Are certain dog breeds dangerous?

Pit Bull (photo), American Staffordshire Terrier, Bullterrier, Rottweiler, Presa Canario - some breeds are said to be dangerous. The discussions about whether they truly are or whether reported attacks are a rare exemption and have nothing to do with the breed, is being debated for years. To get a clear picture one needs to look at two main factors: dog psychology and statistics.

But first we should understand the following question: How have dog breeds evolved? Well, even though most of our pets are now simply family dogs they had been bred for specific purposes. This has been accomplished over the centuries by selecting those individuals with the desired traits and physic to sire offspring. So if someone wanted a dog keen on and good at hunting, one would pair a male and female that both had a strong urge for scenting out and chasing animals such as rabbits. That is how we have the Irish Setter today, a breed bred for hunting. Here are some other examples of breeds and the purpose for which they were bred:

Labrador Retriever - bred for hunting and retrieving
Greyhound - bred for racing and coursing
German Shepherd - bred mainly for guarding
Husky - bred as sled dogs for hauling heavy loads
Golden Retriever - bred for hunting and retrieving
Poodle - bred for water retrieving
Border Collie - bred for herding sheep and other livestock
Beagle - bred for hunting and tracking

What were Pit Bulls and the other dogs bred for?

Pit Bulls were bred for two purposes: either to kill as many rats as possible in the shortest amount of time or to fight other dogs (as a spectator sport). The name usually refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier or, and this can be a bit confusing, to a group of breeds that can also include the American Bully, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the American Bulldog.

Their breeding purpose meant that Pit Bulls had to be fearless, strong, fast and keen on attacking. In the case of dog fighting it usually included killing the other dog. So if a dog didn´t want to fight, it wouldn´t have been suitable for this type of "sport". So what does this mean? Are Pit Bulls and the like all out to kill? No. But one has to understand that they have the potential traits to follow that intent as much as an Irish Setters will be a good hunting dog if one promotes its hunting urge and encourages and praises its tracking and chasing behavior.

Rottweilers and Presa Canario were originally bred as working dogs. Rottweilers were originally used as herding and guard dogs, while the Presa Canario was bred as a guard dog for livestock.

So, what makes a dog dangerous?

The fact that a dog was bred for a specific purpose, such as the Pit Bull to fight other dogs, does not make them automatically dangerous. It can, however, play a part in the issue. It´s easily described by comparing it to the hardware and software of a computer. The breeding purpose of a dog is the hardware, meaning the mind of an Irish Setter is wired to hunting. In this sense, Pitbulls and the like are in general more keen on fighting than other dogs.

This becomes evident when one sees (on cctv for instance) how a Pit Bull targets another animal. These incidents happen much more frequently that attacks on people. In the recorded incidents it is clear how the dog spots another animal, a cat in a driveway to name one example, then fixates on that pet, preparing for an attack, and then charges. Here, their hardwiring comes into play: Once a fighting dog goes into fighting mode, once its instincts (the one it was bred for, its purpose so to speak) kick in, there is no turning back. So if it´s not on a leash or the owner is not physically capable of holding the dog back, the dog will attack. In the events of an attack, nothing can stop it. If a Pit Bull or the like locks jaws on its victims, it is nearly impossible to wrench it away. The dog is in full attack mode, it was bred for this purpose and thus is at its best. Humans have designed this breed to work this way.

Statistically speaking, attack dogs (breeds bred for fighting) are more likely to inflict serious injuries or cause deaths. It also includes guard dogs such as the Rottweiler, who can be overly protective or territorial and go too far when protecting themselves, their food, their home and their owners. The Pit Bull is one of the leading breeds on the list of dogs who inflicted serious injuries or killed somebody. Around 50% of cases involve a Pit Bull (in the wider sense of the breed term). Most of the data stems from hospitals and the police. A lot of victims are children.

It is very important to note at this point, that these incidents are rare - they are definitely not the norm. It most certainly doesn´t mean that every Pit Bull is a potential threat. On the contrary, 99.9% of attack dogs will not live up to their name but be a kind and loving companion throughout their entire life and never harm anyone. So what makes the difference?

What makes one Pit Bull go into fight mode and hundreds of others not? This is mostly a matter of their "software". Just as you can unlearn and break the habit of an Irish Setter to chase after rabbits, you can raise and train your Pit Bull to be kind to other people and socialize well with other animals. Or you can do the opposite. The most dangerous dogs are those who either have been intentionally trained to be aggressive or those who through lack of knowledge and understanding by the owner have learned to behave aggressively. This is where the software of a dog comes into play: how it is raised, what kind of environment it experiences, how it is treated, whether it learns commands and rules, and so on. The buck stops with the handler.

This fact also means that in no way are other breeds - "non-attack dogs" - free of being potentially dangerous. When handled incorrectly any dog can become a potential attack dog and switch into fight mode. For instance the has been the case of a Husky, a family dog living with other Huskies, attacking and killing a baby (hardly a few weeks old) in a buggy. Experts believed that is happened out of jealousy as the baby was getting all the attention of its parents. Again it is important to note that these cases are extremely rare. They do demonstrate, however, how vital it is to understand your dogs mind and behavior and act accordingly, meaning to handle your pet without violence of any kind and to train it.

What does it mean, when a breed is only suitable for experienced dog owners?

It is a given fact that some breeds are easy to handle while others aren´t. Take the Border Collie for instance. This dog is one of the most intelligent ones and this plays into the fact that they need attention and challenges more than other breeds. Otherwise they´ll get bored and might develop behavioral disorders (being destructive, for instance, or inflicting self-harm). If an owner doesn´t understand this or doesn´t know how to act according to the dog´s needs, the Border Collie will not have a happy life and the owner will most likely have a dog that is difficult to handle.

If you are still in the process of choosing a breed for yourself, make sure to get some infos on the ones you are taking into consideration. If you are inexperienced, choose a breed that is easy to handle and ask an expert on training advice. As a rule of thumb you can discard any breed that is excessively bred for a purpose you aren´t planning on pursuing: Don´t get a hunting dog if you don´t want to hunt. Note that not all hunting dogs have the same hunting urge. Most Dachshunds, for instance, are suitable family dogs even though they were originally bred for hunting.

Are wolf hybrids dangerous?

Wolf hybrids have become popular over the last years and it is difficult to answer the question based on statistics because there isn´t that much data yet. Experts, however, warn that the "wild part" of the pet can be difficult to handle and as it is hard to say how much wolf is in an indiviual hybrid, the risk is somewhat unpredictable. One thing is for certain, however: A wolf is not domesticted. It doesn´t listen to commands and doesn´t obey to our rules. So if this part becomes dominant, there is a real potential of the animal attacking people or other animals. There have been reports of such incidents.

This does not mean that it will happen for sure with every wolf hybrid, only that there is a higher risk for it. It is enough to suggest choosing a different breed. There are roughly 350 dog breeds, so you are spoilt for choice and there is guaranteed a suitable and lovely pup among these breeds for you. We strongly advise people not to get a wolf hybrid.

For more information, visit our page on understanding your puppy and breeds & temperaments.

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Are certain dog breeds dangerous?

What were Pit Bulls and the other dogs bred for?

So, what makes a dog dangerous?

What does it mean, when a breed is only suitable for experienced dog owners?

Are wolf hybrids dangerous?

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