Aggressive Dog Breeds

To start with, let me tell you that I am an ardent dog lover. My experiences with different breeds is fairly vast and for this reason, this list of aggressive dog breeds throws me into a conundrum. What I believe is that it's a dogs upbringing or/and conditioning that makes it meek or aggressive. For I have 'met' a very gentle german shepherd who would let you pull a bone out of his mouth, and an equally meek and patient rottweiler. I have also come in contact with several snappy and ill tempered pomeranians. In fact, I have seen two dogs of the same breed (but not the same owners), with opposing temperaments. Does this prove my theory? The experts say that training makes all the difference in a dog's aggressive attitude. So much so, it will be very difficult to segregate the gentle breeds from the vicious ones, if they have all been properly trained.

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to nominating a specific breed as more aggressive and another as docile. Most often a dog displays aggressive behavior as a self defense tactic, to protect itself and scare away other animals or people. Many dogs that are kept in cages or have been ill treated, become aggressive. In places where dog fighting still exists, dog breeds that would normally be gentle are turned aggressive by the treatment they are subjected to. Under normal circumstances, it is possible to tell if a particular dog from a litter is going to be aggressive of not by observing its behavior. As a puppy, if it is a bully in the group, it will, in all probability, grow up to be aggressive. If a puppy has habits of uncontrolled growling, biting and snarling that aren't checked, then as an adult dog it will probably be aggressive unless properly trained.

Aggressive Breeds of Dogs

Most breeds which can be listed as potentially aggressive, more often than not have a reason for their aggressiveness. Some of the aggressive dog breeds are:

• Papillons: They are excessively possessive and loyal to their owners to the point that they dislike strangers and would not hesitate to snap at anyone trying to even shake hands with the master.
• Lasha Apso: Their small size and restricted vision because of the hair over their eyes, tends to make them aggressive in order to protect themselves. They particularly dislike unfamiliar kids.
• Toy Poodles: Like the Apso, their size is an inhibiting factor. So they tend to bite other animals and people out of self defense.
• Chow Chows: They can be vicious for their size, once again its their self defense mechanism at work. They look ever so cuddlesome in their masters lap, strangers often cannot resist petting them and end up with a sharp bite.
• Rottweilers: This breed is known to be aggressive to the extent that the government in Denmark is contemplating on banning the breeding and import of these and other aggressive breeds. Their aggressiveness is an outcome of their extreme possessiveness towards their masters. If not trained properly, they can be a menace in the neighborhood.
• Chihuahuas: Always afraid of being trampled upon by kids, they dislike them and are happiest while being safely carried by their masters.
• Old English Sheepdogs: Trained to protect their master's sheep, they also become overprotective of their owners and will often take on strangers when they are still at a good distance from the farm gates.
• Dachshunds: They are known for their impatience. Their size enables them to squeeze in under sofa chairs from where they take a snipe at the ankles of seated strangers. Once again, their size is the cause of their aggressiveness.
• Cocker Spaniels: They are generally gentle and friendly dogs however, they are often known to suffer from a genetic disorder known as 'rage syndrome' which causes violent action both against strangers as well as family members. Owners should check with their breeders to ensure that this genetic disorder is not present in the parents of the litter.
• Giant Schnauzers: One of the few large dogs which can be labeled as aggressive. They are very dominating by nature and are known to be extremely aggressive with strangers.
• Pekingese: They are over protective because of their size and are known to dislike strangers.
• Jack Russell Terriers: They are often referred to as 'Stubborn fellows' who are very feisty and need strict and proper training to get them out of their digging and biting habit.

There are a number of big dogs that have a 'bad dog' image such as boxers, great danes, bulldogs, german shepherds and mastiffs, and are often on the list of most aggressive dog breeds. However, in actuality they are usually gentle unless trained as guard dogs which calls for aggression. Even pitbulls are not as aggressive as they are made out to be. Training plays a very important part in building up desired traits in your dog, and discouraging bad habits and behavior. Also, it is very important to establish pack leader status to discourage aggression. Even the so-called aggressive dog breeds become friendly home dogs with proper training.