Dogs may be man’s best friend, but sometimes, they do not act like it. 4.7 million dog bites occur each year in the United States. Out of that number, approximately 800,000 people need to get medical care.
Any time you are near a dog you have never met before, you need to approach it with caution. You even need to be careful around dogs you have seen numerous times before because anything can trigger a canine to bite. Here are some dog bite statistics, so you know which breeds you need to watch out for the most.
Breeds most likely to bite
Data collected between 1982 and 2014 revealed that certain breeds are more prone to biting people than others. The most dangerous dogs to be around include:
- Rottweiler
- Pitbull
- German shepherd
- Pitbull mix
- Husky
- Wolf hybrid
- Bullmastiff
- Doberman
- Chow
- Boxer
- Akita
- Chihuahua
Over the years, pit bulls, in particular, have developed a bad reputation for biting people. This is due to the fact many people bred pit bulls for fighting. The dogs receive training to be aggressive, and even when they go to forever homes, they carry those traits with them.
Breeds with the strongest bite
In addition to knowing which breeds are most likely to bite, it is also paramount to know which breeds have the most dangerous bite. Some breeds have a strong bite force. Chihuahuas may bite people often, but they do not have the jaw strength to typically cause a lot of damage. These are the breeds you want to make sure you do not get too close to:
- Kangals have a bite force of 743 PSI
- English Mastiffs have a bite force of 556 PSI
- Wolfdogs have a bite force of 406 PSI
- Rottweilers have a bite force of 328 PSI
- African wild dogs have a bite force of 317 PSI
- American bulldogs have a bite force of 305 PSI
- Dobermans have a bite force of 245 PSI
- German shepherds have a bite force of 238 PSI
- American pitbulls have a bite force of 235 PSI
As long as you practice caution, you should not have to worry about dog bites. However, if you do suffer a bite wound from someone’s dog, then you need to start the claims process right away.