Can Some Dogs Just Be Mean?

[inez]

If you own powerful dogs capable of killing a person, you need to be very, very careful how you manage them.

If you own dogs capable of killing anything (and I do - see the picture) you need to be careful how you manage them........

Maybe not mean, but some dogs do have more of a predisposition to aggression than others.

trouble is in today's society, no one is responsible even for their own actions. let alone their dogs.

If you dont believe me, when was it the norm if you tripped and fell you could and would sue whoever's property you were on if it wasnt your own?

As for whats happening.

as that extract said

"“This makes the standard type American bulldog very agile and structurally sound. Theyhave a very strong prey drive and can be dog aggressive, which is exactly what American Bulldogs needed 300 years ago to protect the farm from wolves and coyotes, and to do catch work.”

They are only doing what they were bred for.

throw a ball in the general area of a retriever breed. Doesnt matter if it has spent its life keeping the nearest couch warm. what will it do? No prizes for getting that right.

If a flock of sheep or cattle get out and a herding breed dog is anywhere nearby what might it do? again, No prizes for getting that right.

If a stranger enters the home of a guard breed? how many will run up for pats and lick em? again, No prizes for getting that right.

Keep a pistol, for a pet and if someone or something pulls the trigger who really is to blame? It too, is only doing what it was 'bred' for.

The dogs in that quote were bred for a purpose. When they do what they are bred for its pretty tough luck for the victum isnt it?

http://qabc.info/males.html

Change the photos in that link from the pig to the jogger whats the difference to the dogs?

Notice by the wording they deliberately have competitions pitting the dogs onto the pigs and awarding points.

if it was a APB the photos would be of one dog tearing another to pieces. They dont need to 'lock' jaws, they are bred to grap and rip. seems pretty effectively too .

THIS is what is infiltrating surberia no matter how cute and cuddly and smiley the face. Well that is until the day one in a 1,000 or one in a 10,000 does it job but not on a pig, dog, wolf or coyote. Then its in the headlines.

Edited May 30, 2013 by inez

[icedmice]

Dare you to call me a bogan in front of my 2 bull breed dogs... the Labrador will probably bite you for it though.... lol!

T.

LOL :D .

I bet your lab would sooner savage a sausage.

Actually - she has savaged my Pittie cross girl a couple of times... we keep them separate now, as we know that the Lab is most likely going to be the victor when they scrap.

But, as for the sausages... well... she's a Labrahoover, what else should we expect? *grin*

T.

That's no good . I hope that your girl wasn't hurt.

My staffy is made of rubber, she runs smack bang into a pole and will come back with a big grin on her face. She chipped a tooth being a berk.

Funny thing though, she got bitten by an ant once, it wasn't even a big bush ant, just a regular sized one, and you'd swear blind she was being tortured!

[Cosmolo]

While everyone who owns a dog needs to be responsible, those who own powerful dogs who are capable of inflicting serious injury need to be particularly careful. Mistakes are costly.

Different dogs have different predispositions and thresholds. It is the owners responsibility to understand (rather than deny they exist) these and manage them appropriately.

[OSoSwift]

While everyone who owns a dog needs to be responsible, those who own powerful dogs who are capable of inflicting serious injury need to be particularly careful. Mistakes are costly.

Different dogs have different predispositions and thresholds. It is the owners responsibility to understand (rather than deny they exist) these and manage them appropriately.

Couldn't agree more and very well said.

I have owned large breeds and more than one at a time. I was and am very mindful of what I have in my yard and on the end of my leash.

Edited May 30, 2013 by OSoSwift

[frufru]

Big Yep from me!

[corvus]

Where? do you find an American bulldog?

Pet Rescue.

There certainly is evidence for breed-specific behaviour, people. It doesn't serve anyone to deny it. Which is not to say BSL is evidence-based in the slightest. I quite like this blog post for explaining the interactions of genetics and environment: http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/its-all-in-how-theyre-raised/

[SkySoaringMagpie]

So the majority of people who own american bulldogs are less then reputable people and are bogans generalise much

Anyone who likes bull breeds or has a bull breed is a bogan, didn't you know?!

