Which dog breeds are most likely to bite someone?

Question

Not that I don't appreciate your oppinion but I need statistics from somewhere. If you have a link to any reports with numbers that would be amazing. Thanks!

Thank you to those of you who read the question and helped provide some form of statistics.

Bama you and the muscleboundfreak should converse. Neither of you have anything important to add, so why talk? Thanks for the answers anyway. You earned your two points.

Answer 1

A great source for your information would be the American Temperment Testing Society.

Their tests are THOROUGH and non biased. I think you'll be very surprised at the pass/fail rates of many breeds.

For instance, did you know that a Dalmatian is more likely to bite than a Pit Bull?

Did you know that Rottweilers scored better than Collies?

Check it out. They are an awesome resource! On their website you'll find scores for each breed (by alphabetical order) under "Breed Statistics".

Answer 2

Here's a study from 1979-1998 according to the website http://enhs.umn.edu/6120/bites/dogbitefatal.html
The stats came up weird so check out the website. These stats are for fatalities & pits had the highest fatality rate.


The number of dog bite fatalities has remained fairly constant over time in the United States. In the twenty-year period between 1979 and 1998, the number of fatal dog attacks ranged from 5 to 17 per year.8 In this period, severe dog bites resulted in at least 332 confirmed human deaths. Breed specific data was available for just 238 of these 332 cases, and revealed that 25 breeds of dogs were involved and that most dog bite fatality victims were children. Age specific data from 1997 and 1998, showed that 70% of fatal dog bite victims (19 out of 27) were children. One was less than 30 days, three were between 7 and 11 months, nine were between 1 and 4 years, and six were between 5 and 11 years. Of these 27 deaths, rottweilers accounted for 10, crossbred rottweilers accounted for 2, pit bulls accounted for 6, saint bernards accounted for 3, and a husky, great dane, doberman pinscher, a crossbred great dane, a crossbred doberman pinscher, and a mixed breed each accounted for a single death.8


Dog Bite Fatalities by Breed 1979-1998
Breed 1979-1980 1981-1982 1983-1984 1985-1986 1987-1988 1989-1990 1991-1992 1993-1994 1995-1996 1997-1998 Total
Purebred
Pit Bull 2 5 10 9 11 8 6 5 4 6 66
Rottweiler 0 0 1 1 3 1 3 10 10 10 39
German Shep. 2 1 4 1 1 4 2 0 2 0 17
Husky 2 1 2 2 0 2 2 1 2 1 15
Malamute 2 0 3 1 0 2 3 1 0 0 12
Doberman 0 1 0 2 2 2 1 0 0 1 9
Chow Chow 0 1 0 0 0 2 3 0 2 0 8
Great Dane 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 7
St. Bernard 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 7

Crossbred
Wolf X 0 1 1 2 1 4 1 2 2 0 14
Mixed 0 3 1 2 1 2 0 1 1 1 12
German Shep 0 2 0 2 2 2 9 1 1 1 11
Pit Bull 0 1 0 3 2 3 1 1 0 0 11
Husky 0 1 1 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 6
Rottweiler 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 6
Malamute 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 3
Chow Chow 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 3
Doberman 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 2
St. Bernard 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1
Great Dane 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Yearly Totals 10 20 26 24 22 34 24 25 26 27 242

Answer 3

I would just like to say that none of the statistics are accurate unless they are being taken from the ATTS (which tests dogs by breed - dogs proven to be specific breeds).
Most dog bite statistics are taken from police reports and the such. Most of the time, the people identifying the breed of dog involved in an attack is either the victim or a witness. It has been proven over and over again that most people do not know what most breeds look like.

I have been involved with American Pit Bull Terriers for 30 years, breeding for 15. I have visited a countless number of kennels specializing in APBTs all over the USA and have never had a single APBT ever show even the slightest sign of aggression. - From someone with experience in the breed, not some moron listening to the media and thinking the way they tell me too.

Answer 4

A dog's breed does not determine whether it will bite or not - the training it receives in the household will.

The statistics that you will see on any website or in print will list breeds of dogs that have the most instances, but that has NOTHING to do with an innate "biting gene".

The breed does have a little do to with the statistic, however. There are some breeds that are more independent than others, and are harder to train. This doesn't mean they are "bad dogs", it just means that you have to ensure that you set yourself up as the alpha dog in the household and curb any inappropriate behavior at once. (*Some of the breeds, for some reason, also attract very negligent people, which drives up the statistic)

Of course, this is true for ANY breed of dog - even cute little "pocket pooches" - proper training is the key.

If you're looking to get your first dog, fully research the breed to see if it is a difficult breed to train. Usually the herding dogs are the easiest, because they have a very strong "pack drive", which leads to them looking for an alpha.

Some of the stronger breeds are usually your non-sporting dogs, such as Chow-chows, Afghans, Boxers and English Bulldogs, as well as the dogs that were bred to track game far from their master's vocal and sight range (cocker spaniels, hounds of any type, etc.).

