Why Are Some Dog Breeds Banned in India?

Among‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ the major factors that have led to the prohibition of certain dog breeds is the increase in the number of cases of dog attacks that have been reported. In a large proportion of these cases, the dogs are allegedly big, powerful breeds that have strong guarding instincts and high prey drives. Even though dogs of these breeds are not necessarily aggressive, their physical strength and shortness of temper towards the threat make them able to cause serious injuries if they are handled in the wrong way. This is why the local governments have been prompted to question the appropriateness of such breeds in the average families ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌again.

A‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ major additional reason why so many dog breeds are heavily regulated is that their requirements are not compatible with India’s living conditions. A lot of such breeds were basically made for the purpose of protecting the flocks, working in the open fields, or living in the cold. While the majority of Indian homes are small apartments with hardly any open space, and it is hot most of the days of the year. If such dogs are not provided with the right environment and stimulation, they will very likely exhibit their stress-driven behaviors and hence, can become unpredictably ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌aggressive.

One‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ of the major factors leading to conversations about banning such dogs is the shortage of people capable of handling them properly. As these are strong, dominant, and muscular breeds, they have to be socialized from the very beginning and taken through well-organized training, and their owner has to be a confident handler. However, a lot of first-time pet owners decide to choose these breeds without knowing what kind of responsibility it is. Any dog, even a well-mannered one, if not trained and disciplined properly, could result in a behavioral problem, thus increasing the possibility of accidents. This difference in understanding has caused the local police to glance at more severe regulations for powerful ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌breeds.


Public‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ safety was essentially the major spoke behind the conception of breed bans. Cities, housing societies, and local authorities get the rants of aggressive pets or the unsafe handling of such pets. These incidents usually result in quarrels between neighbors and pet owners. To avoid such confrontations and lessen the problem of being held accountable, the officials intend to put in breed or other types of regulations that can be regarded as safer since those breeds are the ones that, if not properly supervised, may cause the most harm.


In‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ India, the prohibition of particular dog breeds is primarily due to the issues of safety, inappropriate living conditions, and the lack of experienced owners. It is no secret that there are no dangerous breeds; however, the responsibility of the owner, proper training, and general awareness are factors that determine the outcome. India would be a better place to live for dogs and dog lovers if there were no total bans but only more rigorous licensing, compulsory training, and improved public instruction for pet ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌owners.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I own a pit bull in India?No, pit bulls are effectively banned in India.
2. What to do if a dog attacks you?Remain calm and avoid direct eye contact, running, or yelling
3. What dog breed should I avoid?Spitz breeds like huskies and Akitas
4. What is the calmest dog breed?Saint Bernards