List of the most dangerous dog breeds

A dog, of course, is a friend of man, but you should not forget that it is directly related to the wolf, which is a dangerous predator, and on an empty stomach can attack anyone, including humans. At the same time, there are completely harmless breeds that can be considered relatively safe both due to their docile nature and due to their modest size, while other pets were created specifically for aggression and have impressive sizes.

Especially for our readers, we have compiled a rating that allows you to understand which animals are considered the most dangerous and potentially aggressive. At the same time, we do not distribute places in the rating and do not pretend to be strictly consistent with any statistics, and there are a number of reasons for this.

The main reason is that it is not possible to compile an unconditionally correct list of potentially dangerous breeds. It is not very clear how the aggressiveness of dogs should ideally be assessed.

The authors of many calculations are guided by on statistics of attacks and murders, but because of this, in some collections even Labradors appear, who are usually perceived as calm and kindness itself. This criterion cannot be a priori correct, because a rare angry Labrador can become a killer due to its impressive size, but smaller dogs are usually much angrier and more aggressive, it is just easier to fight them off.

In addition, a similar statistics never take into account the prevalence of the breed. It is clear that such collections will always feature the most popular varieties of dogs, and those that are represented by literally a couple of dozen individuals will not be found there, even if they are extremely ferocious animals.

It should also not be forgotten that to a large extent, the degree of aggression also depends on how the dog was brought up. It was not for nothing that the old song sang that a dog can be a bite, but this is from the life of a dog - a significant percentage of attacks and murders committed by animals is a direct response to bullying from the owner.

Among other things, training is also of fundamental importance. As you know, a guard or fighting dog must be specially trained in aggression. If she grew up in a nursery where the puppy was taken care of, and then fell into good hands, then, without facing the cruelty of others, she is unlikely to think a lot about how to dominate others. This is also an important point affecting statistics - perhaps the dog itself is not as bad as its owner, who taught the animal to behave aggressively and was distracted by forgetting to control his ward.

All these discrepancies lead to the fact that there is simply no clear definition of a potentially dangerous dog. For example, in December 2018, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation compiled a list of potentially dangerous dogs, which included 69 breeds at once, which it is undesirable to walk without a leash. This list, adopted in March 2019 by the State Duma of the Russian Federation and approved by the government, was reduced to only 13 breeds - this shows that different people can fundamentally differently relate to the concept of an unsafe animal.

Considering all of the above, we have compiled its own list, which is broader than the one adopted by the State Duma, but less extensive than the one originally drawn up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Perhaps this is the correct approach, since the law prescribes to walk dangerous dogs strictly on a leash, but an aggressive pet poses the main danger to the owner himself and his household, which means that neither the collar nor the muzzle completely solve the situation.

Our consolidated rating includes species of dogs dangerous to humans, the presence of a threat from which is recognized both in Russia and around the world. Someone may dispute certain positions of the collection, but we still advise keeping your ears open with such dogs - at least during walks, you should carefully monitor that the pet does not have the opportunity to show aggression towards others. As a reminder, there are no positions in our rating, so the presented dogs are not sorted according to any criterion of danger or aggressiveness.

The first representative on the list is a prime example of how an animal may not be included in the Russian tops of danger simply because it is relatively rare. In fact this animal is quite aggressive, because our Japanese neighbors at the end of the century before last bred this large animal especially for dog fights... In most cases, a dog with an appearance that commands respect behaves calmly and unobtrusively, and will not rush into the attack without a direct order from the owner.

Nevertheless need hard to bring up such a puppy, accustoming to attack on command and only on it, otherwise the danger that a stranger or another dog perceived to be a four-legged can cause an aggressive reaction, and this animal, believe me, will be the winner.

In principle, such a dog is very similar to an ordinary bulldog, and those, as you know, often turn out to be bandits and hooligans. The name of the breed, bred some half a century ago, literally translates as "chain dog", and such pets, as you know, aim to defend their own to the last. A properly trained individual can guard both the territory and a living person, and God forbid it will seem to her that you pose a threat to the entrusted object - this pile of muscles runs rapidly and does not release the caught prey from its jaws.

