Personal Injury · Dog Bite Liability
Dog Bite Laws in Texas
Whether Texas holds a dog owner automatically liable, follows the one-bite rule, or takes a mixed approach — plus landlord liability and the main defenses.
How liability works in Texas
What the rule is, and what you must show.
Landlords & defenses
Who else can be liable, and what defeats a claim.
The full picture, with the source
Every field, and any recent development.
| Liability model | One-bite rule |
| Basis | Common law — Common law — Marshall v. Ranne, 511 S.W.2d 255 (Tex. 1974) |
| What it covers | Actual or constructive knowledge of a dangerous propensity (a prior bite, growling, lunging), or ordinary negligence in restraining the dog. Texas follows Restatement (2d) of Torts §509. |
| Landlord | Generally no — a landlord faces the same knowledge standard: they must have known of the specific dangerous propensity and had the ability to control or remove the dog. |
| Main defenses | No prior knowledge · No negligence · Provocation · Trespassing / comparative fault |
What Texas dog-bite victims get wrong
Texas is one of only two states here with no dog-bite statute at all — liability comes straight from common law, anchored by the Texas Supreme Court’s 1974 decision in Marshall v. Ranne. That makes Texas a "one-bite" state: to recover, you generally must prove the owner knew, or had reason to know, the dog was dangerous — a prior bite, growling, or lunging — or that the owner was negligent in handling it. Because there is no statute to read, the honest ceiling for this page is "corroborated," resting on the leading case and official legal-aid summaries rather than a code section. That is not a gap in the law; it is simply how common-law states work.
Common questions
Is Texas a one-bite state for dog bites?
Yes. Texas has no dog-bite statute, so liability follows common law (Marshall v. Ranne): you generally must prove the owner knew the dog was dangerous or was negligent.
Do I automatically win if a dog bites me in Texas?
No. Without a strict-liability statute, you must show the owner knew or should have known of the dog’s dangerous propensity, or acted negligently.
What counts as the owner "knowing" a dog was dangerous in Texas?
Actual or constructive knowledge — a prior bite, growling, or lunging — is the classic proof. Ordinary negligence in restraining the dog is an alternative path.
Is a landlord liable for a tenant’s dog bite in Texas?
Generally only if the landlord knew of the specific dangerous propensity and had the ability to control or remove the dog — the same knowledge standard that applies to owners.
Not legal advicePlainStatute provides plain-language summaries of public law for general information only. This is not legal advice. Statutes change; always confirm current requirements with the official source linked above before acting.