Top Ten Banned Dogs

The Japanese Tosa is also banned in the UK. It too was bred specifically for blood sports, but came from Asia. Japanese rules meant dogs weren't allowed to make any noise in the pit, so the Tosa is said to have been able to fight completely silently. The other two illegal breeds, the Dogo Argentino and Fila Braziliero, both came from South America.

These actions range from outright bans on the possession of pit bull-type dogs, to restrictions and conditions on pit bull ownership. They often establish a legal presumption that a pit bull-type dog is prima facie a legally "dangerous" or "vicious" dog.

The Presa Canario is banned from ownership, import and breeding in both Australia and New Zealand, as the authorities of these countries consider the breed to both have a natural propensity for aggression, and be large enough to inflict serious injury or even fatal wounds upon people.

The English Mastiff is a breed of extremely large dog (often known simply as the Mastiff) perhaps descended from the ancient Alaunt and Pugnaces Britanniae, with a significant input from the Alpine Mastiff in the 19th century.

The Fila Brasileiro is banned or restricted in a number of countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark, and others. In the United States, insurance companies may cancel your homeowner's policy. In this day and age, the legal liabilities of owning a giant breed that looks intimidating should be considered.

The Dogo Argentino is banned or has ownership restrictions in certain countries including Ukraine, Denmark, Iceland, Fiji, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the Cayman Islands. In the United Kingdom, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, it is illegal to own a Dogo Argentino without lawful authority.

The Czechoslovakian Wolfdog (Czech: Československý vlčák, Slovak: Československý vlčiak) is a relatively new dog breed that traces its original lineage to an experiment conducted in 1955 in Czechoslovakia.

The Boerboel, also known as the South African Mastiff, is a large, Molosser-type breed from South Africa bred for the purpose of guarding the homestead. These dogs were bred as working farm dogs and are one of the most powerful dog breeds.

Banned in Denmark, Singapore and various municipalities, the American Bulldog’s origins are in the deep south, where it was used as a farm dog.

The term Bandog (also known as Bandogge) is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages in England. Johannes Caius published a book in Latin in 1570, translated into English in 1576 by Abraham Fleming under the title, Of Englishe Dogges, in which he described the Bandog as a vast, stubborn, eager dog of heavy body.