People aggression or dog aggression or animal aggressive?
Fear biter, defensive biter, reaction biter, situation biter or being a bully? (and I mean like a school bully and not a bully breed)
Single case scenario or cumulative experience over time with various breeds?
Dangerous aggressive or pushy aggressive?
I don’t equate tiny or small dog aggression the same as medium to large dog aggression. Many of the small breeds developed as pets came from take-charge breeds and will have an intense personality. Also many Small Pet Breeds were revered for their haughty attitudes since usually only the upper class to elite had non-working dogs. They were status symbols. Other small breeds were bred specifically to fit into small spaces to kill some really mean vermin. Those aren’t apt to have marshmallow personalities. Dachshunds were for fitting in badger holes ad fighting badgers. I’m a helluva lot bigger than a weiner-dog and I won’t fight a badger, LOL! Jacks were for killing rats, which fight back, etc. Also too many owners assume because they’re small they don’t have to be trained the same as bigger dogs need. Yes, they do need regular training. They’re still dogs.
Any can be aggressive and bite, but they’re viewed the same way as a Siamese vs Cheetah. Sure either one can attack and bite, but I’m not going to run like hell from a housecat vs cheetah. They can cause damage and there’s the rare cases of serious damage being done by small dogs but those make the news for a reason: They’re very rare.
Breed types have vastly different personalities. Northern breeds stymie a lot of people who assume a dog is a dog is a dog. Northern working breeds have a much stronger pack personality than the other domestic breeds. And while many talk about and understand the concept of how packs work, they sometimes just don’t get the reality of that with Mals, Sibes, etc. They can be snappy. And they’re not small. They can be pushy. They like to test people and other dogs often for position. They’re often thieves and many have built-in food aggression. Or possession aggression. They can be liabilities around smaller animals and often challenge or bully other dogs/breeds. Many will rule the roost if you try treat-training them. But you also can’t bully them into much either. They thrive on firm strong willed owners who can be consistent. These breeds do tend to snap and they can bite hard. They often can be fear biters at a vet office too. Small rooms with strangers and being cornered, restrained against their will often kicks in the pack response of Get Away, Save Yourself.
So people not often around lots of this type of dog can see them as aggressive and worse than “normal” dogs. And people used to having labs, GSDs, corgis, or anything not northern/working will find having them as pets difficult. They need to work, be tired out daily. They need a human leader, not a Fur-Baby-Mommy. (although it’s fine to dote on them and smooch them a lot, but be ready to cough up a hairball after, LOL) And they’re a pita to keep fenced in. :winkgrin:
So if we’re talking about natural, normal aggression based on breed/type I’d say these types make the list for a lot of people.
ACDs are also aggressive, they’re supposed to be. Developed from dingos, short and made for herding large livestock that kicks at them all the time. They’re also smart as Einstein and in the wrong type of homes for this kind of dog they’re Evil Geniuses, LOL! You gotta love them! But they are also snappy. If it runs, it might get snapped at. And don’t try to bully them, you probably won’t win the argument.
GSDs were one of the best personality-for-families dogs out there, but then breeding for show/looks/size as opposed to for brains and personality has screwed up a lot of them. And because of how smart they are, often even decently bred pet ones end up with personality problems due to lack of mental stimulation. Not working with the really smart breeds can make many of them little monsters. They’re bored because they’re smart and their owners think laying on a couch all day and going for a car ride or walk is adequate stimulation. It’s not. GSDs have an almost OCD issue with learning and concentration. Which is why they need to use their brains. You can’t ignore their minds. That OCD quality coupled with the fantastic personalities that are supposed to be bred into them is why the GSD is the poster dog for decades for seeing eye dogs, search and rescue, scent, service dogs for disabled, military dogs, police dogs and professional guard training. You can’t train truly aggressive dogs to do aggressive things like police or military because you need to have complete control over their aggression. But way too many GSD owners neglect their Obsessive Learning and Concentration and Willing To Please minds which then activates the Compulsive side…worrying, depression which often leads to aggression.
Bully breeds are aggressive by definition of the type. Any of the bulldog derived breeds are supposed to be stubborn, hard headed and a bit bombastic. Depending on which bully breed depends on it’s interaction with people or other animals. They’re great characters and often have personality-plus…goofballs in fur coats. But their aggression is also subjective. They’re supposed to all be tenacious. When misdirected, poorly socialized or badly trained/handled then their natural bulldog tenacity and outgoing demeanor can turn into a type of aggression that’s dangerous. Which can happen with any breed, but the popularity/numbers happen to not work in their favor right now. And FWIW…the clueless big-hearted-but-unrealistic NEVER MY DOG or ONLY MEAN OWNERS owners can cause as many problems as the ‘mean thug owners’ do. As with ANY breed or type…be honest with yourselves and the dogs’ true issues and personalities. Simple “but I LOVE the dog and treat it with love” is not going to turn every type/breed into a Canine Ambassador. Goes for bully breeds, Northern Breeds, GSDs and even lapdogs.
