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According to a study from the Center For Disease Control (CDC)1, approximately 4.7 million dog bites occur in the United States each year, and 800,000 of those bites result in medical care. The U.S. population is approximately 325.7 million people as of 2017. That means a dog bites 1 out of every 69 people.
These are scary statistics. But scary becomes a lot less so when you’re armed with the right information. From the top breeds to be wary of, to accounting for your own behavior around animals, to why dogs actually bite in the first place, we’re giving you an arsenal of information in this article so you can bite back in the dog bite debate.
Article Overview
Why Do Dogs Bite?
Before we start profiling dogs or analyzing your behavior around them, let’s talk about the question everyone should first be asking: why does a dog bite?
- Dogs bite as a reaction to a stressful situation.
- They may be scared or threatened.
- To protect themselves, their puppies, or their owners.
- They’re not feeling well or if they’re startled.
- They may nip or bite during play (which is why rough play should be avoided to ensure you don’t overly excite your animal).
Keep these triggers in mind anytime you’re around a canine. Your awareness of their mental state will help you recognize a potential bite situation more quickly.
Dog Bite Statistics
- Approximately 4.7 million dog bites1 occur each year
- Dogs that bite the most:2
- Chihuahua
- Bulldog
- Pit Bull
- German Shepherd
- Australian Shepherd
- Lhasa Apso
- Jack Russell Terrier
- Cocker Spaniel
- Bull Terrier
- Pekingese
- Papillion
- In 2017, there were an estimated 90 million dogs in the U.S.3
- 81% of dog bites4 cause no injury at all or only minor injuries that do not require medial attention
- Dog bites sustained by children have been decreasing in the past decade
- 30+ breeds of dogs and mixes are incorrectly identified as “pit bulls”* in dog bite incidents, attributing the pit bull with an unfair and overstated number of incidents (*pit bull is not technically a dog breed; breeds that are commonly referred to as pit bulls in the U.S. are American Staffordshire Terrier, American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and American Bully)
- You have a 1 in 112,400 chance5 of dying from a dog bite or strike
- You are at more risk of dying from:
- Cataclysmic storm: 1 in 66,335
- Contact with hornets, wasps and bees: 1 in 63,225
- Air and space transport incidents: 1 in 9,821
- Firearm discharge: 1 in 6,905
- Choking from inhalation and ingestion of food: 1 in 3,461
- Heart disease and cancer: 1 in 7
- You are at more risk of dying from:
- Most dog bites involve dogs who are not spayed or neutered6
- Fatal Dog Attacks7 states that 25% of fatal attacks were inflicted by chained dogs of many different breeds
- The insurance industry paid more than $530 million in dog bite related8 claims in 2014
- 6,244 U.S. Postal Service employees suffered from dog bites in 20179
Video: Dog Bite Statistics
The video below discusses more dog bite statistics.
What Breeds Have The Strongest Bite?
Below are the top 12 dogs with the strongest bite in terms of PSI (pound per square inch or pound-force per square inch), as reported by PetComments.com10. This list is not indicative of any specific animal and should only be viewed as a scientific study.
We certainly recognize that there are many well behaved and sweet dogs of these breeds, especially when paired with responsible owners.
- Kangal: 743 PSI
- English Mastiff: 556 PSI
- Wolfdog: 406 PSI
- Rottweiler: 328 PSI
- African Wild Dog: 317 PSI
- American Bull Dog: 305 PSI
- Doberman: 245 PSI
- German Shepherd: 238 PSI
- American Pitbull: 235 PSI
- Dutch Shepherd: 224 PSI
- Chow Chow: 220 PSI
- Malinois: 195 PSI
How To Protect Yourself Against The Risk Of Dog Bites
Dog liability insurance is a special policy that you can get to insure yourself in case you have what a landlord or other important person in your life might consider a “dangerous dog breed.” If you have one of these dogs, you most certainly know it as some people are probably a little scared of your pup. It is unlikely that they need to be, but better safe than sorry in case a situation ever were to arise where your dog bit someone.
Why? Because with liability insurance you would merely file a claim and it would cover the cost of the situation. In many cases, we have heard of dogs’ lives being saved by the ability to cover these sorts of incidents by proactively seeking insurance rather than reacting after a bad situation occurs. Better safe than sorry, right?
According to the Insurance Information Institute8, one-third of all homeowner’s insurance liability claims (in dollars) result from dog bites or dog-related injuries, and the average cost is more than $37,000.