Absolutely, and anyone who owns a sighthound is one of the jet setting beautiful people. :cool:

[OSoSwift]

So the majority of people who own american bulldogs are less then reputable people and are bogans generalise much

Anyone who likes bull breeds or has a bull breed is a bogan, didn't you know?!

Absolutely, and anyone who owns a sighthound is one of the jet setting beautiful people. :cool:

'Course they are, they are also fit and lithe and..................well you know :)

[inez]

Where? do you find an American bulldog?

Pet Rescue.

There certainly is evidence for breed-specific behaviour, people. It doesn't serve anyone to deny it. Which is not to say BSL is evidence-based in the slightest. I quite like this blog post for explaining the interactions of genetics and environment: http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/its-all-in-how-theyre-raised/

Simply brilliant.

Wonder how many will actually read it though.

[mantis]

Where? do you find an American bulldog?

Pet Rescue.

There certainly is evidence for breed-specific behaviour, people. It doesn't serve anyone to deny it. Which is not to say BSL is evidence-based in the slightest. I quite like this blog post for explaining the interactions of genetics and environment: http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/its-all-in-how-theyre-raised/

Simply brilliant.

Wonder how many will actually read it though.

You are a "supposed" dog lover, yet your posts make me question that.

I have owned, bred & shown dogs for over 50 years & I am sick to death of humans blaming dogs instead of owners.

[juice]

Really good article.

I own a bull breed, but i am not "breed blind", i am aware of their capabilities, and i don't put her in a situation where she would show them, that's my job.

I have seen bad example's of my breed and it make's me sad, they do nothing for it.

Bull breed owners need to be aware of what they own and stop getting so defensive, there are bad dogs out there that should not be bred from.

[~Anne~]

I know people get offended by generalisations of bull breed owners and it is no different to generalisations about volvo car drivers. In my opinion, generalisations are formed due to a repeated theme occurring and there is usually some truth to a generalisation overall.

Certain types of families and people are attracted to particular dogs. It doesn't a mean that all bull breed owners are the same, but you cannot deny that the image of most bull breeds is of a powerful, strong dog and so those who choose to see their dog as an extension of their toughness or as an addition to help them achieve their desired status will prefer them over other breeds. In fact, the net is wider than bull breeds alone because the Rottweiler, GSD and others also come into this status.

Edited May 30, 2013 by ~Anne~

[corvus]

I have owned, bred & shown dogs for over 50 years & I am sick to death of humans blaming dogs instead of owners. :

Read the article, mantis. It explains why it is not the dogs or the owners. It's BOTH. :

You know what really makes me mad? People grossly oversimplifying complex issues and then developing some kind of fierce belief in the oversimplification. Having owned, bred and shown dogs for 50 years means nothing if you can't grasp the complexity of fairly key issues like temperament.

[sandgrubber]

Change the photos in that link from the pig to the jogger whats the difference to the dogs?

Notice by the wording they deliberately have competitions pitting the dogs onto the pigs and awarding points.

if it was a APB the photos would be of one dog tearing another to pieces. They dont need to 'lock' jaws, they are bred to grap and rip. seems pretty effectively too .

Hate to disillusion, but my Labbies have no interest in tennis balls (though they do love their tucker

:)). I've known sweet tempered pit bulls. And couch potato JRTs. And aggressive Goldies. And ...

Every breed has a range of temperaments, though there are breed tendencies; some of them quite strong. The existence of a range means traits can be bred up, or down. I wouldn't be surprised if the war dog mastiffs used in the settlement of the Americas to fight indigenous people and control slaves were, in some cases, bred down to be decent pets. You can this sort of thing hapening if you look at the two registries for the Fila braziliero. One registry demands extreme intolerance of strangers from early puppyhood, the other registry wants Brazil's national dog to be a breed suitable to family life.

The breeds bred for guarding, fighting, and vermin hunting are prone to various attack behaviours, and too often come to bad ends due to the combination of high drive and owners who don't manage this well. Most likely result is not an attack in which someone gets hurt, but a dog that dies an accident in its early years, or is passed on to a shelter or a new owner, which may or may not result in a better situation.

