A dog is a man’s best friend. However, just like us, dogs can become aggressive if not treated properly. According to dog bite statistics, more than 4 million dog bites occur in the US every year.
But before these statistics make you condemn a breed for being vicious or judge an owner for raising a beast, ask yourself one simple question: “Why do dogs bite?”
Let’s take a look at some of the essential statistics.
What Are the Top 10 Eye-Opening Dog Bite Statistics
- There were over 90 million dogs in the US in 2019/2020.
- There’s a 1 in 112,400 chance of dying from a dog bite or attack.
- Over 70% of all dog bites occur because the dog is not neutered.
- There were 38 dog bite-related fatalities in the US in 2018.
- Pit Bull bites statistics show the breed was responsible for 26 fatalities in 2018.
- Dogs attacked 5,803 postal employees in 2019.
- It’s estimated that 81% of dog bite injuries don’t require medical care.
- Pit Bulls have an 86.7% temperament passing rate.
- There was a 300% increase in dog attacks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Rabies isn’t a problem in areas where 70% of dogs are vaccinated.
If you want to know more about Pit Bull attack statistics, which dog breeds are more aggressive than others or how to stop a dog from biting, keep reading.
We’ll tell you what you can do if you find yourself in this situation. You’ll also find out more about the most aggressive dog breeds and what their owners can do about it.
National Dog Bite Statistics
A dog won’t bite you for no reason. Several triggers may spark this behavior. Namely, dogs usually bite if they are in danger, scared, or stressed.
What makes a dog bite, facts reveal, is usually the need to protect their puppies, owners, or themselves. It’s their way of protecting their loved ones.
1. There were over 90 million dogs in the US in 2019/2020.
(The Washington Post, HSUS, AVMA)
The data on recent dog attacks from 2020 shows these dogs were divided among 84.9 million pet-owning households. This means that 50% of the overall households in the US had a pet dog. This number suggests a higher incidence of bites.
The AVMA’s dog bite statistics from 2020 show that the animals bite mainly because of their personal history and behavior. Dogs that were abused or maltreated in animal shelters may be traumatized, which causes them to attack.
2. Dogs bite around 4.5 million people every year, dog attack statistics for the US reveal.
(Canine Journal)
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) regularly studies dog bites and attacks in America. They reveal that only 800,000 of all dog bites need medical attention.
As CDC dog bite statistics report, as of 2019, the US population has exceeded 328 million, which means that dogs bite one in every 73 people.
3. There’s a 1 in 112,400 chance of dying from a dog bite or attack.
(Canine Journal)
If these numbers don’t seem low enough, let’s put things into perspective. You have no reason for fear. As dog bite statistics from 2019 show, you have more chances of dying:
- in a cataclysmic storm — one in 66,335
- from a bee, wasp, or hornet sting — 63,225
- in transportation incidents — one in 9,821, and
- from firearm discharges — one in 6,905.
And if that didn’t calm you down, we have more surprising statistics coming your way. If you’re still afraid of dogs, these dog bite statistics for 2022 will ease your mind.
Namely, you are much more likely to die from choking on food or heart disease and cancer (one in 3,461 and one in seven, respectively), than from a dog bite!
4. Over 70% of all dog bites occur because the dog is not neutered.
(ASPCA pro)
This number was much higher in 2006 when 97% of dog bites happened because people were unaware that neutering reduces aggression in male dogs.
According to the US dog bite statistics, an unneutered male dog is 2.6 times more likely to bite than a neutered one. Heredity, sex, and reproductive status of a dog are just a few essential factors in determining whether the dog will be aggressive or not.
5. It’s estimated that 78% of dogs are kept for guarding, fighting, breeding, or image enhancement.
(ASPCA pro)
Unfortunately, many people keep dogs only for safety reasons, breeding, and sale. The CDC dog bite statistics for 2020 have revealed that chained and tethered dogs are 2.8 times more likely to bite or attack.
A lot of dogs live in unsuitable conditions. They are bred in inhumane puppy mills, where they are often neglected and abused. Furthermore, statistics also show Pit Bulls are among the most abused dogs in the world.