This huge dog comes in in most rankings of the strongest dogs in the world, and this is not surprising given such and such dimensions. Modern scientists believe that the fighting dogs of Ancient Rome were the distant ancestors of the representatives of this breed, which means that the fighting qualities were brought up in these animals for at least two millennia. Modern Cane Corso were created not for battles, but for the protection of the territory and the protection of man, but such a beast will definitely not let you down, no matter who the enemy is.

As befits representatives of terriers, the bull terrier is a hunting dog. He is well pumped up even in comparison with most of his relatives, but the abundance of massive muscles does not prevent the dog from running very quickly and overtaking any rival, who late realized that in vain he went this way today.

Like most terriers such a dog is not particularly aggressive towards people - on the contrary, he needs communication and, with proper upbringing, easily makes contact with unfamiliar people, if the owner does not have any objections. Another thing is that any small animals for these dogs are perceived as prey, which means that the owners of cats and smaller dogs will have to constantly look back at you.

Perhaps, in terms of wildlife, there is no more dangerous region than tropical Africa, and this breed was bred as a hunting breed specifically for these places. In the 30s of the last century, legends circulated about the severity of this animal - it was believed that such a friend was able to guard the prey in the absence of the owner, even in savannah conditions, chasing away anyone who wanted to eat fresh meat, including with lions.

True or not, there is no smoke without fire, and such information allows one to judge correctly about the fearlessness and capabilities of the ridgeback. Raising such a dog using the whip method is unacceptable, because it will not lead to anything other than growing aggression that can get out of control.

Argentina has huge unoccupied territories that are well suited for hunting, and about a hundred years ago they decided to acquire their own breed of hunting dogs capable of solving typical local problems.

The breeders connected representatives of ten different breeds to the breeding and got an excellent hunter who does not think about the size of the enemy, and he can also be a predator, snarling quite confidently. For the sake of curiosity, the dog was fielded several times in battles against purely fighting breeds, and even in them the Argentines often win, so it's better not to anger this animal.

This breed is not even recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Fédération Internationale, but enjoys a certain popularity among dog breeders. It cannot be said that these dogs reciprocate the increased love on the part of a person - on the contrary, recently statistics show an increase in attacks by such dogs on people.

This is another "African" bred specially as a bodyguard, because the pet recognizes only one owner, to whom he is very devoted.

This dog has the same sharp and quick-tempered character as the Pakistanis, who brought him out for a reason, but to participate in demonstration battles. The main purpose of this animal is precisely skirmishes with opponents., any other properties were not specially put into it, therefore To train a dog, teaching him the norms of behavior, is quite difficult and problematic, and he does not occupy himself with aggressiveness.

If you are not afraid of difficulties, you can make an excellent guard or watchman out of such a beast, but experts do not advise those who do not have impressive experience of dealing with fighting dogs to get a Pakistani Bulldog. You will never be sure that you have finally pacified the irrepressible energy of the ward, so you will have to work tirelessly with him.

This dog looks very cute, and it is difficult to imagine that it can pose a serious danger, but, like some other representatives of this list, the dog is of African origin, which means that it must be ready to confront an opponent of any level of difficulty.

Interestingly, the Africans themselves bred it - at least, very similar animals were found with them long before the Black Continent finally submitted to the European colonialists. Today this breed is considered one of the most ancient and at the same time considered one of the most stubborn in the world in terms of training. This avid hunter is practically uncontrollable, and therefore represents a huge danger to any small living creatures, which are so abundant in modern cities.

Those who were hard to suspect of aggressiveness were the St. Bernards - they work as professional rescuers in the Swiss Alps, extracting victims from the avalanches.

Most often, such a dog is described as friendly and very calm, but it should be noted that this is not a genetically determined characteristic, but the correct upbringing, which must be provided even in childhood. If this is not done, a huge and strong pet will be aggressive towards strangers, and especially towards the smaller breeds of their fellow tribesmen.

Oddly enough, today such a dog is not considered overly aggressive - the main danger comes from other, later varieties of the bulldog. This one appeared more than a hundred years ago in the United States - it was bred by farmers who needed to protect their own fields from any external encroachments.

The animal instinctively considers itself the master of the territory, it is self-confident and stubborn, and therefore simply will not allow a stranger or another dog to take unnecessary liberties. This is the dog that, figuratively speaking, will not attack, but he will not allow you to leave, but you will twitch - he will punish for insolence.

