Sydney's Most Vicious Dogs

[lillypilly]

Linky here

Recently released figures from NSW Councils detail which breeds of dogs were most frequently involved in attacks on humans in the 3 months to September, 2010.

An article in the Sunday Telegraph of October 234, 2010 lists the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as being “the most dangerous breed of dog” since they were involved in more attacks than other breeds. The second most dangerous was listed as Australian Cattle Dog and the third the German Shepherd.

These figures are incorrect and are based on a complete misunderstanding of basic mathematics. The error is that the attack figures reflect which breeds are most common. That is, the more of a dog breed around, the more likely it is that bites or attacks will be recorded.

So, at Burke’s Backyard, we have adjusted the attack figures by dividing them by the number of dogs of that breed bred in 2009 in NSW. This is a statistical method to try to get a more truthful picture.

When adjusted the results are as follow:

The most dangerous breeds are:

1. Australian Cattle Dog

2. Siberian Husky

3. Rottweiler

4. American Staffordshire Terrier

5. Staffordshire terrier

6. Bullmastiff

7. Jack Russell Terrier

8. German Shepherd

9. Border Collie

10. Labrador Retriever

The Australian cattle dog stands out as a really nasty breed. It’s more than 12 times more likely to attack than a Labrador Retriever. Having said that, the Australian Cattle Dog and the Siberian Husky both stand out as dangerous breeds.

Of most interest is this: Of the 20 most popular dog breeds in NSW, 12 stand out as very safe indeed (since they don’t figure at all on the top 20 dog attack lists). These breeds are strongly recommended by Burke’s Backyard. They are, in order of popularity:

1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2. Golden Retriever

3. Cocker Spaniel

4. Pug

5. Toy Poodle

6. Miniature Schnauzer

7. Boxer

8. Bull Terrier

9. Rhodesian Ridgeback

10. West Highland White Terrier

11. British Bulldog

12. Smooth coated Chihuahua

NB: The kelpie stood out as a dangerous breed. We rejected the statistics since most kelpies that are bred are not recorded by the NSW Kennel Club, but rather by the working dog groups. That is, the statistics are so inaccurate as to be unusable. To the best of our knowledge the Kelpie is not a dangerous breed.

[raz]

Looks like Burke has changed his mind about the SWF being the most dangerous.

[WreckitWhippet]

Take the whole lot with a grain of salt.

This is a real gem from the Jerk

NB: The kelpie stood out as a dangerous breed. We rejected the statistics since most kelpies that are bred are not recorded by the NSW Kennel Club, but rather by the working dog groups. That is, the statistics are so inaccurate as to be unusable. To the best of our knowledge the Kelpie is not a dangerous breed.

One could argue that the vast majority of dogs bred in this country are not bred by ANKC registered breeders.

[tdierikx]

Hmmm... and only pure breed dogs attack... ??

I wonder if the statistics might reflect a different story if the mixed breed dog attacks were correctly identified as what they actually were?

T.

[raz]

Hmmm... and only pure breed dogs attack... ??

Exactly! I was waiting for someone to bring that up.

It would be interesting to compare that to his last list if anyone has it.

Interesting that he recommends pugs when he was always so adamant that 'their little eyes pop out'

[Staranais]

The Australian cattle dog stands out as a really nasty breed. It’s more than 12 times more likely to attack than a Labrador Retriever. Having said that, the Australian Cattle Dog and the Siberian Husky both stand out as dangerous breeds.

Nasty? Or perhaps it's just a breed that doesn't cope at all well with being shoved in a backyard and not trained or exercised, as so many people do to their dogs...

I'm in two minds about this. I do not believe ACD or huskies or any of the other breeds on the "bad" list are nasty. How stupid of him to say that. Not to mention the fact that as far as I am aware merely barking or rushing at someone can be classified as an "attack".

But on the other hand, I guess I'd rather see a nice but clueless owner get a small, low drive, calm dog (yes, like a bull dog or CKC or pug) than any high drive, high energy working dog or terrier type.

