Canine expert gives surprising answer when asked what the most dangerous dog breed is

When asked what the most dangerous dog breed is, a canine expert gave what some people might think is a pretty surprising answer.

Let’s be honest, there’s been plenty of dangerous dog chat over the past year and a lot of us probably have our own preconceptions over certain breeds.

The beginning of 2024 saw the introduction of the XL Bully dog ban which made it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, abandon, re-home or allow an American XL bully dog to stray in the UK.

It comes after a number of brutal attacks took place last year, with a man recently charged over the death of a grandma.

However, this canine behaviourist believes there is a different answer to what makes the most dangerous dog.

Will Atherton shares dog training tips and advice on TikTok and in one video he explained he gets asked what breed is the ‘most dangerous’ all the time.

He explained he’s worked with ‘countless’ breeds of ‘countless different behaviours’ including ‘incredibly dangerous’.

“There might be a few different breeds I could give the answer to,” Atherton said.

“But the reality is that the most dangerous breed is the one that hasn’t been trained properly. It doesn’t have a loving leader in its life able to navigate and direct it through life safely.”

Yep, the expert added that ‘all dogs have the ability to bite’ and ‘to be dangerous’.

While the bigger and stronger the breed means the harm they can cause is ‘more significant’, Atherton reckons there’s no solid answer.

“The reality is, if you don’t train your dog properly, you very well could have a dangerous dog,” he added. “Whether it’s a chihuahua all the way up to an English mastiff.”

So, big or small, a dog can be dangerous.

And users commented to say: “Great video, I hate the misconception that some dogs are just inherently ‘bad dogs’ when it’s the owners who determine their behaviour as they grow up.”

Many echoed: “The most dangerous breed; HUMANS.”

Previous figures from Merseyside Police racked up a list of the five most dangerous dog breeds in the UK, based on the number of bites suffered.

Ranking in at fifth was the Rottweiler with German Shepherds taking fourth place. Pit Bull Terriers came in third, having been banned in the UK back in 1991. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are second and the breed listed as most dangerous, perhaps surprisingly, is the Jack Russell.