Stopping BSL is about more than saving Pit Bull type dogs; it’s about protecting all dogs by sending a message that no dog should be unfairly targeted due to his/her appearance.
Though breed specific legislation affects Pit Bull types most, many more innocent breeds fall victim to bans and restrictions. Check out the list below of 75 dog breeds that have been banned or restricted in the United States due to BSL laws, courtesy of Responsible Dog Owners of the Western States. It is important to note that not all of these breeds are restricted everywhere in the US. Various states, counties, towns and communities have all enacted certain bans or restrictions against specific breed types.
Click here to check out a list of states that prohibit their municipalities from passing breed-specific laws. Thanks to J. Thomas of Stop BSL for posting it. Though Florida is one of these states, they have written an exception for Miami-Dade, allowing their Pit Bull ban to remain, despite claiming it wastes taxpayer money and does not work.
75 Dog Breeds Banned in the United States
- 1. AIREDALE TERRIER
- 2. AKBASH
- 3. AKITA
- 4. ALAPAHA BLUE BLOOD BULLDOG
- 5. ALASKAN MALAMUTE
- 6. ALSATIAN SHEPHERD
- 7. AMERICAN BULLDOG
- 8. AMERICAN HUSKY
- 9. AMERICAN PIT BULL TERRIER
- 10. AMERICAN STAFFORDSHIRE TERRIER
- 11. AMERICAN WOLFDOG
- 12. ANATOLIAN SHEPHERD
- 13. ARIKARA DOG
- 14. AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG
- 15. AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD
- 16. BELGIAN MALINOIS
- 17. BELGIAN SHEEPDOG
- 18. BELGIAN TURVUREN
- 19. BLUE HEELER
- 20. BOERBUL
- 21. BORZOI
- 22. BOSTON TERRIER
- 23. BOUVIER DES FLANDRES
- 24. BOXER
- 25. BULLDOG
- 26. BULL TERRIER
- 27. BULL MASTIFF
- 28. CANE CORSO
- 29. CATAHOULA LEOPARD DOG
- 30. CAUCASIAN SHEPHERD
- 31. CHINESE SHAR PEI
- 32. CHOW-CHOW
- 33. COLORADO DOG
- 34. DOBERMAN PINSCHER
- 35. DOGO DE ARGENTINO
- 36. DOGUE DE BORDEAUX
- 37. ENGLISH MASTIFFS
- 38. ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIEL
- 39. ESKIMO DOG
- 40. ESTRELA MOUNTAIN DOG
- 41. FILA BRASILIERO
- 42. FOX TERRIER
- 43. FRENCH BULLDOG
- 44. GERMAN SHEPHERD DOG
- 45. GOLDEN RETRIEVER
- 46. GREENLAND HUSKY
- 47. GREAT DANE
- 48. GREAT PYRANEES
- 49. ITALIAN MASTIFF
- 50. KANGAL DOG
- 51. KEESHOND
- 52. KOMONDOR
- 53. KOTEZEBUE HUSKY
- 54. KUVAZ
- 55. LABRADOR RETRIEVER
- 56. LEONBERGER
- 57. MASTIFF
- 58. NEOPOLITAN MASTIFF
- 59. NEWFOUNDLAND
- 60. OTTERHOUND
- 61. PRESA DE CANARIO
- 62. PRESA DE MALLORQUIN
- 63. PUG
- 64. ROTTWEILER
- 65. SAARLOOS WOLFHOND
- 66. SAINT BERNARD
- 67. SAMOYED
- 68. SCOTTISH DEERHOUND
- 69. SIBERIAN HUSKY
- 70. SPANISH MASTIFF
- 71. STAFFORDSHIRE BULL TERRIER
- 72. TIMBER SHEPHERD
- 73. TOSA INU
- 74. TUNDRA SHEPHERD
- 75. WOLF SPITZ
It is important to note that many professional animal organizations, including those that work daily with aggressive dogs, do not support BSL. The following professional organizations are all opposed to breed specific legislation. Thanks again to J. Thomas of StopBSL for posting it. Click here to read the original post, including each organization’s official position statement regarding BSL.
