10 Potentially Dangerous Dog Breeds to Be Aware Of
Every expert has his own list of the most dangerous breeds, of course. Our list reflects injury records, fatality reports, and conventional wisdom.
These are large dogs originally bred for hauling loads. From their ancestors, they retain a strong drive to pursue and capture prey. Sometimes this manifests as attacks against other pets; sometimes, attacks against children. Five deaths were attributed to Malamute attacks in the United States between 1966 and 1980.
These are compactly built dogs known for their strong protective instincts. Despite their small size, they can be ferocious; a historical analysis found them in the top eight breeds responsible for dog bite-related fatalities.
Dalmatians originated as war dogs and hunting animals. Today, they have a reputation as loyal and friendly companions to their human owners, but as wary or even short-tempered with strangers. Add in the fact that the Dalmatian is a large breed, and that becomes a recipe for fearsome attacks.
The Doberman was originally bred to be a personal protection dog; traits such as independence, intelligence, and aggressive behavior were encouraged and reinforced. Although breeders have tried to tone down the aggression in recent decades, today’s Doberman will often react to strangers with hostility.
Also known as the Alsatian, this is the second-most popular breed of dog in the United States. Poor training or poor socialization can make them prone to attack humans and smaller dogs, and their considerable jaw strength can exert over 300 pounds of biting force.
Despite the name, this breed originated in Germany from boarhounds and other large hunting dogs. It is distinguished by its size—up to 200 pounds!—and strength. Its reputation is for gentleness and low aggression. However, the breed is so powerfully built that attacks by poorly socialized Great Danes often result in horrible injuries.
Probably the most notorious breed on this list, the pit bull has a reputation for unpredictability and aggression, even against its owner or his family. State and local governments have been vigorous in restricting ownership of this dog with breed-specific legislation. They were originally bred as fighting dogs, and the breed is still known for strength, aggression, and persistence in attacking. Pit bulls are responsible for most fatal dog attacks on adults aged 21 to 54.
Rottweilers were bred to have strong herding and guarding instincts and unusual strength. The breed is known for taking aggressive action when a Rottweiler believes its owner or his family is threatened or when there is an intrusion on its territory. Rottweilers are the second-place breed for causing dog attacks in the United States.
A relative of the Spitz, the Husky is known for its athletic temperament. It retains an instinct for being part of a pack, and owners find it a hard breed to train. Huskies often destroy property and escape from enclosures. Their predatory, unruly natures may cause them to attack other pets or even small children.
The idea of deliberately crossbreeding wolves with dogs was an unfortunate one. The behavior of these animals is often unpredictable. While some breeders report that hybrids tend to be timid around people, others say that the animals usually retain the predatory instincts of the wolf. Wolf hybrids were responsible for 19 deaths between 1982 and 2014. The Humane Society of the United States considers wolf-dog hybrids to be wild animals. There is also no assurance that the standard canine rabies vaccination will be effective on a wolf hybrid.
Of course, any animal can attack a human; dog bites are not limited to these dangerous breeds. A dog from a normally friendly breed can maul your infant daughter or bite your leg if it’s been mistreated, is poorly socialized, or is just out-of-sorts on a particular day.
If you, a friend, or a member of your family has been injured in a dog attack, we invite you to learn more about how you can respond by reading our free book, Dog Bite Report: The Hidden Facts. Then, if you’re interested in pursuing a fair recovery for your losses, call us at 1-800-253-5537 for a free, confidential discussion of your legal options. There is no reason you should suffer in silence for the injury an animal inflicted on you.
In this article, we are going to take an in-depth look at what dog bites the most and what causes them to viscously attack people. If you’re looking for statistics on dog bites and attacks, then you’ve come to the right place.
Continue reading for all of the information that you need when it comes to figuring out which dog breeds are more likely to bite or attack you.
Every year approximately 4.5 million find themselves bitten by a dog, whether it is their own pet or someone else’s. Dogs are humans best friends, but there are times when our own best friends may become aggressive and attack us without warning.
Top 10 Dangerous Dog Breeds | most likely to turn on their owners
What Caused 2 Pit Bulls to Kill Their Owner?
Over the years, studies into fatal interactions between canines and humans have proven fiercely controversial, given the myriad of circumstances behind different attacks. In the mid-1990s, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a broad analysis of dog breeds involved in fatal attacks in the United States between 1979 and 1996. Over that period, the Pit Bull was identified as the breed/type of dog involved in 60 incidents, ahead of the Rottweiler in 29 and the German Shepherd in 19.
These days, dog attacks still regularly make news headlines and according to more recent research conducted by a national victims group dedicated to increasing awareness of the problem, the breeds responsible have not changed too much. DogsBite.orgs 13-year fatality report identified breeds of dogs involved in U.S. attacks between 2005 and 2017, as well as victim age groups, the number of dogs involved and whether the incidents resulted in any criminal charges.
The following infographic shows that the Pit Bull is still responsible for the most fatal attacks in the U.S. by far, killing 284 people over that 13-year period – 66 percent of total fatalities. Thats despite the breed accounting for just 6.5% of the total U.S. dog population. There is evidence to suggest that owners of vicious dogs are far more likely to have criminal convictions for violent crimes which may go some way towards explaining the Pit Bull’s disproportionate rate of fatal attacks. The Rottweiler came second with 45 fatal attacks recorded while the German Shepherd was third with 20. Even some breeds that are not associated with aggression, such as the Labrador Retriever, also make the top-10 list with 9 fatal attacks documented.
Due to increasing medical costs and higher settlements due to dog attacks, the average cost per claim has risen 90 percent between 2003 and 2017. According to DogsBite.org, injuries caused by canines accounted for more than a third of all homeowners liability claim dollars paid out last year, costing almost $700 million. Fatalities aside, 28,000 people had reconstructive surgery after being attacked by dogs in the U.S. in 2015 with canine-related hospitalization stays increasing 86 percent between 1993 and 2008. On average, the cost of a dog bite-related hospital stay is $18,200.