Herding dogs are typically easier to train, as mentioned above, but also usually need a good amount of physical activity to keep them from being destructive.

Before you choose a dog, check out any basic dog breed book. The good ones will list the breeds, their AKC (or general) measurements, as well as temperament and special needs.

If you do decide that you like one of the "difficult" breeds, check out a book titled "So Your Dog's Not Lassie". It specializes in difficult breeds and how best to train them, and some pitfalls and tips for these breeds.

Just keep in mind that ANY DOG CAN AND WILL BITE IF NOT PROPERLY TRAINED and not secure that their "alpha" (YOU) will take care of any scary / threatening situation that may present itself.

Answer 5

I don't have a any links but from over 22 years experience w/animals the number one dog to bite/attack is a CHOW CHOW. (My friend works for the electric company and they just had a training course when going out on calls about dogs.)

My mom had a Doberman and he only liked her & even bit family members. I got attacked by a German Shepard when I was 11. My sister had to get rid of her Dalmation b/c of aggressiveness. Last there are your Akitas, Malamutes, Pits, & Rotties but I have never known any to bite for any unknown reason other then protection of their family.

I've seen vicious & nice: St. Bernards, Boston Terriers, Chihuauas, Huskies, Samoyeds, Cockers, and Springer Spaniels. (To be on the safe side, definately stay away from the Spaniel breed.)

My mom has a Peke, grandma a Pom and neither have ever even nipped anybody. Great choices for a small dog :)

Answer 6

Any dog can bite. Small dogs tend to bite but because they don't do any real damage no one seams to complain about it. Large dogs that tend to be aggressive and too protective are Pit-bulls, Rottweiler, Golden Retrievers and Akita's. You need to research the type of dogs that you find attractive and see if you can live with the traits that are innate to the breed. We love and have Husky's and Malamutes (huge and playful), my Aunt has Great Danes (huge and lumps on a log) My sister in law got rid of her Border Collie (requires so much exercise that you can't even leave the house without a guarantee of destruction), Yorkshire Terriers (practically impossible to train because they can't distinguish between carpet/furniture and grass)

Please do your research before seeing any pup in real life. The greatest tragedy to an animal is to bond with a family and then be dumped because your lifestyles don't mesh.

Good luck!

Answer 7

Cocker spaniels are the #1 biters in America. I heard that statistic on the radio. I believe it was followed by German Sheps (did not disclose whether this included bites from K-9 units) and Labs.

Note that these are all "family-friendly" breeds and not the labeled "aggressive" breeds.

It just goes to show that ANY dog can bite...

Answer 8

Any untrained dog has the potential to bite.

The only reason bites from a large breed are so publicized, is because yes, they are larger dogs and can do more damage.

My son will not go near a dachsund, yet has been raised around dobermans all his life. And he has no problem approaching or being approached by a medium or large breed dog!

Answer 9

Here's a look at the various dog breeds that are considered potentially aggressive.

Chow Chows are one-person dogs that tend to bite without any warning. They are also a bit ferocious around strangers, and can be quite a tenacious fighter. So make sure to discipline this dog and set right from wrong, immediately.
The Papillon is fiercely loyal of their owners - to a fault. They can be quite possessive and standoffish to strangers.
Old English Sheepdogs are very protective of their owners so they might be aggressive if anybody tends to be too close to its owners.
A Llasa Apso often gets cranky around kids.
Rottweilers are extremely protective of their masters.
Chihuahuas aren't too fond of kids. They'd rather be with adults than play around with tots.
Toy Poodles bite people and other animals out of self defense. Unfortunately, 'playing' according to you may be perceived as a form of 'attack' to them.
Dachshunds aren't known for their patience.
Jack Russell Terriers are feisty creatures who require early training to prevent long-term biting and digging problems.
Giant Schnauzers are very dominant. They often challenge adults, particularly strangers.
Cocker Spaniels often suffer from a dangerous genetic disease known as "rage syndrome." This syndrome causes spontaneous violent action against not strangers, but actual family members. Many Spaniels have been put down because of this unwanted behavior. Check with the breeder to ensure your Spaniel is free from this dangerous dog disease.
The Pekingese isn't all that tolerant of strangers.
Miniature Pinschers usually have aggression issues because they've got this "big dog-little body" mind set going on.

Here's a rundown of breeds that are typically gentle but can't shake off their "bad dog" image.

Boxers are pretty good with kids. They are good watchdogs, but will only become aggressive
Bulldogs are very playful and gentle.
Great Danes, while considerable in size, happen to be kind and affectionate.
Mastiffs are especially quiet and docile.
German Shepherds are great with kids too. These are courageous, fiercely loyal dogs who, if trained properly, will be extremely gentle to family and guests.
Rottweilers are also capable of tenderness and affection. They have a bad rep, but if they trust you, you'll never have to worry.

Answer 10

The best statistics are from the US Center for Disease Control. They did one study on fatal dog bites and another on non-fatal bites. Here's a link that should help.