6. Dogs attacked 5,803 postal employees in 2019.
(MKP Law Group)
The non-fatal dog bite statistics by breed reveal that those bites aren’t connected to any breed in particular. The data also shows Houston and Los Angeles had the highest number of such incidents with 85 and 74 annual attacks, respectively.
(National Canine Research Council)
According to the CDC’s fatal dog attack statistics, there were 38 dog bite-related fatalities in the US for 2018. In retrospect, there were 62,399 unintentional poisoning fatalities.
[visualizer id=”5969″]
- 37,991 unintentional motor vehicle traffic fatalities, and
- 37,455 unintentional fatalities from falls.
8. Homeowners’ insurers paid $797 million in dog bite and dog injury-related liability claims in 2019.
(III)
The homeowners’ insurance data reveals that the number of dog bite liability claims increased by 2.9% in just one year — from 17,297 in 2018 to 17,802 in 2019.
Conversely, the dog bite insurance statistics show that the cost per claim increased by 14.7% in just one year. Namely, in 2019, it was $44.760, while in 2018, it was $39,017.
9. It’s estimated that 81% of dog bite injuries don’t require medical care.
(Woof Dog)
In the vast majority of cases, dog bites cause only minor injuries or no injuries at all. Dog bite facts also show that most of the injuries are so small that there’s no need for medical attention.
10. There was a 300% increase in dog attacks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
(NCBI)
Statistics estimate there was a 300% increase in dog attacks per 1,000 emergency room visits. The data shows that dog bites, especially in children, have surged during social distancing.
Spending more time at home has resulted in increased stress levels in humans, but in dogs, too.
Dog Bite Statistics By Breed
As mentioned, Pit Bulls are the most abused breed in the world. They’re also the least wanted dogs in shelters. All because of people’s stigma on dog breeds and aggression.
Dog breed bite statistics show breed isn’t a deciding factor in dog bites. Let’s discover more!
11. There were 46 dog attack fatalities in 2019. Pit Bulls Were responsible for 33 of them.
(Forbes, Animals 24-7)
Since the mid-90s, the CDC has been studying various dog breeds, their temperament, and situations that urge them to attack.
The CDC dog bite statistics by breed revealed that Pit Bulls were involved in most of the accidents and injuries. The Pit Bull is arguably one of the most aggressive dogs there is. They’re responsible for close to 300 deaths.
However, it’s important to note that this is due to them being a popular breed that is specifically trained by the owners to be aggressive rather than the breed itself having an aggressive temperament.
12. Pit bull bites statistics show the breed was responsible for 26 fatalities in 2018.
(Forbes)
As we have mentioned, there were 36 dog-related deaths in the US in 2018. Pit Bulls are responsible for 72% of them, even though they make up for only 7% of the dog population in the US, as Pit Bull attacks vs other breeds statistics reveal.
However, Pit Bulls are not the type of dogs that would bite anyone for no reason at all. Regardless of the dog breeds bite statistics reveal that it’s the vicious owners who are responsible for their dogs’ aggression, as many of them have criminal records.
13. Pit Bulls have an 86.7% temperament passing rate.
(Woof Dog)
People see Pit Bulls as the world’s most vicious dogs because some owners use them for fights. However, their temperament passing rate is higher than the Chihuahua, Border Collie, or Beagle.
They don’t even have the strongest dog bite. As dog bite force statistics by breed reveal, Pit Bulls have one of the weakest bite forces of all breeds — only 235 pounds per square inch (PSI).
14. Dog breed couldn’t be identified as one of the factors in 80% of the cases of dog bites, as dog breed bite statistics show.
(National Canine Research Council)
In fact, breeds are used primarily for media coverage, but not necessarily as a confirmed fact. In only just over 18% of the cases was it possible to make a valid determination if the dog was of any particular breed.
15. Kangal is the breed with the strongest dog bite force of 743 PSI.
(Inside Dogs World)
Bandog Dog has the second strongest bite force (730 PSI), followed by the Cane Corso (700 PSI), and Dogue de Bordeaux (556 PSI).
[visualizer id=”5972″]
For comparison, the Rottweiler has a bite force of a mere 328 PSI, while an average human has a bite force of 120–140 PSI.
