Jan
31
Besides the obvious…….?
ByBesides Rottweilers, Pit Bulls, Dobermans, Presa Canrios, etc., Would you be just as afraid of other dogs such as poodles, chihuahuas, pomeranians, etc., that DON’T make the news headlines when they bite people? Being these breeds bite more people and more often than the “Dangerous breeds”, why aren’t people more afraid of them? Is it because they can kick these dogs away when bit, and they only require a band aid, compared to a larger breed that can put you in a hospital? Is it just the fact of the larger stronger bite that makes these breeds more feared? If so, why are people discriminating against some breeds which are less likely to bite, rather then the ones who bite more often?
14 Comments
January 31st, 2011 at 12:50 am
I would be afraid of a mini. schnauzer. I have one, and when she bites she hurts! She has brought blood to my stepdad!!!
January 31st, 2011 at 1:43 am
Ask any dog groomer which breeds they’re afraid of. Most of them will say Cockers, Lhasas and Chihuahuas.
January 31st, 2011 at 1:53 am
I have rottie and a yorkie – the yorkie is the most fierce. I think most people are just more afraid of larger dogs and dont take the time to find out about the breeds. There are no discrimination laws for dog breeds, perhaps we should all have to take a test before we are allowed to own animals!
January 31st, 2011 at 2:32 am
People should be more afraid of humans.
January 31st, 2011 at 3:22 am
I personally do not like small nippy dogs like cocker spaniels ( one bit me on the nose when i was 4 and i remember it like it was yesterday!! ) I also can’t stand a chihuahua….they’re just really annoying??? I love the big “scary” dogs! They’re nothin but big ole babies <3.
January 31st, 2011 at 4:04 am
It’s the stupid media that gives people this attitude. I’m not afraid of any dog I meet if he’s obviously friendly. Except westies – experience has made me automatically wary of these guys.
Chalice
January 31st, 2011 at 4:38 am
Simple. Dalmations. Dalmations have been proven to be more aggressive than pit bulls, HOWEVER. Disney made a movie about dalmations, so people love them. Humans like to stereotype everything. Just because you have a rotty, or a pit, doesn’t mean that it is a mean dog. It’s all in how they are raised, no matter what breed. That’s like saying just because a person is black, they’re automatically a gang banger. And so maybe it happens to be the case for some, but not all.
January 31st, 2011 at 5:12 am
i personally own a pitbull. i love him.
and yeah, i am terrified of chihuahuas. most of my family is. i think the reason they dont get more headlines is because yeah, you can minimize the effect a chihuahua has, but with a dog such as my large pitbull, if god forbid he ever attacks, he is so powerful and large i would have a hard time restraining him. (thank god my pitbull is a big baby and is scared of my cat even)
January 31st, 2011 at 6:03 am
Oh, oh. If I had a penny for each time a question like this was brought up….
Well. Why are you discriminating against small breeds (it sounds like you are)? That seems to be the problem with “no-bad-breeds” enthusiasts – most of you absolutely despise smaller breeds yet beg for sympathy concerning the mis-labeled “dangerous” breeds. Quite redundant and hypocritical.
No breed is more likely to bite than another, so how do you know that these smaller breeds bite more often? Where are your stats? Or is it just a guess on your part? Too many dog bites go unreported, flawing statistics, you have no backup there. Sure I could grab a groomer and a vet, ask them which breed is usually the most difficult to handle, but then I could also ask some shelter workers the very exact same thing…
Small breeds are more popular, they’re seemingly-easy to take care of, make noticeable accessories and are more convenient. Demand for these small breeds just creates a whole gene pool of trouble – poor temperaments. Many small-breed owners lack the realization that regardless of size, these dogs need training too – thus why many smaller breeds tend to be more aggressive. Why should the breeds be put to blame?
But I also know some small breed owners that have taught their little dogs well. I work at a shelter with over a dozen small breeds with fantastic manners, temperaments and unforgettable personalities.
