Dog breeds most prone to biting

[mvd]

I know that a lot depends on the owner, but some breeds do seem to be more likely to bite. Some of the most likely might not be the ones mentioned as such the most. Chows do seem more likely. My Scottish Terrier also never hesitated to bite strangers.

What are your opinions?

[Robb]

1. Dogs that are bred to bite, historically

If that's what was bred in, that's what happens. You can mitigate it but not completely rule it out. I remember a woman at obedience class asking about her herding dog "Can I train him not to herd me and nip at my ankles?" :)

The answer is, not really. Like training a husky not to pull, you can do it, but not always, it's a long road, and the dog won't dig it.

[belladonna]

2. I always thought pit bulls were

In fact, I was terrified of them until my son got one a few months ago. He's a real sweetie, so sweet that my daughter recently got one as well. My mother owns a chow, and he's a real sweetie as well, but I still don't find myself trusting him that much.

In MY experience, it's been smaller dogs, such as chihauhas (sorry Skinner, for both the comment and the spelling). I have never met one who hasn't wanted to take a big chunk out of my leg and I've been around quite a few :D

Before I get flamed, I'm SURE there are many ankle biters out there who are VERY sweet dogs, I just haven't met em yet :)

[truthseeker1]

11. I have an ankle biter - a Pom

My Pomeranian is the sweetest dog in the world and has NEVER bitten anyone! She's also not yappy. However, she's most likely an exception to the rule for Poms and/or small dogs. I think in her case it's 50% genetics and 50% environment. She's gotten a TON of love and affection from both my husband and me.

[belladonna]

14. Okay, you reminded me of an exception

My long deceased aunt had a Pom who was very sweet tempered and didn't seem to want to take large chunks out of my legs. He was a very smart dog too, could sit on his hind legs and eat an ice cream cone... I kid you not, amazing stuff :D

[Liberal Veteran]

36. Chows are fairly loyal to their owners and no one else....

...although some have the sweetest disposition in the world, I wouldn't dream of approaching a strange chow without an escape route.

[spinbaby]

54. Our neighbors have a chow

She visits us all the time. She's smart and gentle--even our cats love her. But I know that if I threatened her people, she'd rip my throat out.

[RebelOne]

55. Pit bulls are really sweet dogs.

I've owned two of them (or rather two of them of owned me) and they are absolute darlings.

[madmax]

3. Thanks for the tip

:P I was thinking of getting a Scottie but, I'm not fond of a biter.

I've had Yorkies and have 1 now. He's a very loving guy. Loves people, other dogs and cats.

My departed Yorkies would nip my grand-daughter's legs when she was a toddler but, I think they were jealous.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. I have a Yorkie

My first! Aren't they just the sweetest little souls? My Yorkie is crazy about people! She doesn't bite, but she does chew on herself quite a bit and scratches constantly. I have tried everything to make her stop, including taking her to the Vet. I have spent at least $300 at the Vet and still she persists. I am at my wit's end! Is this common with Yorkies? She doesn't have fleas and I bathe her with oatmeal shampoo twice a week. The Vet said she might suffer from allergies, much like people. Her diet consists of Nutro, both wet and dry. I give her dietary supplement capsules with Omega 3. Other then this, I don't know what else to do. :shrug: She is such a sweetheart and I hate that she suffers like this.

[NMDemDist2]

16. my border/aussie mix is terribly allergic to burmuda grass

i put some vegtable oil on her kibble daily to keep her skin from drying out. it does seem to help a bit

The other thing is that I notice you said you bath her twice a week. That may be part of the problem, try letting her go a couple weeks so the oil can build up on her skin and coat. Brushing her every other day should keep her neat and a bath monthly should really be enough!

[SammyWinstonJack]

19. Thanks for the reply

I asked the Vet about that, and she said that bathing her twice a week was fine. :shrug: I'll try your suggestion and cut down to once a week. See if that helps.

[NMDemDist2]

22. yes and brush her so the oils get distributed

if it helps, drop to once a month (if she doesn't get too stinky in a month)

[Branjor]

17. Twice a week baths are too much.......

That would dry out her skin and make her itchier. Cut down to about one bath every two weeks and see how it goes.

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. Thanks

You're probably right. The Vet told me twice a week was fine. She said it might soothe her. I thought it was a bit excessive. Perhaps it's time to find a new Vet?

