When you think of Labradors, you probably think of sweet-nature, intelligent, and loyal. But dangerous is probably not what you would use to describe a Labrador.
You probably think Labradors are sweet-natured, intelligent, or loyal, but certainly not dangerous.
But they are actually one of the most dangerous dog breeds according to Gold Coasts’ list of dangerous dog registrations.
Currently, there are 277 dogs that are declared as dangerous in the Gold Coast area. The breed with the most number of dogs registered as dangerous is Staffordshire bull terriers with 49, closely followed by the American Staffordshire bull terrier with 47. Rottweilers are the third on the list with 30, followed by German shepherds with 24.
You might be surprised to find Labradors as the fifth highest number of dangerous dog registrations at 15.
The Staffordshire Bull Terrier tops the list of dangerous breeds in the Gold Coast.
Dogs are flagged as dangerous if they have attacked a person or another animal previously. They can also be flagged as dangerous if an expert determines that there is a possibility of the dog attacking someone in the future.
Increasing Number Of Dangerous Dogs
Since 2020, 77 additional dogs have been added to the list, up from 200. It came as a result of an increase in the number of reports of serious dog attacks and incidents.
The Covid pandemic has increased the number of dogs that require training for aggressive behaviour. The dogs that have been categorised as ‘dangerous’ were generally those with poor social skills. This is probably caused by a lack of socialisation with other humans and animals when they were a puppy. And the Covid lockdowns certainly didn’t help with their socialisation skills.
Covid lockdowns reduced socialisation opportunities for dogs, which may have caused the spike in the number of aggressive dogs.
For most dogs born during the Covid pandemic or just before the pandemic, the puppies couldn’t go out much. Thus, they had little to no exposure to other animals or humans when they were a puppy. Because they’re not used to being around other animals, they can react negatively or aggressively when they encounter other animals now.
In general, aggressive behaviour comes from fear or anxiousness. It’s important to socialise the dogs often when they’re young to remove this fear or anxiousness.
What can you do if they’re already an adult dog?
You can still have a non-dangerous dog even if they have already developed aggressive behaviour. All you need is some dog training.
For some dog training tips, read here.
Increasing number of dangerous dog attacks.
In 2021, there was a record 711 dog attacks across the Gold Coast region. Most of the attacks were on other animals and not humans. 40 dogs were euthanized as a result of the attacks.
The council seized 10 of those dogs, while the other 30 were surrendered voluntarily by their owners after the attack. In most dog attacks where the dog caused serious injury to a person or animal, the owner will usually surrender the dogs to be euthanized.
As you read down the list, you probably aren’t surprised that the larger dogs were at the top of the list. Larger breeds tend to be more confident and boisterous. Labradors, like other larger breeds, are generally more strong and confident compared to smaller dogs.
The council classified attacks as “biting, rushing or scratching”.
There has been a rise in the number of dog attacks this year. Earlier this year in February, a dog named Heidi-Ho was mauled to death whilst on a walk with its owner by a bullmastiff and two greyhounds.
The nine-year-old Heidi-Ho died instantly, whilst the bullmastiff was euthanized as it was found to be the main attacker.
