Top 25 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds in the World
Throughout world history, dogs and humans have built close friendships and companionship. That is why no one questions the fact that dogs are our best friends. In theory, all breeds can be loyal and well-behaved. However, to get to that point, dog owners should work and treat their pets properly. Each creature is a unique being; each dog is one-of-a-kind and there are many types of dog breed personalities. Golden Retrievers, for example, are known to be gentle, loyal, family companions that make excellent service dogs. While Rottweilers are well-known to obey their guardians if trained but might be aggressive at a young age in case of poor training. It’s like in those viral Tik Tok videos with #rottweiler hashtags “What I expected my Rottweiler to be and what I got”, but completely the opposite. So, never underestimate the importance of training your dog to keep your family safe and calm. We have listed the breeds in alphabetical order
- Akita Inu
Akita Inu is a famous breed in Japan and on the rise of popularity in the USA, known for their recognizable smiles and irresistible to-touch coats. But, as a matter of fact, they do have a gene in them associated with aggression and unpredictable behavior. Such mood shifts, from friendly to low and destructive, can cause significant problems to the owners. And all the recent studies led by researchers show that this gene is unlikely to edit or change.
2. Alaskan Malamute
Alaskan Malamute can do well as a pet, be trained and supervised but they often have a mind of their own and, if there was such an option, they would spend their time independently. A bored malamute puppy can wreak havoc on your house and backyard. A mature malamute is very likely to fight and spat with the other pets in the house. So, the safest option to have one is to be a seasoned pet owner and no other pets around.
3. American Bandogge
The American Bandogge is a cross between an American Pit Bull Terrier and a Neapolitan Mastiff. They are genetically coded to perform different everyday tasks and are meant to work. But their body mass and massive muscles obviously made them perfect to be used as fighting dogs in the past and they were bred to fight instead. As people trained them to be violent and their natural abilities were misused, American Bandogges have many underlying psychological issues and are inherently more dangerous and aggressive.
4. Basenji
Basenjis are renowned for being affectionate and playful and are super popular in Asia where people take it when have families. But not many of them realize that it’s kind of a challenge to train them and this breed is more likely to end up roaming the streets. However, once the dog owner becomes its leader and trains it, this dog becomes very teachable and kind of “partner-in-crime”, your literally best friend. Being an owner’s friend doesn’t mean being friendly to everyone, Basenjis have hard times accepting new people or dogs around them and might suddenly become very aggressive.
5. Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd are commonly confused breeds. Belgian Malinois are brilliant herding dogs that prefer an active lifestyle but require a lot of care and love from their owners in order to be obedient. Nowadays, due to its aggressiveness and ability to attack when instructed, this breed is favored over others as police dogs.
6. Boerboel
The South African Mastiff, or commonly called the Boerboel, is a giant, intimidating breed that can be a perfect guardian for the family. Most of the time, Boerboel is very likely to pursue and attack strangers when provoked. It’s definitely not a great idea to play with this breed.
7. Bull Mastiff
Bull Mastiffs are first and foremost excellent guard dogs that are natural at socializing. But keep in mind, the Bull Mastiff may be aggressive towards people ( as well as kids!) with whom they are unfamiliar. Interesting fact, if there are more dogs in the household, the Bull Mastiff would consider themselves as the head of the pack.
8. Chow Chow
The Chow Chow is a breed originally from China and known for its special appearance. Looks usually attract a lot of attention as we know, so they can be tough pets for their owners as they often feel spoiled and pampered and behave accordingly. This breed requires their owner to pay a lot (read: a looooot) of attention, otherwise, it will definitely find something to do elsewhere, usually not very pleasant for the owner.
9. Cane Corso
Cane Corso is a dog with an independent spirit that considers itself an alpha dog in a family. But if the owner (only the owner, not other dogs, etc.) behaves as a leader, the dog can be house trained and obedient. Surrounded by other pets, they would consider only themselves the alpha and their aggression directed at other pets just for fun to show their superiority.
10. Caucasian Shepherd
The Caucasian Shepherd looks like a cuddly dog-bear and has a loyal and fearless personality used to guard people and properties. They are really helpful when it comes to protecting the home from intruders. The common mistake of people who wish to have a dog is to think that loyalty equals a family dog. It might be true if trained properly, this breed really is able to protect its family, but if trained poorly, it tends to be aggressive towards strangers.
11. Doberman
The Doberman is known for its fierce loyalty to its handler. It is highly intelligent, alert, yet trustworthy As a result, it is often selected to work in the K-9 Force. But anyway, this breed has the potential to attack, especially strangers. Due to their skinny bodies, the Doberman is lean and athletic build, that is why they have no problem following something or someone without hesitation.
12. Dogo Argentino
The most intimidating appearance? That’s the Dogo Argentino with its absolutely scary looks. It works really well as a guard dog and excels in sports. The best dog training advice is to start training them at an early age. But not when it’s in puppyhood, the most proper time to start is when the dog is young. When it’s a puppy, the Dogo Argentino unfortunately is not able to learn and might act aggressively in response.
