If you or a loved one sustains a dog bite in Connecticut, you should take it seriously. Dog bites can lead to illness, disfigurement, psychological trauma and a number of other health issues. However, even if a dog bite occurs, you should try to stay calm and not overreact. According to Canine Journal, only a small percentage of dog bites result in injury or require medical attention; 81% of them do not.
Statistics show that some breeds of dogs do tend to bite more than others. Some of these are dogs you might expect to be aggressive, such as German Shepherds and pit bulls. However, it is not only the largest dogs, or the dogs with the most notorious reputations, who bite the most often. Some of the breeds most likely to bite are among the smallest, such as Chihuahuas, Pekingese or Jack Russell Terriers.
The stronger a dog’s bite, the more damage it can do. Pit bulls and German Shepherds rank on both the lists of the dogs with the strongest bite and those most likely to bite. Other breeds with some of the strongest bites include Rottweilers and American bulldogs.
Nevertheless, a dog’s likelihood to bite may stem more from other factors relating to the care and treatment that the animal receives from humans rather than its breed. For example, keeping dogs chained up outside may make them more likely to launch an attack, potentially a fatal one. Animals that are not spayed or neutered account for most dog bites in the United States, regardless of breed. Therefore, a propensity for biting may be at least as much a matter of environment as heredity.
If you’ve suffered from a dog attack, contact our New Haven dog bite injury attorneys. The information in this article is not intended as legal advice but provided for educational purposes only.
