| Dog breeds in general have similar | | | | dogs,both male and female, are 2.6 more |
| characteristics. Some dog breeds are more | | | | times likely to bite than neutered dogs and |
| likely to kill than others and some breeds | | | | chained dogs are 2.8 times more likely to |
| are more protective of their masters and | | | | bite then unchained dogs. One suprising |
| physical surrounding than others. There has | | | | conclusion of several studies is the fact |
| been a 20 year study to determine which dog | | | | that many varieties of dogs have been |
| breeds are more likely to actually kill human | | | | involved in a fatal human attack for one |
| beings. This United States study was done | | | | reason or another. Topping the list of deaths |
| for the years 1979 through 1998. This study | | | | by dog in a twenty year period is the Pit |
| tracks 238 human deaths from dog attacks | | | | Bull and Pit Bull mix at 66 human deaths. The |
| during a 20 year period. 24% of these attacks | | | | Rottweiler and Rottweiler mix was responsibe |
| involved unrestrained dogs off their owners | | | | for 39 human deaths. The German Shepherd dog |
| property. 58% of the deaths involved | | | | and mix were responsible for 17 human deaths. |
| unrestrained dogs on their owners property. | | | | The Husky type dog was responsible for 15 |
| 17% involved restrained dogs on their owners | | | | human deaths as was the Malamute responsible |
| property and less than 1% involved a | | | | for 12 human deaths. The Chow Chow was |
| restrained dog off the owners property. | | | | responsible for 8 deaths while the Doberman |
| Some of the conclusions of the study are not | | | | was responsible for 9 human deaths. The Saint |
| suprising. Yes, certain breeds are more | | | | Bernard was responsible for 7 human deaths |
| likely to kill than others. Yes, deaths from | | | | and the Great Dane was also responsible for 7 |
| dog attack are quite rare. Also it is | | | | deaths. The Akita killed 4 people, the |
| sometimes difficult to determine the actual | | | | Bulldog 2, the Mastiff 2, the Boxer 2 and |
| breed of a dog. Communities who try to ban | | | | believe it or not the Labrador Retriever was |
| specific dog breeds for public safety will | | | | responsible for 1 death while Lab mixes were |
| find it difficult to define the parameters | | | | responsible for 4 deaths. The following dogs |
| of what constitutes that breed. Several | | | | were responsible for killing one human each |
| factors interact with the dog to enhance the | | | | during these twenty years: The Bullmastiff, |
| possibility of a human being attacked by a | | | | Cheasapeake Bay Retriever, West Highland |
| dog besides the breed of the dog. These | | | | Terrier, Japanese Hunting Dog, Newfoundland, |
| factors include heredity, sex, early | | | | Coonhound, Sheepdog, Rhodesian Ridgeback and |
| experience, socialization, training, health, | | | | cocker Spaniel. The conclusion that I make |
| reprodcutive status, quality of ownership and | | | | from this study is that almost any dog of |
| victum behavior. Additionally, this study did | | | | size can be dangerous, particularly to |
| not look at intervening variable such as was | | | | children. Dogs must be properly trained, |
| the dog protecting his owner from serious | | | | supervised, and care must be taken when |
| harm or death or was the dog actually | | | | choosing a breed with the propensity to be |
| protecting himself from serious harm or | | | | aggressive. Most important, keep young |
| death. Male dogs are 6.2 times more likely | | | | children away from male, sexually intact, |
| to bite then female dogs. Sexually intact | | | | chained dogs. |