13. Fila Brasileiro
Fila Brasileiros as loyal guardians will keep their home and family secure. They happen to make great pets that are able to ward off intruders. That is exactly why distrust is a typical character trait for them. This breed can be a perfect option for you if you have an introverted personality.
14. German Shepherds
Considered to be intelligent, confident, and courageous, the German Shepherd is a very common dog in an American household. However, it might be dangerous when you trust them too much. This breed is classified as sheepdogs and the best livestock guardian farm dog. And there is one more thing to consider about German Shepherds, it can be trained to work as a strong deterrent for visitors.
15. Great Dane
Sweet and affectionate, the Great Dane is one of the best-natured breeds for the kids. However, if not appropriately trained, in order to protect its territory, it might be aggressive when a stranger approaches even if not provoked. Another drawback of this breed is that it is trainable only when is a puppy.
16. Gull Dong
The Gull Dong, or the Pakistani Bull Dog, is a strong-willed breed with a tendency towards aggressive behavior. This breed does great in obedience training only with humans who are strong alphas. It is considered a dangerous and bad breed to be around small children as these dogs have a high prey instinct. As for the advantage, they provide a safe space from hazardous situations and crimes.
17. Husky
Husky can make the best family companion and is one of the most family-friendly breeds. They are pack animals and enjoy the connections with other dogs. However, this dog can exhibit a wide range of behaviors including aggression without giving any warning signs beforehand. The Husky displays aggressive and destructive behavior through chewing on furniture and chasing smaller animals.
18. Kangal
The Kangal is a massive breed from Turkey. Despite the size, their body is extremely agile and athletic. They usually demonstrate protective and territorial aggression toward people who are less familiar to these dogs. And it’s a good idea to avoid them as Kangal dog has a bite force of 743 PSI when wolves have an average bite force of 400 PSI.
19. Perro de Presa Canario
The Perro de Presa Canario, otherwise known as the Presa Canario, has a massive body and can make a great guard dog. People should keep in mind that this breed with the fighting-dog background can be extremely aggressive and difficult to control. People have reported several incidents involving Presa Canario when they attacked random strangers.
20. Pit Bull
“There’s not any dog breed that’s inherently more dangerous,” said Marcy Setter, a representative of the Pit Bull Rescue Center, about the Pit Bull breed. When you adopt your dog as a puppy, your Pit Bull may become friendly and tolerant if trained. But if you adopt a full-grown one, the chances to have a nice dog are low. They have an intelligent and independent personality, which has to be trained using discipline methods when the owner handles situations with patience. Once well-trained, your Pit Bull will become your true friend.
21. Rhodesian Ridgeback
Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a lot of energy to spend so their owners need a lot of time (and energy, too!) to keep them occupied. Episodes of aggressiveness occur when the dog is left alone for some time, then it gets out of control and turns destructive. Dog playdate in a park doesn’t sound like a nice idea for this breed, too, as seeing small animals or dogs strengthens their prey drive. Not experienced dog owners will have a hard time being comfortable with a Rhodesian Ridgeback and should consult with a seasoned handler and create a training program.
22. Saint Bernard
Some people buy a dog after watching a nice movie with a cute one. Saint Bernard is such a lovable breed, often illustrated as a dog with a heart that is kind. But don’t get tricked by its slow moves, the Saint Bernard swiftly reacts towards everything that moves and might be even aggressive. Unfortunately, there were several cases of Saint Bernard packs suddenly attacking strangers and even own owners.
23. Tibetan Mastiff
100% watchdog appearance of Tibetan Mastiff gives us clear signals that it can show off their tough side at times. They are definitely not for everyone, especially not for the first-time dog owners, as there are many cases of severe injuries caused by this giant pet to their unlucky handlers who ended up in the emergency or, even, killed. Actually, it’s this dog’s natural killer instinct that makes it difficult to control and train.
24. Tosa Inu
The relatively rare breed, Tosa Inu, is known for its fighting abilities. It was bred to fight like a Sumo, but a strong body is not a feature that scares fresh dog owners. The sharpest teeth which can cause serious damage to this dog’s target can be potentially dangerous and, by no means, should be ignored. No surprise this breed is banned in 14 countries, among which are Spain, Great Britain, the USA, Italy, and Norway, due to the occasionally exhibited aggressive behavior towards people and fellows.
25. Wolf Dog
Wolf-dog hybrids are produced by breeding a wolf and a domestic dog. Just as with any animal with wild DNS, a feast-and-famine calling remains in their character. It’s obviously hard to maintain their wild instincts, which makes them unpredictable and challenging to handle. Wolf dog is not a regular pet that would love to stay home or interact with others. However, if giving them the training they need, they will do everything to defend you and your home from prowlers.
