The innocent-looking dog breeds that can turn deadly: Vets warn after Labradoodle was among a pack of eight ‘out of control’ animals that mauled a woman (28) to death in the park

When it comes to deadly dogs, you might think of XL bullies, pit bull terriers, or Japanese tosas.

But a shocking incident has made it clear that it’s not just these tough breeds that can be deadly.

Natasha Johnston, 28, a dog walker from Croydon, was mauled to death after being attacked by eight crazy animals.

The experienced hiker suffered sharp dog bites to her torso, neck and arms during the attack, after some dogs went ‘out of control’.

Although the inquest did not reveal which dog caused Mrs Johnston’s death, two dogs – a labradoodle and an American XL Bully – were put down at the request of her family.

Now vets have revealed the breeds involved in the deadliest incidents of the past 35 years, including several smaller dogs.

Speaking to MailOnline, a spokesperson for the RSPCA said: ‘Although some dogs are large and powerful, this does not mean they are more likely to show aggression than any other type of dog.’

Here in Britain, five different dogs are considered so dangerous that they are banned.

These are the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero and the XL Bully.

However, the RSPCA points out that there is ‘no robust research’ showing that these breeds or types are more aggressive than other dogs.

‘Aggressive behavior can be influenced by factors such as the way they are bred, raised and experiences throughout their life,’ it explains.

‘Breeds are not a good way to predict the risk of aggression.’

Despite the ban on the Pit Bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero and the XL Bully, dog bites have increased by 154 percent over the past twenty years.

Additionally, between 1989 and 2017, 48 people – including 20 children – died in dog-related incidents.

Of the 62 dogs involved, the majority (53) were a dog breed that was not on the prohibited list.

Among adults, Staffordshire Bull Terriers were involved in the most incidents (4), followed by American Bulldogs (3), German Shepherds (3) and Pit Bull Terriers (3).

French Mastiffs (2), Staffy types (2), Rottweilers (2) and unknown breeds (2) were the next most common dogs on the list.

The remaining incidents involved an Alapaha, a Bull Mastiff cross, a crossbreed, a German Shepherd-Doberman cross, a Neapolitan Mastiff, a Springer, a Springer or bull breed mix, a terrier type and a Weimaraner.

Meanwhile, the incidents involving children include several smaller breeds.

One Alaskan Malamute was involved in a fatal attack, as were a Lakeland Terrier, two Jack Russells and one Terrier.

Speaking to MailOnline, the RSPCA spokesperson said: ‘Aggressive behavior is a complex interaction between the way a dog is bred and lifelong experiences.

‘All dogs are individuals and whether a dog exhibits aggressive behavior or not depends on how they are bred, raised and their life experiences.’

The Kennel Club agrees with the RSCPA, saying that ‘no breed of dog is inherently dangerous’.

“Scientific research has shown that the Pit Bull Terrier and related breeds are not physiologically different from any other dog breed,” it explains on its website.

‘Dr. Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia has proven that the skeletal structure of the Pit Bull Terrier’s jaw is no different from that of any other dog in terms of ‘jaw locking’ – they simply have strongly muscled jaws, like many other breeds. ‘

Following the tragic death of Mrs Johnston, both the RSCPA and the Kennel Club are calling for ‘urgent action’ to tackle dog control.

“We are devastated by tragic incidents such as this and agree that urgent action is needed to tackle dog control and irresponsible ownership,” the RSPCA spokesperson said.

‘However, the current approach to dog control is not working and we are calling on the UK Government to commit to a considered approach to tackling dog bite incidents that will better protect public safety while ensuring good dog welfare.

‘We want the UK Government to commit to tackling the root causes of aggressive behavior in dogs, which are complex but include improving and enforcing current breeding and dog control rules, and to promote responsible dog ownership, to effectively protect public safety while ensuring better dog welfare.”

The Kennel Club added: ‘The problem of dangerous dogs is a social problem and must be addressed through the enforcement of effective legislation aimed at curbing irresponsible owners of all types of dogs and better educating the dog-owning public to prevent incidents before they occur.

‘We believe that preventive legislation should be based on the principle of ‘action, not breeding’ and should center around the introduction of dog control notices, a form of statutory improvement notice for dog owners of all types of dogs.’