[NMDemDist2]

23. might be worth a visit to a doggie dermatologist

just to be sure

[SammyWinstonJack]

29. I might have to take that step

If she continues much longer. She is worse at different times of the year. Particularly during the Spring when there is a lot of oak and cedar pollen in the air. However, she is itchy pretty much year round. I've only had her since last April.

[madmax]

33. Might be Allergic to certain food.

My Yorkie is and it was terrible to watch him scratching all the time. The first vet was a putz, the second vet said, I know exactly what's wrong. Allergy... Feed only Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice Formula, treats, and biscuits.

I buy it at PetCo.

He's fine now :)

[traco]

49. You could

call a groomer and ask their opinion too. They should be able to answer that better than a vet.

[madmax]

32. Sorry I kept calling her a him...

in my PM to you. :hi:

madmax to Tex's Yorkie :hug:

[SammyWinstonJack]

45. No problem!

Her name is Sammy. If you can believe this, she was given to me at 5 mouths old, because her owners couldn't house break her! She messed on their very expensive rug and they were going to put her out of the house or take her to the pound! So we took her in and she is the sweetest thing ever! I had her house trained within a week.
she can't stand to be away from me and likewise...........:bounce:

[AndyP]

4. I heard cocker spanials

can be pains in the ass when they get a lil up in age. I had a dog that was half cocker and she never had a problem. Maybe go to the dog pound and ask there.

[mvd]

6. Good advice

I'm getting my next dog from the pound, just like I got Reba from the pound. I couldn't have found a better dog than Reba anywhere else.

This board will help in my next choice. :hi:

[RebelOne]

56. Yes, my son has two cockers

and one, the male, Chester, is a real terrorist. I'm even afraid to pet the little beast. I have a Rottie and that dog is more vicious than any big dog. But my doggie is the sweetest Rottie ever. She loves everyone and all other dogs. But it's another story when it comes to cats.

[Doctor Smith]

5. Ones with teeth.

[BiggJawn]

53. Hey, that's my answer!

I ride bikes, and it never fails to amaze me how these crackers around here think that they are so powerful that all they have to do is yell "Earnhardt! Gitchur ass back in this yard!" and their four-footed penis augmenter will stop trying to rip my foot off and turn around...But the worst ones are the little "yappy dogs". Thank goodness I can out-sprint those w no problem.

I grew up around dogs. And I learned that the purebred breeders, in efforts to accentuate certain traits in the breeds, often times wound up with animals with shitty "tempraments". Mean Chows, Collies and St. Bernars that couldn't be trusted with the kids, etc.

And that doesn't even begin to address those backyard hillbillies who TRY to breed "Mean Dawgs".

Oh, also, German Shepards run about 19 MPH, but Pit Bulls can hit almost 25 MPH....

[Mnemosyne]

7. dalmations like to nip

used to be several in our neighborhood and my daughter {dogs love her} got nipped a few times only by them.

owners do have much to do with it, but some are more high-strung

[leftistagitator]

8. My Chow mutt does bite at me

But it's just a big puppy, and it doesn't really close it's mouth so it's more like it's chewing on me. I was kinda hoping they grow out of that, I hope your not telling me that's here to stay. And for all the horror stories I've heard about pitbulls, the stray one we adopted has got to be the sweetest animal I've ever seen, even going so far as to gently groom our cats.

But I'll tell you what kind of dog always scares me, the pomeranian. I have never met a nice pomeranian, they always bite at me or at least show their teeth and growl.

[truthseeker1]

12. Ohhh, you guys are making me cry!

;(
:cry:

You need to meet my Pom - maybe she's just an exception to the rule but I'm so bummed to see Poms getting a bad rap in this thread.

on edit: http://community.webshots.com/photo/68619803/68623383HFGkct
She even defers to our rabbits when it's treat time!

[SammyWinstonJack]

15. I have two Poms

They are sisters and would be lost without each other. I love them dearly but oh can they bark! They bark at everything and anything that moves! They bark just to heard themselves bark! Other then that, they are sweethearts.




on edit: Your pom is a beauty!

[leftistagitator]

38. I didn't know they came in black

She's pretty cute, and I suppose temprament does come down to the individual dog. I've just never met one that acted like it wouldn't kill me if it could.