So why could he not have worded his findings in a less inflammatory way? I don't know much about Burke's backyard - don't think we get it in NZ - is he always as melodramatic as that? Why couldn't he just say "if you're not hugely into dog training then get a calm breed, like these ones, since it tends to take less work to make them into a well mannered pet"?

[raz]

So why could he not have worded his findings in a less inflammatory way? I don't know much about Burke's backyard - don't think we get it in NZ - is he always as melodramatic as that?

Yep.

[baifra]

So why could he not have worded his findings in a less inflammatory way?

And that's all it is..... inflammatory crap!!

Using the words dangerous, attack and nasty don't help at all.

I own one of those 'nasty' little cattle dogs and she is none of the above.

Sadly a lot of people read this shite and take it as gospel.

[lillypilly]

Interesting that he recommends pugs when he was always so adamant that 'their little eyes pop out'

A bit of trivia - Don Burke used to own a pug!

[raz]

Yep he did, LP. I think he died of old age but cant really remember.

One of the breeders on here did a breed road test for him and I remember her saying in one thread that Don asked her to make her dogs fight. Nice one, hey. She refused.

[lillypilly]

Yep he did, LP. I think he died of old age but cant really remember.

One of the breeders on here did a breed road test for him and I remember her saying in one thread that Don asked her to make her dogs fight. Nice one, hey. She refused.

The old pug was named Ralph and the family found him dead when they arrived home from work.

[asal]

So why could he not have worded his findings in a less inflammatory way? I don't know much about Burke's backyard - don't think we get it in NZ - is he always as melodramatic as that?

Yep.

melodrama sells.

as for the golden retriever being safe?

considering had to hold a hose at full bore into the face of my neighbours to stop the attack when his idiot owner phoned me and asked would i please help her as he had brought home a goats head and she didnt want to kids to come home from school and see that.

n she couldnt bring herself to touch it to put in the wheelie bin ... please could u do it?

what the bitch didnt tell me was the mongrel was attacking her when she tried to pick it up. so muggins goes over. picks up the head, chucks it in n realises the dogs comming for me n he aint bluffing

hate to think of what might have been if i hadnt been near the tap and had time to flick it full on and half drown the mongrel as he came for me. yep, hose on full bore stright to the nose does help deter em somewhat. although had to back to the door n inside to escape him till he calmed down.

she then explained "hes very food protective" when i asked her what on earth brought that on?

as for letting a dog that size free roam of the streets...... sheesh anyway

as for cattle dogs, i grew up where every second house had one and nver been bitten in my life.

but one of my pet hates is so many bred that never were registered and so many select em for how savage they are and proud of it?

these are the moran minds that brought in the pit bulls. even scarier so have to have it.

its the people like that are the problem not the poor dogs, they are the victums of this mindset

Edited October 31, 2010 by asal

[shortstep]

Oh look, all the mixed bred designer dogs are the most freindly dogs, all the breeders use to make the mongrels he promotes

1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2. Golden Retriever

3. Cocker Spaniel

4. Pug

5. Toy Poodle

6. Miniature Schnauzer

Why does anybody give this self severing creep the time of day.

[jemappelle]

Hmmm... and only pure breed dogs attack... ??

I wonder if the statistics might reflect a different story if the mixed breed dog attacks were correctly identified as what they actually were?

T.

Yep because we all know that any dog with spots on it as an ACD cross. Plus these are only reported attacks.

[B-Q]

The Australian cattle dog stands out as a really nasty breed. It’s more than 12 times more likely to attack than a Labrador

Surprised such vastly different breeds have vastly different tolerance levels to the stupid things people do? I wish people would learn that every dog can and will bite if you push it enough and you have to take each individual as they come. Sure it helps having some breed knowledge to understand how the dog might think but its more dangerous than any dog to blanket them like that.

