In general, rabbits are known to be gentle creatures and kind, if wary, pets. If you’ve ever seen a rabbit who feels threatened, you may know that their sharp teeth can cause extensive damage.
If you’re thinking of buying or adopting a rabbit as a pet, you may be wondering which breeds are most likely to be aggressive. While aggression in rabbits is often a behavioral problem more than genetic, some breeds are predisposed to more aggressive tendencies in response to danger.
Below, we’ll examine the five most aggressive breeds.
The 5 Most Aggressive Rabbit Breeds
1. Belgian Hares

There’s something even in the stance of a Belgian Hare that shows they mean business. They were developed from wild Belgian rabbits and still have their distant ancestors’ lithe bodies and powerful feet. Some breeders say it’s the insistent presence of these wild genes that lends Belgian Hares one of two personality traits, making them either fighters or runners (but rarely both).
2. Checkered Giants

As one of a very limited selection of full arch breeds in North America, the Checkered Giant has a similar shape and disposition as the Belgian Hare listed above. Though their larger size (up to 16 pounds) might otherwise lend them a more mellow temperament, some Checkered Giants just seem to have a mischievous streak. They can get aggressive if they feel threatened.
3. Lionheads

As with many smaller rabbits, the under-4-pound Lionhead has been known to get confrontational when feeling ill at ease. Though generally mild-mannered, Lionheads settle arguments with physical aggression rather than demurring to other animals.
4. Holland Lops

Often described as being like a bulldog in shape, the Holland Lop can be temperamental. Don’t let their petite size fool you; when irritated, they often bully their way through whatever happens to lie in front of them. Thankfully, their miniature stature often keeps them from being able to do any actual harm to much of anything besides an unfortunately placed electrical cable.
5. Netherland Dwarfs

In some situations, a fearless, courageous attitude for the Netherland Dwarf can just as quickly become hostile and mettlesome given the wrong set of circumstances. They have a reputation for spunky behavior like this, which some rabbit owners find endearing, as they also have almost no ability at all to back it up with their sub-3-pound bodies.
What Causes Aggression in Rabbits?

While each of the breeds we’ve listed above may be more predisposed to physically aggressive behavior than other more docile breeds, rabbit behavior is highly trainable. Often, aggression can be a sign of something else going on with your rabbit, such as:
- Not being spayed or neutered. Aside from the benefits to your rabbit’s lifespan, spaying or neutering them will also reduce aggressive impulses.
- Being in pain. If they’ve recently suffered a minor injury, your rabbit will be more likely to respond even to kind gestures with aggression to protect themselves.
- Spring hormones. Spring is the natural breeding time for rabbits, and an excess of hormones can cause them to act more aggressively than usual.
Use a soft, quiet voice and slow, gentle movements to build trust. No matter the cause of your rabbit’s aggression, taking slow and gentle steps towards training that behavior out of them will almost always yield good results.
Final Thoughts
In general, rabbits make extremely kind, affectionate, and friendly pets. If you adopt a more high-spirited breed of rabbit, such as those listed in this article, be prepared to spend more time training their behaviors and exercising patience! Over time, they’ll come to know and trust you in a way that will diminish any aggression, leaving you with an energetic and loving friend.
Featured Image Credit: Ersen Yoldac, Shutterstock