new study released this week in the journal of Applied Animal Behavior Science involving researchers from the University of Pennsylvania as well as 6,000 dog owners lists the top 3 most aggressive dogs as
1 -The Dachshund.out of the 33 dogs surveyed? The Dachshund. Yes - the wiener dog. The study found that “one in five dachshunds have bitten or tried to bite strangers, and a similar number have attacked other dogs; one in 12 have snapped at their owners.”
2 - Chihuahua (nasty little animals. really doesnt surprise me)
3 - Jack Russells
"One of the teams researchers, Dr. James Serpell, believes that smaller breeds may be more genetically predisposed to aggressive behavior than their larger counterparts. Serpell says, “Reported levels of aggression in some cases are concerning, with rates of bites or bite attempts rising as high as 20 per cent toward strangers and 30 per cent toward unfamiliar dogs.”
Pit Bulls and Rottweilers scored average or below average in the aggression study. Breeds that scored on the low end are Basset Hounds, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Siberian Huskies and Greyhounds."
http://www.dogguide.net/blog/2008/07/the-3-most-aggressive-dog-breeds-revealed-pit-bulls-rottweilers-youll-be-surprised/Unfortunately I while there are a ton of links that mention the study. I cant find the study itself
In any event. Pits are no more aggressive or likely to attack then any other dog.
The problem is, the damage they do when they do attack.
Its usually not the dog but the owner who is the problem.
I have a couple of friends who have pits. One who has two. I wont go near his home unarmed and I told him that if his dogs arent put away when I am there I WILL kill them. He's a good guy. Just a poor dog owner
The other has several of them. The biggest threat these dogs have is fleas, or gettign whacked inthe back of the leg with their wagging tail (that watermelon HURTS) And the owner makes sure of that.
She breeds them. so she's had a bunch of them. And the moment one shows the least bit of aggression it gets put down. No second chances.
Because she "knows what they can do" and she's not willing to take that chance And she's not willing to mate her animals without knowing intimately the temperament of the animals she it mating her dogs with.
All that being said. I approach all dogs I dont know with caution