Dogs have lived alongside man for thousands of years since the first wolves were domesticated. There is little doubt this relationship has been hugely beneficial to both, leading to dogs being commonly referred to as “man’s best friend”. But over recent years there there have been a steady stream of stories in the media cataloging what appears to be an increasing trend of horrific attacks. Based on one UK survey (Hospital Episode Statistics) dog attacks resulting in hospitalisation are up over 300% in 20 years.
Whilst there is nearly always a reason for a dog attacking, these incidents show that certain dog breeds are capable of being deadly. This is recognised by the fact many of these breeds are banned in countries throughout the world.
The breeds listed below are those which have been involved in numerous incidents. I haven’t just taken the statistics for which breed has been responsible for the most hospital admissions; this list based on the potential and temperament of various dog breeds. There a three ingredients to a fatal dog attack; size and power of the dog, aggression and not to be overlooked a reason – usually lack of training and maltreatment…
10. Cane Corso
This large breed of Italian mastiff is a descendent of the dogs Roman soldiers used in wars. It has a sleek muscular body weighing up to 50kg (110lbs). The business end of the Cane Corso is its large, intimidating head with powerful jaws. One look would tell most people that this is a dog that could inflict a good deal of damage. The Cane Corso generally has a good temperament but is protective and suspicious of strangers. Therefore training and early socialisation are essential.
This dog is restricted in several US states and European countries.
9. Wolf-Hybrids
I imagine the name itself here is enough to start alarm bells ringing! Often referred to as wolfdogs these dogs are at least half wolf and as such may be virtually indistinguishable from a pure wolf.
Behaviour varies according to the dog / wolf content. Wolf-like traits make the animal less likely to attack protectively but they retain a strong prey drive making them a real risk around other small pets, and potentially young children.
The cross-breeding also has implications on how aggressive the hybrid will be. Crossing with a dog with a protective nature, e.g. a German Shepherd can breed out the wolf’s shy retiring nature, making a less predictable more dangerous dog.
Weighing in at up to 55Kg (120lbs), with power and intelligence of a wolf – in the wrong setting these dogs have the potential to be dangerous.
8. Neapolitan Mastiff
On size alone this massive mutt has the ability to intimidate. Reaching up to 90kg (200lbs) that more than an adult human. It was a Neapolitan Mastiff that played the part of “Fang”, Hagrid , the half-giant’s dog in the Harry Potter films. The large mastiff-type head is complemented with an equally large body in which the musculature is barely hidden by thickly folded skin.
The Neapolitan Mastiff is thought to be the direct descendant of the ancient Roman Molossus used for both war and the bloodthirsty arena. In essence this dog was bred to be a capable killer making it a popular guard dog and defender. That said, these are generally calm and loyal dogs but correct training and socialization is essential. As is a firm owner – these dogs have and can kill.
7. Fila Brasileiro
Also known as the Brazilian Mastiff this is another very large powerful dog. Weighing up to 75kg (170lbs) the Fila Brasileiro was bred as a hunting dog trained to restrain but not kill its prey. During the days of slavery the Fila was allegedly used to return fugitive slaves, unharmed, to their masters. More recently it has become a popular guard dog.
What separates the Fila from other big mastiff type dogs is its temperament and potential for aggression. The dog is banned the UK, Norway, Israel and Denmark to mention a few along with being restricted in many more. It is often said that the Fila Brasileiro can be highly aggressive towards strangers if not correctly trained. Given the name Ojeriza, this behaviour may be desired by some owners but can make this a particularly dangerous breed.
6. Dogo Argentino
Although a little smaller than the mastiffs and the Dogo Argentino makes up for it in power. This agile and muscular dog was bred as a big game hunter’s companion able to bring down wild boar and pumas. The Dogo originated from the Cordoba Fighting Dog which was crossed with Great Dane amongst other breeds. The resulting dog is 60kg (130lbs) of lean muscle recognisable with its short white coat.
It is said that the aggressive traits have been largely bred out of the Dogo Argentino and it can even be a good family dog. However, the potential is there for this dog to attack with lethal consequences and as a result it is banned in many countries including the UK and Australia. The fact that it is a breed preferred by dog fighters further cements its reputation as a dog to be feared.