If you are interested in protecting yourself with dog liability insurance, visit our partner at InsureMyCanine.com to learn more and get a free quote.
Decreasing Your Chances Of A Dog Bite Attack
While we’re not absolving the canine completely of its own responsibility in a dog-bite situation, there are always two sides to a story — even a bad one. When it comes to your side, there are more than two things that you can do to decrease your chances of an attack.
Things To Consider Before Getting A Dog
There are a few key things to consider before bringing a new dog into your home, especially if you already have other animals or children. Below are a few factors that, if considered, can help decrease your chances of an unwarranted attack before an animal ever walks through your front door.
- Dogs with a history of aggression are not appropriate for a home with children. Period.
- Before choosing a dog, research and consult with a professional (a trusted vet or dog trainer would be an excellent resource) to find the best breed for your needs.
- Proper socialization and training for your pup is key.
- Spend time with your prospective pet before adopting to ascertain aggressive tendencies.
- Spay or neuter your animal to reduce aggressive tendencies before bringing them home.
How To Prevent A Dog Bite
Just like people, there are always good pets that snap. Even though the dog never displayed any aggressive attitudes, even though you didn’t provoke him to attack, there are still those unaccountable instances that no one can explain or rationalize. However, more often than not, this isn’t the case.
That’s why, when dealing with any dog, you should maintain confident, but cautious body-language. Below are a few things you can do to make sure your attitude doesn’t trigger an attack.
- Don’t approach an unfamiliar animal.
- Do not run from a dog, panic or make loud noises.
- If an unfamiliar dog approaches you, remain motionless. Do not run or scream. Avoid direct eye contact.
- Don’t disturb a dog while they’re eating, sleeping, or taking care of their puppies.
- Allow a dog to sniff and smell you before you attempt to pet it. Afterward scratch the animal under the chin, not on the head.
- Report strays or dogs displaying strange behavior to your local animal control.
- If knocked over by a dog, roll into a ball and remain motionless. Be sure to cover your ears and neck with your hands and arms. Avoid eye contact and remain calm.
- Don’t encourage your dog to play aggressively.
Dog Bite Statistics Infographic
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Be Mindful Of “Breeds”, But Not Fearful
You’ve likely heard of the Pit Bull, touted as the type most responsible for dog bites. But you can dismantle much of your fear of them with our Pit Bull Facts article.
Unfortunately, claims against Pit Bulls account for the majority of reported fatal attacks in the United States (again, many of these are misreported due to a lack of understanding of dog breeds and types).
While there’s no denying that one should be more vigilant around a large dog than say, a Beagle, there’s also no denying that an animal is part product of its environment.
Remember that any dog can bite, no matter how well-trained it may be. Many popular family dogs have caused fatalities including Labradors and German Shepherds. So it is always a good idea to be a responsible dog owner and make sure pets are supervised at all times with others.
Finally, if you have a dog that’s prone to biting, consider a training collar or online training courses to help change their bad behavior.
Have you had an issue with dog bites before?
Sources: [1] Center For Disease Control: United States Dog-Bite-Related Fatalities, [2] Puppy Lover News, [3] Statista, [4] National Canine Research Council, [5] National Safety Council, [6] Humane Society, [7] Fatal Dog Attacks: The Stories Behind the Statistics (United States) by Karen Delise (Author), [8] Insurance Information Institute, [9] U.S. Postal Service Releases Annual Dog Attack City Rankings, [10] PetComments.com.
As an adult, I’ve owned two shepherd mixes, one pure bred german shepherd, a doxie/pit mix, and two malteese mixes. (All rescue dogs) I’ve never had a problem with them biting or trying to bite anyone. I’ve never put them in a stressful situation that would cause them to react poorly with people and they were well trained. That is a big part of it.
One day I was with my friend and we went to her family’s home. They invited me inside. I was standing just inside the door with them and something growled at me from under the couch. I asked what was that and they laughed, saying it was their Chihuahua. Sense they were not taking it seriously that their dog was growling at a guest and correcting its behavior, I said I was going to leave. They said, “no, no, it’s ok”. Then the dog ran out from underneath the couch, bit my ankle, and ran back under the couch. They thought that was acceptable behavior from their small dog, they were laughing. If it had been a large breed, would the still think it was funny? Probably not. It’s a double standard. I was furious and I left. The little dog drew blood with that bite and they didn’t care.
Most of the time, people are to blame with their actions and/or lack of training for dog bites.
I am constantly being asked if my pit bites, and my response is always the same… “She has teeth and she is a dog, she has never bitten anyone as of yet but she can.” I have respect for my dogs and what they can do and they in turn respect me and what I do for them.
