Top 10 most destructive dog breeds

As reported by Skynews.com, a UK study of 3000 dog owners recently compiled a list of the top 10 most destructive dog breeds. I would wager that some of these may come as a surprise to many. The study's findings below are reported in terms of the amount of monetary damage one can expect to the home, throughout the course of the dog's life.

1.) Great Dane - 670 pounds ($1293)
2.) Chihuahua - 630 pounds ($1136)
3.) Mastiff - 586 pounds ($1043)
4.) Whippet - 515 pounds ($917)
5.) English Setter - 485 pounds ($863)
6.) English Bulldog - 446 pounds ($794)
7.) Dachshunds - 440 pounds ($783)
8.) Boxer - 400 pounds ($712)
9.) Beagle - 400 pounds ($712)
10.) Bassett Hound (ranked last, but article did not specify monetary damage)

Surprised by the Chihuahua making number 2, and Labrador Retrievers not even making the list? I certainly am!

Knowing which dog breeds pose the greatest risk to one's home is interesting, even useful information for one that is in the market to adopt a dog. However, when preparing to adopt a dog, regardless of the breed, my experience has proven time and again that owner ignorance and/or laziness tends to play the biggest role in determining the amount of damage a dog will enact on the home.

That said, use this list at your leisure for your own knowledge or even to help you select a dog breed. But, if educating yourself and maintaining a proactive role in a dog's life are not priorities of yours, then perhaps it would be better to stick to having goldfish as pets instead.

Roger Welton, DVM
Founder, Web-DVM.net