10 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds in the World [2024 List]

Last Updated/Info Checked on January 10, 2024 by Linda Michaels

Although dogs are seen as the most humble and loyal companions a human can ever have, not all of them carry the same genes for being gentle. 

Some dogs are naturally inclined towards benign aggressive and overly protective. They get provoked by the slightest of stimuli with damaging responses, making them very dangerous to humans.

Breeds like the Doberman, GS, Rottweilers, Malamutes, Pitbull, Bulldog, etc are considered to be the most dangerous dog breeds. 

In this article, we will discuss the top 10 most dangerous dog breeds in the world along with the reasons for their aggressiveness, and end with some tips on how to control your dog’s aggression.

What Makes A Dog Dangerous?

Three things play a key role in deciding a dog’s attitude toward humans. These are:

Natural Aggressiveness

Dogs that have been bred for purposes that require hostility and anger have incorporated these qualities into their neural networks which get transferred from one generation to another.

These include duties like protection of their owners from wild animals and strangers or sports like Bull-baiting etc.

These things require a dog to always be on its feet and show aggressiveness in order to be effective. Hence, they make such dogs naturally hostile to all external stimuli.

Size

No matter how aggressive a dog is, it is only as dangerous as its size allows it too. Let me explain this a little.

Take Chihuahuas, for example, these are very aggressive when it comes to invasion of their territory and get provoked even by the slightest of insults.

However, no matter how hostile it tries to be, it can only do so much damage to a human and can be easily warded off without injuries. 

On the other hand, if you ever offend a Doberman or a Husky, they can easily shred you into pieces and you’ll be almost helpless.

This, however, is not true for all breeds as some like the Pitbulls are average in size but can do massive damage to humans owing to their brute strength that more than compensates for their size.

Role

As an extension to the first reason for hostility, the role that a dog has in a household speaks a lot about its overall behavior.

Even naturally aggressive dogs when kept for their companionship tend to be kinder and more gentle in their behavior with humans.

While docile breeds like the Labradors can get very dangerous when their role in the household is to protect people.

Training

As explained later in this article, how to train a dog to behave can shape its attitude and change its level of aggressiveness a lot.

10 Most Vicious Dog Breeds That You Must Be Careful With

Let’s dive into the top 10 most dangerous dogs list that live today among us:

Now let’s take a detailed look.

1. Pitbull

Used to bait bulls, hence the name, Pitbulls are now seen as companion dogs due to their endless love and affection for their families. They are eager to protect them, whatever the cost may be.

Pitbulls have high energy potential and are very intense in their behaviors. This, along with their mouthiness and high prey drives makes them a very dangerous breed.

They are particularly hostile towards other dogs and have a hard time adjusting to the presence of other breeds in the household.

The good news is, they are very easily trained and their behaviors can be shifted to kinder ones in a very short time. However, you need to be really careful around an untrained Pitbull.

2. Rottweiler

This powerful dog breed comes with a big prey drive and a potential for nibbling. Rottweilers were originally used to guide cattle and were later included in the military hence they developed tough personalities.

Although today you’ll often see them as house pets, caring for their families, their potential as a dangerous breed should not be ignored.

With a large size and a strong muscular build, they are capable of inflicting great damage once they get hold of someone. Their brute strength also makes it difficult to handle them and thus not recommended for first-time owner.

But just like Pitbulls, Rottweilers respond great to training and are bright enough to grasp which behavior is required of them.

More about Rottweilers are AKC.

3. Bull Mastiff

Among the most violent dog breeds, this breed with heavy jaws is a great threat to strangers when kept as a guard dog and should be dealt with utmost care. Any provocative move and you might find yourself in big trouble.

Still, they are capable of loving their families and turn out to be rather kind, trustworthy pets, even with kids.

These have a tendency to bark or howl, making them very scary although their prey drives are very moderate. 

But they aren’t like the other easy-to-train dogs on this list and training them can be a struggle as they are very stubborn to behavior modifications.

Nonetheless, with a little persistence, you can tame them so they become sort of harmless to guests and strangers.

4. German shepherd

Easily one of the most famous dog breeds in the world, German Shepherds can be very dangerous when in the wrong hands. 

Their wolf-like persona, strong teeth, and athletic build mean you cannot escape their wrath if unfortunately, they see you as a threat. 

But don’t worry, GSDs are good with humans, even the ones that they know are strangers. They have a tendency to be mouthy so if they sniff around you and try to nibble, don’t panic, you will only make things worse for yourself.

They are also very trainable, so you can make them obey your commands and be gentle with people when you have trained them for a while. 

Just don’t try to provoke a GSD that has been solely kept for guardian purposes.

For in-depth knowledge about German Shepherds, click here.

5. Siberian Huskies

While Huskies are famous for being extremely kind to people, be they adults or kids of their family, or even total strangers, they do have the potential to be very dangerous.

