They are responsible for the vast majority of REPORTED dog bites in the US. With so many not being reported, there's really no way of knowing which breed is responsible. It could still be pit bulls because there are so many of them and so many pit bulls don't have the most responsible or respectable home, resulting in an unbalanced and sometimes aggressive dog. An old friend had a lab that bit their child in the face. I know the situation and I can tell you, it was 100% human error. The dog's lack of discipline, the child's lack of being taught to respect the dog (he was a toddler but still) and their lack of really knowing what to do with either of them. The bite was not reported. They chose to put him down around a year later because of a dog fight that their ignorance led him into. I tried convincing them to rehome him to a better suited family before this happened but no dice.

The majority of bites are situations like these. They aren't blood thirsty dogs running in packs down the street looking for a person to maul. That makes the best story though so that's what you hear. Especially if their pit bulls or rotties or whatnot. It's caused by a lack of discipline or understanding and could've probably been avoided all together. People allow their kids to pull ears, poke faces and bounce on top of a dog, who is giving obvious, non-aggressive signs that they want them to stop, even to the adults before acting out aggressively. Same as sticking your hand out to pet a dog that doesn't know you and is scared. People seem to forget that dogs are living beings with feelings of their own. They aren't our toys to do with what we will. Sure, sometimes nature throws a crazy-wired one that really can't be helped. It happens. But very rarely. It is almost always their upbringing, environment and independent situation that causes a bite. Very few dogs want to attack. They are pushed to by ignorance.