Global Dog Attack Statistics
With over 900 million dogs around the globe, incidents are bound to happen. Yes, dog attacks are scary, but luckily, only a small number of them end with serious consequences.
16. Tens of millions of dog bites occur around the world every year.
(WHO)
Unfortunately, there are no global estimates for dog breeds attack statistics. But one thing is sure — children are at a higher risk of being bitten than adults. In the middle and low-income countries, dog bites account for 76–94% of overall animal bites.
17. On average, there are 1–2 deaths caused by dog bite-related injuries in Canada every year.
(ResearchGate, Chicobandido, Faunalytics)
The Canadian Veterinary Journal has recently published the dog bite statistics for Canada for the period from 1990–2007. The data reveals that, during this time, there were only 28 fatalities caused by dog bite injuries.
The research didn’t specify if Pit Bulls were responsible for these attacks, but Toronto had banned the breed in 2005.
The 2010 data showed that there were 28.2% fewer dog bites compared to 2005, and the number of Pit Bull bites has declined by 92% since 2002.
18. Australian dog attack statistics by breed reveal that 13,000 people need medical care for dog-related injuries every year.
(news.com.au)
Children younger than five are at the highest risk. They’re often bitten on the neck or face.
These attacks are the most common with fighting breeds, such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino, and the Fila Brasileiro — Brazillian fighting dog. All these breeds are banned by the NSW government.
However, dog bite statistics by breed from 2020 show that the other breeds are responsible for 75% of attacks.
19. There has been a 5% increase in dog bite-related hospital visits in the UK between 2015–2018.
(Royal College of Surgeons)
The research also shows there are approximately 7,693 hospital admissions every year. This totaled to 23,078 admissions between 2015–2018.
One of the possible reasons for this increase is that people may have become more aware that medical professionals should check their injuries, as per dog bite statistics by breed for the UK.
20. People between 50–59 were the most commonly attacked age group in the UK in 2020.
(Statista)
There were 1,433 hospital admissions for people of this age group who were attacked or bitten by a dog.
People aged 40–49 were the second-most attacked age group with 1,181 hospital admissions, and 1,178 hospital admissions for children aged nine and younger.
However, there were only 443 hospital admissions for those aged 80 and older.
Getting Rabies: Dog Bite Facts and Figures
Rabies are a scary infectious disease that almost always has fatal consequences. As scary as it sounds, it’s easily preventable with a vaccine.
21. Dogs are responsible for 99% of the rabies cases.
(WHO)
Antarctica is the only continent that’s rabies-free, while 95% of rabies-related deaths occur in Asia and Africa. The most common victims are children between the ages of five and 14.
Luckily, more than 29 million people around the world received a post-bite vaccination that prevented millions of fatalities.
22. Every year, 59,000 people around the world die from rabies.
(WHO)
Rabies statistics by state and country reveal that dog-related rabies was reported in only eight Latin American countries and the Caribbean in the period between 2013 and 2016.
Approximately 59.9% of the global deaths caused by rabies occur in India, and 35% in Asia. Moreover, there are 21,476 rabies-related deaths in Africa, 1,875 in Central Asia, and 229 in the Middle East every year.
However, the Center for Disease Control dog bite statistics show that the disease has been eliminated from the USA.
It’s also eliminated from Canada, Westen Europe, Japan, and some Latin American countries, while Australia and some Pacific islands have always been rabies-free.
23. Rabies isn’t a problem in areas where 70% of dogs are vaccinated.
(CDC)
Research has proven that rabies can be successfully controlled to avoid fatalities. However, rabies control efforts have to be sustained even after a sufficient level of dog vaccination is reached.
FAQ
24. What breed of dog bites the most often?
According to the latest findings, we don’t know which breed bites the most.
However, Pit Bulls are high on the list, followed by mixed breeds, the German Shepherd Dog, Terriers, and the Rottweiler.
Moreover, the breeds that are the least likely to attack or bite are the Dalmatian, Pointer, Great Dane, Pekingese, and Spitz.
