For many people, the love of a pet is like no other. From feathered friends to furry ones, having a pet can enrich a person’s life indeed. However, when it comes to an animal that has the potential to harm humans, owners should be clearly aware of their responsibilities to others. Many dogs fall into this category despite their ability to be loyal and loving pets.
Many groups tout their own list of the most aggressive dog breeds and, while there are some discrepancies between them, there tend to be a lot of commonalities and crossover. PetHelpful.com has a list based on scores from the American Temperament Test Society. DogTemperament.com also leverages temperament to determine its list. Fatalities and attacks contribute to The Smart Canine’s list.
In looking at the lists of most dangerous or aggressive dog breeds from these three groups, there are five breeds that appear on all three lists. These are the Doberman Pinscher, the Rottweiler, the German Shepherd, the Pit Bull and the Siberian Husky, in no particular order. The Chow Chow and the Bull or English Mastiff each appeared on two out of the three lists.
Owners of these breeds may well defend their dog’s personality and sweetness, but that should not preclude them from taking reasonable precautions and ensuring the safety of others. Responsible ownership of these dogs includes not allowing the dogs to run free in any open area and maintaining tight control of a leash when out with their dogs. They may even wish to warn people not to come too close to their dogs.