Comparing a pit to other dogs simply because of their breed is no better than comparing a man of color to other men simply because of the color of his skin. There are good and bad in all walks of life.
Now if you want to talk about selective breeding, by all means, do so. But if you do, you should be really clear about the difference between a breed and specific lines.
The dogs that people call “pit bulls” are a far cry from a pure APBT as it’s the “backyard” breeders who are breeding unstable dogs that are simply more likely to bite. I’d guess if there are 100 “pit bulls” at a shelter, maybe 3-4 are the real deal and those are the ones much less likely to bite a human.
Also, remember an APBT male typically weighs as low as 35-60 lbs on the HIGH end and that’s not what you are seeing biting others is it? NO, I didn’t think so. So if you are going to blame a breed, at least have a basic understanding of the actual breed you are blaming.
There are simply too many breeds, and mixes thereof, that make up the pit bull type. Thus, the three breeds that are commonly considered pit bulls cannot logically have dog bite/fatality statistics applied to them since there are so many other breeds (approximately 30) that contribute to the recognized pit bull type.
This doesn’t negate the issue but does require that we recognize that a much larger number of dog breeds are responsible for these horrific bites/fatalities. It’s not primarily “pit bulls”.
Inferior “breed” that is referred to as pit. Fix them all and they won’t be able to kill our pets or children.
When one of my granddaughters was little, she was petting my mother’s Pekingese and when she stood up, Gizmo jumped up and bit her upper lip. I had to take her to ER for stitches and gave all dog info to the ER staff. An animal rescue friend of mine told me that the police and/or HS would contact me and maybe have him quarantined. Apparently the hospital never reported it because I never heard from anyone. But if I had said Gizmo was a Pit the police and HS would probably have beat me to my house. About 6 years later I ended up rehoming my mother’s Peke due to concerns of him taking advantage of my elderly mother. He had bitten her on the face – didn’t break the skin but caused bruising and swelling and would bite the caregivers and mother and even grazed the finger of a nurse when my mother was in a rehab facility and they told me to bring Gizmo to see her.
Our little dog Deeto is in our chest freezer waiting for burial in another place. We miss him terribly and so do the many people who have know him. He was 10 yrs. old.
We now have a Pit Bull, (and a Malti-Zhu, and a Cocker) and I raised him the same way… hand in the bowl. You CAN train a Pit how to have a soft bite, contrary to what Pit-haters think. He refuses to bite down if my fingers are anywhere near his mouth. As a matter of fact, I was being a goof and fed him a piece of chicken with a fork. (That’s because he thinks he’s human. LOL!) Anyway, the moment he sensed something ‘different’ in his mouth, he refused to take the chicken! I couldn’t believe it! He LOVES chicken! So I had to take it off the fork and hand it to him. But even then… he tested the waters to see if it was okay.
That ‘leave them alone while they’re eating’ thing should NOT be confused with proper training. (Strange dogs? Yes! Family pets? No.) You should have your hands in the bowl, in their mouths, touching them, interrupting them, taking the food away, but ALWAYS giving it back, and then leave them in peace. They need to learn that fingers aren’t food. I’ve had SO MANY dogs in my life! (I lived on a ranch for part of it), and have never had a problem. Until Coco.
These Pit-haters? They have NO IDEA what they’re talking about.
I rescued my Pit from a lifetime in a fighting ring. But the ONLY thing he fights now? Are his stuffed animals.
My Malti-Zhu, on the other hand, is a little monster. LOL! My Pit always just lays there, looking amazed. LOL!
If something like that happened to me while I was walking my Malti-Zhu, I would never be the same! I’m so sorry for your loss!
See, that, right there, is irresponsible ownership. Those Pits should’ve NEVER been allowed to do their deed on their own! All dogs require supervision… even if it’s just to be courteous and to pick up their poop! In all of my years, I’ve never allowed my indoor dogs to go out on their own. (My outdoor, ranch dogs were a different story. We lived on a MASSIVE amount of land, and they had a job to do. And we had no neighbors.)
Now, I live on seven acres, but STILL won’t let them walk, unsupervised.
A while back, I was walking my brother’s miniature Greyhound, when a hawk swooped down to try to get her. I saw this in time, and protected her. But if I wasn’t there? It scared the daylights out of me!
Another time, I was watering my garden… and came within a few yards of a black bear! (Thankfully, my dogs were inside. They think they’re bigger than they are!)
