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Dogs
Most Likely to Bite
The
Centers for Disease Control studies dog bite incidents, including
the types of dogs most likely to bite. The breeds that the CDC considers
highest risk include:
- Pit bulls
- Rottweilers
- German shepherds
- Huskies
- Alaskan malamutes
- Doberman pinschers
- Chows
- Great Danes
- Saint Bernards
- Akitas
Many small dog owners overlook their dog's behavior because
they are small and/or think they cannot hurt anyone. The
truth is, little dogs bite more than big dogs. There
have been many cases involving dog bite attacks with smaller dogs
such as the case involving a family Pomeranian dog and a 6-week
old baby.
While there is no clear cut list in which all dogs can be
categorized by levels of their dog-bite predictability, generally
speaking:
- Any dog, treated harshly or trained to attack, may bite
a person. Any dog can be turned into a dangerous dog. The owner
most often is responsible -- not the breed, and not the dog.
- An irresponsible owner or dog handler might create a situation
that places another person in danger by a dog, without the dog
itself being dangerous, for example: leaving an infant alone with
a dog.
- Any individual dog may be a good, loving pet, even though
its breed is considered to be likely to bite. A responsible owner
can win the love and respect of a dog, no matter its breed. One
cannot look at an individual dog, recognize its breed, and then
state whether or not it is going to attack.
© 2003 The
Dog Bite Lawyer
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