The Big Picture: How Common Are Dog Bites?
Dog attacks are common occurrences but not deadly events in most cases. In accordance with the statistics of the CDC, the estimate of annual dog bite incidents in the U.S. is about 4.5 million, which is the same number as has been obtained over decades of research, with almost one-fifth of them becoming infected. Still, there are very few cases when dog attacks become severe enough to require medical assistance.
However, the hospitalizations that occur because of nonfatal dog attacks are notable. Independent investigations suggest that there are approximately 1,000 hospitalization cases of such patients in the U.S. on a daily basis, with hospital visits continuously rising over the last few years.
Dog attack fatalities were always relatively rare events despite the frequency of dog attacks, but currently, their number is rapidly increasing. In accordance with CDC statistics, the number of dog bite fatalities per year in the U.S. averaged at 43 from 2011 to 2021. However, in accordance with recent data on CDC Wonder, the number increased to 81 in 2021, 98 in 2022, and provisionally 127 in 2024, which is the highest number ever observed in one year and more than double that in 2019. The reasons for that increase need to be identified, and dog ownership rise, increasing number of multi-pet homes, and improved reporting might be among them.
Fatal-Attack Data by Breed: Read With Care
There are several organizations that give information on dog breeds depending on the very small number of fatal attacks per year. The most cited organization in this case is DogsBite.org, which is a non-profit organization and uses its own statistics, which do not align with the CDC’s mortality statistics. In its 15-year study from 2005 to 2019, about two-thirds of the fatalities were as a result of pit bulls, while pit bulls and Rottweilers caused most of them.
Here is a list of important limitations to these statistics:
It is based on reported data by activist groups rather than statistics compiled by the government. The methodology used by DogsBite.org differs from that used by the CDC to collect data about deaths; there is also no overlap between figures – in general, official figures reported by the CDC for the past few years are a little higher.
- It is not adjusted for the breed’s population. The more common the breed, the more likely it is to be involved in an attack, regardless of the dog’s disposition, because of the simple fact that there are more of them.
- The breed cannot be verified. Breed identification by people witnessing the attacks, media, and even animal shelters frequently disagrees with genetic testing, in many cases, in fact, in the majority of cases.
- Background: even at its 2024 peak, fatal attacks represent an almost insignificant figure compared to tens of millions of dogs owned by Americans. Terrible situations are statistically rare for any breed, and most dogs, no matter what breed, don’t ever bite anyone.
Why “Dog Bites by Breed” Is the Wrong Question
This is where most breed ranking studies completely fail. There are some of the nation’s best-known specialists on animal welfare who claim that breed is not a good predictor of dogs’ biting propensities.
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), in its lifetime assessment of bite literature, prediction of individuals’ dog aggression tendency according to their breed is not a scientifically proven process. On the contrary, AVMA considers such predictors as the dog’s owners, socialization, neutering, and living conditions. Actually, the association speaks out against breed-specific legislation for this very reason.
Also, in 2000, CDC stopped reporting data on dog bite fatalities and breeds based on the results of the study conducted by Sacks et al. in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Such a step was taken for two reasons – firstly, people cannot identify a breed accurately enough and, secondly, there is no way of figuring out how many dogs of certain breeds live in the population, which makes risk assessment impossible.
In other words, the number of bites from a certain breed depends on the breed popularity, breed owners, and ability of people to recognize the breed.
What Actually Predicts a Bite: Traits, Not Labels
Academic studies indicate that physical and behavioral characteristics are more important than breed classifications. For example, a systematic review and meta-analysis carried out in 2019 in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology and led by researchers at Ohio State’s Wexner Medical Center revealed that dogs with a brachycephalic (short and wide) skull and weighing about 66 to 100 pounds are linked not only to increased risk of biting but also to severity of the tissue injury sustained during the bites, irrespective of breeds.
It is extremely valuable for those who consider getting a companion or service animal since there is no need to study breed reputations at all. One can assess physical and behavioral characteristics: the size of the animal, its temperament, socialization and training, and its compatibility with the family.
The academic studies consistently rank the importance of these characteristics, from the most significant to the least: an owner’s socialization and training skills, whether the dog is neutered/spayed, general behavior of the owner including supervision, the temperament of the individual dog, its size, and, finally, the dog’s breed classification alone.