I have a Pittie. And not only is it my responsibility to have him on a leash and supervised (even though he’s a mush). I have to make sure that the people around me feel safe!
I also keep my Malti-Zhu and Cocker on a leash at all times while we’re walking.
They’re like my furry kids! (Not literally, of course.)
When my children were young (they’re adults now), I never let then go out, unsupervised. In this day and age, you never know what might be lurking out there.
The same goes with my ‘furry boys’. But different dangers. Hawks, bears, other dogs…
With the ‘big guys’, its courteous to those around you to keep them on a leash. It makes people feel more comfortable, because you can’t tell the temperament of a dog just by looking at them. (My Pit is 70 pounds and looks intimidating. But he’d rather curl up with a teddy bear and sleep.)
But not all Pits are like my Ozzy. ALL dogs are different! But whether they’re aggressive… or passive… it doesn’t matter. Those dogs should’ve been on a leash! They should’ve NEVER been free to do what they wanted.
That angers me!!!
And you should’ve been PERFECTLY SAFE walking your dog! I don’t know the laws where you live, but here? All dogs must be on a leash. And if they ARE the same for you? Than there REALLY was no excuse for those Pits to be out and about like that! ZERO!!!
My Jellybean, even though he only weighs about 7 pounds, thinks he’s a big guy, and tries to protect me from everything! Leaves, airplanes, the wind. Then he looks at me as if asking, “Are you proud of me? Did I do a good job?” And I always have to praise him and give him love.
I’d bet your little guy thought he was protecting you, too… showing you love! And even though that must’ve been the most traumatizing experience for you (I don’t know HOW you’re able to function… my heart goes out to you… TRULY!) these little guys are SO loving and loyal! I’d bet that, even though his little spirit is no longer here, he’s watching you, and he’s so happy you’re safe!
Oh… I mean I hope you weren’t hurt! My apologies if you were! And if you were, I hope you’re all healed up now.
The owners of those dogs did wrong by you! Yes, I love my Pittie. But I’m also a responsible dog owner. And even though my dog has a mushy temperament, I would’ve NEVER allowed him to be out there, unsupervised!
Just like THEY shouldn’t.
They really did wrong by you… AND your poor furbaby!
I’m so sorry!!! :’(
I would also be interested in the testing perimeters for the dog bite strength numbers-how was it done? How was it measured?
This is a very volatile topic, I do not believe any breed is “bad” but do believe genetics can and do contribute to behavior as well as bad breeding and training/upbringing-there are also exceptions-I have seen dogs horrible abused still loving towards human and those where everything was done “right” turn out very dangerous. Overbreeding, and irresponsible breeding, have created aggressive dogs in breeds not normally known for aggression. Add bad training and upbringing to the mix and there are bites and deaths as a result. We have to communicate not attack each other to try and better this situation.
“Dog bite statistics are not really statistics, and they do not give an accurate picture of dogs that bite. Invariably the numbers will show that dogs from popular large breeds are a problem. This should be expected, because big dogs can physically do more damage if they do bite, and any popular breed has more individuals that could bite. Dogs from small breeds also bite and are capable of causing severe injury. There are several reasons why it is not possible to calculate a bite rate for a breed or to compare rates between breeds.”
Source
Honestly, if a true study were conducted, using an equal number of dogs from each breed, the results would be different.
Quit trying come up with stupid stuff like “oh, Chihuahuas bite way more!” or “other dogs have a stronger bite!” Wow. And how many people have Chihuahuas killed? Gee that was a great comparison. And how many of those other dogs bite more than once, and once get a good hold lock down and shake to do maximum danger. Gee another great compassion.
So many of you are getting so angry right now without rational thought. Want to call me ignorant. And I’m not a pit bull hater. I am just not swayed by passion. Of course you can greatly help by conditioning a dog and good ownership. But a pit bull will turn and kill more than all other dogs in the US combined. All others combined! Are you really going to deny that? Really? Are you going to defend it with, “oh, everyone calls my mastiff a pit bull” or “my lab mix doesn’t fetch, so nah!” Really, everyone mistakes a mastiff for a pit bull… really, or maybe that has happened once or twice. Or because you had a lab mix that that wouldn’t fetch, that nulls the the fact that most deaths by mauling in the US are by pit bulls?? Even if you take out chained dogs?? Really??
Just say you like Pit Bulls. Just say that. Just say you like the breed and want to have one.