You can guess that from just their looks as one might confuse them for a wild wolf. Huskies have great agility, and strength and are also quite big. You can have a very bad experience once they register you as a threat.

They have a potential for wanderlust and also to nibble at things. In itself, this is a very harmless attitude unless you trigger them. So be extremely careful when you’re around an unfamiliar Husky.

For more detail about Huskies, check out Britannica.

6. Doberman

Stay alert, this gothic breed is as capable of carnage as it looks. Dobermans are large dogs with muscle strength that can easily crush anything that they find to be a danger. 

Although they are very playful with low drives they are highly sensitive. They may get upset over the slightest of insults and while they would ignore it when it’s coming from their masters, they will retaliate if it’s from someone they don’t respect.

So if you’re in their good books then don’t worry, they’ll shower you with their love but be careful if you’re not. They are also not fond of other pets and kids so keep that in mind as well.

7. Alaskan Malamute

This husky look-alike is a very sturdy breed that comes with enormous energy potential and considerable prey drive. Malamutes were bred to aid in hunting and to sled in cold regions but now have settled as companions.

Still, their hostility towards people they see as threats is quite a danger to be worried about. They also have the potential to take things into their jaws and bark a lot. 

These qualities make them a daunting dog breed. You should tread with extreme care when you’ve met them for the first time. 

However, these are very intelligent dogs and good at understanding external cues. Being very trainable, they tend to be non-hostile when they have been kept for a while solely as companion dogs.

8. Chow Chow

This is one of the most ancient and meanest dog breeds that originated in the Mongolian region. Chow chows are independent, and aggressive and do not care about humans.

Easily you can say this breed has zero love for humanity whether it’s the kids or adults or any other age group. Chow Chows don’t even like other dog breeds and tend to remain hostile to all these beings.

They have a tendency to try things via their mouths, which makes them particularly dangerous. But the good news is, Chows are total couch potatoes and do not have any energy to roam around and hunt anything or anyone. 

Just don’t try to evoke them and you’ll be good to go. More about them at Dogtime.

9. Bull Terrier

This breed with an odd-shaped head can be very dangerous when it chooses to be. A Bull Terrier has all the things it needs to be a threat, a strong jaw, high energy reserves, a tendency to be a mouthful, and a big prey drive.

However, they are also very loving when it comes to their families. Bull Terriers are particularly good with kids and entertain them with their playful nature. 

Also, these are very easy to train and do not require much perseverance and hard work. Just be gentle with them and you’ll have an obeying pooch that is kind to everyone. Read at Dogtime to learn more about this breed.

10. Bulldog

Although the bulldog is a very small breed just like the border collie and pug with low energy reserves and drive, the only reason it is included in this list is because of its potential to be dangerous. 

The large jaws can be very lethal to whatever comes in between them and are capable of debilitating prey, be it a game or human. I have trained many and they are a little more aggressive than other breeds. My french bulldog some time hyper for no reasons.

Keep a safe eye when in contact with an untamed bulldog.

How To Make A Dog Less Aggressive?

Here are 2 tips that I must give you that will help tame your dog no matter how aggressive that is:

Positive Reinforcement

This is the application of a reward-based method for behavior change. 

Simply command your pooch to behave in the way to want and when it does offer a reward. Now, this could be your pooch’s favorite snack or a trip outside, anything that can serve as a motivation.

Once your dog does that it will start associating the respective behavior with a reward, driving it to do it more often. Gradually taper down the reward until you feel that the behavior has become a part of your dog’s personality and you no longer need to give the reward.

This is a very effective method and has never failed me even once.

E-Collars

Electric collars are very effective in terms of their user convenience and effectiveness.

They mostly work on negative reinforcement techniques but in a very gentle way when you know how to use the vibration feature.

For the same reasons, many professional trainers take the help of electric collars to behavior-train dogs.

Here’s a video to help you further:

The Role of Early Socialization In Reducing Aggression

All the breeds mentioned here have aggression in their blood, but when they are brought up in the right way, they become the most loving pets. Early socialization, therefore, is crucial in taming them.

• Arrange playdates for your pup with other dogs that are properly vaccinated.
• Make sure you start proper early socialization prior to vaccination but in a controlled environment.
• Enroll the dog in a dog class for better results. However, do that after vaccination.
• Condition the dog with verbal commands as well to see great improvements. This will also give you control over the dog’s behavior during certain stimuli such as a stranger approaching or another dog.
• Use treats as the currency of training as nothing trains a dog well more than a good reward system.
• Pet parks are another place where you can take your vaccinated dog.
• Make sure that you keep the aggressive lot away from your dog because having them around will be counterproductive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the most frequently asked questions.

Conclusion

Some dogs are naturally aggressive and are a danger to humans when untamed. Read the article to have an idea about these breeds and how to change their behavior for good.

I hope this list of the 10 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds in the World helped you.

As always have a nice day!