25. What breed of dog has killed the most humans?
When it comes to dog attacks by breed, the Pit Bull is responsible for the highest number of them in the US. Pit bulls have killed 248 people over 13 years, and the Rottweiler comes in second place with 45 recorded fatalities for the same period.
The German Shepherd is also responsible for inflicting 20 fatal injuries. And even some breeds that aren’t considered to be aggressive have killed people. For example, the Labrador Retriever is responsible for nine deaths.
26. What happens to a dog if they bite a human?
In some cases, it’s possible to put down a dog that has bitten someone. But those cases are sporadic. Usually, only dogs with a history of aggression and biting are put down. Though it’s important to note that with proper training and attention aggression can be reversed.
However, every city, county, country, and state may have its own rules when it comes to handling dogs that bit someone.
27. Are Pitbulls statistically more dangerous?
Pit Bulls can be dangerous, just like any other dog breed. It all depends on their history, upbringing, and temperament.
Even though this breed has a very bad reputation, statistically, it’s calmer than the Chihuahua, since it has an 87.6% temperament passing rate.
28. How do you handle a dog that bites?
As we mentioned — dogs bite for a reason. They may bite to defend themselves, their territory, a member of their pack, or their puppies. Dogs that are startled, injured, ill, molested, and abused may also bite.
There are several solutions to this problem, and they include training and socializing, i.e., letting the dog interact with people, children, and other dogs. Taking care of the dog’s health and regularly vaccinating it may also help.
29. Are dogs playing or fighting?
Dog play could seem very aggressive to humans, but there are ways to differentiate between playing and fighting.
If the dog is acting silly, has an open-mouthed grin, performs the play bow, growls, falls voluntarily, and comes back for more — it’s just playing.
However, as dog bite statistics reveal, if the dog’s body is stiff, its hairs are raised, and it has a closed mouth and curled lip, the dog is ready for a fight.
Additionally, low growls, quick and efficient moves, and flat pinned ears are also signs that there might be a fight.
Recognizing these signs is crucial for stopping a fight before it happens. However, if your dog gets into a fight, don’t try to separate them by grabbing their collars, or you may get bitten. Instead, try to distract the dogs with a loud noise.
30. Can an aggressive dog be cured?
Aggression in dogs can be cured. But you will need lots of patience, time, consistency, and probably some help from a professional who will determine the cause of the behavior and make a plan for managing it.
Moreover, your veterinarian could run some tests to see whether there’s a medical problem. The important thing is to avoid punishment since it may backfire and shower your pup with love.
The Bottom Line
We hope that this list of dog bite statistics has shown you that dog bites aren’t that common, and the reasons that may lead to a dog attack make this image much less frightening.
There are indeed some breeds that are more aggressive than others, but it’s not the dog that bites, it’s their history and behavior. You have to be aware that, while a dog might be aggressive, that’s no reason to be afraid of an entire breed.
Sources
36 comments
This actually answered my downside, thank you!
🙂 Thanks!
Dogbites.org isn’t a legitimate website. I am so sick of seeing it listed as a source! Even Forbes cited it as a source in 2018, it’s like people see the .org and think it is credible.
We understand your concern and we looked into the source. In fact, you are right, the number is off by 2. The correct number of dog bite-related fatalities in the US for 2018 was, in fact, 38, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We have updated this statistic, as well as confirmed and edited the rest of the statistics that were gathered from the website cited above. Thank you for bringing it to our attention.
Dogbites.org merely cuts and pastes news accounts. If you cannot handle the truth, never go to that website. SIMPLE
that’s actually not true. They use several sources to identify breeds–police reports, eye witness accounts and, increasingly, the social media accounts of the dog’s owners.
They also report on all dog breeds that attack and kill, not just pit bulls (which is the usual criticism of the site). I don’t think their statistical analysis passes muster (we don’t have a reliable “n” for dog breeds in the US, for exanple, but if you can point to an error in their raw data, I’d be surprised.
I meant to reply to Boriana. Apologies.
Pit bulls were bred to fight. The high gameness of a terrier mixed with the muscular build of a bully breed makes for an effective killing machine. Owning a pit is like driving 100 MPH on the highway – yeah, it’ll be fine 90% of the time but when it goes bad, it goes really bad. That’s why we have speeding laws, for the 10% of the time it doesn’t end well. Why risk it? There’s nothing a pit can offer, as a pet, that you couldn’t get from a different breed.