Guess what? A lot of horses kill people. I don’t know the numbers of horses to pit bulls IN THE US. Actually, the PERCENTAGE would be the honest tell. What has that got to do with trying to make up in your head that pit bulls even when raised well are more likely to kill than all other dogs in the US combined?? Don’t try to skew pit bull mauling by the population of the world.
Don’t just get angry because you like pit bulls and scream I’m ignorant. I’m just honest.
There have been 36 (thirty-six) cases of pit bull fatalities in the US so far this year (2017).
Two additional fatalities were caused by mastiff-mix dogs.
This number does not include people who were permanently disfigured and pets and livestock which were killed or seriously injured.
You (Pit Bull breeders and owners) have a very serious problem with your breed.
Why are the Pit Bull people NOT coming forward to research and make every effort possible to correct this very serious breed issue?
Secondly, any dog that has a short coat and a blocky head is called a “pit bull” by the media (which is where the CDC gets their info on dog breeds). Most of these dogs are NOT pit bulls and are be some sort of mixed breed of completely unknown origin (which may or may not include pit bull). Actually APBT breeders are breeding for human friendliness. So there’s nothing for them to “come forward” for or any need to research. The breed is MEANT to be human friendly. You can’t account for random bred mixed breeds (aka that “100 lb pit bull” that attacked someone when pit bulls aren’t nearly that big!).
As for DNA. How do you think the breeds that the foundation DNA samples (to which future samples would be compared) were identified? They were identified visually. But, DNA is unreliable for testing for breed and that is why it is not permitted in court in a lot of countries. As I have said before it is only after an attack or when BSL is being spoken about that pit bulls become so hard to identify. At any other time (when pits do something good, when they are receiving free spaying and neutering, etc) they are easy to identify and their breed is never ever questioned. Besides identifying them has never been so easy. You’ve got the TV shows fronted by Cesar Millan, Pit Bulls and Parolees, Pit Boss, DogTown, It’s Me or the Dog and a whole host of other shows that feature dogs which all demonstrate what pit bulls look like. People have also plastered thousands of pictures of their pit bulls all over social media and countless more pictures of them can be found with a search engine. So all this talk about them being so hard to identify is baloney. It’s just a myth conjured up by advocates.
With regards to DogsBite. I have had a look at that blog and there is nothing on there that actually debunks the site. Most of the organizations it cites make money (and lots of it) from pit bulls. Do you really think they would speak out against something that makes them money? However, there are many dog professionals that are in favor of BSL or at the very least restrictions placed on pits. The blog also states that it is possible to teach a TWO YEAR OLD to be cautious around dogs. Really? Yes I am all for teaching kids to be careful around dogs, but it is impossible for a two year old to fully comprehend the possible dangers, to read and interpret body language and to have full impulse control. I am sorry, but such a suggestion is absurd! It also brings up science. What science would that be? The scientific studies that are often supported and funded by pro pit organization like Animal Farm Foundation?
DogsBite doesn’t cherry pick anything either. The site reports non pit bull fatalities and when it comes to identifying the dogs involved the media will often confirm that with police reports, veterinary reports, hospital records and the very people who had the attacking dogs. If breed cannot be confirmed then the site will state as such.
And would you please provide the names of those people you know who were violently attacked by non pits so that I can research to see if they were actually reported or not. Thank you.
You are doing an injustice to truth. No one has legitimately “debunked” DogsBite. Anyone who has tried twists and spins everything. Shame on you.
By the way, the site also lists bites by other breeds. They are not “pit bull haters”. You, on the other hand, are a “pit bull nutter” – someone who denies the very existence of proof.
Dogs replicate there surroundings like everything in this world, influence and environment shapes personality please read the “chained” dog part
I bet you’d hate life if you were always restricted by 5kg of steel hanging from your neck.
I have 1 red nose x mastiff female and 1x mastiff x bull dog male and they are socialised daily with children at the local tennis complex and every week people’s opinions at developed in how beautiful “pit bulls” are as dogs.
The problem with all dog owners, is that they humanize their dog. When you stop treating your pet like an animal, and start treating it like it completely understands you, that’s when the problems start. I know what kind of dog I own, and I train it and treat it accordingly. Also, I always remind my kids about the fact that our dog is an animal and not a teddy bear.
2. Dog aggression =/= human aggression. And dog aggression is a definite issue with the breed (and especially so with random mixed breeds as breeders are trying to breed such things OUT).
Pit Bulls are what you make of them, every dog is what you make of it, you treat it as a killing machine, it’s gonna turn into a killing machine. You show it kindness and fun and just treat it as what it is, an animal wanting affection, and you’re going to get a friend for life.