Dog Bites, does the size of the dog matter?

My neighbour has the tiniest Yorkie you have ever seen, can't be more than a couple of pounds. Now she is an adorable little thing to the people she knows but has in the past attacked people and children viciously. Now there is no chance of her ever damaging the skin, she has no strength in her jaws. Now I love this wee thing but she has recently attacked a few people, including a young child, jumping, snarling and biting the child (she has a real jealousy problem). If this had been a bigger dog acting like this the child would have been seriously injured. Now what do people think about this and where does the law stand on dogs that bite but don't injure. She does terrify the life out of some people though.

The law would consider any dog that threatens and causes distress the same, and she could be seized. Remember the 14 year old toy with no teeth that barked at someone and when the police arrived to take the dog the owner had a heart attack.

Well having had a bad tempered Chihuahua we knew what she was capable of so she never ever had access to children and only was allowed to meet people if they were aware of her temper and could move fast enough to get out of her way. I would never have been able to keep her if she had been a large dog as she would have been too dangerous. And I know people will say train her but she was according to our local trainer untrainable ! She was an absolute angel with my hubby and I and our immediate family.

Reminds me of when I asked the vet to muzzle my dog, he said, he is just frightened, I said, the bite will hurt you just as much as if he was aggressive, he fetched a muzzle and I and the dog relaxed. IMO there should never be an occasion when a dog attacks a person, the fact that you know it may and do nothing about it does not make the dog any less of a threat, nor does the fact that the dog is tiny.

this has jus made me think, can anyone categorise dog breeds into how strong the bites can be?

Thanks for clarifying the situation. I have been really concerned recently as the owner has recently lost her husband and is housebound, so this little dog is all she has for company and I would hate for her to lose her. I walk the wee dog at night and always keep her on the lead just incase. Most people around here know and are fond of the dog but she is unpredictable and I can't really see a pattern to the attacks.

the only dog i have ever been bit by was a jack russel and it flipping hurt. i would be scared of my kids being around any dog that was aggressive whatever its size

I have never come across a big dog that was in any way vicious, but I know alot of little dogs that Im terrified of even tho they cant reach past my ankles. I think its because they know they are small so they act aggresively to make up for it!

Think as far as the law is concerned it has nothing to do with the size of the dog nor the severity of the bite, it is the distress caused to the person on the receiving end that counts. You or I may take a nip from a toy dog and just go fetch the band aid but others will find even a bark directed at them as a very scary threat.

WiggilyStump I have that theory too ,its the same with some horses too the huge ones are often gentle giants but the little ones like shetland ponies can be little buggers