Every year people search for dog bite statistics by breed hoping for a simple ranking of “dangerous” dog breeds according to their temperament. The real picture is a lot more nuanced and reassuring. The data shows that how a dog is raised, socialized, and matched to its household predicts bite risk far better than breed alone. That distinction matters enormously if you’re choosing an emotional support dog, where a calm, stable temperament is the whole point.
- The big picture: how common are dog bites?
- Fatal-attack data by breed (and how to read it carefully)
- Why “dog bites by breed” is the wrong question (per the AVMA & CDC)
- What actually predicts a bite: traits over labels
- The cost of dog bites in 2024–2025
- Who gets bitten
- Choosing a calm emotional support dog
- Methodology & sources
- Frequently asked questions
Sources: CDC, Preventing Dog Bites (2015); CDC MMWR (2003); Triple-I / State Farm (2025); CDC injury data. Full citations below.
The big picture: how common are dog bites?
Dog bites are common but rarely severe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates roughly 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the United States, and that nearly 1 in 5 become infected (CDC, Preventing Dog Bites, 2015). The vast majority never require professional treatment.
When bites are serious enough for an emergency department, the numbers are still significant. Researchers estimate that nearly 1,000 people per day are treated in U.S. emergency departments for nonfatal dog-bite injuries (Tuckel & Milczarski, Injury Epidemiology, 2020), and national ED visit rates rose roughly 15% between 2018 and 2023 (DogsBite.org analysis of WISQARS data, 2025).
U.S. dog-bite-related deaths are rare. The CDC’s National Vital Statistics System counted 468 deaths from 2011 to 2021, an average of about 43 per year, across a nation of more than 80 million pet dogs. For context: fatalities are the exception, not the rule.
Fatal-attack data by breed: read with care
Some organizations do publish breed counts for the small number of fatal attacks each year. The most-cited is DogsBite.org, a victim-advocacy nonprofit. We include its figures because readers search for them, but they come with real caveats (which the next section unpacks): these are advocacy-collected counts, the totals are small, and they are not population-adjusted.
For perspective on scale: across the entire 20-year period DogsBite.org reviewed (2005 to 2024), it attributes 536 deaths to “pit bull”-type dogs (roughly 27 per year) out of tens of millions of dogs in U.S. homes. Severe outcomes are statistically rare for any breed, and the overwhelming majority of dogs of every breed never bite anyone.
Why “dog bites by breed” is the wrong question
This is the part most “dog bite statistics by breed” pages skip, and it’s the most important. The leading veterinary and public-health authorities are explicit that breed is not a reliable predictor of whether an individual dog will bite.
⚠️ What the experts actually say
The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) reviewed decades of research and concluded that it is “inappropriate to make predictions about a given dog’s propensity for aggressive behavior based solely on its breed.” Factors like the owner’s behavior, training and socialization, the dog’s sex and whether it is spayed or neutered, and its environment are more important than breed (AVMA, The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention).
The CDC stopped tracking dog-bite fatalities by breed after a landmark 2000 study (Sacks et al., JAVMA). It did so partly because breed identification by witnesses and the media is unreliable, and because breed-based counts can’t account for how many dogs of each breed exist in the population.
In plain terms: a “bite count” for any breed reflects how popular that breed is, how it’s typically raised, and how confidently observers guess breed. It is not an inherent trait stamped into every dog of that type. For these reasons, the AVMA opposes breed-specific legislation.
What actually predicts a bite: traits, not labels
Peer-reviewed research points away from breed labels and toward physical and behavioral traits: the kind of characteristics you can actually observe in an individual dog. One systematic review found that a brachycephalic (short, broad) head shape and a body weight between roughly 66 and 100 pounds were associated with both higher bite risk and greater tissue damage per bite (Essig et al., Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol., 2019).
This is good news for anyone choosing a companion or support animal. You don’t have to decode a breed’s reputation. You can evaluate the traits in front of you: size, individual temperament, socialization history, training, and how well the dog matches your home.
Illustrative weighting of bite-risk factors based on AVMA, The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention, and Essig et al. (2019). Relative emphasis, not a precise statistical model.
The cost of dog bites in 2024–2025
The financial side of dog bites has risen sharply, driven mostly by medical costs and larger settlements rather than by more dogs biting. According to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm, U.S. insurers paid out about $1.57 billion in dog-related injury claims in 2024, rising to roughly $1.86 billion in 2025.
Who gets bitten
Children are the most affected group: the CDC reports that more than half of dog-bite victims are children, most under age 10, with the highest rate among kids aged 5 to 9. Because young children are small, bites disproportionately affect the head and face: studies find facial injuries in roughly 62% of victims overall, and in more than 80% of children aged three or younger (review literature, PMC, 2022). In 2018, nearly 27,000 people underwent reconstructive surgery after dog bites (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2019).
👪 The household connection
Most serious bites don’t come from stray or unfamiliar dogs; they come from familiar ones. This is exactly why temperament-matching and proper socialization matter so much when bringing any dog, including an emotional support animal, into a home with children or other pets.
Choosing a calm emotional support dog
All of this connects directly to emotional support animals. An ESA’s job is to provide steady, comforting companionship, so the single most important quality is a tame, stable temperament, not a particular breed name. The bite data reinforces the point: the traits that lower bite risk (good socialization, calm disposition, appropriate size, thoughtful matching) are the very same traits that make a great support animal.