I've had friends come over and when meeting Buster ask "does he bite" my answer now is "why? what are you planning on doing to him?" he tolerates people well but I don't think a stranger could push him too far, which just means I have to do the extra bit to protect him from dickhead people that think any dog should be able to put up with anything.

[koalathebear]

NB: The kelpie stood out as a dangerous breed. We rejected the statistics since most kelpies that are bred are not recorded by the NSW Kennel Club, but rather by the working dog groups. That is, the statistics are so inaccurate as to be unusable. To the best of our knowledge the Kelpie is not a dangerous breed.

I'm not even sure what the above means. Kelpies and Kelpie crosses figure a lot in dog bite stats but I've been told that that's because there are just heaps of them around ... *stares warily at the two Kelpie Monsters snoozing away at her feet*

[Steve]

What on earth is the good of taking CC numbers when we only breed less than 10% of them and offsetting that with those which have bitten if we dont know who bred the ones that have bitten

How many kelpies are bred which are not registered with working dogs groups or CCs? How many of those dogs were bred by a regsitered breeder so why use registered numbers.

Idiots.

[poodlefan]

Wouldn't it be nice to see these stats turned around into:

"Breeds most likely to be bred and bought by ignorant/irresponsible people"

or

"Breeds most likely to be bought for image enhancement or "security" purposes"

or

"Breeds least likely to be socialised, allowed inside, desexed or to receive obedience training"

Because whilst breed is a part of the issue, the factors above play just as large a role.

Edited October 31, 2010 by poodlefan

[Monah]

that's right PF.

I can't ever take those stats etc. seriously, wherever they originate.

Just last week a boy was eating a sandwich and a dog bit him on the chest, (trying to get the food). They said it was a wolfhound, yeh right, and 20 other breeds in there, it had a scruffy face..

So who is policing what these dogs are? and who is policing the owners? It's all such a crock!!!

I've had ACDs, best dogs in the world.

[klink]

Linky here

Recently released figures from NSW Councils detail which breeds of dogs were most frequently involved in attacks on humans in the 3 months to September, 2010.

An article in the Sunday Telegraph of October 234, 2010 lists the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as being “the most dangerous breed of dog” since they were involved in more attacks than other breeds. The second most dangerous was listed as Australian Cattle Dog and the third the German Shepherd.

These figures are incorrect and are based on a complete misunderstanding of basic mathematics. The error is that the attack figures reflect which breeds are most common. That is, the more of a dog breed around, the more likely it is that bites or attacks will be recorded.

So, at Burke’s Backyard, we have adjusted the attack figures by dividing them by the number of dogs of that breed bred in 2009 in NSW. This is a statistical method to try to get a more truthful picture.

When adjusted the results are as follow:

The most dangerous breeds are:

1. Australian Cattle Dog

2. Siberian Husky

3. Rottweiler

4. American Staffordshire Terrier

5. Staffordshire terrier

6. Bullmastiff

7. Jack Russell Terrier

8. German Shepherd

9. Border Collie

10. Labrador Retriever

The Australian cattle dog stands out as a really nasty breed. It’s more than 12 times more likely to attack than a Labrador Retriever. Having said that, the Australian Cattle Dog and the Siberian Husky both stand out as dangerous breeds.

Of most interest is this: Of the 20 most popular dog breeds in NSW, 12 stand out as very safe indeed (since they don’t figure at all on the top 20 dog attack lists). These breeds are strongly recommended by Burke’s Backyard. They are, in order of popularity:

1. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

2. Golden Retriever

3. Cocker Spaniel

4. Pug

5. Toy Poodle

6. Miniature Schnauzer

7. Boxer

8. Bull Terrier

9. Rhodesian Ridgeback

10. West Highland White Terrier

11. British Bulldog

12. Smooth coated Chihuahua

NB: The kelpie stood out as a dangerous breed. We rejected the statistics since most kelpies that are bred are not recorded by the NSW Kennel Club, but rather by the working dog groups. That is, the statistics are so inaccurate as to be unusable. To the best of our knowledge the Kelpie is not a dangerous breed.