[NMDemDist2]

9. oddly enough ShizTu's bite a bit

they are really "one person dogs" and don't take kindly to strangers

[ForrestGump]

10. Corgis and poodles, among others, can be little monsters in that respect

Seems to be mainly smaller dogs, perhaps compensating for size, though I've been menaced more than once by Alsatians/German shepherds (beautiful dogs, though), oversized rottweilers (probably trained to attack by their idiot owners), akitas (same thing, regarding idiot owners), and the proverbial scary-looking junkyard dog type (again, see owner).

[name not needed]

18. Yep.

A poodle bit me in the face when i was 2.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

20. Dude, little dogs suck most of the time...

Especially chihuahuas. But my best friend found a way to fix that. Her mom accidentally dropped the runt on his head when he was born. HE acted a little retarded for the first few hours, but he's the best dog ever now. I thought she was lying, but apparently it really happened. It struck me funny when she told me, especially considering he's still alive.
Duckie

[NMDemDist2]

25. ok Duckie your toast now, I turned you into Skinner

nah nah nah naaaaah nah :P

[YellowRubberDuckie]

26. Oh for criminy sakes....

I wasn't advocating dropping dogs on their heads. I was just telling a story.
Duckie

[NMDemDist2]

27. ROFL just kidding

it was the slam against chihuahuas i'm teasing about :)

[orthogonal]

24. Abu Ghraib Shepards

Abu Ghraib Shepards -- and Lynndie England, the dog-faced torture girl.

[Champ]

28. In my opinion...

No single breed is more prone to biting. With proper training any dog can be a good dog. Any dog can be a biter with inproper training, both of my dogs used to bite now they won't bite even if their lives depended on it. A friend of mine for awhile was breeding Pits and alot of them were the nicest dogs in the world because he was an expert at training them. I remember one time he took the leash off his dog and she would just sit there perfectly still. He would keep backing up and away and the dog would just stay there. They have a bad reputation mostly because they were owned by novice dog owners and trainers.

ON edit: Whatever dog breed you might consider more prone to biting, I can bet you anything I can find a dog under that breed that is an exception to the rule.

[ScreamingMeemie]

31. Well said. I agree.

:hi:

[DemExpat]

34. Pits are banned here in Holland...

along with 3 other fighting dog breeds - the Fila Brasileiro, the Dogo Argentino and the Mastino Napolitano.

Even though they can be the sweetest, in a crowded country like this is, Pitbull terriers were causing a high percentage of terrible biting incidents - some fatal.

The problem with a dog like a pitbull is that their enormously powerful jaws can cause such horrific wounds.

American Stafforshire Terriers are regulated here - only dogs born from breeders where there is proof that they are from dogs bred for mild temperament are allowed into Holland.

I also think that many people who bought Pitbulls here were using them as a statement - look at what a macho dog I have - and wanting to intimidate people with them.....not taking the time to socialize and train them as they must!

DemEx

[belladonna]

35. I agree that it's the owners where pit bulls are concerned

I worried when my son got his that he was getting him as what seems to be a status symbol, especially among younger guys these days. My pit's meaner than your pit, or some really messed up reasoning like that. I was pleasantly surprised to see that he trained Jax to be a very obedient and sweet dog.


Edited because I can't spell when I'm hungover
:hangover:

[mvd]

37. There's a dog breed book that uses the bite symbol for..

certain breeds. So there must be some research on it. Still, of course, nothing is 100%.

[RebelOne]

57. I agree. If all has to do with the owner and the training.

I have owned 2 pits and they were sweethearts. I am on my second Rottweiler and she would not bite if her life depended on it (but that does not apply to cats, because she hates them). My first Rottie was another story because her former owner trained her to be aggressive.

[elfin]

30. Am on my third Westie

and none of thenm have been biters. Well, maybe the first one if he was near a Springer Spaniel.

My grandmother's scottie was a grouch - people think Westies are white scotties - but they're really more like white Cairns. Very different personalities.

[SarahB]

39. My American Eskimo has bitten strangers.

A couple of times. She ever bit any of us though. Sometimes she'll growl if being particularly abused by the youngest one (he's almost 3), but we'll take heed and separate the two, but never has she bit him.
She's extremely protective of us.