Ask yourself why all the dogs used for fighting are pits. Ask yourself why the shelters are full of them. You really think that’s a “nanny dog”? Retrievers retrieve, pointers point, herding dogs herd – all without training. The idea that people need to “train a pit to fight” runs counter to the entire notion of breeds. And since everyone adopts pits, you have no control over its lineage. Did you get one that came from two prize fighters or one that was selectively bred for non-aggression? Who knows! Roll the dice! Maybe you’ll get your answer when it bolts out the front door and mauls your neighbor’s Scottie Dog.
The temperament test is BS by the way – it ranks pits against other pits and the passing criteria is different based on the breed being tested. Light a firecracker when you’re in the presence of a stressed out pit – I dare you. Do that with a golden and they get excited because there might be a dead duck to retrieve as far as they’re concerned.
Just get a different breed of dog, please.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but the fact is that pit bulls were not bred to be aggressive dogs, but rather to protect their owners. The aggression you are talking about stems from the way the dog is treated from a pup and their response to the training by their owner. We are sorry you feel this way, however, not everyone agrees, especially happy families with pit bulls under their care that are more than gentile. Every dog can be aggressive and dangerous when treated badly and trained for it, and this is what we want to shine light on in this article.
You want me to take this serious and then you say “pit bulls were not bred to be aggressive”. Please research a little before inflicting such a ridiculous comment. THAT IS EXACTLY what they were bred for. AGGRESSION to bulls. SMH, You do not help the pit cause by implying such an ignorant supposition. You do not help the pit cause by burying facts. You do not help the pit cause by injecting your opinion as fact. Bottom line is you are not helping the cause. Be honest and then discussions can move froward in earnest.
I think you misunderstood what I said, but no problem. Everyone has every right to their opinion. What is presented here is numbers and facts, either way, I am happy it has opened a discussion, that’s most important.
I am so sorry you feel this way. Perhaps you’ve had a traumatizing experience. Though keep an open mind that not all dogs are the same, and their behavior depends greatly on their training and treatment. Have a great day!
And the majority of guns purchased LEGALLY in the USA are purchased by law-abiding citizens to protect themselves, their loved ones and their property. So, what’s your point? “Guns aren’t dangerous?”
Oh, wait, “Pitbulls aren’t dangerous.”
See what I did there?
Probably not. You sound like a paid shill for Pitbull Mauling Incident Apologist Association.
Oh well, to quote you, “everyone is entitled to their own opinion,” even paid shills.
So, to parrot you and use a equally useless equivocation (if I were a GUN VIOLENCE apologist): “Every gun can be … dangerous.”
So, as with PITBULLS, we could definitely use common sense, safety-oriented gun control regulations.
Guess what? Most Pitbull owners don’t keep their precious doggies locked in a “gun safe”
Nice try, Boriana.
Anon, you and I are on the same page. I use a similar analogy. My next door neighbor is an alcoholic. He runs out of beer and drives to the store for another 24 case. He has never had an accident thus he has never killed anyone driving drunk. That said, do you want to be on the road with him?
I am 64 and have owned several breeds through the years. Why choose one that yearly demonstrates the capacity to kill (especially children). As Spock would say. “that is illogical”. The smartest and sweetest breed I owned was a Samoyed. She even helped my cat raise her litter. I have NEVER seen Samoyed listed as mauling or killing. Just a smarter choice.
