Statistics on Dog Breeds and Their Tendency to Bite![pit bull with harness]()
Did you know that hounds are less likely to be injured than working or sporting dog breeds? Also, puppies are more likely to be injured than adult dogs.
Other factors can influence the chance of a dog biting. For example, there are social trends towards training and keeping dangerous animals by inexperienced dog owners. Aggressive guard dogs are trained for self-protection.
Some people seek out specific breeds for protection, breeds with biting power or "biting instinct." It is true any dog can bite or has the potential to bite, but the following includes the top dog biting breeds:
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Pit bulls
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Rottweilers
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German shepherds
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Huskies
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Doberman pinschers
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Chow chows
Other problems influence the bite rate statistics. For example, the increase in population of large dogs has resulted in an increased severity of bites.
German shepherds were identified as the breed involved in 44% of all bite cases but accounted for only 22% of license registrations. Small purebred dogs accounted for less than 20% of bites but more than 40% of registrations. The pit bull terrier is a common cause of urban dog bite injuries in children. The major problem is that 94% of them are unprovoked. Sixty-seven percent of biting dogs are also freely roaming animals.
Any dog can and will bite in certain circumstances (like if they are in pain, hungry, or ill). The tendency for dogs to bite is the product of many factors beyond their control.
Some breeds have a genetic predisposition towards aggressiveness. There is less tendency to bite with early socialization with people, training, quality of care, and supervision. Factors that may increase the tendency to bite include maltreatment, behavior of the victim, and others. This would point to a human factor in aggressiveness in certain breeds. If you or a loved one has suffered a dog bite injury or fatality, get in touch with our San Diego dog bite attorney team today.
