So people are saying that if 100 dogs from a certain breed attack people, then the other 1 million will too?

Question

I juat cannot grasp the logic people are using to come to that conclusion, every question I ask about breed specific bans.. someone answers with something to the affect.."I knew 2 rotties and they one day attacked their owners with no reason at all, they are all dangerous dogs because of that" Firstly I would like to say that 99% of all bites are the fault of the human for improperly interpreting dog behaviour. Secondly, just because 1% of an entire breed of dog attacks and hurts someone does not in any way indicate that the other hundreds of thousands of dogs belonging to that breed will do the same. Explain how that makes sense, logically.. tell me how the minority can possibly predict the behaviour of the majority..

Diabla.. the last time a Labrador attacked a person was in February of this year... http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/OtherBreedBites/2007/February/Lab0207.pdf
and a Shepherd in January.. http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/OtherBreedBites/2007/January/GSD0107.pdf
And a Jack Russel this March... http://www.understand-a-bull.com/BSL/OtherBreedBites/2007/March/JackRussel0307.pdf

Mysteri O Several "pitbull" breeds are recognized by the AKC and the CKC.. American Staff.. http://www.akc.org/breeds/american_staffordshire_terrier/
Staff bull terrier.. http://www.akc.org/breeds/staffordshire_bull_terrier/
Bull terrier... http://www.akc.org/breeds/bull_terrier/
CKC AmStaff... http://www.ckc.ca/en/Default.aspx?tabid=99&BreedCode=AFT
Staff bull terrier.. http://www.ckc.ca/en/Default.aspx?tabid=99&BreedCode=SSB

Answer 1

I think the problem is twofold. (And before everyone yells at me I don't support dog bans).

The first problem is that when certain dogs...like rottweillers or pit bulls attack they often result in very serious injury or even fatalities. When a collie or lab bites someone its usually just a small wound.

The second problem is that the dogs I mentioned above specifically are often owned as a status symbol by first time owners with no idea how to train a dog properly. A rott or pit bull needs much more firm training than a lab to establish dominance (I'm not saying beating a dog! I'm saying you need to be much more firm and vigilant when training certain breeds). When someone who doesn't know what they are doing screws up in training a dog capable of causing huge damage the results can be catastrophic. A first time owner that has no idea what they are doing won't run into to many problems with a lab or beagle for example.

These two issues (along with irresponsible breeding) can cause huge problems. The problem is with people though...not the dogs.

---Stick to Great Danes, then you can't go wrong! :)

Answer 2

I completely agree with you. However the argument is that dogs such as rottweilers and pitbulls CAN be agressive if not treated correctly. When was the last time a labrador killed a child?
I fully agree that 99% if not 100% of dog attacks are because of humans, however it is a lot easier to control who owns these dogs (with breed-specific bans/licences for 'dangerous' dogs) than it is to monitor how they are treated, which is why a lot of people are in favour of such bans.
I think the answer would be to make everyone who wants a pet go through the 'adoption' process that most shelters put prospective animal adopters through, however this is impossible, so the next best thing is for licences to be needed to own a dog that could be considered 'dangerous', or has the potential to be.

Answer 3

I absolutely agree 150%. It does not make sense. Dog attacks are in a big way due to humans. Improper obedience training, improper socialization, kids picking on dogs while they are tied...etc...etc...
I have 2 rotties, they are angels, this does not mean that I leave them roam free and terrorize the neighbourhood. I still wouldn't leave kids alone with them, not because they are mean, because I am a responsible dog owner. I guess though that everywhere on this planete there will be stereotyping, whether it be animals or humans. I just choose to ignore it and if it is brought up I simply educate.

And another thing concerning what someone said about the 100 labs, 100 dalmatians and all..... (this is not in any way attacking you, so do not take it personal) When do you ever here of a poodle attacking a child that was crawling on the floor. when do you ever hear of a pomeranian attacking a child..... Never because it doesnt cause damage. I have had the SPCA in my home to observe my dogs and they even told me that they are more weary about cockerspaniels and poodles than big dogs.

Answer 4

Have you ever read the story about monkeys on a remote island in the Pacific who learned to wash their potatoes before eating them? Within a short time frame, monkeys on islands miles and miles away were doing the same thing, but the two islands were not connected in any way. It's a universal knowledge that seems to travel the airwaves.

The one thing that people forget about kids is they are the right height to any dog to look like prey. Pit Bulls are so well known in the media because when they decide to snack on a human, they do massive amounts of damage whereas most other dogs bite and LET GO. In my humble opinion, pit bulls are the most worthless and stupid dogs I have ever encountered. They are not even recognized by the American Kennel folks. I have never seen a pit bull in a dog show.

