Beware Labradors as well as pit bulls in summer bite season

What type of dog mauled a French woman so badly she underwent the world's first face transplant?

If you said pit bull, good guess. But you're wrong. It was the loyal, popular breed known as the Labrador retriever.

The American pit bull terrier is indeed the top dog when it comes to biting people, at least in Hillsborough County, but it accounts for only about 15 percent of the total here.

A list of dog bites from Hillsborough's Department of Animal Services, in fact, debunks a lot of myths:

•More than 100 breeds of dogs bit people during the past 18 months.

•Chihuahuas attacked more people than boxers.

•Just as in France, the Labrador retriever stands out - coming in just behind pit pulls as the breed most likely to bite.

And don't get Pam Perry started on Jack Russells or rat terriers.

"Land sharks," scoffs Perry, investigations manager with animal services, using the label her staff has given the little dogs with the deceptively disarming demeanor.

Pit bull bites, Perry figures, are roughly in proportion with the dog's numbers locally.

Those numbers are hard to nail down, though. The only data on dog population by breed comes from animal registrations, an unreliable source.

"Many animals are unregistered," said animal services spokeswoman Marti Ryan, "and the first we know of them is when a bite is reported."

Using local registration records, the American Kennel Club says Tampa's most popular breed is the Labrador retriever, followed by Yorkshire terrier, German shepherd, dachshund and boxer.

Neither pit bulls nor any of the dog names they are associated with - American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, American pit bull terriers - make the top 10 in popularity, locally or nationally.

That means they might bite more than their numbers would suggest, or that they don't get registered.

Still, Ryan insisted, humans are largely to blame for the pit bull's reputation: "Tying them up, teaching them to guard, neglect."

"Pit bull terriers are the breed of choice for status," Ryan said. "Some people look at these dogs as a picture of toughness. They are actually human friendly and human loyal."

The AKC recognizes 163 breeds of dogs, with 12 more granted partial status. The list of Hillsborough dog bites contains 103 types; their victims in the last 18 months number 2,400.

Most often, victims are children 9 and under. About 425 on the local list are children younger than 12 months. Senior citizens and mail carriers also are frequent victims.

Look close to home, rather than the mean streets, if you want to keep from getting bitten, Ryan advises.

"Never leave a dog alone with a small child," she said.

Added Perry, "Across the board, the vast majority of horrific bites are from family dogs in the home."

Here's some more safety advice from animal services: Get regular checkups for your dog to make sure it isn't in some kind of pain, get your dog neutered because neutered dogs are only a third as likely to bite, and be especially vigilant in summer when dog bites spike.

Summer is when children are out of school, fireworks are popular and people visit one another more.

The number of dog bites has risen in recent years, Ryan said, but she attributes much of that to an increase in human and animal populations and to a growing public awareness.

People know the dangers some dogs can pose so they call animal services with their suspicions, she said. The phone number is (813) 744-5660.

Animal services answers 300 to 400 service calls a day, Ryan said. The agency estimates Hillsborough has 500,000 to 600,000 pets, of which only 150,000 are registered.