Horrible birds, lazy dog

imyerhukleberry

Gcraft...I never new that to be a fact...but I believe it when you say that Cocker Spaniels are the most likely breed to bite...(it really is more of a nip than a bite with the breed though)...my Mother had always wanted one and she got one when I was young...that da*n thing would chase me and my brother and just maul us......to me she was more of a bi*cher than a mauler though...it seemed like she would snip for anything...and she was always po'ed....


Pitts on the other hand...I admire...but do not and will not go near one...Pitts as well as Rotweilers will, if you haven't noticed, lock eyes with you...I do not like that...even when a female companion does it...the only difference is that I feel uneasy lowering my eyes to a dog that won't break an eye lock...

Breeds are bred for certain characteristics...unfotinately...Pitts were at one time bred for killing...to train a Pitt to not be agressive is like trying to train a Greyhound to run slow or a Blood Hound to not smell...all of these dogs have pronounced charateristics that can not be "trained" out...certainly I do believe that a good trainer may lower the percentage of a Pitt's aggresiveness, but the Pitt will still be aggressive when it comes down to it...

...I'd much rather have my children nipped at all the time by a Cocker Spaniel than to have a Pitt that has just one bad day give my child a trip to the plastic surgeon...

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Tony

Hmmm, my dog is half boxer and half pit bull. So he's kind of like a hyperactive, mischievous, pit bull. He's pretty good with most people but let another animal come around he'll be going after it. Just like a pit bull too, he goes for their neck. He's not that big, only 24 inches at the back but damn he's strong. I've probably been through $50 worth of chains. Any regular dog chain I got he would snap in a few days. I finally went to the hardware store and bought some big chain like you'ld pull a car with and some huge snap hooks on the ends. I sunk a post hole about 3' in the ground and filled it with concrete and put 12" eye bolt in the top. That seems to hold him so far. Not that I keep him chained up all the all the time but if he's been bad he has to pay the dues. When I mow the lawn I have to chain him up on the patio. He attacks lawnmowers too. I bought him as a pup from a guy on the street corner for 5 bucks. I think I know why now.

Tony

rockm

Sorry, but I'm gonna get up on non-bonsai soapbox here. Can't let this one pass. So skip this if you must.

But, Bull, as in B-S. Bull breeds don't "lock eyes" lock jaws or any of that hokum. A dog is an extension of its owner, pure and simple. If the owner is irresponsibile, or simply an agressive idiot, his dog will be too. Breed really doesn't really make alot of difference, although the physical ability of the individual dog does. I have owned bull breeds, including bull terriers, pit bulls for years. I, or anyone around me has ever been threatened or harmed by my dogs during that time.

During the last ten years, though I have been attacked and bitten by a downright crazy standard poodle, a pushy agressive dachshund, a wiemeraner and an Australian cattle dog. From what I could tell all of those dogs' owners provided little discipline or structure for those animals. They allowed them to get away with murder. The poodle (which weighed 60 lbs) attacked my wife two days after it went after me. I had on winter clothing when it came after me, so it was unable to break the skin with its teeth, but I had deep bruises on my forearms for weeks. It was on a long, retractable leash during the attacks and the owner simply shrugged his shoulders after both. He was clueless as to how to stop the dog. After I fended off the attack, he quickly left the scene, dragging his psychotic pooch with him, so as to avoid prosecution.

It's the owner, not the dog...

spoonman

actually its proved that rotties, pitbulls and dobermans were bread for protection so they are violent dogs, its in their how should i say 'genes'?

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Nanook

So the debate continues...

Breeds have tendencies, yes. Be it mastiff, pit bull, or shar-pei, they are bred to protect and will do so correctly if properly trained. Pits in particular get most of their bad reputation from the irresponsible owners who buy them from breeders who sell them as tough mean dogs. They like the image that the pit carries with it, but are unwilling to give the dog the training or structure it needs to be safe, especially when it comes to socialization with both humans or other dogs.

Any dog can end up this way given the irresponsible owner, it simply gets amplified in breeds that have that tendency. Most people simply don't do enough research on dogs that have been bred for certain qualities for hundreds of years and then want a "pet" expecting that that's what they'll get.

rockm

Spoonman,

Rotties were originally bred to herd and handle cattle. Pit bulls were developed to fight in dog pits. The Doberman is the only one on your list that was developed specifically to protect human beings. It's named after a German tax collector that originally developed the breed after being threatened while doing his job. The genetic traits that were bred for to serve each job are very different and really can't be lumped together.

Genetic predisposition to "violence" is a very hard thing to nail down. In any case it forms only a small basis for behavoir. Again it's up to the owner to shape the dog. Dogs do what they live. Any dog can be trained to be "violent"--leave a Golden retriever alone outside, tied up to a stake, allow it to become spoiled and dominant in your house, let your kids tease it, praise it when it growls at other dogs and people etc. and it will become pretty agressive and dangerous. It just won't be able to sustain an attack as long or do as much damage as a stonger breed.

Ian_Homer

Ellie says:
Well, I'm only a little doggy. ALL Big dogs frighten me !!!

Am I on the right forum ?

Oh well - back to work - must help my dad keep me in the lifestyle to which I am accustomed !

Paws and Paws, xxxx
Ellie. (here I am at MY PC.)

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imyerhukleberry

well...a priori or a posteriori?

jloeschner

FWIW...

I know that this has gone FARRRRR off topic, but just one last comment about dogs...

I am a K9 handler. I train with my dog every day. He, like most police dogs, will attack on command. However, unless you threaten me or him, or I tell him to attack, he will ignore you. He has been trained to act this way, and I reinforce it daily. Now, when it comes to being friendly, he can be...but he has to get to know you and realize that I like you.

As for breed...he is a German Shephard. Anyone know what they were originally bred for? Hint...it's in the name. They are/were not bred for protecting people. They were bred to herd and protect sheep and other livestock. Are they "naturally" mean? No. For the most part, shephards are good, loyal, easy-going dogs. Can they be made mean? Yes. As with any dog, it depends on how it was raised and/or trained and treated.

Now, to the temperament part. Not every dog is acceptable as a patrol K9. Just because a dog is a German Shephard does not mean that it will be a good candidate for K9. The dog MUST have an EVEN temperament...NOT agressive or passive. The dog must display confidence and a willingness to learn without fear. A K9 should never be disciplined by hitting or spanking. As a mater of fact, if a person raised his hand to mine, he would quickly lose his arm. He would probably not attack me if I did this, but I would immediately lose his confidence and trust...which I need in order to depend on him. However, if I jerk his leash, he acts like I have done him a great harm, without losing his trust.

Every puppy has the potential to become a good dog. Some have better breeding and temperaments, and are more suitable for certain jobs, such as K9, but all can be trained to a certain extent. If a person gets a nervous puppy, or an easily frightened puppy, he will have to train the puppy not to become a fear or nervous biter. This is actually more difficult than training an even tempered dog to bite on command. So, the next time you shop for a dog, remember to consider its temperament, regardless of breed. I have seen lovable pitbulls, which were bred to fight, sleeping with the family cat. I have also seen St. Bernards, which are normally VERY easy going dogs, try to rip out of a pen to get a mailman or passerby. Although breed does have some influence on the outcome of the dog, how a dog is trained and raised is FAR more important to the outcome of the dog.

Canine (K9) regards,
John

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