If you’re thinking of adopting a new dog, you may want to look at the breeds with the most reported attacks on humans.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) keeps track of dog bites and attacks, as well as fatalities caused by dogs in the United States. The organization collects data from several sources, including news reports and police records.
According to the AKC, these are the 10 dog breeds that have killed the most people in recent years:
- Pit bull-type dog: 35 human deaths since 2008 (including 25 related to pit bulls)
- Rottweiler: 30 human deaths since 2008 (including 20 related to rottweilers)
- German shepherd: 28 human deaths since 2008 (including 12 related to German shepherds)
- Husky/malamute/samoyed cross: 26 human deaths since 2008 (including 10 related to husky/malamute crosses)
- Boxer: 22 human deaths since 2008 (including 6 related to boxers)
- Bullmastiff: 19 human deaths since 2008 (including 7 related to bullmastiffs)
- Cane Corso: 18 human deaths since 2008 (including 5 related
Dog attacks can be a serious problem that can lead to injury or even death. So which breeds of dogs are most often responsible for attacks?
Dog Breeds With Most Attacks
According to the Humane Society of the United States, about 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year, and nearly half of those bites occur on the owners’ property. In fact, dog bites account for more than 1 million emergency room visits annually. Some breeds of dogs have an inherent tendency toward aggression and are more likely to bite than others. The following list includes some of the most aggressive dog breeds:
Pit bulls
Chows
German shepherds
Doberman pinschers
Rottweilers
The dog breeds that are most likely to bite are the German shepherd, Rottweiler, and mixed-breed terriers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a report in 2015 that listed the top 25 most dangerous dogs based on hospitalization rates from dog bite-related injuries.
While no breed is inherently bad, some have been bred to be more aggressive than others. The CDC says this data is not conclusive evidence of which dogs will bite or cause serious injury.
There are many reasons why a dog might bite, including being unneutered or poorly socialized; being provoked by children or other animals; being threatened or feeling scared; or having medical problems.
Here are the 25 most dangerous dog breeds as identified by CDC:
There are hundreds of dog breeds in the world, each with its own personality and temperament. Some breeds are more aggressive than others.
If you’re considering adopting a new dog, it’s important to know which breeds are most likely to bite. The following list is based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which tracked dog bite-related fatalities between 1979 and 1998.
Pit bulls top the list, followed by German shepherds, rottweilers and then chows.
Pit bulls account for more than one-third of all fatal dog attacks since 1982 and make up just 6% of licensed dogs in America.