Do big-breed dogs bite at all? If so, do they do it as often as lsmall-breed dogs?

Question

Question says it all

Answer 1

All dogs bite.

Answer 2

You can not safely make any distinction on biting tendencies based on size of the dog. Breed does make a difference. Avoid dogs with breeding based on hunting or sport. Read about each breed, as they have skills and temperaments that have been bred into them. Some of the biggest dogs, such as retrievers, are sports dogs, but have been bred to be gentle-mouthed so they can pick up birds without breaking the skin. Therefore, they are considered to be great house dogs, safe around children. Any dog will bite if frightened. There are no sure bets.

Answer 3

Because smaller dog bites are not often reported, there isn't a real accurate statistic to measure small vs large dogs and bites.

ANY dog can bite, their is no breed discrimination as far as that goes. How a dog is raised is the important factor in a dog that bites (or doesn't).

Answer 4

Wether it's a big breed dog or a small breed, it doesn't matter, its the breed itself, its temperment, who and how it was raised. Some dogs are just known to have more of a biting tendancy than others, but it has nothing to do with size. You should do some research on the breeds you are interested in.

Answer 5

I have Great Danes and Newfoundlands. In over 20 years of owning a show kennel, I have only had 1 Dane that bites. He is super protective and was trained for protection.

None of my other dogs have ever bitten. You have a better chance of getting slimed by flying drool from one of my dogs than being bitten.

It's all a matter of how the dog is raised, trained and the individual temperament of the dog. My experience as a kennel owner and Vet Tech is that I have been bitten by dozens of small dogs.... and only 3 dogs over 70 lbs.

Hope I helped and good luck!

Answer 6

all breeds of dogs bite. I think little ones seem to bite more often because they can get away with it...they usually don't do much damage so people think it's cute! People tend to spoil their little dogs by carrying them around and treating them like people, so I think they get nippier when they don't get their way. A big dog that bit, would be quickly reprimanded!

Answer 7

Yes...it all comes down to training. I worked for a vet and had to work with and restrain all sizes of dogs. The small dogs were much worse attitude-wise than the big dogs. There were some breeds of big dogs we had more problems with, but it was much more frequent with the small dogs. All dogs need to be well-trained to be "good canine citizens", but "aggressive breeds" and small breeds need it the most.

Answer 8

Yes, and yes. The size of the breed has nothing to do with its temperament. Many small breeds are not biters, they just bark a lot. You should go to www.akc.org and research the various breeds if you are thinking of getting a dog. Since the AKC promotes all dogs they will not say anything bad about any of them. Watch out for words like very and extremely. "Extremely loyal" means that they will be kind to you and most likely bit others. "Very active" means that they will be running all over the place.

Sport or hunting dogs are usually better tempered because they are bread to work with people, and not just one person and understand that they should server people. Watch out for Pinschers of any kind, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, German Shepherds, Chinese Shar-Peis. People own all of those dogs and are happy with them, but they are typical one owner dogs. They are good to their owners but that is it. People that own them will never admit this and are often offended by the statement. Many of these breeds were bread to fight human hundreds of years ago, Chow Chows, and Shar-Peis are some of those. So look into the breed history and see what they were originally used for. 20 year of puppy chow will not make up for hundreds of years of breeding.

Answer 9

It seems to be smaller dogs do bite more than larger ones. I think they are usually more high strung and not as smart. However, big ones obviously cause more damage. I have never heard of anyone needing medical attention after being bit by a poodle, but I have heard of people needing it after being bitten by a chow, german shepherd, doberman, rottweiler, and of course a pit bull.

Answer 10

It mostly depends on how they are raised. I don't think there is a difference between big dogs and small dogs biting.

Answer 11

Hi!

I can understand your concern - but do rest assured biting is not related to a dog's size - rather, it depends on a LOT of very many different factors, such as dog breed, proper dog training and socialization, dog temperament, etc., etc.

For some excellent advice on all of the above points, and for help on choosing a suitable dog, go to http://www.advice-on-pet-care-and-pet-product-supplies-online.com/Choosing-A-Suitable-Dog-Breed.html

Also, just to reassure you, I have had dogs all my life and we have only ever had one dog who attempted to bite - and he was a rescue dog who had been really badly treated by his owners.