Understanding Dog Bite Statistics

You are here out of curiosity and hopefully to be educated! Thank you for visiting.

As an owner of a dog, I too am always trying to be more informed, whether it deals with training, nutrition, behavior or just to find out why my dog digs while laying on her side. Why not take a little time to learn about dog bites?!?! The following are some specific dog bite stats in the United States. This dog bite information was gathered from the CDC (Center for Disease Control) as well as the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association.

Key Dog Bite Statistics

• Over 36% of households own at least one dog
• More than 4.5 million people are bitten by dogs each year in the U.S.
• More than 800,000 receive medical attention for dog bites
• At least half of those bitten are children
• Children are the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.
• Most dog bites affecting kids occur during everyday activities and while interacting with dogs familiar to them.
• Senior citizens are the second most common dog bite victims.
• Most dog bites are preventable.
• Dogs decrease stress, increase our exercise levels, and are playmates for children
• Dog bites cause pain, injury and at times nerve damage
• Dog bite lacerations may require surgical treatment and some times may become infected
• What breed of dog is most likely to bite???

Dog Bite Breed Statistics

This is a great topic of debate, but it is certain that there is no one breed which is more likely to bite a person.

According to studies conducted by the AVMA the breeds found to be highly represented (NOT “most likely to bite a person”) in biting incidents were:

1. German shepherd
2. Mixed breed
3. Pitbull type
4. Rottweiler
5. Jack Russell terrier
6. Chow Chow
7. Spaniel
8. Collie
9. Saint Bernard
10. Labrador Retriever

It should be noted that prevalence of particular dog breeds can change rapidly over time, often influenced by distinct peaks of popularity for certain breeds.

Peter Briskin is not only knowledgeable about dog bite incidents by virtue of being a personal injury lawyer representing people injured in such accidents in New York and New Jersey but because he has taken great interest in dogs from a young age, from the time he had his first dog (American Cocker Spaniel) until today. He read every book he could get his hands on as a child about all different breeds, raising dogs and also dog training.