Pitbulls can be something of a contentious issue. There are those who believe they are a very dangerous breed of dog, and there are those who believe that they make wonderful pets. You will certainly find people strongly dug in on both sides of the issue.
One argument that people will make in favor of pit bulls is that smaller dogs are actually more likely to bite people. And this is true. Studies have found that aggression levels tend to be higher in small dogs. This may be because of their size, as they think they need to be aggressive to protect themselves. Either way, smaller breeds do exhibit more aggressive behavioral traits than larger dogs.
Fatality statistics
But the key thing to look at is the fatality rate. This tells you how serious these attacks are. When you do that, you’ll find that more than 65% of all fatalities come from Pitbulls. More than 10% come from Rottweilers, while almost 5% come from German Shepherds.
The similar detail that connects all of these dogs is that they are larger and stronger breeds. So they may be less aggressive, but they are far more powerful if they decide to attack. Children are often victimized by fatal dog bites, for instance, because they are not strong enough to fend the dog off and their short size means that their head and neck are more vulnerable.
So, while a Chihuahua may technically be more aggressive, its physical limitations mean that it can’t cause serious harm, even if it does attack. But larger breeds are more dangerous because, even if they attack less often, they do have the ability to cause severe injuries. Those who have been hurt or who have lost loved ones may be able to seek financial compensation.