5. Rottweiler
The Rottweiler is a medium to large sized dog with a stocky powerful body. It used to be known as the butcher’s dog but that was due to it working with livestock and pulling the carts to market rather than anything more sinister. I remember a few years back when this was definitely the scariest dog around. Alongside some of the more exotic, bigger breeds the Rottweiler seems to have lost some of its edge. The fact remains though, that Rottweilers are capable killers and the statistics reflect this. As a more common breed the numbers are bound to reflect badly on the Rottweiler, and they do. In the US it has consistently been the second most frequent dog to attack causing death or serious injury.
4. Caucasian Ovcharka
This enormous dog goes by several names including the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. It was bred to defend sheep flocks on the edges of the Soviet Union from thieves and, well, anything! A big dog can weigh anything up to 90kg (200lbs) with huge paws and equally intimidating set of jaws. Their thick fur hides a powerful muscular frame. Virtually fearless and able to exhibit ferocious behavior these dogs have long been a favourite for hunting bears. This is also the breed of dog used to patrol the border between East and West Germany during the Cold War.
Accompanying this size and power is a strong will and a loyalty which will see the dog attack practically anything when it feels its owner is under threat. Still favoured amongst dog fighters in Russia this dog is banned in some countries and restricted in others.
3. Tosa Inu
This huge Japanese dog was bred as a fighting dog. It varies in size but the biggest Tosas weigh in at a massive 100kg (220lbs) justifying the nickname of the “Sumo mastiff”. Over the years the breed has been crossed with mastiffs, Great Danes, Bulldogs, St Bernards and Bull Terriers. It tends to be significantly smaller in Japan but has been bred for size in the West.
The danger posed from this dog comes from its size, strength and fighting credentials. Usually a very calm breed, good training and an experienced owner is essential for the Tosa. Without this the potential for this dog to do damage is unlimited and fatal attacks have occurred. For this reason the Tosa Inu is banned in a whole list of countries.
2. Presa Canario
The Perro de Presa Canario or Canary Dog is one of the most intimidating looking dogs you will find. Its enormous, square head is almost as wide as it is long. It has the body to match too; big boned and muscular the Presa Canario can weigh around 60kg (130lbs). Bred as a fighting dog they retain a good degree of this aggression making them only suitable for experienced dog owners. If not shown absolute authority the Presa Canario can be an extremely dangerous dog. It is also said they gain aggression in numbers as they are pack dogs. This is certainly borne out by a number of fatal attacks most notably that of a San Francisco woman who was torn apart by a pair of these dogs owned by her neighbour.
The Presa Canario is banned in many countries.
1. Pit Bull
Barely a week goes by without a story of an horrific attack involving a Pit Bull does not feature in the news somewhere. Is the Pit Bull actually the most dangerous dog in the world, possibly not. However, in the face of overwhelming statistical evidence it it difficult to argue that this dog is not the most likely to attack you. Studies have consistently showed that Pit Bulls have been responsible for nearly a half of all recorded attacks including many fatalities.
It is worth pointing out that Pit Bull is an umbrella name referring to any number of dogs with particular physical characteristics. Even the experts can disagree as to what constitutes a Pit Bull but in general the dog is very stocky, muscular with a squarish head and powerful jaws. Despite being the smallest dog on the list, weighing less than 40kg (95lbs) the Pit Bull makes up in power, agility and ferocity. These dogs were bred for the pit (fighting) and more recently to look intimidating.
Of course much of the dogs reputation is the result of irresponsible owners. The worse the reputation the worse the owner and so it goes on. Perhaps another point in defence of the Pit Bull is many of the animals involved in attacks are crosses with other breed such as boxers.
At the end of the day this is the most notorious dog on the planet at present and is banned in too many countries to list. On that basis I’m giving it the top spot.
I’ve found dogs tend to have their own personalities and shouldn’t be judged by their breed. I’ve had a Lab. a pit, a Belgian and they’ve all been wonderful members of the family. I’ve never seen a bit of hostility or aggression from any of them. I do understand that breeds tend to have traits but they’re not bound by those traits .
Finally someone knows what they are talking about.
