collie) or Blue Heeler is known for its incredible work ethic, herding instinct, and high energy. This breed is also known for being very “stiff,” that is, it is confident and not often submissive. For that reason, it is often considered a bad breed to be around kids and babies due to its tendency to be possessive and nip.
Australian Cattle Dogs do not like to be handled. While Ive met some sweet, cuddly, submissive Australian Cattle Dogs (rare!), they do not do well around children unless they were raised in the household as a pup and the kids were taught how to behave around them. This breed might be okay around older children (teens), but it really needs an experienced dog family.
In addition, these dogs are high-energy. They bark a lot, demand attention, and can destroy furniture and childrens toys (they eat anything and everything when bored). Know that that makes for an expensive vet bill. They have an innate tendency to herd and nip and will do this to a crawling baby.
Chow Chows can deliver a serious bite.
Chow Chows are big, impressive dogs. They have incredible jaw strength and were bred to take down predators. Known as the “puffy lion dog,” this is an elite breed from China that is all power and size. They are generally antisocial, aloof, and do not care for strangers, making them unpredictable.
Because the Chow Chow is a great protector, that means it is also skeptical of strangers and change. Households with children (small children, toddlers, and babies) often have a lot going on. If you cant watch your kids every minute playing on the floor with toys or crawling over to the doggys bed, this breed is not for you.
Its often not the dogs fault when provoked, but a simple wrong move around this breed can cause an irreversible attack/bite, and if that were to happen to a small child, the wrong move could be fatal.
The Alaskan Malamute is a beautiful large breed dog with great strength and incredible endurance. It is known for being loyal, brave, and often playful and can approach nearly 100 pounds in weight.
Alaskan Malamutes are heavy-duty dogs, meaning they are bred for sledding, hunting, and can challenge a polar bear and other top predators. While in many cultures children and Alaskan Malamutes are raised side by side and get along wonderfully for a lifetime, inexperienced dog owners will find trouble.
While this breed is friendly and majestic, one wrong move around a Malamute (with its sheer size), and you might be looking at a deadly bite. This dog is not recommended for first-time pet owners who are looking to leave the dog unsupervised around babies, toddlers, and small children.
Dalmations are the iconic hero breed of the firehouse and the fire engine, and they are a breed worth celebrating for their beautiful looks and noble qualities. These dogs can be sweet, incredible dogs and were re-popularized with the Disney movie 101 Dalmations.
Dalmations are harder and harder to find these days, and they have many noteworthy noble qualities. True to within their breed family, they have a high prey drive, making them unsuitable around small animals (dogs and cats) and, therefore, small children in most cases. They do have a tendency to bite when provoked.
In addition, Dalmations are prone to inherited deafness. Deaf dogs have a difficult time sensing their surroundings and might accidentally bite by mistake due to limited sensory input from their environment.
Rottweilers are another breed that makes this list of worst dogs around children. Although they do make incredible family dogs and are loyal protectors, they can attack and bite with very little warning.
Its well known in the veterinary field that Rottweilers do not give a warning right before biting. This breed will act absolutely composed and mellow right before they turn. Its important that if you are a Rottweiler fan you know how to raise and train this breed. Its an incredible breed and makes for a good family dog, but doesnt do well around strangers and small animals.
If a breed does not do well around small animals, it is unlikely to do well around small children as well. This breed does not like strangers or unpredictability which can provoke its instinct, so consider another dog type unless you choose to raise a Rottweiler from a puppy.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers certainly have a wonderful look and a strong following of “Chessie” fans. Chessies are beautiful chocolate-brown dogs of the retriever family that are made to enjoy the outdoors—they make great adventure buddies.
Despite their similar look to other popular retrievers, this breed can have a much different temperament. They are known not to do well with unfamiliar dogs and may not be great around small animals (including cats). In addition, they can demonstrate aggression towards strangers and may snap unprovoked. They are also guardians of their toys and possessions, which puts a kid at risk if they accidentally walked up and took something away from the Chessie. This dog breed does well with experienced dog owners, older kids, and good training.
Chihuahuas can be easily scared and their bites often go unreported.
It might be surprising to see Chihuahuas on this list, but they actually make up a large percentage of unreported bites to humans on record. The reason they dont get reported (like the bites from larger breeds) is because of their smaller size. Chihuahuas are on this list of worst dogs for kids for two reasons: temperament and fragility.
This is a small breed dog making them unsuitable for rough play. If a child were to handle this breed inappropriately, the dog would get injured and even bite to protect itself. In addition, although Chihuahuas do make great family dogs and can often be trusted around babies and small children, they tend to get possessive and can be especially possessive around their owners. That means snuggling up on a couch can create tension and a reaction. Nonetheless, this is a very popular breed for families with small kids.
Dachshunds can be moody around children.
These dogs are more independent, harder to train, and less forgiving of young children who love roughhousing or are not mindful of where they step or what they grab. Spitz breeds like huskies and Akitas are known for their stubborn streak when it comes to training. Other poor choices around little kids are lumbering giant breeds like bullmastiffs or Saint Bernards, which tend to bowl over toddling children or most anything in their path. Another breed that gets defensive around children are the smaller, toy breeds that fear for their safety around rambunctious kids.
Here are the breeds that tend to do best among adults and older kids than small children.
If youre considering a dog for your family and have young children or expect to have children, some dogs are a better fit than others. Steer clear of giant dogs that can easily bump or run over little ones, especially toddlers. Protection dogs like Rottweilers and Dobermans view awkward, jerky movements, random running, and screaming as signs of danger, often kicking them into guard dog mode. It is your responsibility to provide a safe and ideal situation for both your children and the dog you adopt; tell the shelter or breeder that you have small children at home. Bring the children in to meet and interact with the dog before making your decision.
Even if you adopt a dog breed that is known for being good around children, you still have to set rules for your children about proper dog treatment and respect for the animal. Children of all ages need basic guidelines for doggy dos and donts.
A dog can be a wonderful addition to your family, especially when you have children. Dogs teach responsibility while offering limitless, judgement-free love in return and can also help children learn some of the skills that will help them turn into great young adults. However, dogs are not toys, and sometimes, when children treat them as such, there can be dire consequences like injuries or dog bites. Some dog breeds are predisposed or have inherent biases against young children in their household.
Akita Photo credit:
These gorgeous Japanese dogs were traditionally used as guards protecting the children while the rest of the family was out. These canines then started perceiving kids from other families as a threat or intruders, which is why they now tend to attack random children.
10 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds for Children
Most canine breeds are extremely kid-friendly and are great when it comes to being around kids. However, there are also breeds that are rather unsuitable to be around kids. Here we have a list of 7 dog breeds that are dangerous to kids.
Although this tiny breed is so small it can almost be seen as a toy rather than a real dog, Chihuahuas are known to see kids as a threat and attack them without warning. These little gremlins are also very nervous and territorial, meaning they can easily hurt if roughly handled.