9 Dangerous Dog Breeds That People Still Keep as Pets

Dogs are known to be “man’s best friends”, but some friendships are more complicated than others. You gotta be careful with a doggy that can hunt a leopard and take over, you know. If you’re brave enough, get ready to meet 9 most dangerous Indian dog breeds.

9. Indian Mastiff or Bully Kutta 

Bully Kutta literally translates from Hindi-Urdu as a “heavily wrinkled dog”. Other names for it are Kumaon mastiff, Sindh mastiff, and Pakistani bully. Given that it is the largest and strongest kind of mastiff from North India, it could also be named “massive mastiff”. Adult bully kuttas reach 154 lbs in weight and 28-33 inches in height. This breed was created in India in the 16th century as a working dog that makes a great hunter and guard. Indian mastiffs are energetic, intelligent and protective so they really become perfect hunting companions and can protect their owners from wild animals. But, they can’t really live with other pets because of their aggressive character they show towards them. So it’s no surprise people have illegally organized dog fights with them in India and Pakistan. Veterinary experts don’t recommend getting a bully kutta if you’re new to dog owners’ world because it needs proper training to be a loyal friend. Still, a lot of people, especially in the Punjab region, keep them as pets.

8. Caravan Hound or Mudhol Hound 

Caravan hounds also known as Mudhol, Maratha and Pashmi hounds are popular pets in villages of Karnataka state in India. Just like Indian Mastiffs, they make great hunters and guards because of their great speed and stamina and can hunt in any conditions. The Indian army decided to make use of these awesome qualities and is currently testing Caravan hounds as border protectors. To stay graceful and elegant as they are, these fellas need plenty of exercise so keeping one of those in an apartment would be cruel. If you raise a caravan hound properly, giving it the kindness and respect it deserves, it grows into a loyal and protective friend for its owner. But, it will never be friendly to strangers so don’t try to pet one of those if you ever get to meet them. And, if the owner shows cruelty to a growing caravan pup, they shouldn’t expect to be treated with love and respect either.

7. Himalayan Mastiff 

As you might guess from its name, Himalayan mastiff comes from the Himalayan region. It’s also known as Tibetan Mastiff and Drog-Khyi in Tibetan which means “dog which may be tied”. So, they were indeed tied outside by homes, tents, monasteries and palaces for protection centuries ago. They would bark in the darkness alarming their people of upcoming danger and were most active and night sleeping during the day. These massive dogs weighing up to 220 lbs still serve as family guardians with great protective instincts. So how did these bear-like fellas end up on the dangerous dog breed list, you might ask. Well, the Himalayan mastiff medal sure has a reverse, and it is the fact that it will only be kind and loyal if you train it properly and constantly show it who is the boss in your family. It takes real patience and experience to make it a friendly guardian and even then it will still be hostile to other dogs. And, when something goes wrong, it might as well forget all the kindness you taught it and take down two wolves on its own. Another interesting fact about them is that they hate warm weather so the mountains are the perfect place for them.

6. Rajapalayam 

If you’re a dog lover you’ve definitely remember how huge and muscular Great Danes are. Well, Rajapalayams, also known as Poligar hounds, are about the same size at 25-30 inches tall. These muscular heavy built beauties served as wild boar hunting companions for the royal family and aristocrats in the Southern Indian town Rajapalayam, and this is where they got their name from. Their superpower is their incredible sight. When trained properly, these gorgeous animals become perfectly dedicated one-man dogs. They are pretty reserved with feelings and won’t jump around the owner like an anxious pup but will be loyal till the end. However, their hunting instincts are still so strong they can be really aggressive to strangers and other pets so it’s best to give them enough space on their own.

5. Kanni dog 

In Tamil language, "Kanni" stands for “pure”. When it comes to South Indian Kanni dogs, it’s surely about the purity of their loyal hearts. They are also often called Maiden’s Beastmasters because these pups are a popular gift to newlywed brides that’s supposed to protect her from wild animals. And this graceful beauty sure can protect the maiden because it’s used to hunt deer, hare and other rodents and can run really fast after the prey and you can train it easily to follow hand signals of the master. The Kanni is light and muscular at the same time, has a large heart and a flexible spine, much like a cheetah. It might seem like a shy and kinder version of a Doberman pinscher, but it will do anything to defend its human in case of trouble, so you don’t really want to mess with it.

4. Rampur hound 

Rampur hound comes from the Northern Indian city of Rampur. It was no less than Maharajahs favorite breed for hunting lions, tigers, leopards and panthers and protecting them from jackals. It takes true courage, skill and speed to take down a jackal, and the Rampurs sure do have all these qualities. They have an amazing stamina and can run at a speed of 42 miles per hour. Plus, they have an amazing balance, much like cats, and can gracefully walk on fences. These dogs need plenty of space to stretch their legs so it’s not the best idea to get one and keep it in your apartment. The Rampurs are intelligent and loyal to their owners but don’t exactly like to share them with anyone else. They get pretty aggressive as their protective instincts turn on when strangers or other pets approach their beloved human. And you don’t want to mess with them during those moments!

3. Bakharwal 

The Bakharwal breed comes from the Himalayan region. The word Bakharawal comes from bakri, that means goat, because their original task was to protect livestock of nomads, including goats, from wolves and bears. One interesting facts about the Bakharwal also known as Gujjar watchdog and Kashmiri mastiff, is that it’s vegetarian. This broad-shouldered long-legged pup prefers milk and bread to any other type of food. However, it does have quite a character, is super protective against enemies, and can be well-trained. No surprise the Indian Police Service uses it to capture militants.

2. Combai 

The first known mention of Combai is from the 15th century. At that time, they were mentioned in the records of Southern Indian region of Tamil Nadu as great helpers in hunting wild boar, bison, and deer. They can still boast powerful jaws and a broad chest for protection against any intruders. If you see a Combai, it might seem lazy and off-guard, but that’s just an illusion. It only takes them a moment to transform into a ferocious guard. And while they are great family dogs that love kids, they are really aggressive to other dogs they don’t know and are always ready to protect their humans from strangers.

1. Dhole 

Have you ever read the stories about Mowgli by Rudyard Kipling? He has a whole one dedicated to Dholes called the Red Dog and if you read it you probably picture these fellas as bloodthirsty and aggressive creatures living in huge packs. In fact, it’s not far from the truth. Even though they’re pretty little weighing 26-40 lbs, Dholes can kill animals that are ten times larger than themselves. These African wild dogs’ look-alikes can run at a speed of 34 miles per hour and live in clans of around 12 dogs. They rarely kill livestock and mostly hunt in the wild of the Central Indian Highlands, but you can actually meet them all across the country.