Such a pet impresses the imagination with its gigantic size - it is he who holds the main records in terms of the size of the dog. The dog is a born hunter, therefore it is more dangerous for other animals than for people.

At the same time, animals of hunting breeds often perceive almost any living creatures less than themselves as prey, and therefore you should carefully monitor the children so that they do not provoke this whopper too much. An animal is usually not considered too aggressive, but its size itself often leads to the fact that the Great Dane only wants to scare or play, but causes injury.

The structure of the body and color of this animal somewhat resembles a lion, and although the lean figure betrays a recognized athlete, the muzzle is misleading - it seems quite cute, and the whole dog is perceived as completely harmless. Naturally this is a mistake because the breed was created specifically in order to get a strict guard, which will not give anyone a descent and will protect his master to the end.

This dog does not fundamentally believe in strangers and it is practically pointless to try to remake it - mistrust is inherent in its genes. There are multiple cases when even the show animals are not used to the environment when there are many people around them - they react angrily to the violation of their own personal space, and attack both spectators and judges.

This animal has such an appearance that when you meet it it immediately becomes clear that such a dog should be respected, and it’s also good if it does not initially harbor aggression towards you. The breed was created in the Canary Islands not for fighting, as one might think under the impression of its appearance, but as a shepherd looking after herds in the absence of a person.

Nevertheless, even such work suggests that it is better for a stranger not to approach, and therefore today the Canaries are often used to protect a territory or a person. In both cases they are very attached and ready to defend their own to death. It is thanks to such characteristics that this breed has experienced its second youth in recent years.

The one who has been demonized lately is a representative of this breed, which is not surprising - the statistics of the attacks of this beast turns out to be simply frightening. The hype in the press has reached such a level that some radicals propose to completely destroy this breed - in their opinion, this is the only way to finally stop the attacks.

Experts say that this is an overkill, because a well-mannered staff is both sociable and friendly, and most importantly, it is distinguished by its boundless devotion to its owner and will easily give its own life for his sake. According to them, the reason for the aggression from the representatives of the breed lies only in the wrong upbringing, but this does not negate the fact that such dogs are by nature quite evil.

Dogs of this German breed have a controversial character - on the one hand, they are considered fighting dogs, who, in principle, are not too kind and accommodating, on the other - they are called the most good-natured among all representatives of their category.

The big plus of such an animal is that it lends itself well to training, which means that you can neutralize the pet's aggression, replacing it with the correct upbringing and rules of decency. However, all this is only a theory, but in practice we see that the animal does not shy away from attacking people, even if this is due to the wrong approach to training.

This dog was bred to solve very serious problems - initially it was supposed to guard diamond mines in South Africa, and they have always been a real magnet for numerous intruders who want easy and quick profit. Accordingly, the dog was bred with a specific set of desired characteristics - it must be large, and strong, and categorical in matters of defending its own.

In general, bullmastiffs are generally not considered angry or aggressive. however, throughout history, such dogs have repeatedly attacked people. Although, in fairness, this could be their direct responsibility in the workplace.

The dog of German origin stands out not only for its impressive size, but also for its intelligence - this breed is characterized not only by brute strength, but also by the ability to act most intelligently in a given situation. The elegant beast is devoted to its owner and was bred specifically to guard the territory or its owner.

Aggressiveness of a dog is not always manifested. - even in the case of identifying the offender, she is usually smart enough to simply detain the offender and attract the attention of the person who will decide the fate of the caught. Nevertheless, it is important not to let such a pet understand that you are resisting his will, otherwise a strong and confident friend of a person will not wait for the owner, but will fix the problem on his own.

Another dog that has gained a notoriety for being inappropriately aggressive, although the breed was originally bred as a service, which means it must be obedient and ready to follow any commands. The exact timing of the breeding of these dogs is unknown, but there are many unconfirmed legends that they left a considerable mark in history - for example, they were directly involved in the Seven Years War.

The animal is perfect for protecting a territory or a person, it is capable of tirelessly patrolling an object for many hours, but it often goes too far in terms of making aggressive decisions in relation to any intruders.