There are places for working guardian dogs, vermin dogs, etc. But breeders who specialize in breeds with strong drive should either be working to moderate that trait, or be careful to place pups in homes that are suited to the likely nature of the adult dog . . . or both.

Unstable temperament is always bad, and should be treated like a genetic disease . . . in any breed.

[sas]

To me, it's pretty simple. People are naive to think that temperament isn't genetic. If you breed unstable temperaments you're not going to keep getting lovely stable puppies. Then of course people help shape dogs but mother nature gives you the born temperament to work with.

[Rebanne]

To me, it's pretty simple. People are naive to think that temperament isn't genetic. If you breed unstable temperaments you're not going to keep getting lovely stable puppies. Then of course people help shape dogs but mother nature gives you the born temperament to work with.

[inez]

I have owned, bred & shown dogs for over 50 years & I am sick to death of humans blaming dogs instead of owners. :

Read the article, mantis. It explains why it is not the dogs or the owners. It's BOTH. :

You know what really makes me mad? People grossly oversimplifying complex issues and then developing some kind of fierce belief in the oversimplification. Having owned, bred and shown dogs for 50 years means nothing if you can't grasp the complexity of fairly key issues like temperament.

Unfortunately I suspect Mantis is one of the incapable of asimilating what is in that article. The most unfortunate part about that is they are not alone in this.

In 50 years of owning dogs I gather mantis hasnt made the mistake of leaving 3 or more of their dogs running together and come home to find one of her dogs had been killed by its 'friends'. I know my sister is still in shock over her two 9 month old cavalier puppies killing the 13 year old chihuahua they grew up with. She still cant believe they ran to her, tails wagging to greet her with no idea they had done anything wrong.

DOGS WILL AND DO KILL. Things like this do happen. Not often, maybe thats why its so shocking when it does. Like my sister we humans will never know why? They have absolutely no idea of human morals or mores.

Neither are dog agressive, both are typical adoring loving cavalier puppies. What triggered what the vet said is normal pack behaviour if a fight starts no one will ever know. He did not believe they should be put down, time seems to be bearing this out.

What happened was almost a year ago now and my sister is still trying to understand why, neither have shown any sign of agression to any other dog or each other since.

Dogs are canis familiaris no matter how cute and cuddly the term 'fur child' feels, you have a cute bundle of instincts of the ages, you actually know just about nothing about.

A lady was asked to look after her sons three huskies while he was away for the weekend, the next day two of them killed the third. they all grew up together and were litter mates.

It isnt a rule, well not yet is it? That to like/love a dog you are not allowed to be realistic and know their strengths and their weaknessnes?

actually I think the actual title of the thread is a mistake " Can Some Dogs Just Be Mean? "

Dogs have no such concept, only people .

Edited May 31, 2013 by inez

[inez]

Their consience is clear, they did or do what to them, came naturally.

Perhaps "Can some dogs horrify or shock you?"

might be more like it?

Edited May 31, 2013 by inez

[staffydave]

Im trying to understand how this is such a big argument ofcourse its a combination of both the dog and the owner some dogs have more drive are more dominant nervous. its a null argument Inez stop being so condisending. Im sure mantis is very capable understanding the article what a silly thing to say but anyways carry on inparting you wisdom apon us

[inez]

Im trying to understand how this is such a big argument ofcourse its a combination of both the dog and the owner some dogs have more drive are more dominant nervous. its a null argument Inez stop being so condisending. Im sure mantis is very capable understanding the article what a silly thing to say but anyways carry on inparting you wisdom apon us

so mantis didnt have a shot at me?

eg

You are a "supposed" dog lover, yet your posts make me question that.

I have owned, bred & shown dogs for over 50 years & I am sick to death of humans blaming dogs instead of owners.

this is being realistic. like it or not.

Where? do you find an American bulldog?

Pet Rescue.

There certainly is evidence for breed-specific behaviour, people. It doesn't serve anyone to deny it. Which is not to say BSL is evidence-based in the slightest. I quite like this blog post for explaining the interactions of genetics and environment: http://paws4udogs.wordpress.com/2012/12/10/its-all-in-how-theyre-raised/

Edited May 31, 2013 by inez