2008 Woodie Awards
Certain breeds trained to be aggressive
Amanda Heidman
Issue date: 3/24/08 Section: Opinion
In a time when prejudice is frowned upon, it is a wonder people don't apply that same standard to their dogs - man's best friend. Many large cities have taken actions to discriminate against and even ban certain breeds of dogs.
Some municipalities have gone as far as encouraging their animal shelters to euthanize any of the determined aggressive dog breeds before trying to put them up for adoption. This type of prejudice against breeds is unfair, as they don't look at each individual animal, and it is unnecessary, as they are not fighting the real problem: Irresponsible dog owners.
Some of the breeds that are classified as inappropriately aggressive are American Staffordshire Terriers, Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, Chows, Great Danes and any wolf-dog crossbreeds. But are these dogs really a threat to our society? Should we be punishing our four-legged companions?
A better option would to be to crack down on owners. These breeds are all very strong and very trainable, and those two things together give them the opportunity to be aggressive dogs. However, it also gives them the opportunity to be well-behaved, well-socialized family dogs. It all comes down to how they have been trained and treated.
A puppy is an empty canvas waiting for paint. They are entirely a product of their environment. If they are raised to be aggressive, that is not their fault but, rather, their owners'. To take a puppy of one of these breeds and train it to be violent is to take advantage of its strength and great trainability.
The only answer to this is to punish irresponsible owners. Animal cruelty laws are in effect, but there are still many people who get away with mistreating dogs. There needs to be a more harsh inspection of the environment in which young puppies are being raised and more severe laws for people who are treating them in ways that would cause them to become harmful to society.
Some municipalities have gone as far as encouraging their animal shelters to euthanize any of the determined aggressive dog breeds before trying to put them up for adoption. This type of prejudice against breeds is unfair, as they don't look at each individual animal, and it is unnecessary, as they are not fighting the real problem: Irresponsible dog owners.
Some of the breeds that are classified as inappropriately aggressive are American Staffordshire Terriers, Pit Bulls, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, Chows, Great Danes and any wolf-dog crossbreeds. But are these dogs really a threat to our society? Should we be punishing our four-legged companions?
A better option would to be to crack down on owners. These breeds are all very strong and very trainable, and those two things together give them the opportunity to be aggressive dogs. However, it also gives them the opportunity to be well-behaved, well-socialized family dogs. It all comes down to how they have been trained and treated.
A puppy is an empty canvas waiting for paint. They are entirely a product of their environment. If they are raised to be aggressive, that is not their fault but, rather, their owners'. To take a puppy of one of these breeds and train it to be violent is to take advantage of its strength and great trainability.
The only answer to this is to punish irresponsible owners. Animal cruelty laws are in effect, but there are still many people who get away with mistreating dogs. There needs to be a more harsh inspection of the environment in which young puppies are being raised and more severe laws for people who are treating them in ways that would cause them to become harmful to society.
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theresa
posted 4/03/08 @ 9:36 AM CST
I am an owner of a chowchow & shephard mix dog, and I DON'T agree that all chows should be classified as aggressive or a threat. He is like any other dog he will protect his property and his family with his own life if need be. (Continued…)
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