Labrador Retrievers, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Newfoundlands are among the safest dog breeds that are least likely to bite, new research has found. While any dog can nip, these breeds are known for their particularly sweet-tempered spirit as long as they are treated right.
The pug is a low-maintenance breed thanks to his short, glossy coat and relaxed, quiet demeanor. This breed does not bark a lot. They'd rather spend their time snoozing than stirring up trouble. Pugs are smart, curious and easy to train.
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, entered the Guinness Book of World Records by living to the ripe old age of 29 years and 5 months, setting the record for oldest dog ever.
Probably the most notorious breed on this list, the pit bull has a reputation for unpredictability and aggression, even against its owner or his family. State and local governments have been vigorous in restricting ownership of this dog with breed-specific legislation.
1. Border collie. According to The Intelligence of Dogs, which ranks 131 dog breeds in terms of their relative intelligence, the border collie is the smartest dog breed known to man.
Pearl, a 2-year-old Chihuaha, has officially been named the world's shortest living dog by Guinness World Records, the organization announced this week.
Scooby-Doo is a Great Dane. The character was designed by Iwao Takamoto, an animator at Hanna-Barbera. According to the American Kennel Club, Great Danes are "the mighty 'Apollo of Dogs,'" which is very unlike the silly and cowardly Scooby-Doo.
Pitbulls came in at number one for the breed responsible for the most dog bites, at 10.3 per cent. They're believed to have a predisposition to violent behaviour, thanks to their history of being used as fighting dogs.
"The motivation for lots of dog bites is fear," he says. "Others are territorial - if they're guarding something that they highly value, or defending their favourite resting place, their bed... Or if they've learned to defend, say, a dog bowl - that can result in aggression."
When your dog delivers a hard bite, yelp loudly. Then, when he startles and turns to look at you or looks around, remove your hand. Either ignore him for 10 to 20 seconds or, if he starts mouthing on you again, get up and move away for 10 to 20 seconds. If necessary, leave the room.
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.” Number two on the list is an even more diminutive breed – the Chihuahua, while Jack Russells came in third.