Another dog, the problem of which is both large size and the ability to go down the wrong path in the case of inappropriate upbringing. The animal has a confident character, it will not give anyone a descent, and therefore turns out to be an excellent guard, but this is only if the training at the puppy age was successful and correct.

Ignoring the rules for raising such dogs or simply not paying enough attention to it, the owner risks being left alone with a huge and uncontrollable dog, which, not being accustomed to human domination, can respond with aggression to an attempt to pacify it, even when it comes to the owner.

Some experts are inclined to believe that this breed has a two thousand year history and was bred specifically in order to graze herds in mountainous conditions. Such a dog is very smart - it can cope with a herd of a huge number of heads, but at the same time the dog is distinguished by an increased sense of responsibility towards its owner, and therefore is extremely suspicious of attempts at rapprochement from any strangers.

Much of training is about socializing the animal., because in the conditions of a modern city the dog will have to get used to it, then it is impossible to be at enmity with everyone around.

In most cases, this dog is considered one of the most faithful human helpers - today it is the most popular service dog, differing well-developed mind, learning ability and much-needed physical qualities, necessary for the detention of any criminals and enemies.

We usually see perfectly trained animals that do not allow themselves to show aggression to a greater extent than is necessary for detention, and even then only at the command of the owner or in a situation to which she is specially trained. Nevertheless, a certain readiness for aggression in such a dog is inherent, and if it is not directed in the right direction and limited, it can turn out to be uncontrollable.

American experts believe that there are no dogs more dangerous than pit bulls, even though these dogs still do not have official status in the International Federation of Cynologists.

The animal is distinguished by a high degree of muscle development, and although it is relatively small in size, it was taken out specially for baiting much larger opponents. The aggressiveness of the representatives of the breed turned out to be high enough to be used for show fights, but the use of such dogs as loyal guards remains widespread.

This breed is a good example of how an animal can become aggressive from being idle. Such a dog was bred in the North specifically to pull a team - constant movement is in its blood. In recent decades, these dogs are increasingly turned on by southerners who like the appearance of a pet, but they forget that a four-legged friend in a city has nowhere to put his irrepressible energy - a standard dog walk does not solve the problem at all.

At the same time, immigrants from Alaska are not devoid of hunting instinct and hardly learn even the basic commands, and therefore they can easily spend the accumulated "extra" forces on an inappropriate hunt for the same cats.

Everything that has been said above about the Alaskan Malamute is equally true for this breed. Even to work in a team that seems literally created for these animals, dogs need to be specially trained in socialization and discipline, thanks to which they will not make scandals with their fellow tribesmen. As for other people's teams, then an unaccustomed pet to strangers can easily begin to sort things out with them.

A completely wild invention of Russian modernity, not only did not receive the recognition of dog handlers, but is also prohibited for breeding in many countries. It will be quite difficult to get such a pet even in Russia - such an animal is literally semi-wild, since it is a cross between a dog and a wild wolf.

Such a specific origin affected the character, because There are very few wolf dogs today - there is little demand for them, and many people usually lack the courage to buy it. The danger lies in many ways in the unknown and unpredictable animal - even the owner cannot know what origin will prevail in his ward and what to do with a domestic dog, which suddenly realized its wolf nature.

In the Russian Federation, legislation does not imply strict restrictions on this issue - each person is free to acquire such a pet for himself as he sees fit. Another thing is that you must clearly understand how you will manage the aggression of your ward, and it still doesn’t hurt to be confident that you, in principle, are able to cope with such a task.

Due to this you should think in advance about the points related to the safety of people and animals around. Some dog breeds are so dangerous and uncontrollable that they may well pose a danger even to their own owner, especially if he does not understand how to properly treat the ward.Perhaps the popular recommendation of experts indicating that your first dog should not be a fighting or especially aggressive hunting dog, because it is not a fact that you can handle it if you have not dealt with four-legged before.

In the above list, all dogs are prone to a certain degree of aggression, but some of them are relatively calm, easily get used to other people and learn to make contact even with strangers, while others largely retain the features of wild ancestors, and therefore must be kept under strict control. In some breeds, even insufficient walking may turn out to be a potential reason for aggression, provoking the accumulation of aggression, which means that it is better to keep such a dog not in an apartment, but in a house with a large garden plot.