I love Rottweilers, I love APBTs, Dobermans, and all those so-called naughty-breeds, but it gets a little out of hand when the blame is thrown from one side to another.
No breed, big or small, should ever be discriminated against.
January 31st, 2011 at 7:00 am
The dogs are just as powerful it ust depends on how Thu dog was raised: the surrounding, the discipline, etc. it is not just how the dog was raised it could also be the mood…you might be nicer than someone else who acts mean…but if you are really cranky or something you might snap at someone and then you are just like the other person
January 31st, 2011 at 7:34 am
i aint afraid of dogs, i like them, love them, feel compationate about them, feel anoyance that they are poorly raised, and have a healthy respect of them, and have sympaty for those who do not have it good in their situation
i dont expect any dog to just bite, i realise any dog of any breed can bite if poorly raised or scared, and i generaly find myself more often anoyed at lil yappy badly trained dogs who are afraid of their own shadow and hurts my ears, in the end though its not really their fault, i know that…yet i cant stand that…i dont mind a well raised small dog though
and its actualy the golden retriever who bites the most
the only time i ever goten bitten is by sharp lil puppy teeths of dogs 4-12 weeks old, and in fact mostly between 4-6 weeks, so one of the common missunderstandings i hate is people thinking puppies look cute hence they are adorable lil angels who cant hurt anyone…yeah rigth they are rigth at that age where they dont only want to teeth..but also try out their hirarchy position…the teething bites dont really hurt, its those defiant hirarchy ones who does..and well all the oooo and aaaah people should have been sent in to see a puppy beeing an “angel” after hirarchy biting and being put on its back…its no cutie at all..its a writting spitting growling lil “devil”
and no not saying devil cause i hate em, just to underline that a puppy is still a dog so people need to stop thinking its not just cause it normaly look cute
January 31st, 2011 at 8:07 am
I am more afraid that a small dog will bite me and more afraid a pit or rottweiler (or other large dog) will hurt me. The thing is Rottweilers and Pitts have very strong jaws once they latch on sometimes it nearly impossible to get them to let go. Rottweilers were for a long time one of the highest rated for fetal human attacks. Pitts are also known to severely injure people more the other dogs This is largely to do with the way they were raised. Both these types of dogs are commonly used as watch dogs. People naturally are more afraid of a dog that is known to be more aggressive like pitts and rotties. For one some of them don’t realize that both these breeds can be some of the most loving dogs that are out there and for another thing many people do mistreat them and train them to be vicious more so then other breeds and people do not know which ones are trained that way or mistreated and which ones are trained right and are loving. to me it is understanding why people are more cautious of some of the breeds you mentioned. What I don’t understand is banning some of this breeds or punishing them because of the people who mistreat them. In my opinion if they were to ban these dogs then it would be another breed that irresponsible people would take and turn into a more commonly viscous animal, if you know what I mean by that. It is the person that needs to be punished not the bread. I have a pit and he is the best dog. Rottweilers I think are one of the most beautiful dogs. I wish I could have one but I already have two great dogs and one more would just be to much for me.
January 31st, 2011 at 8:25 am
its because those breeds are capable of doing severe damage to the people they bite. Have you ever heard of a poodle killing a child? or someone being maimed for life by a pomeranian? not all pits or dobys or rots are vicious but you hear about them most and they are stereotyped as “killers”, all dogs bite and most of the time its justifiable, they are protecting their territory, their owners, or they feel threatened, the media makes it worse, sorry!
January 31st, 2011 at 9:05 am
I ddon’t know why, because i have never been bitten, but i am more afraid(maybe not ‘afraid’ but more tense) around medium-large dogs with ‘sharp’ faces (collies/GSD/husky) but am completely at ease approaching a rottweiler or huge mastiff wehich may be more intimidating to most people.
Of course i would be careful around any strange dogs, and certain breeds earn their reputation for a reason, but i would not say that i approach any specific dog/breed with a prejudiced view already in my mind.