I think everybody should know before adopting...

[KikiMay]

When you think of dangerous dog breeds, which animal do you picture: a pit bull or a wiener dog?
According to the results of research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science, the breed most prone to aggression is the dachshund. New research that involved questioning 6,000 dog owners, found that one in five dachshunds have bitten (or tried to bite) strangers, a similar number have attacked other dogs, and that one in 12 have even snapped at their owners.
Prior research on dog aggression focused solely on dog bite statistics. Using that data, breeds like Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans were thought to pose the most danger. Researchers now feel prior studies were not painting a full picture, as most dog bites (especially those of smaller dogs) go unreported and were not included in the past.
Chihuahuas ranked second on the list of aggressive dogs, while Jack Russell Terriers came in third.
Just like with people, it's not fair to stereotype an entire group based on the actions of a few. But it's also good know some small dogs might not be the ideal choice for children.

[Snake_Plissken]

The ankle-biters - chihuahuas

[heartfluttersflyawayplz]

I love small dogs have had them all my life little weiner dogs to now shih tzu never had any problems with mine but they know they bite they have not teeth left in mouth.

[AHP84]

I read this news article today and it applies to this post. A two month old baby boy was attacked, mauled and killed by one of two family dogs, they're not sure which one was the attacker. The two dogs were a Lab puppy and a pug.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,393682,00.html

[sk123]

Thanks for sharing this info. I used to have a small Pekinese and she was a very aggressive and insecure dog. We loved her a great deal but we also ended up with many bites from her when we intervened as she tried to bite other people. We now have two Samoyeds, who are not any calmer, but we never have to worry about them biting. Even when they're annoyed, they'll just bark or yelp a little to indicate they want to be left alone. They get their teeth cleaned anesthesia-free without any problems. I don't think I'll ever go back to small dogs again. This is a small sample size, but with my dogs, I feel like the larger dogs are just more secure.

[GGraphix]

I was raising Pits longer ago than most of you on this thread have been alive. Don't make what I have to say any more wrong or right. Just that I love and respect that breed immensely. I think we are getting lost in semantics. Your post was most "dangerous dog breeds". If you meant the most aggressive breed I would accept some else's authority that is more knowable with a wider variety of dogs. But as it stands I would rather be attacked by a pack of Chihuahuas and wieners than one aggressive Pit.

[Jaybay]

I can't label any breed, large or small, as a "dangerous" breed.  Don't blame the breed for aggressive and unstable behavior in an individual dog.  That's the fault of the owner either by purposefully developing aggression or neglect in socialization training.  The large breeds get the blame because they can cause more damage.

Small dogs are very popular right now, and one of the reasons they're popular is that people are under the mistaken impression that "little" means "harmless."  I can't tell you how many times I've seen a chihuahua or weiner dog charge at a larger dog and start a fight.  Because the larger dog finishes the fight, he gets the blame.  So why did the little dog start the fight in the first place?  Because his owners can't conceive the possibility of their little darling being a danger to anyone or any thing.

The only dog bite I ever got in my life was from a small mixed breed terrier.  I was in 6th grade and riding my bike home from a friend's house.  Across the street was a slovenly looking man sitting on his front porch with his dog.  The dog raced over to me and latched on to my leg while his owner did not move one muscle.  Well, maybe he exercised the hand that was holding his beer, but I was more involved with trying to remove his dog from my calf at the time.  That little b*tthead of a dog got away with a 3" diameter, 1" deep chunk of my calf - and that was through long underwear and thick jeans.  

Nope.  I'm far more cautious with the little dogs.  They're neurotic because people think they don't need training.  People with large dogs tend to know the dangers and make sure they're on the alert.

Back to adoption issues, it's more important to look at the personality of the individual dog.  The cute little dog who is barking its head off and flinging itself at the cage bars does not "love" you and want to come home with you.  That kind of behavior is aggressive, dominant behavior and unless you already know how to deal with it, that dog is a bad choice for you.  Look for the somewhat bored dog who calmly approaches you with interest instead of craziness, no matter how big or small he is.  :-)

[KikiMay]

Wieners never seriously hurt no adults. But what about kids? Any dog needs to be supervised if it's together with kids.

[GGraphix]

I have raised pit bulls in the past so I agree with what you are saying. I think your comment about dangerous dogs though is misleading. Who ever got seriously hurt by a wiener.

[scaredjo]

hiya that same report was published in our local paper too (in the uk) my friends mum is a dog groomer and she prefers to groom a larger dog cause she finds the small ones snap, full bred pit bulls are banned in the uk although a friend of mine has a cross he is the most friendliest dog i know, i believe its the way you treat them also that makes their personality, i get mad because every rotty, staffi, big dog that has bitten is publicised in the news papers i bet theres hundreds of small dogs that have bitten but no one is interested in them cause there is no stigma attached to them

[AHP84]

Thank you for this post. It's very informative, and I'm sure will be an eye-opener for some people, I hope.
I used to be a dog groomer at PetsMart for nearly three years, and I've grown up my whole life with Westies, Border Collies, and Labs. Smaller breeds (mainly terriers and chihuahuas) oftentimes are the most aggressive towards other dogs and biting risks. As a groomer, we usually had to muzzle, I'd guess, at least 70% of them for things like nail trims, ear cleaning, blow drying, and brushing/clippering.
But actually, the biggest difference between the small breeds and aggressiveness and the large breeds was that most of the time, you couldn't see a bite coming. They're very quick, and their teeth are smaller and sharper than large breeds. Not only that, but terriers are bred for holding their prey, so when terriers bite, oftentimes their jaws actually seem to "lock down."
Whatever the breed, or animal for that matter, that people consider bringing into the family should be thoroughly researched. So many pets end up dumped off or in a rescue agency because people just want a pet, so they go out and get one. Then they find out all the quirks, behavioral issues, and physical issues that go with the pet and it's too much to handle.
It's SO important to KNOW what you're getting into when dealing with any animal, because no matter what happens, it's not that animal's fault when we're the ones who are supposed to be responsible for them. Knowledge and/or prior experience with a pet is the best favor anyone can give their pet along with love and proper care.