In 2013 the most comprehensive study to date asked whether the dogs (fewer than 1 dog in 2 million) involved in dog bite-related fatalities (DBRF) had anything in common with one another. The collaboration of a veterinary epidemiologist, a public health expert, an animal behaviorist and dog behavior researchers examined the available evidence regarding every DBRF in the US over a 10 year period, a total of 256.
They found 7 situations that were often missing in the lives of these dogs. All 7 provide important opportunities to develop what’s called “social competence,” the scientific term for learning how to get along with their human families. More than 80% of the dogs lacked at least 4 of the 7.
We cannot claim that the lack of these circumstances causes dogs to be at higher risk of being involved in a DBRF as it is impossible to know how many dogs are deprived of such interactions and supervision in their relationships with people and never injure a person at all. However, it is still worth examining how addressing these correlations may reduce the already extremely rare instances of DBRFs or even seriously injurious bites in general.