Professional Animal Groups that Do Not Support BSL
- American Dog Owners Association (ADOA)
- American Humane
- American Kennel Club (AKC)
- American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA)
- American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)
- American Working Dog Federation (AWDF)
- Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT)
- Best Friends Animal Society
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
- International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants (IAABC)
- International Association of Canine Professionals (IACP)
- National Animal Control Association (NACA)
- National Animal Interest Alliance (NAIA)
- National Association of Dog Obedience Instructors (NADOI)
Despite an overwhelming lack of professional support and with almost 100 specific breeds banned around the U.S., it is scary to know that even mixes (or perceived mixes) of these breeds are prohibited/restricted. Standing up against BSL helps all dogs, not just Pit Bull breeds.
Do you live in an area that bans or restricts a certain breed? What would you do if your dog was unfairly targeted as the outlawed breed and taken from you?
Crazy laws.
You said it! We should ban stupid people instead of dog breeds.
The people of the United States need to stand up to BSL. It is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard of. It is not the breed of dog that makes it vicious, it is the people who abuse.
We have had a town in CT try and ban Pit Bulls, to be honest it is a town with a lot of low income and up north the low income people are the ones who have the vicious dogs, and typically they are Pit Bulls. I’ve also heard they have dog fighting too. Which would seem to be why the dogs are vicious.
Education is key and stronger laws for mistreatment of animals. Banning dog fighting and stronger laws for people who break that law would go a long way too. Great post!
Jodi, I agree with you– BSL does not help anything so why do some places keep it around. It is very sad. I’m in favor of responsible owner laws or breed-neutral laws that place responsibility on the owners of the dogs– because there is no such thing as a bad dog but there are bad owners!
When breeds are outlawed, only outlaws have them and that is never a good thing. BSL fuels community fear where it is not warranted. I look forward to a day when all dogs are allowed, no matter what they may look like!
Yep, I made the list again. *sigh*
Yeah, 3 of our 4 made it too…we’re all so vicious, you know? LOL!
Maybe instead of banning dog breeds, they should ban bad dog owners.
You said it!!!! Or ban stupid people
Looking through the list of dogs I am amazed to see so many familiar breeds banned or restricted in the United States. I agree with Sagechronicles – it would be far better to ban bad dog owners.
I think so too Bassa. It is very sad to see BSL is still so prevalent when it’s been proven time and time again to be ineffective.
To commemorate 52 weeks of blogging the tall person and I have designed a blogging award to acknowledge 52 blogs that we think are stars of the blogging world. You are one of the stars. This is a link to the post: http://bassasblog.wordpress.com/?p=7243&preview=true
THANK YOU!!!! And Congrats to you, sweet Bassa!!
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Why not ban yellow dogs or brown dogs or brindle dogs? Makes the same kinda since. Stop the breeder not the breed.
Both breeds that my dog are mixed with are on there
Yep, two of our most vicious family dogs made the list. Goldens and labs. True monsters that basically let our children and grandchildren crawl all over them and them smothered them with doggies kisses. Just a diabolical way to gain our trust before turning on us.
Totally ridicolus list and law. Punish the cause not the the victims both canine and human.
Thanks for posting this! We just shared with our fans on the Standardize Military Pet Policies Facebook page. Please read here to learn more on our cause to someday stop breed bans in military housing and give families consistent pet guidelines. http://www.change.org/petitions/standardize-military-pet-policies
I cannot believe this, I know that the pit bulls have gotten a bad rap, especially due to a Certain M.V. but a pug, a golden retriever, two of the sweetest dogs around. Agree with the folks that say “get rid of the idiots that dislike dogs.” Any dog will become mean if beaten enough, but most stay loyal to the owner that beats them and they don’t understand why their person does it. I have had pugs forever and even they will snap if pushed to far by teasing, but that isn’t the fault of the dog. It is the fault of the person doing the teasing. Even my little rescue pug sounds aggressive, but once he knows that you are a friend, you can’t get rid of him after that. He is very nearsighted and tends to bark first and wag later. As a responsible dog owner, I just tell folks, let him come to you. Don’t reach for him. He is scared of men, so he really barks at them.
Reblogged this on radcliffdeafdog and commented:
Thanks to “For The Love of My Dogs” for sharing this information.
I have an English Mastiff and he is a gentle giant. He doesn’t move fast unless there is food involved. My daughter, who lives with me owns a pittbull and my other daughter, who lives with me when college is out, owns a springer spaniel. Both dogs are well trained and well behaved. Its not dogs I fear but the monster on the other end of the leash. These laws are stupid. I have been bitten by more children then I have ever have by a dog. Human bites can be just as bad.