If you could spot a dangerous dog before you got close to it, you would likely be able to avoid it. Yet repeated instances of dogs biting people show that predicting which dogs might bite is not a science.
However, it does not mean there aren’t clues as to which dogs are more likely to bite than others.
The breed can be an indicator
There are laws in place restricting ownership of certain dog breeds generally considered dangerous. Typically these are breeds that (through breeding) have the instinct to attack. It doesn’t necessarily mean they will attack humans. They might just attack other dogs.
A recent study found the five dog breeds least likely to bite were Dalmatians, Pointers, Great Danes, Pekingese, and Spitz.
Those most likely to attack were:
- Pit bulls
- Mixed breeds
- German shepherds
- Terriers
- Rottweiler
It’s worth noting that the most common response about what dog had bitten someone was breed unknown.
Breed is not everything
Dogs of any sort can bite someone for reasons such as:
- The person gets caught in the middle of two dogs while trying to protect their dog from an attack
- The dog feels its space or property or owner is threatened
- The dog is overprotective of its pups, its food dish or its toys
- The dog has mental health issues due to poor treatment in the past
The only time an owner might justify to a court that it was not their fault their dog bit you is if you were engaging in bad behavior yourself, such as trying to attack the owner or dog or break into their property. If a dog injures you, understanding how to pursue compensation will be crucial.
