Most Aggressive Dogs: 6 More Dog Breeds
Other dog breeds that tend to come up repeatedly when discussing aggression are:
5 Most Aggressive Dogs by Breed
Opinions vary on which are the “most” aggressive dog breeds. In no particular order, here are 5 breeds that make almost all the lists:
Let’s take care of the elephant in the room first: the pit bull.
There’s a lot of debate about pit bulls, and these dogs are often in the news having injured or killed someone.
Pit bulls attack by biting their target and then shaking their head back and forth, an attack style that can instantly lead to catastrophic injuries. These are also focused dogs, and many times they can’t be persuaded to release their grip.
What the news often neglects to report is whether there was a trigger for the aggression, so it’s difficult to say why the dog attacked.
The pit bull is descended from the English bull-baiting dog, which was bred to bite and hold massive animals such as bulls or bears. These dogs were bred to be aggressive, tenacious and strong.
When bull-baiting was outlawed, breeders began crossing the bull-baiting dog with the terrier to make them quicker and more agile, which started the line of descent to the pit bull we know today.
Stepping back, we can see that the pit bull in all their various incantations today attacks the same way — bite, hold and shake — and is dogged about maintaining the grip. When we look at the ancestry, we now can understand why.
Pit bulls can make wonderful, devoted and loving pets. But it’s critical that their humans socialize, evaluate and continually train them so that, in any given situation, the dog knows how they are to behave.
In 2017, pit bulls were responsible for 74% of fatal dog bites or attacks. However, there is one big qualifier: Often, dog breeds are misidentified, especially in shelters. So some of these attacks may have been by dogs with little or no “pit bull” in them.
The next dog on our list consistently ranks as much more aggressive than the pit bull — we just rarely hear about it.
Chihuahuas are strong-willed, extremely intelligent dogs.
They are responsive to firm and positive reinforcement-based training and usually turn out to be friendly, curious and adventurous.
However, the Chihuahua can also be dominant, jealous, aggressive and untrusting. And when these traits present themselves, a Chihuahua has no problem using those tiny jaws on their target.
Chihuahuas are among the oldest dog breeds in the world and originated in Mexico, prized for their combination of small size and courage.
Chihuahuas are alphas — their intelligence demands no less. Therefore, you need to invest time in training the Chihuahua just as if they were a large-breed dog instead of allowing behaviors — like jumping up — that would not typically be allowed with larger breeds.
Many people think it’s cute when a small dog exhibits stubbornness or refusal to obey. Reimagine the Chihuahua at about 60 pounds, and it’s not so funny anymore.
So, the mentality is the same regardless of the size of the dog: Proper training is key. Don’t allow aggressive or dominant behavior, even if you find it “cute.”
A dash of common sense will tell you why these animals score high on the aggression index. Wolf-dog hybrids are just what they sound like: a combination of wolf and dog.
Wolves and dogs are interfertile, which means they can mate and produce offspring, and their offspring are known as wolf-dog hybrids (regardless of the breed of dog who mates with the wolf).
Dogs have centuries of domestication at their back, but wolves have evolved with none. When wolves reach sexual maturity, their behavior changes. In the wild, this is when they begin asserting themselves as individuals within the pack.
Wolves will challenge the pack leader to achieve a higher position in the pack. In the domesticated household, you are the pack leader, so you might see assertive or aggressive behavior where there was none before:
However, mating between wolves and dogs is consistent in only one area: It produces highly inconsistent offspring, also making it one of the most unpredictable dog breeds.
Some wolf-dog hybrids are just as laid-back as you are, while others seem to be taking all their cues from The Call of the Wild. Even animals from the same litter can demonstrate wildly differing behavioral traits.
So it’s up to you to do intensive research on both dogs and wolves before bringing a wolf-dog hybrid into your home.
This is not a pet that typically does well lying around on the sofa all day. They require lots of consistent and repetitive training as well as plenty of exercise and mental stimulation.
That’s right — here’s another small pup on the list of most aggressive dogs to prove that size is no indicator of aggressive tendencies.
According to a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Dachshunds rank among the most aggressive dog breeds in terms of aggression against both people and other animals.
Like the Chihuahua, this is likely because the Dachshund’s size makes it easy to overlook inappropriate behaviors such as jumping, barking and snarling.
Dachshunds originate in Germany, where they were bred to hunt badgers, small animals who are fierce fighters when cornered. The Dachshunds’ short legs allowed them to follow badgers right into their dens and fight to the death.
Today, Dachshunds still have a strong prey drive, so it’s not smart to allow them around smaller mammals.
They’re also independent, intelligent and strong-willed. They will become aggressive if you don’t train them properly or set boundaries.
The Jack Russell Terrier makes a great pet. These dogs are intelligent, agile and fun-loving, and they were bred to hunt foxes and other small game in the mid-1800s.
But again, without a strong pack leader to set rules and boundaries, these dogs can and do demonstrate aggression toward other people and animals — and will bite.
Small dogs like the Jack Russell Terrier tend not to be as well trained as larger dogs, so they can develop “small dog syndrome” — where a small dog thinks they are head of the household and act accordingly.
In the Applied Animal Behaviour Science study, Jack Russell Terriers ranked 3rd overall in aggressive tendencies.
Chow Chow
The China-originated dog, Chow Chow is a sturdy dog with a thick dense double coat. These hunting and herding dogs and the pet of ex-US President Calvin Coolidge, have a dominant personality. Dominance comes along with an aggressive nature.
12 Most Aggressive Dogs in the World – AGGRESSIVE DOG BREEDS – Top 12 Most Dangerous Dogs
If you are looking to adopt a dog, you know that there are many details to consider before you bring home a new pet. Do you have time to take your dog out for a walk multiple times a day? Does your schedule allow for you to be home in the evenings to feed and take your dog out? Do you have the time, patience, and money to train your dog?
One of the biggest questions you might be asking yourself is what breed of dog is best for you and your family. If you have children, you may be especially concerned with avoiding particularly aggressive dogs. In this article, we will discuss aggression in dogs and break down 20 of the most aggressive dog breeds in the world.
How, exactly, do we define aggression in dogs? When we discuss aggression, you may think we are talking exclusively about dogs that are likely to bite. However, other common behaviors such as growling and barking are also considered to be signs of aggression.
A particular breed’s level of aggression is usually determined through temperament testing. The American Temperament Testing Society test presents dogs with different stimuli to see how they perform in certain situations. These tests aren’t perfect and can’t determine for sure which breeds are aggressive and which are not, but they do offer insight into which breeds have a tendency to display aggressive behaviors.
Another important element to be aware of is prey drive. A dog with a high prey drive is likely to act on its hunting instincts when confronted with small animals, but this doesn’t mean that he is dangerous or aggressive. It is helpful to understand the difference because aggressive behavior toward humans is usually triggered by fear, not your dog’s hunting instinct. If you want your dog to stop chasing squirrels in the park, you will need to handle that differently than you would handle a dog who often growls and barks at visitors in your home.
Now that you understand what we mean by aggression and how it is measured, let’s take a closer look at specific breeds that may be likely to display aggressive behavior.