As far as kids go, would you let your baby sleep with a pet boa constrictor? Same concept. Unless you are a dog, how would you know, and is a child worth putting up on that chopping block? I would say the statistics would probably show meaner breeds like pit bulls attack more often than other breeds not at the top of the dog food bully chain.

Every time we hear about a kid here in San Diego that gets killed by a dog, it's always a pit bull. I have not seen a news story about a different breed of dog killing a kid "for no apparent reason." I love my kids too much to ever put them in that situation in the first place.

Answer 5

I’m making these numbers up out of nowhere, but I’m trying to illustrate a point, so they aren’t important anyway. Also, I'm not one of those people who thinks some breeds are dangerous, I'm just trying to explain the logic to you.


Let’s say you have 100 Golden Retrievers, 100 Labs, and 100 Dalmatians.

Out of the 100 Golden Retrievers, 28 attacks are reported.

Out of the 100 Labs, 9 attacks are reported.

Out of the 100 Dalmatians 18 attacks are reported.


So, which breed is more likely to attack someone?


This is the logic people use when they say a certain dog breed is “dangerous” or “vicious.” They are by no means saying every single dog of that breed will attack or bite, they are simply saying that this particular breed has a higher chance of attacking than another breed because of the frequency and ferocity of past attacks by dogs of that breed.

ReadyWhenHeIs - Of course, you're absolutely right. There are probably plenty of attacks by small breeds that never get treated or reported, since they don't do any damage, and therefore those breeds aren't known as "vicious." Heck, I bet there are more hamster bites in a single day than dog bites in a year, but you don't have people calling for hamster bans because no damage is done!

As I said, I'm in no way saying that I believe all of this mumbo jumbo about one breed being more vicious than another.

Answer 6

i agree with what you say, it is the owners/handlers fault for the dog to attack. if the dog comes from a loving home and is treated very well, it would never turn around and attack. i've known "aggressive" breeds that are the sweetest and dumbest things ever. when i mean dumb, i'm not saying stupid, jst a big goof ball and gentle as a baby.

it's like the old saying, a few rotten apples can ruin the whole bunch. and unfortunetly, the media has a short time to explain alot of news and when they do, they only pick the bad parts and it spreads like wild fire. people can not make up their own minds and see it for themselves.

i have a mix dog that has an aggressive breed in it, but he is the sweetest dog. loves every single person he meets.

Answer 7

I completely agree that breed bans are ridiculous. I think that the reason it happens with certain breeds it because, number one, the press latches onto stories of attacks and ends up giving the entire breed negative national coverage and number two because of the damage big dogs are capable of.

I was viciously attacked as a child by a dachshund and when I tell people about it they think it's hilarious even though it was unprovoked and the dog bit me multiple times, broke the skin in three places and had to be pulled off of me. However, when I tell people about the time a friend's rottweiler bit me because I did something stupid (i.e. I provoked the dog, however unintentional it was and it was one bite with immediate release) people don't understand why the dog wasn't dragged out and shot immediately. Even if I tell the stories back to back to the same person.

The media plays on and develops irrational fear because it keeps people watching their programs.

Answer 8

Well, you can judge the behavior of the dog based on what the dog was BRED to do.

For example, Great Pyrenees was bred to guard the herd. Even when not put to work as a herder and guardian of the herd, they will still try to herd other animals. We used to have a Great Pyrenees/German Shepherd mix and the herding instinct was strong in him.

A Poodle was bred to be a water bird hunting dog. The instinct for swimming in strong in that breed.

Same goes for the dog breeds that were bred to attack. That instinct is strong in them. That's not to say that all of the individuals within that breed will attack. It's just the instinct is there and it might be brought out at any time. Great care should be taken with the dog breeds that were bred to attack for this reason alone.

Answer 9

Dogs are one of the best animals you can have they are faithfull. english bull dogs are violent, true but whos to blame the owner as long as a dog brings up the dog right then there should be no problems true dogs have the potential to bite and if they do bite they get put down this sickens me. On the premis that all humans ARE capable of killing then shouldnt we kill all ourselfs no becuase thats different isnt it a person can kill someone. slap on wrist or prison for 7 years. a dog bites to protect its owners and its curtains this isnt fair

Answer 10

i think you hit the nail on the head - the problem is almost always the owner so how can that predict which dogs would attack next? The ones with equally stupid/irresponsible owners. Now, to identify these people...