25+ Important Dog Bite Statistics & Bites by Breed for 2024

11. 46+ Breeds Associated with Fatal Attacks

Over 46 breeds are associated with fatal attacks since 2016, including Akita, Boxer, Chow Chow, Doberman Pinscher, German Shepherd, Giant Schnauzer, Husky, Labrador Retriever, Mastiff, Pitbull-Type, Rottweiler, and many other breeds and mixes. (10)

Top 10 Most Fatal Dog Breeds Table

Based on 2005-2017 data - data source

Which dog breeds are the most dangerous?

A common question when it comes to dog bites is:

Which breeds are the most dangerous?

The AVMA or American Veterinary Medical Association conducted an in-depth literature review to analyze existing studies on dog bites and serious injuries. Their findings indicate that there is no single breed that stands out as the most dangerous.

According to their review, studies indicate breed is not a dependable marker or predictor of dangerous behavior in dogs. Better and more reliable indicators include owner behavior, training, sex, neuter status, dog’s location (urban vs. rural), and even varying ownership trends over the passing of time or geographic location.

For example, they note that often pit bull-type dogs are reported in severe and fatal attacks. However, the reason is likely not related to the breed. Instead, it is likely because they are kept in certain high-risk neighborhoods and likely owned by individuals who may use them for dog fights or have involvement in criminal or violent acts.

Therefore, pit bulls with aggressive behavior are a reflection of their experiences.

Which dog breeds bite the most?

According to research published in February 2019 examining dog bite injuries to the face, dogs from 66-100 pounds with short, wide heads are most likely to bite. 

The study includes a review of literature from 1970 to the present day. Their research indicates that the top 6 breeds that are reported along with bite injuries are:

1. “Unknown”
2. Pit Bull
3. Mixed Breed
4. German Shepherd
5. Terrier
6. Rottweiler

It’s worth noting that these are based on reported biting. Often victims are less likely to report bites or attacks by smaller or medium-sized dogs because the damage isn’t as severe.

However, that doesn’t mean smaller breeds are less likely to bite.

So take care and watch out for signs of aggression regardless of the dog's breed!

In fact:

12. 75.5% of Dog Bite Fatalities Meet 4 of 7 Defined Criteria

According to an analysis of data from 2000-2015 by the National Canine Research Council, there are 7 controllable factors related to dog bite fatalities. In dog bite fatalities reported over the 15 year period, 75.5% were found to have 4 or more of the following criteria (11):

1. No other person around to intervene →  86.9%
2. The victim had no relationship with the dog → 83.7%
3. The dog was not neutered or spayed → 77.9%
4. The compromised physical ability of victim → 68.7%
5. The dog is kept as a resident dog rather than a family pet → 70.4%
6. Mismanagement of the dog → 39.3%
7. Owner’s abuse or neglect of dog → 20.6%

13. 70.4% of Dog Bite Fatalities Were Not Family Pets

Along with the National Canine Research Council's data study cited above, 70.4% of dog bite-related fatalities from 2000-2015 were not family pets. (11)

14. 243 Bites in Indianapolis by Police Dogs Alone

A national analysis of police dog bites from 2017-2019 found that Indianapolis police dogs have a higher incidence of biting.

Of the 243 bites, IndyStar reported that 159 were unarmed or non-violent, while 84 were likely armed and considered violent.

For comparison, there are about 28.3 bites for each 100,000 city residents in Indianapolis, while in Los Angeles, there are about 5.3 police dog attacks for every 100,000 residents. (12)

15. 5,803 USPS Employees Attacked in 2019

Every year the USPS releases a report detailing the number of attacks reported by their letter carriers.

The good news is the numbers have consistently fallen in the past two years, meaning that dog safety precautions are increasing.

The report includes the top 20 cities with the most attacks. Number one is Houston, TX, with 85 annual mail carrier attacks. In the second place, Los Angeles with 74 annual attacks in 2019.

16. 66% of Fatal Dog Bite Deaths Caused by Pit Bulls

Dogsbite.org conducted a review of total deaths caused by dogs in the last 15 years. From their data collection, they found 346 of 521 deaths were from pit bull attacks.

Rottweilers made up 10%, followed by German Shepherds, mixed-breed, American Bulldog, Mastiffs, and Huskies.

It’s worth noting, fatal attacks only represent a small portion of dog injuries to humans. (13)

17. 87.4% of Pit Bulls Pass the American Temperament Test

According to the American Temperament Tests Society, many of the top breeds often thought of as dangerous often consistently perform well in their testing. Even those considered dangerous or aggressive by most people often perform incredibly well.

The Temperament Test observes and measures temperament indicators such as stability, friendliness, protectiveness, shyness, and aggressiveness.

87.4% of the 931 American Pit Bull Terriers that tested passed the test. Their results are similar to Collies (80.8% of 896 dogs), German Shepherds (85.3% of 3383), and even higher than Golden Retrievers (85.6% of 813). (14)

According to the current testing data available, the lowest scoring breed is the Bearded Collie with a 56.9% passing rate. It’s worth noting that only 51 Bearded Collies have taken the test.

18. Dog Bites cause 26% of Animal-Related Injuries

According to data taken from a 5-year period of 6,457,534 emergency department visits caused by animal-related injuries, 26% were caused by dog bites. This study looked at data from the US population.

Dog bites were second only to bites from non-venomous arthropods (41%). (15)

19. 50 States Prohibit Organized Dog Fighting

In all 50 US states, organized dogfighting is considered a felony, and even being a spectator at a dogfight is illegal.

Dogfighting is a violent and very lucrative underground market. It is a sad life for a dog. Dogs are raised isolated and chained. Their ears are often cropped, and tails cut off. If you suspect that someone is illegally raising dogs for dog fighting purposes, it’s important to report this type of activity.

The reality is that even though dogfighting is illegal in most countries around the world, there is still a dogfighting culture that thrives. Animal cruelty is exactly what leads to aggressive dogs and even human fatalities.

20. 1960 - Risk of Dogs Carrying Rabies Dramatically Decreases

The CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report collected rabies reports from an 81 year period: 1938-2018.

Their work uncovered that while rabies posed a great risk for the US population for many years, after 1960, this risk dramatically decreased.

Thanks to rabies vaccinations, the threat of rabies infections in humans from dogs (in the US) has all but vanished.

At present, the threat of rabies as a cause of death, particularly human death, is primarily from rabid bats or dogs imported from countries with a high risk for rabies. (16)

21. 20,000 to 40,000 Years of Domestic Dogs

In July 2019, Stony Brook University published a study providing insight into the origin of our modern dogs.

Their work revealed the DNA results of prehistoric dogs from Germany. The findings?

The ancestors of our modern dogs likely were gray wolves.

Scientists used the genomes of an ancient European dog, the oldest known remains. How old? 7,000 years old!

Their work “narrowed” the exact period of domestication to somewhere between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. (17)