Could This Be So

[Red Fox]

http://bandogmastiffs.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Certainly scared the bejeebus out of me

Why?

[Red Fox]

Here is the original letter if anyone is interested.

[tdierikx]

I'm a little on the fence about animals being "born bad" - there are a lot of factors that influence behaviour patterns - both positive and negative.

That said, if you have a very young pup that displays overtly aggressive behaviour, then the sooner you start working on the issue, the better - preferably with a well qualified trainer.

My 12 year old girl was not exactly the most evenly balanced critter when I first got her at around 5 weeks old from a BYB FTGH ad in the Trading post - we started her behaviour modification training right away... and she has developed into a well balanced and friendly dog that interacts perfectly with everyone and everything in public places. Without that early training, who knows what kind of monster she could have been...

T.

I'm not sure you can be on the fence, all animals (we already know in humans) can be born with mental instability.

Yeah - but that doesn't necessarily mean they will be feral... like I said, my old girl was a nutter as a pup - she had no social skills that didn't involve biting and holding on until she heard a yelp - human or animal. A lot of early training, love, and attention to detail diverted those tendencies towards things that were much more rewarding. Who knows how she may have turned out with someone who just plonked her in the yard and didn't train out the worst bits of her nature?

T.

[poodlefan]

This morning in the Herald Sun letters section, there was a letter from Carol St. Kilda regarding her walking her beautiful gentle giant old Ridgeback when she came across a six week old pit bull pup with it's proud track-suited owner. Carol states that the pup was snarling and trying to attack her ridgie. She also says the 'attack' was unprovoked in a pup so young. Could this be possible with a pup so young? I am on the fence regarding pitbulls, but her inference of the 'track-suited' owner shows me her bias. Is she perhaps making a mountain out of a mole hill? If this is possible, then there is another potential killer growing up in the suburbs.

Pup could have been straight out aggressive. It could also have been fear aggressive.

Sounds like both owners might have handled the situation better. Harder to display aggression without proximity.

[WreckitWhippet]

I think Carol from St Kilda, may be just a bit full of it....

[poodlemum]

http://bandogmastiffs.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Certainly scared the bejeebus out of me

Why?

It scares me to see dogs obviously bred & trained to rip into people. Also, I find the cropped-ear thing hideous - it's obviously done to make the dogs looks even more frightening.

Edited September 4, 2011 by poodlemum

[BJean]

http://bandogmastiffs.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Certainly scared the bejeebus out of me

Why?

Maybe YOU think dogs obviously bred & trained to rip into people are OK - I don't. Also, I find the cropped-ear thing hideous

really you shouldn't be so sensitive to imagery.

[BJean]

being nice

Edited September 4, 2011 by lilli

[Odin-Genie]

That description (in the letter) could also be that of a highly active puppy wanting to play!!!

I've seen plenty of puppies at that age who try and lunge at any dog passing by. My puppy used to try that when he was that age. But because he looked incredibly cute, no one ever thought it was aggressive.

Just because it seemed like a pit bull the owner of the Ridgeback could have translated that behaviour as aggression. A biased person can easily read 'snarling' into the high strung behaviour.

[Red Fox]

http://bandogmastiffs.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Certainly scared the bejeebus out of me

Why?

It scares me to see dogs obviously bred & trained to rip into people. Also, I find the cropped-ear thing hideous - it's obviously done to make the dogs looks even more frightening.

Did you read it?

The dogs on the website you linked, including those pictured on the sleeve, were trained in Schutzhund (which has nothing to do with ripping into people).

The author also spoke of the importance of breeding only from stable, balanced animals and selling them into appropriate working homes.

Ear cropping is a matter of opinion, but cropped ears don't make a vicious dog.

[melzawelza]

http://bandogmastiffs.blogspot.com/

Check it out! Certainly scared the bejeebus out of me

Why?

It scares me to see dogs obviously bred & trained to rip into people. Also, I find the cropped-ear thing hideous - it's obviously done to make the dogs looks even more frightening.

Did you read it?

The dogs on the website you linked, including those pictured on the sleeve, were trained in Schutzhund (which has nothing to do with ripping into people).

The author also spoke of the importance of breeding only from stable, balanced animals and selling them into appropriate working homes.

Ear cropping is a matter of opinion, but cropped ears don't make a vicious dog.

I'm with you, SK. After reading the reactions to it I read the whole article, and was very very impressed with the ethics of the breeder and what he is trying to achieve with his dogs. Nothing scary at all in that page.