Dangerous Dog List.

Finally! At LAST! A comprehensive list of dangerous dogs. Dogs that go snap in the night/day/late afternoon. The study was published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science and was based on interviews with 6,000 dog owners by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. This was not the result of scare mongering or ' the look of' a dog or a terror of breed specific animals, this was honest to goodness plain old research and it makes for interesting reading don't you think?

Here is the list of dogs most likely to bite you.

1- Dachshund.

2- Chihauhau

3-Jack Russell- (I am not in the least bit surprised, this is the breed that has threatened me the most while running.)

4- Akita

5-Australian Cattle Dog.

6-Pit Bull

7-Beagle

8-English Springer Spaniel

9- Border Collie ( savaged me as a child, I almost lost an ear)

10-German Shepherd.

From the Mail.
"One of the researchers, Dr James Serpell, said the findings suggested smaller breeds were more genetically predisposed towards aggressive behaviour. Previous research into the area has generally been based on dog bite statistics.

But bites from larger dogs are more likely to need medical attention and the researchers said this might have skewed results as most attacks were not being reported."

Exactly, a nip or a bite from a small dog might go completely unreported.
Now let's have a look at the list of 'dangerous dogs in ireland, animals that must be muzzled at all times in public, that must be on a leash at all times and controlled by a person no younger than 16 years old.
American Pit Bull Terrier,
English Bull Terrier,
Staffordshire Bull Terrier,
Ban Dog, ( I'm assuming a pit bull x)
Bull Dog,
Bull Mastiff,
Doberman Pinscher,
German Shepherd (Alsatian),
Rhodesian Ridgeback,
Rottweiler,
Japanese Akita,
Japanese Tosa

(Funnily enough according to the study pit bulls, rottweilers and Rhodesian ridgebacks all rated average or below average for hostility towards strangers.)

Now I'm not bloody naive, I know a bigger dog can do far more damage-in theory- than a small dog, but this should be read by all those annoying people who rabbit on about dangerous dogs and banning dangerous dogs.
All dogs have the potential to be dangerous. From the smallest to the very largest. There should be no breed specific targeting. As a former Doberman Owner it annoys the shite out of me that they are on the list in this country. Why should a doberman be muzzled and NOT a Jack Russell (not picking specifically on JRs but hypothetically, but why not them or labradors?).
All dogs should be controlled in public, well trained, socialised, exercised daily and well fed. Responsible dog ownership should be enforced, not breed specific scaremongering.
I'm glad to see this study doing the rounds, I wonder how many people will take the blind bit of notice of it next time a 'devil dog' hits the news stand.