Posted on Dog Bite Law Blog / Blog / Most Dangerous Dog Breeds

Most Dangerous Breeds List

Dogs Most Likely to Be Involved in Attacks Against Humans

Not every canine receives specialized breeding as an attack or guard dog. While historically, some dogs were bred for particular hunting, protective, or herding characteristics, other working dogs received selective breeding for aggression and resilience, like Pitbulls. However, all domesticated dogs are the ancestral descendants of wolves and prone to attack in the right triggering circumstances.

Also, when a man’s best friend faces a new environment, each dog, regardless of breed, reacts differently. Furthermore, being around children or strangers always carries a particular risk. Most dog bite attacks happen to children. Understanding more about each breed and the likelihood of attack reduces the chances of such an incident.

Besides, it is a valuable resource when deciding which breed to get for your family, especially around infants. Below we list some of the dog breeds most likely to become involved in biting incidents, based on nationwide statistics.

Breed Types and Incidence of Attacks

These dubious statistics are based on a 20-year study by the Centers for Disease Control on the breeds they consider most likely to attack. Of course, the debate will go on forever, if it’s the breed or the owner that makes dogs attack. The CDC’s fluked study fails to explain their statistical numbers come from limited figures.

For example, CDC numbers fail to consider that far more people buy these dogs, so naturally, these dogs are involved in more attacks. Nor does the study show number and type of dogs licensed in each study location. In contrast, we have produced highly detailed records of San Bernardino County dog bites, city by city. We were able to do so using official public records requests.

We discovered that more people license and own German Shepards, Rotties, etc., than poodles or tiny dogs in many cases. And we also saw that when provoked, smaller dogs like Chihuahuas bite in the same scenarios a larger canine would.

Also, nationwide, the CDC studies diseases, namely rabies. Since dogs can have rabies, the CDC study intends not to determine the most dangerous dog breeds. Instead, it merely listed dog breeds, hospitalizations, and quarantines for rabies control nationwide.

The CDC study did not include dog ownership records for the areas studied, so there is no way of knowing the per capita instances a particular dog breed would be likely to attack when compared with a more assumedly docile creature.

So take it with a grain of salt. Consequently, the CDC study would be no different than saying an AR15 sporting rifle is the most dangerous centerfire rifle. After all, it’s the most common configuration of rifle used by police and civilians. Since it’s the most commonly used rifle in the U.S., use in more shootings just based upon ownership math would follow.

But we could do this all day. You could say that Honda’s are more dangerous than Mercedes because they are in more car accidents. But a Mercedes Benz costs far more than a small Japanese compact, so there are more Honda’s roaming the roadways. In other words, they will be in far more car crashes based upon sheer numbers. Get it? We can play with statistics and figures to make them say what we want.

Because of the defense insurance company and other propaganda, many people now associate dog bites with breed type. Some breeds are allegedly statistically more violent than others, while we assume some others to be virtually harmless. But several studies and surveys exist on this topic. And many ciphers have attempted to find a connection between the extreme nature of some dogs and their breeds.

But use common sense when choosing what and who to believe. Most of all, censors and human statisticians are not always valid methods to achieve figures. Often it could just be a fluke.

So below are the most commonly owned dogs, and thus considered by many to be the most dangerous breeds, as follows:

Pit Bulls
Rottweilers
Akitas
Siberian Huskies
Mastiffs
Perro de Presa Canarios
Great Danes
Alaska Malamutes
American Staffordshire Terriers
German Shepherds
Doberman Pinschers
Chow Chows
Boxers

Also, the American Veterinary Medical Association did a survey and completed a study on this matter.

Following are the dogs’ breeds that AVMA has found out to be more frequent biters (See also.)

Rottweiler
Doberman Pinscher
Pit Bull
German Shepherd
Spaniel
Labrador Retriever
Jack Russel Terrier
Chow
Collie
Saint Bernard.

Additionally, studies conducted by AVMA and the CDC went on for nearly two decades. According to the results, Rottweilers and pit bulls are the dogs most prone to biting. More than 50% of dog bites involved similar dog breeds. The results of both studies were quite similar, apparently relied upon some of the same study materials.

However, the AVMA did not recommend labeling dogs as biters based on their breeds. Aggression in all types of animals is associated with many factors. So a dog’s attack is not necessarily due to its strain.

Combination of Breed and Circumstances

Dogs come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Breeds, too. And, of course, temperaments. Family members and protectors value dogs. They are also a point of pride for owners. However, dogs are involved in attacks on people every day.

Some are so severe as to cause severe injury or even death. Not every case is the same, of course. Furthermore, factors involving the dog itself and its upbringing are essential as well. We delve into significant causes of dog attacks, including ID-ing aggression and the potential for attack avoidance.

Physical Issues that Can Cause Attacks

Hypothyroidism is commonly caused by issues with the dog’s thyroid gland, common in dogs, affecting between 4-10 canines.
Hydrocephalus, also called water on the brain, happens when too much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) accumulates in your skull, causing stress on brain tissue.
Neurological Issues can result from hereditary issues or after illness or injury, causing similar traumatic brain injuries in humans, including aggression or reckless behavior.
Encephalitis. Either bacteria or viruses can cause this infection.
Cancer. Brain tumors can press upon other parts of the brain, affecting both motor function and behavior.

Behavioral Causes of Aggression

Asserting Dominance is instinctive and very common between dogs or people due to their pack mentality, especially when children remain close.
Asserting Territory. Dogs often protect their household or young. The dog sees this as a protective action against other people, dogs, or animals.
Pain. Injured or sick animals often lash out more than healthy ones.
Predation includes the dog’s so-called hunting instinct to kill small animals or children.
Fear sensory stimuli cause dogs to react by bite, feeling threatened.
Misdirected aggression attacks may happen when an owner restrains their dog from attacking another target, causing the dog to turn on its owner.

If a dog attacked you or a loved one, make sure to contact a medical professional immediately. Follow this with legal assistance. The Ehline Law Firm, California injury lawyers are here to help anytime, anyplace. Call or email us for more info. We will meet with you anywhere, and we offer a free, no-pressure consultation.

Elsewhere on the site, we dissect the causes for each breed’s characteristics. Our Los Angeles headquartered injury attorneys will expand on the stats behind each breed’s attacks and fatalities. Just because a race of animals has a poor reputation does not automatically make it more dangerous and worthy of banishment. Remember, a dog, like a firearm, should always be treated as if it is loaded. Proper canine training saves lives. Ultimately, you have to decide if the CDC and other study numbers are proof or a fluke.