Dangerous Breeds Of Dogs...Do They Exist? Is It The Owner And Not The Breed?

There are a lot of people in this world who will swear that there are certain breeds of dogs that are more dangerous than others.  Here in the United States if you have one of the breeds that is deemed dangerous then you will have a hard time renting an apartment or getting homeowners insurance as well.  Why is this the case?  Are they really that dangerous?  I personally do not think so and here is my experience with both sides of the fence.

My grandmother had a toy poodle when I was growing up named "Cupid" and I literally could not pet that dog because he would growl and bear his teeth at us every single time we went over there.  My grandmother was the only one who could ever touch that dog.  We all hated him.  Years later a German Shepherd mix (yes this is one of the breeds considered dangerous) wandered up in our yard and she was by far the sweetest dog in the whole world.  She played with my brother and me and was the best family dog.  I rescued a Rottweiler from the shelter and was able to take her to a nearby children's park where she let the kids lay on her, pull her ears, etc. without so much as a growl.  A pitt bull was rescued from a shelter having mange, being scared, etc. and he has turned out to be extremely loving and will roll on his back for everyone he sees including toddlers so they can pet him. 

http://www.animallawcoalition.com/breed-bans/article/552

http://www.understand-a-bull.com/Articles/OtherBreedBites/AllDogsBite.htm#Allbreeds

http://www.aspca.org/fight-animal-cruelty/dog-fighting/breed-specific-legislation.aspx

http://stopbslintn.tripod.com/id14.html

http://stopbslintn.tripod.com/id15.html

That is only three examples of experiences I have personally had with dogs.  Humans do not understand the breed when they get them sometimes and just say "I've always wanted a rottweiler" or whatever the specific breed is.  What they do not understand is rotties, as they are nicknamed, are very hardheaded, stubborn, strong-willed and definitely not for first time dog owners.  They MUST go through training and consistency is key with them.  They are fantastic family dogs and great with kids.  The same goes for pitties (aka pitt bulls which are actually 4 breeds incorporated into one name).

Research is key with dogs, or any pet for that matter, and if it has teeth it can bite.  The question when meeting a new dog is not "will it bite" it's "is he/she friendly" or "may I pet your dog".  Also, do not ever go up to a service dog without asking first because these dogs may be working and it is not appropriate to interrupt that working process for them without the owner's permission.

So if people say small dogs bite more than these bigger dogs why don't we ear about it more?  Well, my opinion is because the big dogs can cause more damage than the small dogs and people are more afraid of big dogs.  Ignorance is the cause of a lot of fear in society for a lot of issues not just this one.  Just because a small dog doesn't cause a lot of damage when it bites you doesn't make it right for the incident not to be reported.

What is the definition of a bite?  A true bite will not only break the skin but cause blood to be seen and there will be puncture wounds with bruising.  The picture below is healing but you can see the injury.

This picture is not healed and shows you what a bite can look like soon after it happens.

I don't show you these for shock value but merely to give you an example of what a real bite looks like.  Often times people think because their dog nipped them that was a bite.  That is not the case.  Dogs will do that to let us humans know they are not happy with what is going on and they want to be left alone.  It is best we listen to their request.

It is always best to supervise children around dogs regardless of the temperament of the dog because like I said before, if it has teeth it can bite. 

Lets stop talking about specific breeds and start educating ourselves on personality and what it takes to be responsible pet owners.  Stop expecting animals to be humans.  Take your dog to training classes.  Supervise your dog while he/she is with your children and anyone, for that matter. 

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