Akita
Japan’s esteemed canine, the Akita, sits high on the list of breeds that could inflate your homeowners insurance premiums. Renowned for their dominance and history of hunting large game like bears, Akitas demand rigorous training and constant supervision to prevent accidents, despite their unwavering loyalty.
Mastiff
While generally gentle giants, English Mastiffs can tip the scales at up to 230 pounds, posing a significant challenge if control is lost. Their sheer size alone presents difficulties in management, especially in situations involving other dogs.
Chow Chow
Though their fluffy appearance may deceive, Chow Chows have been known to inadvertently harm children and require owners with a firm hand. Their strong attachment to family can lead to protective behavior, posing risks to unfamiliar individuals.
American Pit Bull Terrier
Often misunderstood, Pit Bulls thrive under proper handling but can pose serious threats if left untrained or improperly trained due to their inherent strength.
Bullmastiff
Despite their large stature, Bullmastiffs may behave like smaller breeds, potentially causing accidents such as knocking over children or displaying aggression towards other dogs.
Presa Canario
These majestic dogs, originally bred to protect livestock, require early socialization and obedience training to prevent undesirable outcomes resulting from lack of exercise and stimulation.
Cane Corso
Requiring extensive socialization and training, Cane Corsos can exhibit nervousness if caught off guard, necessitating early intervention to avoid mishaps.
Great Dane
Just like the Cane Corso, Great Danes are easily spooked. Handsome as they are, they require serious coaching when it comes to being domesticated, and usually require supervision around dogs and kids, leading to negligent behavior on the owner’s part. As always, uneutered dogs pose a greater risk.
Doberman Pinscher
Dobermans were bred as guard dogs in Germany back in the day. While breeders have worked to make sure these dogs are calm and stable, there have been cases of Doberman dogs attacking kids, and even if the fault is on the owners for the dog’s bad behavior, insurance companies don’t see it this way.
American Staffordshire Terrier
Staffies are generally playful and gentle, but if you neglect them, the AKC, or American Kennel Club, says their actions can become destructive. If your dog escapes or if you have young children unattended, this can create an issue.
German Shepard
Another frequent police dog, these pups are protective over their families, which can lead to issues. Back in 2018, a pair of German Shepherds escaped from their home and attacked a pedestrian walking by.
Rottweiler
As adorable as Rotties are, they can get to massive sizes and were in fact bred for strength purposes alone. Although these dogs are loyal to their families, this can backfire and cause them to act with violence to people or fellow dog owners who approach. Commonly used as police modes, sometimes these dogs (when not properly trained) can misconstrue playtime for attack mode.
Siberian Husky
Huskies are gorgeous, but they’re also known for having extremely high energy levels that take hours and hours to tire out. They were more bred to pull sleds than guard homes, and due to their explosive nature, lots of people don’t like having them around young children, and this can affect insurance — they even compete with kids for attention.
Pekingese
You might want to cuddle this dog based on its tiny nature, but their independent nature can make them hard to control. They often rebel around kids and need a powerful sense of authority to tame their feisty nature.
Wolf Hybrid
Wolves are natural hunters — and even if you take the wolf out of nature, you can’t take nature out of the wolf. A Wolf hybrid is made by mating a dog and wolf, and creating this blend can after be dangerous and create unforeseeable actions in the future.
Alaskan Malamute
Like huskies, malamutes are pets who are popular due to their love for people. Still, they have what’s referred to as a “high prey drive”, meaning that if they needs aren’t met, they can get aggressive — especially if they’re not fixed from a young age.
Chihuahua
Even though large dogs are usually on the no-go list, Chihuahuas are actually not the best family dogs due to their stubborn behavior and strong will. They are difficult to train unless there is a very strong sense of leadership. They can actually get quite aggressive with kids due to jealousy.
Affenpinscher
This little fur-ball doesn’t look like much, but they’re rather mischievous. Even though the Affenpinscher can be entertaining, they defend themselves when they don’t feel comfortable, so if a young child is roughhousing or bugging them, they might bite back. Strong leadership is a must, since they’re easily disobedient with weak leaders.
Dogo Argentino
This dog is commonly used to law enforcement and guiding those without site, but its aggressive side when it has not been raised right has led to it being banned in over six countries. Due to the unpredictable nature of the Dogo Argentino, it is considered a big risk by insurance companies.
Jack Russell Terrier
Jack Russells are little adventurers, but that energy can be hard to handle. If you don’t tired them out a Jack Russell might tear up your house. They also don’t enjoy rough play, so if a kid pokes them, they may bite back to get the space they need. These dogs need plenty of time and attention.
Shih Tzu
People don’t recommend the families adopt a Shih Tzu, since this breed has a sensitive defense mechanism, making them easily scared or overexcited, which can lead to unwarranted bites. They also need someone around at most times, otherwise can develop severe separation anxiety which worsens this behavior.
Weimaraner
This breed was once a hunting dog, and they have lots of energy, meaning it takes a while to tire them out. When they’re not tired out, they might knock over kids, get bored, and get very needy when it comes to exercise and physical activities. They might even tear up the house if you don’t mind their needs.
Japanese Tosa
The Japanese Tosa is a rare dog, and if you haven’t heard of them, that’s probably why. The Tosa has historically been bred as a fighting dog, but surprisingly, they’re more fearless and aggressive towards people than they are to dogs.
Rhodesian Ridgeback
The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a majestic dog. It used to track lions in South Africa, and unfortunately has a bad rep for attacking kids when let loose. If there’s any chance that your Ridgeback can break free of its leash or hop over a fence (which is likely given their size and strength), chaos can ensue.
Dalmatians
Prone to frenetic energy, Dalmatians require frequent exercise to prevent behavioral issues, making them a challenge to control without proper attention.