[radwriter0555]

40. CHIHUAHUAS. My local shelter (in los angeles) gets more bite reports

on chihuahuas than any other dog.

[achtung_circus]

41. Most dog bites are from Shepherds,

I've been ripped 3 times. Also watch Dalmations, many Rottweilers (they used to be such sweet dogs before they becam popular), Chows,

[Shopaholic]

42. Dachshunds like to bite first, ask questions later.

I've owned two. And I've had three different vets tell me it's a breed thing. But they're great dogs--honestly! Smart, loyal, loving, funny, devoted--just a little on the nippy side. But the thing is, ANY dog will bite. So if there is a particular breed you're interested in, just do a lot of research on the breed first. Good training can reduce a lot of bad behaviors. It really was a help with my dogs!

[Gildor Inglorion]

43. Dachshunds are the greatest!

The only reason I don't have one now is that my landlord doesn't allow pets, but I do have visitation rights to one, and she's a great comfort to me.

[Dastard Stepchild]

44. Ex Dog Groomer Here

The bane of the dog groomer's exisistence was none other than the cute n' cuddly Golden Retriever. All smiles and waggy tails on the outside, but inside lurked a black, seething, vile-spewing hatred of humanity. Seriously.
Goldens bit humans the most. My theory? Overbreeding.

[DemExpat]

46. Hmmm. this is surprising!

I thought that Goldies were the perfect family dog....

Interesting.

DemEx

[Red State Rebel]

47. My golden would greet a burglar with kisses and show him where

the jewelry is. You just can't get this dog mad if you tried.

[RebelOne]

63. My Rottweiler is the same way.

Looks intimidating, but a big pussy cat.

[XNASA]

48. Which breeds taste the best???

I'd find that out first if I was going to be biting any.

No sense in biting a dog that's not going to taste good. ;-)

[MissMillie]

50. According to Trivial Pursuit

German Shepherd Dogs bite people more often than any other breed.

[mopinko]

51. intact males

poorly socialized, poorly trained, intact male dogs are responsible for most dog bites. breed means NOTHING!!

[pintobean]

52. Smiling Jack

He loves people and usually gives them a big smile, but it's a bit scary looking.



Here's a link about biting breeds
http://www.vcu.edu/paws/baddog.htm

[RebelOne]

61. The info on that link is wrong.

I am a Rottweiler owner and I am sick and tired of people being terrified of this breed. I have also owned pit bull terriers. It all has to do with the owner and the training, which would apply to any breed of dog. Rottweilers and pit bull terriers are not vicious unless the owner makes them so.

[Liberal Classic]

58. Generally speaking...

Small breed dogs tend to bite more than large dogs. Large breed dogs don't bite as often as small breed dogs, however, when they do they are more likely to cause serious injury.

Large breed dogs which are considered agressive:

Cocker Spaniel, Chow Chow, Collie, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Great Dane, Pit Bull, Rottweiler, Siberian Husky

Note that *ANY* large breed dog can be dangerous, even if they are considered a friendly breed such as Labrador or Golden. Generally, dogs which are sick, abused, or poorly socialzed have greater risk of biting.

[RebelOne]

59. I own a Rottweiler and they have a bad rap,

which is not fair to this breed. Every time there is a dog attack by a Rottie or a pit bull terrier, the media jumps on it. But do you ever see any publicity about a cocker spaniel or any small breed dog when they attack someone?

[leodem]

60. Alligator vs. Pitbull

I had this arguement with a friend the other day who believes a Pitbull would destroy a medium or smaller sized alligator. I had to disagree... I've delt with gators before and can fucking tell you that a smaller/medium size gator's bite is still fucking rough.
Not only that but Pitbull's are clumsy dogs and the Alligator would probably be a lot more agile.

Know it's stupid topic, but what do you would think the result would be if these too beasts met out in the swamps of Dade County :)

[IconoclastIlene]

62. Watch out for any dog that has fear aggression.

They tend to be biters.

My Mathilda nips; she is an Australian Shepherd, instinct tells her to try to herd everyone and keep them in their place.

She is a wonderful watch dog but not for folks who like lots of people over their house, nor strangers coming this way and that.

She would die for anyone in the family but she isn't at all peaceful with strangers.

Just a warning.