Do you want to put a Pomeranian on your list? I had one bite me and spent 6 days in the hospital. All I was doing is getting him untangled from a post.
and a chihuahua
I have been around all types of dogs my whole life as I come from a family that bread and showed Retrievers (the #1 safest and smartest so they say). Currently we have a pit, a cane Corso and a lab/pit mix. Out of all the different breeds of dogs I’ve had through out my life I’ve only had one turn on me and bite me in my face. It was a Labrador Retriever!! And even then I understood why it happened. I was to close to her new litter of babies. My point is at the end of the day it doesn’t matter what breed of dog it is, the instincts remain the same. I can tell you this list though, is just another way of keeping ignorance going. My pitbull, my cane Corso and my pit/lab mix thrive on making me and my kids happy everyday. They love playing with all the kids outside, they love being part of our daily lives. They LOVE!!!!
My vet told me the worst bite they’ve had in the office over the years was from a labrador.
No mention of Chow Chows? You put a terrier on the number one spot? The American Pitt Bull Terrier has consistently scored a higher temperament than almost 90% of other “family” dog breeds year after year. These are AKC temperament tests too. My Pitt has seen two children born into this world. He would lay there and cuddle both my kids as infants. For such a “dangerous” breed he knew how to act and behave so gently around a new born child. A Pitt is extremely loyal, and that loyalty is often abused by people. Funny the picture you used is clearly a dog that has been either a fight or bait dog. Look at the scarring on his face and muzzle. Showing some douche using a chain for a leash, that has probably taken an extremely intelligent dog and forcefully abused it from birth will make any dog look vicious. You people telling others how they are so lucky and their Pitt is the exception have no idea wtf you’re talking about. Any animal that is abused and trained to fight and maim will be dangerous. We project our violent nature onto these dog. Also saying Pitt Bull is a general term for several breeds is ignorant too. Pitt Bulls belong to the Terrier family, a long with Staffordshire Terriers and Bull Terriers. Quit spreading ignorance like this. A golden retriever is more likely to attack than a Pitt. Number 1 should have been the fool writing this article, who clearly did zero research. Most fatal dog attacks are not caused by Pitts. The news you see about Pitt attacks hardly ever tell you about how that dog was abused, and forcefully programmed to be violent. Ignorant people create violent dogs and make those dogs so fearful of humans. Don’t assume you know a thing about Pitt Bulls if you instantly think they are viscous. I have never owned a more loving, gentle and intelligent dog other than my Pitts. I am a. AKC certified breeder, and trainer who specializes in Bull Terrier breeds. This article is such horse shit and shame on all of who think Pitts are evil. You will never experience love like the love of a Bull Terrier given the life or deserves
Imagine you have a golden retriever and for example and American bulldog. Both are abused and (hard to imagine) brought up as fighting dogs. Which is going to be the most dangerous? That is the gist of the article – the physical attributes of the dogs in the list, along with some statistics.
There is also a secondary factor in that tough looking dogs attract “tough” owners. And these are the idiots that give any of these breeds a bad name.
It’s all in the upbringing, German Shepards are far more likely to attack you than a Dogo Argentino. The article was obviously written by someone who judges dogs by their looks rather than actually studying the realities of the traits these dogs have. You won’t ever hear of a Dogo or Fila attacking someone because they are banned because hunting is banned in most countries not because it’s a danger to people.
My daughter just adopted a rescue ………they claimed it was a Mastiff, picked up off the streets. She said she appears bathroom trained but knows no commands.
She wants to bring her up to my house to meet with my dog……a Cockapoo……….13 years old. I am afraid this dog may attack my smaller dog………
Any input??
Bad idea! Without knowing the history of the dog, you risk your small dog being viewed as prey. Many mastiffs are not good with small dogs and cats. Keep them separate!
wrong
If your dog behaves good to your infant then he should be good to the other.
We’ve had pit bulls all our lives and never, not even once had a temperamental dog. They were great with all the kids coming up and would go wait for them to get off the bus. The worst dog for aggression was my sister’s Dobermans, they were over protective & you best make a loud entrance. Then there is the Chihuahua! OMG, the meanest dogs on the planet so thank heavens they’re small!!! Give me a pit any day over a two pound nightmare that bites, barks & growls constantly. The mastiff we had was a teddy bear until he got so old & passed away, a sweet precious gentle giant that thought he was a lap dog….so see, maybe it just depends on the owners! Thanks..