Chad, I’ve just found this forum and thank you for your voice of reason. My much beloved Lhasa Apso was killed by a husky just 3 weeks ago while out walking. The husky had a responsible owner, was on a lead, was registered, lots of training, well socialised and supposedly, previously, good with small dogs. We didn’t even do a ‘meet and greet’ and were standing at a distance but somehow the husky quietly ended up near my dog. Without any agression or any other signs, she sank her mouth over the back of my dog and wouldn’t let go. We believe – even though my dog was a thrid of the husky’s bodyweight, that this was ‘simply’ a prey attack. When we managed to get her to let go of my dog, my dog sadly was very badly injured (I won’t go into the details here as I’m still dealing with what I saw and had to deal with). Sadly Boo passed away while a surgical vet tried to deal with multiple sites of internal bleeding. I’ve since discovered that huskies and smilar dogs have a very high prey drive and can do this without warning – and they are represented in the serious dog attack and fatal on other dogs. But this information is not promoted by breeders, vets and so on to potential owners. The owner has been devastated by what his dog did especially as he has done verything that supposedly makes dogs safe – or is that just safer as we can never know what is really going on. I think we are conceited as humans to believe that we can control all of their innate behaviours. If people are going to have these dogs out in the community, then muzzling would certainly reduce the likelihood and degree of injury. If I had known just how dangerous other breeds could be, then I would have had my dog wear dog armour and he’d be here today perhaps with a couple of broken ribs. Yes all dogs can bite and many small dogs are known for this – Boo had never bitten anyone and he was 9 years old, but not all can kill or seriously injure another person or animal and so easily. Just one bite. I’m now wondering why the community puts up with the potential risk of having some breeds living with us at all . Yes, Samoyed’s are noticably absent from mauling or killing data across the world as are Lhasas. That insurers are now not covering certain breeds for dog attack provides compelling evidence of the risk some breeds pose. So thank you for the anology as it will be helpful in trying to have a discussion with the local authorities about the failures in the ‘deed not breed’ approach being taken. Had I known what I know now about huskies and similar breeds, I would never go within 100 metres of them and while I once liked them as a breed, I know that they cannot be trusted.
I’m so, so sorry for your loss. How incredibly traumatic for you and tragic for your dog.
Chad:
Pretty much what I said, but differently.
Thanks for being another unbiased voice of reason and not acting as a Pitbull Apologist.
I think we all know WHY this site exists.
This is a topic that is close to my heart… Cheers! Exactly where are your contact details though?
You can find our contact details in our Contact page 🙂 We look forward to hearing from you.
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I do think that you should publish more on this issue, it might not be a taboo subject but typically people don’t speak about such topics. To the next! Cheers!!
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There are a lot of errors, and misinformation here. I’ll cover one of them now and come back later when u have more time. The first error which is repeated because sites like this don’t correctly fact check there info is the kangal, bandog, and cane corso bite force. The bandog, and corso errors are rarely mentioned. I’ve seen the kangal mentioned a few times though. There is absolutely ZERO PROOF off any bite test preformed on the above mentioned dogs ANYWHERE. The ONLY source of evidence is someone writing it in an article with ZERO mention of who did the test, where it occurred, or ANY factual information about it. The rest of the bite force info is taken from a national geographic study. You can find the videos on YouTube. The dogue de Bordeaux info is only half correct. That info is taken from the national geo study in which the dog was reported as a “mastiff”. Its very difficult to tell which mastiff it was. To me it looked like a Tosa Inu, but that’s a guess.
All of our information was researched in depth and we used reputable sources to write our articles, sorry you feel this way. If you can sources you feel are more reputable, we will gladly take a look at them and consider revising the article. Thanks for your comment!
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Great article, however, the Temperament Test is not a good indicator of anything. It doesn’t mean a dog is friendly, or docile. It means the dog is confident. It was developed as a way to test dogs’ ability to train in the Schutzhund system, and for example, a dog being shy or fearful is going to get a worse score than a confident dog. It also has no interactions with other dogs, and one of the main characteristics of pitbulls’ (and other bull-type dogs’) temperament is being dog-aggressive. Many people get bitten while trying to defend their pets.
Your helpful context and background information does NOTHING to support the cause of those wishing to dismiss the fact that (based on FACTS and real DATA) Pitbulls are the MOST likely breed to actually KILL a human, or someone else’s beloved pet.
Shame on you!
My friend’s puppy was just attacked by a male pit bull while we were out hiking yesterday. It took four of us, all fairly large men, to stop the attack and save the puppy. My friend was bitten on his hand, and all of us were bloodied. It was terrifying.
The Pitbull approached our group with his head down and ears back, off leash, mounted the puppy and went for the neck. only by choking the dog until it was out of breath did the attack stop.