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From here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_States
It goes back to 1887 and up to 2018. Not much pre-WWII stuff so I started with 1942. Got tired of typing at 2004 but the Pit Bull trend continues and increases from there. It’s a numbers thing. Took 20-30 years to start getting German dogs here after the war but when they get here, the fatal attacks begin. Meanwhile Pit Attacks 1945, 1965, 1981 and then it starts to pick up for certain years but doesn’t get real regular until the 90s-2000s. But you can see the trend in ownership/population. German Shepherds, Dobermans, Rottweilers Huskies, Chows and Pit Bulls. All “badass” dogs that people who think of themselves as badasses want to own.

1942
—Husky
—Rottweiler
1943
—Doberman
1945
—Staffordshire Bull Terrier (considered Pit Bull type dog)
—American Pit Bull
1947
—Rottweiler
—German Shepherd
1948
—German Shepherd
1950
—Bulldog
—Siberian Husky
1955
—Pack of Dogs
1958
—German Shepherd
1959
—Siberian Husky
—Pack of Dogs
—Pack of Dogs
1960
—Doberman
1963
—German Shepherd
—Alaskan Malamute
1965
—American Pit Bull/Airedale Terrier mix
—Siberian Husky
—Mongrel
1966
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler (x3)
—
—Pack of 4 dogs incl 2 German Shepherds and 2 Mogrels
—Great Dane
1971
—Labrador Retriever
—German Shepherd
1972
—Saint Bernard
—German Shepherd
1974
—Saint Bernard
—Saint Bernard
—Golden Retriever
—Labrador Retriever + 2 Collies
1975
—Basenji or Basenji mix
—Mongrel
—German Shepherd
—Husky type
—German Shepherd/Lab mix
1976
—American Pit Bull
—German Shepherd
—Saint Bernard
—German Shepherd
—Cur dog
1977
—Alaskan Malamute
—Saint Bernard + Lab/German Shepherd mix
—Saint Bernard
—Bulldog
—Great Dane
—Elkhound/German Shepherd mix
—German Shepherd + possibly Irish Setter )though no emains found in stomach)
1978
—German Shepherd
—German Shepherd
1980
—Alaskan Malamute
—Siberian Husky
—Siberian Husky
—Great Dane
—Alaskan Malamute
Great Dane (x3) + Great Dane/Saint Bernard mix
1981
—Doberman
—Mongrel(s)
—Pit Bull
—Chow Chow
1982
—Saint Bernard mix
—German Shepherd mix
—Coon Hound
—Pit Bull
1983
—Malamute
—Unknown
—Pit Bull + Pit bull puppy
—Akita
1984
—Siberian Husky
—German Shepherd
—Pit bull
—Pit bull
—English Sheepdog
1985
—family dog
1986
—Feral Dogs (appearance similar to pit bulls)
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Coonhound
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Husky
1987
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull + German Cattle dog
—Pit Bull
1988
—Lab
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler
—Husky Wolfdog
—Mongrel
—Pit bull
1989
—unknown (x2) + Doberman.lab mix
—Pack including prob German Shepherd + Husky
—Chesapeake Bay Retriever
—German Shepherd + possibly German Shepher/Chow Chow mix
1990
—Siberian Husky
—German Shepherd
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull
—Akita
—Manchseter Terrier
—German Shepherd
1991
—Akita
—Lab + Rottweiler mix (x2)
—Siberian Husky
1992
—Rottweiler
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull (x2)
—Pit Bull
—Rottweiler
—Pit Bull
1993
—Rottweiler
—Alaskan Malamute
—Wolfdog
1994
—Rottweiler
Pit Bull (x2)
1995
—German Shepherd + Wolfdog (x2)
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler mix + 11 other dogs
—Rottweiler
—Chow Chow
—Rottweiler (x3)
—Pit Bull
—Rottweiler (x2)
1996
—Rottweiler + German Shepherd
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler + Rottweiler mix
1997
—Rottweiler (x3)
—Lab + Rottweiler (x3)
1998
—Saint Bernard + Mastiff
1999
—Mixed or Lab Shepherd mix (x2)
—Airedale Terrier
—Unknown (prob dobies or shepherds)
—German Shepherd mix
2000
—Rottweiler
—German Shepherd
—Pit Bull
—Pack
—German Shepherd/Husky mix + Pit Bull/Lab mix
—Pomeranian (killed 6 week old baby girl)
2001
—Presa Canario
—Pit Bull/Rottweiler mix
—Rottweiler
—Pack of strays
—Chow Chow
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler
—Pit Bull
—Mix breed dogs (x9 possibly incl Pit/Rott/Beagle/Lab)
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler
—German Shepherd or mix
—Husky
—Rottweiler (x3)
2002
—Rottweiler + 2 Rottweiler/pug mixes
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Rottweiler
—German Shepherd
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Husky mix
2003
—Pit Bull
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Rottweiler
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Pit Bull
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Malamute
—Pit Bull
—Pack of strays
—Pit Bull
—Rottweiler
—Doberman
—Great Dane
—Pit Bull (x3)
—Pit Bull or mix
—Pit Bull
2004
—Mix
—Beagle mix
—Pack mixes
—Rottweiler (x2)
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull (x4)
—Pit Bull mix
—Bull Mastiff/German Shepherd mix
—Rottweiler
—English Mastiff
—Pit Bull
—Pit Bull (x6)
—Pit Bull/lab mix
—mix
—Pit Bull mix (x2)
—Pit Bull mix
—Mongrel (x3 pit bull type)
2005
Got tired of typing but as can be seen, aside from 86, 87, 92, there weren’t very many Pit Bulls until around 2000. Prior to 2000, it was German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies and then Rottweilers and Dobermans. From 2005 on, it’s a fairly mixed lot of German Shepherds, Huskies, Rottweilers, Dobermans and Pit Bulls, plus other dogs. As the years go by, Pit Bulls increase as other breeds decrease. This is likely due to popularity amogn certain groups of people.