If a pit bull turns on you there will be horrific damage or death.
If a pit turns on you is because of you. It’s how you raised your dog. Either you abused it, neglected it or was just a ass to it. pits love there family,live the kids. you have to really have been abusive to that dog to turn on you.
You lucked out but unfortunately the hundreds of children and owners did not. BTW the ones that killed were described as teddy bears also.
I have to agree here.. I’ve only ever witnessed one dog attack in person in my 40+ years of tramping this ball of mud.. it was a pit bull (or similar? Had the size and shape etc of a pit bull?) attacking an Australian Shepard at a kids playground. I didn’t see it start so I dont know what provoked the attack.. but when the owners finally got the Shepard from the mouth of the bull terrier.. the bull terriers owner said “Jeez I dont know what happened? He’s normally a big teddy bear and wouldn’t hurt a fly?”
I dont really have any experience with “dangerous breeds” myself.. but since witnessing this incident in person myself.. the “teddy bear” description always hits different…
This is the dumbest list. Corsos are not outlawed anywhere in the US. They are not “dangerous” – this is the kind of stupid thing that popularizes dogs for the wrong reason. Cane Corso breeders are very protective of their dogs, breeding for excellent temperament to produce breed ambassadors. Ignorant, stupid article. Know what’s dangerous? Stupid people producing misinformation.
I have to agree with you there! I was a bit taken back myself.
There’s no denying or refuting number 1 and 2 on the list.
Is Akita dog is dangerous?
I have a black lab and he is a darling. We grew up together yet he is a hunting dog. From seeing that he’s a hunting dog he does NOT get abused. ANY dog has the potential for violence they are decendents of wolves. Yeah dogs are dangerous at times but there will ALWAYS be a reason. Dogs can sense what type of person you are and if they go for you there is a reason. I’d say n.1 shouldn’t be a pitt it should be something like a Doberman but even then my dad had one called Amy and she was a sweetie, the only reason they should be on there is because when they bite, they ain’t letting go of you that’s because they were bred to be fighters.
In times gone by this list would have been headed up by the alsation, or the rottweiler etc… I think you missed the most dangerous breed at No.1 and that is:-
“No.1 The most dangerous breed: “The Warped Human” who trains it to be aggressive, abuses, or neglects or never socialises it” No matter which breed the dog is, the warped human can manipulate it to become aggressive.
neglect can include:
shutting it in a space for hours or days or even weeks on end (cruel as dogs need daily exercise)
no time for love
not feeding it properly – or giving it harmful substances
not looking after its health properly – dogs in pain can get snappy
then there is the horrific abuse and training to purposely become aggressive/fight. Dogs are simple creatures which are so easily manipulated by a warped mind. Aggressiveness – its 99% human and 1% dog.
Agreed, 100%.. As the loving owner of 2 rescue Pit Bulls I can honestly say I wasn’t sure what to expect because I very limited info regarding their up -bringing. My male does not have an aggressive bone in his body. He’s definitely a lover, not a fighter I am thankful that his owners were good people who were probably very sorry to give him up
My female came off the streets and showed what I can only describe as timid aggressiveness. She didn’t want to come out of her crate, so I left the door open and gave her a wide berth.
When she finally emerged she got food and water and tolerated me. I let her lay on the couch with us when we watched TV and I stroked her head and body which she seemed to like but she watched everything warily and growled from a hiding spot when anyone came to visit. It took her 1 1/2 yrs for her to stop eying me warily and understand I would never hurt her… today she is very protective of me but listens to all commands and is a joy as a pet. So I’m 2 for 2 and am living proof that patience, love and consistency do pay off with all breeds.
Agreed 100% I had a pit as a child. He was my boy till the end. Now I have one and I am a pit foster parent. I would love to keep them all.
I have my pit my boxer and my miniature schnauzer. Out of those my schnauzer is the only one who has bit someone lol. So vicious my pit, no. My boxer, no. But beware of the miniature one.
I agree so much and it just- I don’t know warms my heart that people care soooo much about dogs. Humans are the aggressive ones