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jlf1961 -> Breed Specific Laws or Dog bans. (12/13/2012 9:23:34 AM)
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I chose politics for this topic because in essence it is a political issue in the United States, as well as a personal one for many people.
The problem is aggressive and dangerous dogs, actually specific breeds, such as the pit bull. But you would be surprised by what dog breeds are listed as dangerous.
List of most dangerous dog breeds
Before making a comment on the pros or cons of these laws, look at the list.
650 Cities in the US have Breed Specific Laws, the majority aimed at Pit Bulls. I will even agree that the majority of dog attacks are by Pit bulls or Pit bull mixed breed dogs. So yes, there is some cause for concern, however, I must point out that most dog attacks, pit bulls included are by poorly trained or mistreated dogs, I say most not all. In my research I have found a number of attacks by pits and other breeds on family members, children and infants, the so called familiar attacks.
There is no known cure for canine aggression, according to Pet Md, however according to Cesar Millan there is a way to eliminate aggression in dogs, so there is a conflict of opinions in this area. According to Pet MD, there is only treatment for the problem.
Having been raised around dogs all my life, including pit bulls, German Shepherds and collies, I never experienced aggression towards my family or myself by any of my dogs except one, which started after he was attacked by another dog through a fence. That dog was a Pit Lab mix. He also became aggressive towards the other dogs in the household.
I know that most dogs in a household were there is no clear set person who is "dominant" or leader dogs exhibit more aggressive tendencies. I also know that dogs will get aggressive toward children when the children are allowed to pull on ears, tails or hit the dog repeatedly.
Known causes of canine aggression towards people and other dogs are:
1) Abuse
2) Malnutrition (aggression around the food dish)
3) Medical procedures
4) Chronic pain
5) inconsistent or harsh punishment by owner
6) Being the victim of a attack by another dog.
7) Attempt by the dog to assert dominance in multi dog environments and even over the owners.
There have also been canine experts that have spoken in defense of some of the more known dangerous breeds pointing out that there are ways to prevent canine aggression in any breed.
Another problem that is the cause of BSL's in the United States is the illegal sport of dog fighting. Regardless of how soon the animals are rescued from this type of situation, there is no way to stop them from being aggressive, and in almost all cases, the dogs have to be put down.
I have many reasons for this topic. And all boil down to breeding, care, and owner responsibility.
Puppy Farms
The problem with these operations is that the dogs whether mixed or pure bred animals are bred haphazardly. There is no goal of specific traits or qualities, these operations are basically in business to mass produce dogs.
Professional Breeders
While this may not seem to be a problem, the fact is that some breeders breed dogs specifically for aggression. Most of these breeders are suppliers for Law Enforcement or Security, and some people dont care who they sell their pups to.
There is no universal permit or licensing laws for Professional Breeders. Again the majority of breeders are reputable, not all are.
Care.
Some people seem to think that taking care of a dog is either putting them in the yard and feeding and watering them and nothing else, or keeping them in the house and let them out to go to the bathroom and feed and water the animal.
Dogs are social animals. They thrive on interaction with other dogs and people. Playing with a dog is not just to have fun but to allow the dog to burn energy.
There is also a dog's health.
Some breeds have specific breed specific health issues. These range from respiratory to spinal problems, the latter of which can lead to chronic pain and also self defense aggression.
Finally, there is discipline. I have six well behaved dogs, and never have I struck any of them in punishment. I have put them in a kennel, and other techniques but never have I had to use a violent act to discipline my dogs.
Dogs are like children, violence begets violence IMO.
Owner Responsibility.
I think this is the most important point. As I pointed out, some dog owners are neglectful, failing to meet the needs of the dog they own, which results in an insecure and anxious dog, which comes out in the form of aggression.
Owners are responsible for training their dogs, which is why there are countless books on the subject and any number of obedience schools. It is the owner's responsibility to keep his/her dog from jumping on people, or getting overly excited which can lead to aggression.
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