I just finished reading the latest thread on vicious dogs and it got me thinking, what breed was the individual dog that I would consider the most aggressive dog I’ve ever met? I’m still mulling that over so I’m not sure just yet what my own answer is, but I thought it might be interesting to poll the audience and see what breed of dog was the dog you found most aggressive.
The bulldogs that attacked my horses and the cattle next door.
As a vet tech, the most vicious animal I have met was a hyperthyroid white long hair cat. I have never trusted a white long hair cat since.
As for dogs, the most aggressive can range. I find some of the small dogs to be more bitey, but less likely to do any real damage.
I have worked on two German Sheps. that have been extremely aggressive, and one Rotti who was.
These were not “fear aggressive” like some dogs, those dogs you can work with. Ones that pop into my head are Bernese Mtn Dogs. They are more common to be fear aggressive than actual aggressive.
I would also put Chow Chows up there, but for the most part I am always aware that these dogs in general aren’t the friendliest with strangers. They give you warning and wont go after you unless you do something bothersome to them. They are “low tolerance dogs”. I find dog aggressive dogs are often the bully types, but frequently good with people.
So, as much as I hate to say, its the German Sheps that are most people aggressive in my experience. Its one of my favourite breeds and 99% of the ones I have met have been wonderful.
Toy poodle. She’s the size of my foot but is a seriously vicious little thing and not to be underestimated with her little needle teeth. Belongs to a friend. I guess I don’t need to mention she never had training or discipline.
Cocker Spaniel. I got bitten by one vicious little thing when I was a kid. He belonged to a neighbor and was just plain nasty.
A golden retriever. I have trouble trusting them now.
Norwegian Elkhound
Boxer (he was all white, I think that had some relevance)
Husky/Shepherd mix
Those were the three worst I’ve encountered. But on the whole, German Shepherds, Rotts and Huskies tend to be dogs I am most cautious with (at the vet clinic–doing stuff they hate). Pekes and Chis can be little shi*s too LOL!
The most aggressive dog I have ever met was a 1.5 yr old St. Bernard. It was a more extreme fear aggression but that is an awfully big dog to try and eat the vet, me, the other techs, etc. She was great for her owners though.
The most aggressive breeds at the clinics were Golden’s, shih tzu or small fuzzy crosses(afraid of their own shadows) and chihuahua.
The most aggressive I have met outside of the clinic have been rotties (I’ve met only one who hasn’t been aggressive towards me) and my neighbors mixed breed mutt that tried to go after me twice in the same elevator ride and once while walking in a hallway.
Shitzu. That thing was NASTY and the owner never tried to train it because it was “cute and harmless”. Umm no, I have a scar on my hand from that f***er
I have a scar from a dachshund from when I was about 8. Nasty, mean thing on a leash. I knew better than to trust my little friend (the owner) and pet the dog - pretty unmistakable body language but I didn’t want to be rude.
The most dog-aggressive dog I think I’ve ever met was a Jack Russell named Elvis. He was known for crossing the city park and going after bigger dogs and showing off his 'tude.
I’ve been bitten by two dogs in my life - a Rhodesian Ridgeback and a Cocker Spaniel. The Ridgeback was hormonal, territorial, and a bit flakey, and it bit me as I was leaving the yard alone, so I can kind of understand that one. The Cocker was just plain old nasty and out to get someone.
So I’m going to have to go with Cocker Spaniel.
I’ve been fortunate, even having worked at a vet’s for some years, to have not encountered any REALLY aggressive dogs. The worst I know are 1) my ex-neighbor’s six pound “pomapoo”, what a little shit that thing is. No one seems to care about the behavior of a 6lb dog though :(. 2) Our own ACD/JRT mix, now 16. She’s an angel now, but she was rehomed several times before we got her, at 18 months, for being aggressive. She wasn’t REALLY aggressive, more defensive, but she put on a VERY impressive Cujo show when someone she didn’t care for (most people) tried to come in the yard or house unaccompanied by my husband (I didn’t count for several years, in her book, as a suitable stranger chaperone). She got a bite in here or there, but she always backed off if the person stepped back until “help” came…which everyone did, she was pretty scary. She’s good now…barking, but no biting and no Cujo show.
A german shepard dog. He jumped a ditch and bit me in the ass when I was a young las§. Noe I am not a fan. Went to a show last weekend and really dislike the low slung look of gsds now, I think it is ugly and looks painful.
My aunt has a rather nastie Yorkie, my grandparents used to have a toy poodle who wasn’t very nice, and volunteering at a low-cost healthy pet clinic I met a particularly nasty dachshund (although this was more likely fear aggression).
I might be biased towards bigger breeds (I’m not a fan of most dogs under 30lb) and this also might be skewed because the vast majority of dogs I run into are the little ones.
A friend’s Yorkie that went after my DD because it wanted the cheese stick in her hand. I’ve never kicked a dog in my life, but that one went for a ride. It hit the ground running and came snarling/barking back after me. They insisted “oh he wouldn’t actually bite, he’s just playing”… yea no.
Every time we went over there that thing snapped at DD or I. Nastiest little dog I’ve ever met.
Chihuahua! I have only been bitten by three dogs ever and all were of that breed. So very aggressive. Yes they are small but nasty.
I was 7 and bit, by a chained husky/malamute, in my back as I was running away.
A cocker spaniel we inherited when my grandfather died was wonderful to “his” people, but a menace to the rest of society. He was absolutely adorable and used his cute looks to draw people in with a wag and a happy smile just so he could bite them. Meanest dog I’ve ever been around, but he was so cute people were willing to forgive him, even as they were getting their stitches :lol:. Kinda like the same grandpa’s horse…I’m sensing a theme, here.
I’ve only had two dogs in my life go after me. One was a little fluffy thing who went after my face when her owner tried to get me to pet her. The second one was a German Shepherd. Fortunately, only the little one actually made contact.
chihuahua
Yellow lab. It was my aunts and uncles dog. The dog had some serious mental/aggression issues. I can deal with aggression, but he was impossible to read. He would put his head in your lap all sweet, then out of nowhere try to take your hand off. When I was 15, he out of nowhere came after me, trapped me in the bathroom and I had to hide in the bathtub until someone got a leash on him and pulled him off (after he had time to calm down from whatever random thing set him off. If there hadn’t been a sliding glass door on the shower, he would have done some serious damage.
