Should Dangerous Dog Breeds Be Banned

Categories: Dog Pit Bulls

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Should Dangerous Dog Breeds Be Banned ‘A five month old baby girl has died after being attacked by two Rottweiler dogs in Leicester, police said on Sunday. Leicestershire police and ambulance staff were called to a pub in the New Parks area of the city on Saturday afternoon, before the baby was rushed to Leicester Royal Infirmary, where she later died from her injuries’ (Metro 2010) When tragic stories like this are reported there are often calls for dangerous breeds to be banned.

After the death of John-Paul Massey by a pit bull style dog in Liverpool the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown backed the Daily Mirror’s campaign on dangerous dogs which it demands: ‘Outlaw all vicious cross-breeds currently being used to get around the Act, which specifies particular breeds’ (Lyons 2009) Dangerous dogs in the U.

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K. reports several stories of dog attacks on children highlighting certain breeds (UK and Spain 2010). It is easy to understand why some countries ban breeds.

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Dublin has banned 11 (O’Boyle 2010). Switzerland has banned fifteen (Lenouvelliste 2010). In the U. K. he American Pit bull Terrier, the Japanese Tosa, the Dogo Argentino and the Filo Brasilero are banned (Directgov 2010). Is it true some breeds are more aggressive? In the U. K. last year there were over 5000 dog attacks on people (Macrae 2009). The Dachshund, Chihuahua and Jack Russell were the most aggressive (Heck 2010). Labradors, Ridgebacks and Poodles were the least aggressive. Rottweillers, Pit bulls and Ridgebacks showed least hostility to strangers (Harrison 2010). So smaller breeds are more aggressive.

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People might argue that a small dog can’t hurt someone like a bigger more powerful breed.

Try telling that to the parents of a six week old girl that was killed by a Pomeranian mix (Millan 2007). Any dog can bite. Stand United reports of dog attacks around the world which shows that there is no specific breed that is prone to aggression including Dalmatians, Poodles and Golden Retrievers (Miller 2005). Certain breeds are more powerful than others though. It is in connection with the size of the head (Retrieverman 2008). However it is a myth that certain breeds can lock their jaws (Maddock 2006). So what should be done?

Muzzle all dogs keeping them on a leash whenever they are in public? There have been several cases of dog bravery only possible because they weren’t muzzles (The Dog Guide 2010). Keeping a dog on a lead on the public highways is common sense. However dogs are animals that are born to run as much as birds are meant to fly and fish to swim. So there needs to be places where owners can let their dogs off. Putting a ban on certain breeds is known as Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) (Best Behaviour Ltd 2009). This places the problems of dog behaviour on the dog, while failing to look at the owners.

Dogs mirror their owners not because they look like them but because they mimic their behaviour (Borland and Derbyshire 2010). There is a reason for this. When dogs are born they are blind and deaf (Coran 2009), relying only on scent. A dog has more than 220 million scent receptors in its nose as opposed to 5 million in humans (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities 2001). What they pick up from scent is energy. That energy is either positive or negative. A dog will mimic the energy of its pack leader. People are not so different.

Being in the presence of someone that is happy and calm (positive energy) is uplifting, but being in the presence of someone that is either angry or sad (negative energy) is draining. Dogs are much more in tune to energy or emotion than humans (Hartie 2009). If the owner of a dog happens to be calm the dog will be calm. If they are aggressive then the dog will learn aggressive behaviour from them. So it is a bit of a fallacy to say there are aggressive dog breeds. What is happening is that certain types of owner are attracted to certain breeds. This is the cause of the problem.

A person might be attracted to a Pit Bull Terrier because of the fear they can instil in people. But if that same owner got let’s say a Cocker Spaniel instead and brought it up the same way as the Pit Bull the behaviour of the dogs would be the same. One of the reasons small dog breeds are so snappy is because the type of owner that is attracted to them treat them like a spoilt child. These dogs are shown no leadership. If a human is therefore not the leader the dog will think it’s the leader. It unbalances the dog and they try to show their leadership with snaps, growls and bites (Oquendo 2010).

A big dog brought up the same way would become a dangerous animal. So what should be done? Is it fair to blame certain breeds because they attract the wrong sort of owner? If BSL was introduced with over 300 hundred breeds alone (Best Family Dog 2010) not including cross breeds, it would be far too easy to change to another breed if a person wants an aggressive dog to get around the law. Placing the onus on the owner surely would be a better way to manage dog issues, especially as it is they who are the biggest influence on its behaviour. Would it not make sense to introduce dog licensing back into the U.

K.? Not like it used to be where someone simply filled out a form and paid a fee. But one that is like a driver’s licence. A different licence is needed according to the type of vehicle that is driven. With dogs it could be linked to behaviour training as well as the breed of dog. For example a Poodle could be a level one, Spaniels 2 and Collies level 3. The information for this can be incorporated with microchips. If micro-chipping was compulsory problem dogs would be easier to be identified. Chips contain a number which goes to a data-base. The information on this contains the owner’s address.

