I’ve noticed a lot of other pet blogs saying Siberian Huskies are not dangerous at all. However, if you look at the statistics and news reports, this assertion is simply untrue.
As a dog owner, I understand how easy it is to have a bias towards a particular breed that you own. For example, if you own a lovely Rottweiler that has never harmed another living creature, and you hear someone say that Rottweilers are dangerous, your gut reaction might be to refute their claim as nothing more than a viscous rumor.
However, just because your Rottweiler isn’t dangerous, does not mean the entire breed has no potential for being dangerous. This appears to be what’s going on with Siberian Huskies and the owners who love them.
In general, the Siberian Husky is a friendly, playful, and affectionate breed. Statistically, though, they are one of the top 10 most dangerous dog breeds. When evaluating whether or not a particular breed has the potential to be dangerous, it’s important to set anecdotes aside and look at the raw data. Continue reading to learn more about what makes Siberian Huskies more dangerous than you might have heard…
What the Statistics Say About Siberian Huskies
According to a multi-year report on dog bite fatalities that spanned from 2005 to 2017, Siberian Huskies were responsible for 3% of deaths caused by dogs in the U.S. This put them at number seven on the list, out of 20 other breeds.
Even though 3% may seem like a small figure, you have to bear in mind that there are literally hundreds of other breeds that did not kill a single person during the 12-year analysis. Furthermore, that 3% of incidents managed to push them ahead of 13 other breeds.
Lastly, this report only looked at fatalities caused by dog bites. If we looked at all attacks over that timespan, including those that were not fatal, the numbers related to Huskies would likely be much greater.
What Makes Siberian Huskies Dangerous?
First, let’s acknowledge the fact that many, many dog breeds have the potential to be dangerous. This is not a hit piece on Huskies.
That said, we also must acknowledge that there are some major differences between a Siberian Husky and, say, a Papillon, or other similar toy breeds – they both have the potential to bite you, but only one of them realistically has the potential to kill you.
The Siberian Husky is a powerful medium-sized breed. They are categorically working dogs, and their strength and endurance should not be underestimated. Males can get as large as 60 lb, and although they are typically gentle, if you were to make one angry, you wouldn’t want to be anywhere near its business end.
Siberian Huskies have a bite force of about 320 PSI. To put that in perspective, their bite is close to as strong as a wolf’s defensive bite, which was measured by National Geographic at 406 PSI.
That’s enough force to break small bones and tear away flesh with ease.
Another thing that makes the Siberian Husky a dangerous breed is their propensity for restlessness and frustration. Siberian Huskies need lots of regular, rigorous exercise and playtime, otherwise their temperament can become unpredictable.
When a Siberian Husky becomes bored and frustrated, they may take out that frustration on anything around them. In one incident, a 22-day old infant was attacked and killed by the family Husky while sleeping in a bedroom.
In another incident, a well-trained Husky killed a 2-day old baby, seemingly by accident. The dog was likely triggered by the baby’s crying, and in an attempt to stop the crying, grabbed the fragile baby with its jaws, as if it were a canine pup.
Does This Mean You Shouldn’t Own a Siberian Husky?
By no means am I trying to scare you away from owning a Husky. The intention of this article is merely to inform you of the possible risks associated with this breed.
Most Husky owners love their dog, and have never had a violent incident. As with all breeds, the most important thing when it comes to controlling the dog’s behavior and mitigating risk is proper training. However, based on the stories I’ve shared with you, I would not recommend leaving even a well-trained Husky alone with small children or other small pets.
Dogs That Are Statistically More Dangerous than Huskies
At the beginning of this article, I referred to a report that concluded Huskies are the seventh most lethal dog in America, but what about the breeds that topped it? Here are the six breeds that killed more people, respectively:
- Pit bull
- Rottweiler
- German Shepherd
- Mixed breed
- American Bulldog
- Mastiff/Bullmastiff
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