Which Dog Breed Is the Most Aggressive?

ByDog Central Reading Time: 2 minutes
aggressive dachshund

Imposing dogs like pit bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans often get a bad rap, Sometimes these breeds get caught up in discussions about proposed legislation to restrict ownership, such as when a community is looking to protect its citizens from certain breeds. Certainly, there are wayward dogs, and owners who can’t or don’t control them. However, when it comes to objectively determining which breeds are the most aggressive, the results may surprise you. In 2008, the University of Pennsylvania conducted a survey of 6,000 dog owners to see which of 33 breeds exhibited the most aggressive behavior. The top three dog breeds with the worst attitude towards people and other dogs were all of the pint-sized variety. The dachshund was named the most aggressive breed in the world, followed by the Chihuahua and the Jack Russell terrier.

dog with leash

It’s the size of the fight in the dog:

  • The study found that one in five dachshunds has bitten or tried to bite a stranger, and about one in five has reportedly attacked another dog. In addition, one in 12 has snapped at its owner for some reason.
  • Small breeds might be genetically predisposed to be more aggressive than larger dogs, explained Dr. James Serpell, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who worked on the study.
  • Basset hounds, golden retrievers, labradors and Siberian huskies were the least aggressive breeds in the study, with greyhounds rated the most mellow. Rottweilers and pit bulls scored average or below average for hostility.

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