Many people find that gentle, people-oriented dogs adapt best to the ESA role. Commonly recommended temperaments share a pattern: affectionate, patient, low-reactivity, and bonded closely to their person.
| Breed | Temperament fit | Why it works as an ESA |
|---|---|---|
| Cavalier King Charles Spaniel | Very calm | Gentle, affectionate, attuned to human emotion; thrives on closeness |
| Labrador Retriever | Calm | Friendly, stable, easy to train; forms strong owner bonds |
| Golden Retriever | Calm | Patient and obedient; consistently gentle disposition |
| Poodle (Std/Mini) | Composed | Intelligent and even-tempered; low-shedding for sensitive households |
| Shih Tzu | Very calm | Small, attentive lap companion; bonds deeply |
| Labradoodle | Composed | Sociable yet laid-back; works as a steadying “social anchor” |
Temperament varies from dog to dog; these are general tendencies, not guarantees. An individual dog’s upbringing and socialization matter more than its breed. (Breed-suitability tendencies summarized from HelpGuide and ESA breed guides, 2025.)
Methodology & data notes
How we compiled this page. Figures are drawn from government agencies (CDC), peer-reviewed medical literature, an insurance-industry research body (Triple-I / State Farm), and a victim-advocacy nonprofit (DogsBite.org). Where sources conflict or carry known limitations, particularly breed-attributed fatality counts, we say so directly and prioritize federal and peer-reviewed sources.
On breed data specifically. The CDC and AVMA both caution that breed is not a reliable predictor of individual-dog aggression, and breed-attributed counts are not adjusted for how many dogs of each breed exist. We present such figures for completeness and reader interest, not as a risk ranking for any individual dog.
Last verified: June 2026 · Next scheduled review: quarterly. Statistics should be verified against the original sources before reuse.
Frequently asked questions
Which dog breed bites the most?
No breed is a reliable predictor of biting, and routine bite reporting is inconsistent, so a clean “most bites by breed” ranking doesn’t really exist. For fatal attacks specifically, the advocacy nonprofit DogsBite.org attributes about 66% of U.S. dog-bite deaths from 2005 to 2019 to “pit bull”-type dogs. Those counts are not adjusted for how common each breed is, and the AVMA cautions that breed alone does not predict how an individual dog will behave. Training, socialization, the owner, and the dog’s environment matter far more.
Did the CDC stop tracking dog bites by breed?
Yes. After a landmark 2000 study (Sacks et al., JAVMA), the CDC stopped attributing dog-bite fatalities to specific breeds. Witnesses and the media frequently misidentify breeds, and raw breed counts can’t account for how many dogs of each breed exist, so the data was considered unreliable for risk or policy decisions.
What does the AVMA say about dog bites and breed?
The American Veterinary Medical Association states that it is “inappropriate to make predictions about a given dog’s propensity for aggressive behavior based solely on its breed.” It points to owner behavior, training and socialization, the dog’s sex and spay or neuter status, and environment as more important factors, and it opposes breed-specific legislation.
How many dog bites happen each year in the United States?
The CDC estimates about 4.5 million dog bites a year. Most are minor: researchers estimate nearly 1,000 people a day are treated in emergency departments for dog-bite injuries, and fatalities are rare, averaging about 43 per year (CDC, 2011 to 2021).
What is the best dog temperament for an emotional support animal?
Look for a calm, patient, people-oriented dog that bonds closely with you, rather than focusing on a particular breed. The same traits that lower bite risk (good socialization, a steady disposition, appropriate size) are what make a dog a dependable emotional support animal.
Whatever path you choose, prioritize temperament over reputation. A dog that is naturally patient and people-focused, regardless of breed, is far more likely to be the steady companion an emotional support role requires. Learn more about what an emotional support animal is and how to spot legitimate vs. fake ESA letters.
Sources & Further Readings
- 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Preventing Dog Bites (2015): ~4.5M annual bites; ~1 in 5 infected. https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/dogs.html
- 2. CDC / National Center for Injury Prevention. Nonfatal Dog Bite–Related Injuries, MMWR (2003): ~1 in 50 Americans bitten annually.
- 3. CDC WONDER / National Vital Statistics System. Dog-bite-related deaths, 2011–2021 (avg. ~43/year).
- 4. American Veterinary Medical Association. The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention; Why breed-specific legislation is not the answer. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/literature-reviews/dog-bite-risk-and-prevention-role-breed
- 5. Sacks JJ et al. Breeds of dogs involved in fatal human attacks, JAVMA (2000): basis for CDC discontinuing breed tracking.
- 6. Essig GF et al. Dog Bite Injuries to the Face: Is There Risk with Breed Ownership?, Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. (2019): head shape & weight as risk factors.
- 7. Tuckel PS, Milczarski W. The Changing Epidemiology of Dog Bite Injuries in the United States, 2005–2018, Injury Epidemiology (2020). https://injepijournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40621-020-00281-y
- 8. Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) & State Farm. Spotlight on: Dog Bite Liability (2025–2026): claims volume, average cost, total payouts. https://www.iii.org/article/spotlight-on-dog-bite-liability
- 9. American Society of Plastic Surgeons. 2018 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report (2019): ~27,000 reconstructive procedures.
- 10. DogsBite.org. U.S. Dog Bite Fatality Statistics, 2005–2024 (2026): advocacy-collected breed counts (use with caution; not population-adjusted). https://www.dogsbite.org/dog-bite-statistics-quick-statistics.php
- 11. HelpGuide. Emotional Support Dogs: Choosing the Right Breed (2025). https://www.helpguide.org/wellness/pets/emotional-support-dogs-choosing-the-right-breed
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