Such an animal should definitely not be chained - a spacious aviary or even free movement throughout the backyard area is better suited to it, but only on the condition that the pet will not be able to break out of it in pursuit of a neighbor's cat. With other breeds, the situation may be simpler - they, having a pronounced guardian instinct, are not against the chain lifestyle and will not become angrier from this.

A completely separate topic is walking your pet. Although the law does not prohibit you from having a dog of any breed, it is the owner's responsibility to ensure the safety of other members of the community and their pets.

According to the law passed in March 2019, representatives of 13 breeds of dogs from now on must walk on a leash and in a muzzle. Even if you are sure of one hundred percent friendliness of your particular dog, including towards strangers, the very fact of walking without these accessories is a direct violation of current legislation, which means that it may entail the prescribed punishment from law enforcement agencies.

Fans of breeding aggressive breeds of dogs, like a mantra, repeat the hackneyed phrase that the dog itself is only more or less prone to aggression, but the decisive role in any case is played by upbringing and attitude towards the animal. In other words, even the kindest little dog can be driven to madness by mocking her and provoking her, while a stern fighting dog, looking like the embodiment of the essence of the threat, will not take a step without the permission of the owner, if he is properly raised.

In the vast majority of cases, such a statement is true, therefore, choosing a potentially aggressive animal as a pet, you must understand how to train him correctly and in no case ignore your duties, otherwise, theoretically, even you yourself can become a victim.

No matter how individualistic your dog may seem, somewhere in the depths of his soul he is morally ready to obey a stronger leader and you should initially be in this role, preventing the dog from occupying this niche. The authority of the leader for the animal is unquestioning - he can punish for any wrongdoing, but must be just.

If you have never had a dog of aggressive and independent breeds before, it is best to involve a professional trainer in raising it. Regardless of whether you decide to turn to a professional or try your luck on your own, you need to educate the dog from a young age, while his personality is being formed and he is still ready to accept the dictation of the perception of reality.

Contrary to popular belief, theoretically, even an adult dog can be retrained, although this turns out to be a very difficult task. Theoretically, the leader of the pack can change, and this is good news for those who are faced with a situation where the pet has grown up and does not recognize the primacy of individual family members over itself.

The dog will behave like a terrorist: once it catches that its aggressive actions provoke the desired response, the animal will begin to "ride" on its owners. The dominance of the dog can begin to manifest itself even in minor manifestations - for example, you are not walking the pet, but in fact it is you. Another vivid example of a disturbed balance of authority is when a dog has his own things that no one should take, but he himself does not recognize the presence of other people's things.

In animals, the change of leader is solved by a banal fight, but this is not our method. If your dog starts to get out of hand, show him that the goods he needs simply cannot be obtained. Start simple - if the dog clearly requires something from you, first give the command and do not react in any way to the requirements of the beast until your wish is fulfilled. Even with obedience, do not reward the animal immediately - wait a few seconds, showing the pet that it is being watched closely.

When the specified time is up, emphatically approve of the dog's behavior - give him an edible reward, pet or praise. To make obedience a habit train the animal constantly - all benefits, including walking and feeding, should be performed only upon the execution of the command.

Never let an aggressive dog know that you are weaker than him, and for this, never follow her wishes unquestioningly. The dog must learn that his wishes are only in the form of a request and their obligatory satisfaction is not guaranteed, but can demand in return for obvious signs of obedience.

Cynologists note that during the game, you cannot kneel down or even lie down - by this you belittle yourself in the eyes of the animal, it no longer perceives you as big and scary, which means it can allow the thought of ignoring orders.

An even greater mistake would be to conduct any power play with an aggressive breed. - perhaps you defeat him while he is a puppy, but the grown-up pet will sooner or later put the owner on his shoulder blades, and since then no commands will act. Choose non-aggressive games and remember that you are the one who starts and ends them. To achieve the last requirement, you should always stop the game before the dog gets bored with it.

Wean the animal from the fact that it decides for itself where to sleep and when to eat. Don't let your pet move into a favorite sofa or chair where it will sleep. - Determine the angle for the puppy and always drive him out of the wrong place on principle, and shout at him for an attempt to indignation. The same goes for food intake - if the feeder is in the kitchen, teach your dog that he has nothing to do in the kitchen while the owners are eating.

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