The Cost of Dog Bites in 2024 – 2025
However, the cost associated with such incidents is rapidly increasing due to the rise in medical bills and higher compensation amounts, and not necessarily because of increased bite numbers. For instance, according to the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) and State Farm, dog attacks caused injuries worth almost $1.57 billion in claims in 2024 for U.S. Insurers. In 2025, this number increased significantly to almost $1.86 billion. The number of claims also went up, with over 22,000 claims recorded for the year 2024, which was almost 20% more than the previous year. The average amount paid for each claim was within the range of $65,000-$70,000.
Who Gets Bitten
More often than not, children are the primary victims of these attacks. Data from the CDC shows that more than half of all dog bite victims are children. Moreover, the number of victims in the age bracket of 5-9 years is highest. This is because children are generally smaller compared to adults and therefore are more likely to suffer dog bite injuries on the head or the face. In fact, facial injuries accounted for about 62% of all victims and more than 80% in children below the age of three. Tens of thousands of reconstructive surgeries are done following dog bites every year.
Interestingly, most dog bite attacks do not arise from strange or unfamiliar dogs but from those known to the victim. This is precisely why temperament, proper socialization, and match matter in such scenarios when introducing a dog in a home with children, and more so an ESA dog.
Choosing a Calm Emotional Support Dog
This all relates to the issue of ESAs in a very direct manner as well. The main purpose of an emotional support animal is constant, soothing companionship; therefore, the most important feature of such an animal should be a calm and tame temperament. In fact, the findings of the study on dog bites confirm it since the factors that help to minimize the risks of biting are exactly those that help to become an effective support dog.
- Easy-going dogs that are friendly toward people usually fit perfectly for this job. Some of the breeds that are usually recommended because of their temperament include:
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniels – gentle, affectionate, emotionally responsive dogs;
- Labrador and Golden Retrievers – friendly, stable, trainable and sociable dogs;
- Poodles (standard and miniature) – smart, calm and non-shedding dogs;
- Shih Tzus – small, attentive companions;
- Labradoodles – sociable and easy-going dogs, usually called calming ones.
However, it must be stressed that it is just a tendency because the criteria by which the dog will become a qualified ESA are not its breed but the training and socialization of the dog.
After finding the proper temperament, the next step is to get the documentation. The ESA letter is written by a licensed mental health care provider who states your qualifying condition and the ESA’s role in providing you with relief and comfort. It is never about the dog’s breed and buying certificates on the Internet. With the help of ESA Clinic, you can receive a real ESA letter regardless of your choice of breed or temperament.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which dog breed bites the most?
There is no reliable “most bites by breed” list, as regular bite reporting does not record breed information and most bites are never reported in the first place. In regard to fatalities, the dogs’ advocacy group DogsBite.org estimated that about two-thirds of the U.S. fatalities reported between 2005 and 2019 have been caused by pit bull-type dogs. However, these statistics do not take into consideration breed prevalence, and the AVMA warns against using them to predict the behavior of any particular dog.
Did the CDC stop tracking dog bites by breed?
Yes. After the JAVMA study was conducted in 2000, the CDC decided not to report dog bite fatalities by breed due to inaccurate breed identification by witnesses and media and lack of knowledge about national breed prevalence.
What does the AVMA say about dog bites and breed?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, making predictions about a dog’s aggression based merely on the breed of the dog is not scientifically proven. On the contrary, it considers owner behavior, training, socialization, neuter/spay status, and environment as the predictors of aggression and does not support the adoption of breed-specific legislation.
How many dog bites happen each year in the United States?
The number of dog bites estimated by the CDC is about 4.5 million annually. The majority of them are minor in nature – 1,000 visits to the ER per day due to dog bites have been recorded by researchers – while deaths are rather rare but on the rise in recent years (with 127 fatalities in 2024).
Are dog bite deaths increasing?
Yes, there have been some trends noted in the latest data from CDC Wonder. These trends indicate an increase from an average of about 43 deaths each year from 2011 to 2021 to 127 in 2024, which was the largest number ever recorded in one year. Experts consider several reasons behind such changes, but not one particular one.
What is the best dog temperament for an emotional support animal?
Choose a dog that is calm, patient, and people-oriented rather than relying on the reputation of the breed. The same qualities that decrease the chances of being bitten by the dog are the characteristics of a reliable ESA.
