Dangerous Dogs

Breed-specific Considerations 

by Jennifer Bridwell

Some breeds of dogs have reputations, although not necessarily deservedly so, as being dangerous. It's not that they necessarily bite more often than other breeds, but due to their physical nature — their size, strength, and bite force — when they do bite, the resulting injury tends to be much more serious (and newsworthy) than that of a less powerful dog.

The Realities

The owners of breeds that are usually on dangerous-dog lists — German shepherd dogs, rottweilers, bull breeds, and some of the mastiff-type dogs among them — have more work to do than do the owners of other breeds. They must make an extra effort to make sure their dogs are well socialized and behaved to help their dog become a canine ambassador for his breed. They also have to manage their dogs responsibly, and not allow them to roam. Unfortunately, some areas have already enacted breed-specific legislation making it illegal to own banned breeds. Of course, criminals aren't law abiding to start with, and aren't known to be the most responsible of dog owners, so when they're the only ones who own the “dangerous breeds,” it doesn't help the reputation of the breed in question.

Many of the so-called dangerous breeds, pit bulls among them, were originally selectively bred to be specifically not aggressive to people, but some irresponsible breeding and handling of individual dogs led to preventable tragedies that have permanently tarnished the breeds' image. The sad statistic is that about two-thirds of serious dog bites are inflicted by pit bulls and rottweilers combined. Unfortunately, nice examples of the breeds in question and their owners often pay the price for the few infamous examples.

What You Can Do

If you own and love a breed of dog that has an unsavory reputation, it's in your best interest, as well as the interest of your individual dog and that of his entire breed, to make sure that he behaves impeccably. If you haven't done the work, or he has some behavior issues, manage him well and train him often to improve both his behavior and image.

Get involved in your dog's breed club to get the advantage of power in numbers to battle issues like breed-specific legislation. It is a big responsibility owning a breed labeled dangerous, but you can make a difference in the future of your chosen breed if you have the energy and commitment to make the effort.