# Killer Pugs vs. Killer Labs **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 24, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175 "2008-11-24T01:56:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f14d63/32.png) [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesus_Harold_Christ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/1 "2008-11-24T01:56:28Z")
Are there any documented cases of a pug killing a person? How about a labrador retriever killing a person? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/2 "2008-11-24T02:06:42Z")
[When Labs go bad.](http://www.wkrg.com/national/article/puppy_kills_infant/16358/) Dunno about pugs - I’d think the biggest risk would be one climbing on your chest while you’re sleeping and sucking out your breath (like a cat)\*, but no doubt someone will Google up instances of small dogs killing people. \*yeah, I know this is folklore. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/3 "2008-11-24T02:08:44Z")
> [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](#): > > Are there any documented cases of a pug killing a person? How about a labrador retriever killing a person? One death by purebred lab ( several by lab mixes ), three by purebred goldens between 1979-1998. This from a cite in the Pitbull thread that is currently on the frontpage of GQ. [PDF](http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/duip/dogbreeds.pdf). No pugs listed and I’d regard them as being ( like most toy-sized dogs ) as being a long shot to carry it off physically. Not impossible ( especially with a baby ), but pretty unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/4 "2008-11-24T02:10:35Z")
Pugs could overcome an adult with their flatulence, but I am not aware of any deaths resulting from this. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/5 "2008-11-24T02:23:24Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Pugs could overcome an adult with their flatulence, but I am not aware of any deaths resulting from this. They are a very high risk to sound sleeping snorers like me. They will climb on your chest and drool in your mouth until you drown. They can also pretend to sneeze and shoot eyeballs at your head. Never underestimate them. They are good at it and that is why you never see any stats on them. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/6 "2008-11-24T02:25:49Z")
Excuse me, those numbers for the Goldens were for 1975-1980 ( one lab in that period as well ). Also chalk up one for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever in '79-'98 and also one “retriever-type.” Apropos of nothing much, if placed in a room with four strange, similar-sized representatives of Golden, Chesapeake, Labrador and Flat-Coated Retrievers, I’d be most wary of being bitten by the Golden. IME they have a slightly greater propensity towards shy-sharpness and snappishness than the others. However I’d be most afraid of serious bodily harm from an enraged Chesapeake ( and I used to own one ). ---
**Author:** ![Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f14d63/32.png) [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesus_Harold_Christ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/7 "2008-11-24T02:32:30Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > Excuse me, those numbers for the Goldens were for 1975-1980 ( one lab in that period as well ). Also chalk up one for a Chesapeake Bay Retriever in '79-'98 and also one “retriever-type.” > > Apropos of nothing much, if placed in a room with four strange, similar-sized representatives of Golden, Chesapeake, Labrador and Flat-Coated Retrievers, I’d be most wary of being bitten by the Golden. IME they have a slightly greater propensity towards shy-sharpness and snappishness than the others. > > However I’d be most afraid of serious bodily harm from an enraged Chesapeake ( and I used to own one ). And if you added a pug to the room? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/8 "2008-11-24T02:40:22Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > They are a very high risk to sound sleeping snorers like me. They will climb on your chest and drool in your mouth until you drown. That’s disgusting. \ ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/9 "2008-11-24T02:47:55Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > That’s disgusting. \ It’s okay. I am convinced they are not dogs at all, but a breed of small swine with a good press agent. ---
**Author:** ![Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f14d63/32.png) [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jesus_Harold_Christ)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/10 "2008-11-24T02:58:11Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > It’s okay. I am convinced they are not dogs at all, but a breed of small swine with a good press agent. Do you have one? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/11 "2008-11-24T03:01:24Z")
I supposed someone could have tripped over one of the many tennis balls our lab used to leave everywhere. I had no idea where she got them either. The nearest tennis courts were like 5 miles away. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/12 "2008-11-24T03:19:29Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I had no idea where she got them either. The nearest tennis courts were like 5 miles away. They order them online while you’re out of the house, then intercept the mailman as he delivers the package. ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/13 "2008-11-24T12:26:30Z")
> [@Jesus\_Harold\_Christ](#): > > Do you have one? Not at this time. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/14 "2008-11-24T14:10:53Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > I supposed someone could have tripped over one of the many tennis balls our lab used to leave everywhere. > > I had no idea where she got them either. The nearest tennis courts were like 5 miles away. Any new stories of mysteriously disappearing tennis players? ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/15 "2008-11-24T14:31:39Z")
The most likely method for “death by pug” would probably be hair asphyxiation. Pugs shed a TON, so I wouldn’t be surprised to find that someone somewhere had choked to death on all the hair. (seriously, we could build a whole new pug out of the hair ours drops ever two weeks) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/killer-pugs-vs-killer-labs/474175/16 "2008-11-24T20:03:03Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s okay. I am convinced they are not dogs at all, but a breed of small swine with a good press agent. By the same token, chihuahuas belong to the same species as rats and pigeons.