It is invaluable for helping lost dogs be found. It could also contain information on training records, health and any behaviour issues. Any official would be able to scan the dogs as necessary. The cost of these scanners would be covered by the dog licence. This way if a person cannot prove their competency through training, then like a driving test, if you don’t pass you don’t drive. So if they can’t learn to control their dog should they own one? References: ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES, 11 September 2001. The Dogs Sense Of Smell. Available from: http://www. aces. edu/pubs/docs/U/UNP-0066/UNP-0066. df [Accessed 12 November 2010] Best Family Dog, 3 November 2010. Choosing a Dog. Available from: http://www. bestfamilydog. co. uk/choosing-a-dog. php [Accessed 12 November 2010] Borland, S. And Derbyshire, D. , 28 July 2010. His master’s mimic: Dogs copy their owner’s hand and mouth movements. Available from: http://www. dailymail. co. uk/sciencetech/article-1298132/Dogs-imitate-owners-research-reveals. html#ixzz14so7WdOA [Accessed 10 November 2010] Best Behaviour Ltd, 2009. Deed Not Breed. Available from: http://en. wilkepedia. org/wiki/Breed-Specific_legislation [Accessed 10 November 2010] Coran, S. 29 June 2009. Why are puppies born with their eyes and ears closed? Available from: http://www. psychologytoday. com [Accessed 12 November 2010] DirectGov, 2010. Dogs that are banned in the U. K.. Available from: www. direct. gov. uk/en/Home AndCommunity/InYourHome/AnimalsAndPets/DG-180098 [Accessed 12 October 2010] Harrison, F. , 2 November 2010. Aggressive the good and the bad of dog breeds. Available from: http://doggies . com/blog/2008/07/16/least-aggressive-dog/ [Accessed 5 November 2010] Hartie, N. , 2 August 2009. Chi, or Energy Affects Dogs! Available from: http://harmoniousenvironment. logspot. com/2009/08/chi-or-energy-even-affects-dogs. html [Accessed 12 November 2010] Heck, J. , 20 February 2010. Top ten most aggressive dogs. Available from: www. ehow. co. uk/list_6011449_top-10-aggressive-dogs [Accessed 20 October 2010] Lenouvelliste, 16 September 2008. Three breeds banned. Available from: www. scribd. com/doc/25871867/Banned-Dog-Breeds-in -Switzerland. [Accessed 18 October 2010] Lyons, J. , 2009. Gordon Brown backs Mirror campaign. Available from: www. mirror. co. uk/news/top-stories/2009/12/15/brown-mirror-s-dog-fight-is-right-115875-21898401/ [Accessed 18 October 2010]

Macrae, F. , 15 December 2009. 100 People Treated A Week For Dog Bites. Available from: www. dailymail. co. uk/... /100-people-week-treated-dog-bites-attacks-soar-66 [Accessed 5 November 2010] Maddock, 28 July 2006. Which dog is the one that their jaws lock?. Available from: Which dog is the one that their jaws lock? ¦Answerbag http://www. answerbag. com/q_view/67122#ixzz14mwBfU4h [Accessed 9 November 2010] Metro, 2010. Baby killed by Rottweillers. Available from: http://www. metro. co. uk/home/20098-baby-killed-by-rottweillers [Accessed 24 September 2010] Millan, C. ,2007.

Cesar’s Way: The Natural, Everyday Guide to Understanding and Correcting Common Dog Problems. New York: Three Rivers Press. Page 81 Miller, J. , 3 July 2005. Regardless of Breed. Available from: http://www. standunited. ca/sourcesforreading/regardlessofbreed. html [Accessed 21 October 2010] O’Boyle, C. , 2007. Breeds to go or be destroyed. Available from: www. thefreelibrary. com/CITY+BANS+DEVIL+DOGS%3b+BAN+THE+DANGER+DOGS+11+breeds+to+go+or+be... a0166174733 [Accessed 18 October 2010] Oquendo, J. , 18 August 2010. Small Dogs Need Training Too. Available from: http://pawzforhealth. mcconnell. com/_blog/Small_dogs_need_training _too [Accessed 12 November 2010] Retrieverman, 17July 2008. Dog Attack Styles Depend Upon Bite Strength. Available from: http:// retrieverman. wordpress. com/2008/07/17/dog-attack-styles-depend-upon-bite-strength/ [Accessed 9 November 2010] The Dog Guide, 7 November 2010. 25 Heroic Dogs and How They Saved People. Available from: http://www. dogguide. net/25-hero-dogs. php [Accessed 10 November 2010] UK and Spain, 19 October 2010. Dangerous dogs in the U. K.. Available from: www. ukandspain. com/dangerous-dogs. [Accessed 19 October 2010]