10 Most Dangerous Dog Breeds In Minnesota, Iowa, And South Dakota

A new 2025 study has revealed statistics about dangerous dog bite incidents across Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, and the nation.

The research by StudyFinds analyzed bite percentages, fatalities, severe bite rates, and vaccination compliance to identify the most dangerous breeds.

The Top 10 Most Dangerous Breeds...

1. Pit Bulls 
2. Shepherds (excluding German Shepherds)
3. Boxers
4. Rottweilers
5. German Shepherds
6. Australian Cattle Dogs
7. Cane Corsos
8. Doberman Pinschers
9. Mastiffs
10. Labrador Retrievers

Pit bulls dominate the danger scale with a score of 90 out of 100, accounting for 26.74% of all dog bite incidents and 61 fatalities despite representing a small fraction of the total dog population.

This makes them a significant statistical outlier compared to other breeds.

Vaccination rates are critically low among dangerous breeds.

Shepherds show only 9.25% vaccination compliance, while pit bulls reach just 17.10%.

These poor vaccination rates create additional health risks for bite victims beyond the immediate physical trauma.

Even family-friendly breeds pose risks.

Labrador retrievers, traditionally considered gentle family dogs, made the top 10 with 136 reported incidents, demonstrating that any dog can bite regardless of breed reputation.

The second-place shepherds scored 57.17 on the danger scale significantly lower than pit bulls.

Out of 227 shepherd-related incidents, they accounted for 10.48% of reported bites, two fatalities, and 15.86% severe bite classifications.