This was written for an English 201 class concerning the uprising of the bans on certain dog breeds. It's an opinion and argument paper.
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Breed
Banning:
Dogmatism against Dogs
The
history of the dog spans alongside human history, and dogs have served man
since the first wolves wondered with our nomads. Their undying loyalty to man
has provided means to our protection, food, transportation and some daring
rescues. Centuries of humankind molding dogs to perform specific duties for our
benefit have allowed our kind to flourish, and in return our companions asked
for nothing more than scrap meat.
Canis lupus famaliaris,
otherwise known as today’s domesticated dog, has worked alongside man for as
long as our history is written. But until recent years their part in our
society was ignored or at best a side note. We developed laws to protect what
had aided us through the ages, yet these laws are yet to be complete.
Creatures
of habit, we have continued to ignore our pets. But this time we have not
forgotten their important roles in our society, but rather we have forgotten
their past. Dogs were bred to guard our possessions, they were bred to hunt
living creatures, and they were bred to work. In 2007 almost half of pet owners
considered their pet to be a part of their family. (American Veterinary Medical Association, 2007) Our family members
do not sit outside to protect the home, they do not dig into rabbit holes to
catch a rabbit with their teeth, and they do not pull sleds in teams. Yet these
were exactly the types of activities ingrained into our dog’s genetic code, and
by treating them like a part of the family, we’ve taken away their work.
And
for those dogs that are not a part of the family, they are often chained or
enclosed all day, every day, and every year. Dogs Deserve Better, a dog rights
group, had this to say on chaining dogs:
“Experts agree that chaining
increases aggression in some dogs. “Rather than
protecting the owner or property, a chained dog is often fearful for itself,
particularly poorly socialized dogs or those with a previous negative
experience," says Rolan Tripp, affiliate professor of animal behavior at
the College of Veterinary Medicine at Colorado State University.
“When
tethered and exposed to a potentially threatening stimulus, one thing the dog
definitely knows is, `I can't get away.' In that circumstance, a reasonable
response might be, `Therefore I'm going to try and scare you away by growling
or, worse yet, biting.'” (Becker)
We wonder why our pets or our chained dogs are
aggressively lashing out at by passers, all the while a sort of ignorance
towards what that dog’s purpose once was. Their teeth are not for looks; the
dog descended from the mighty wolf – predator and pack member.
But does this mean the dog is not suited for the life of
a family pet? We have a long history of living side by side with this animal,
and have the means to understand their psychology better than almost any other
animal because of our better understanding of how the mind works today. With
these tools we can learn about and understand our beloved pets. We’ve all known
or heard of the “perfect dog”. Never growled, was friendly with all, stayed off
the couches and was full of personality. What we need to know is how to have
the perfect dog.
To understand our dogs, we must understand our current
methods have been ineffective. In countries all across the world certain dog
breeds are being banned. The famous Cesar Millan, world renowned “Dog
Whisperer” and behaviorist, coined the phrase “powerful breeds”. (Millan, 2008) When referring to
the powerful breed, the common dogs that come to mind are Pit Bulls, German
Shepherd, Rottweilers, Dobermans, and more. These dogs have a frequent history
of being aggressive, and so have been banned from places around the world.
Pit Bulls were bred often to be herders (United Kennel Club, 2008), and the Doberman
Pinscher was bred in Germany to be a guard dog. (United Kennel Club, 2003) These
characteristics are common in powerful breeds, and unfortunately our ignorance
of this has led to bored or aggressive dogs. The working class of dogs are only
truly happy when actually working, and our want for a lazy dog to lay about the
carpet or to simply bark when a visitor appears has stripped away the true
purpose and drive of the dog.
William Twitchell, the Advanced
Animal Handling and Behavior professor at Brigham Young University – Idaho, had
this to say:
“[Dogs must be] taught how to interact with humans, taught
how not to be aggressive towards humans… If you go through and teach a dog
specific commands, and the dog obeys those commands, then the dog recognizes
you as more of an alpha and therefore recognizes to be respectful.” (Twitchell, 2010)
This
sort of understanding of dog psychology can lead to balanced and submissive
dogs, regardless of breed. Dogs bred for working purposes have a strong
disposition for certain activities, but can be trained to be regulated and
controlled.
An
important part of a dog’s development is socialization. Learning what social
cues mean at a young age, and how to appropriately behave in situations can
prevent aggression in an adult canine. Dogs that are bred commonly for guard
duty will not act aggressive towards those that are accepted by the owner, and
will learn to differentiate between a threatening human and an innocent human. A
dog will also gain confidence with this socialization, and be less fearful, and
thus will reduce fear-induced aggression.
According
to the book, The Dog, Its Behavior, Nutrition and Health, dogs will react to
fear in three different ways. There is flight: moving away from the object of
fear; freeze: not moving; and fight: becoming aggressive towards the cause of
fright. (Clark, 2005, p. 166) Aggression has
frequent root causes, such as dominance, territorial or protective, possessive
and other types of aggression. (Clark, 2005, pp. 171-172) However, “no
specific gene or even set of genes has been found that cause aggressive
behavior, predatory instinct, or any other type of species-specific behavior
pattern. (Coppinger, 1996, pp. 9-18) This gives us
valuable insight into the causes of aggression in dogs. Breed - or more
specifically, genes - are not responsible for dog attacks on the public. It is
conclusive to say that environment is the major factor for dog attacks.
“The biggest influence on a
[r]ottweiler's behaviour was its environment,” as declared by Ian
McLean, president of the Queensland Rottweiler Association. "There's a lot
of rubbish spoken about rottweilers. They're not born aggressive,
but they are stubborn and headstrong," he said. (One India Living, 2008)
Even Professor Kerry Powell,
the genetics professor at Brigham Young University – Idaho, agrees that
aggression is not found in the genetic make-up of animals. “Their fight or
flight responses are genetically influenced, and even a predisposition for
temperament, but aggression is not specifically found in genes.” (Powell, 2010) Powerful breeds are
powerful because they were bred to be able to do strenuous work, whether it is
a bulldog bred to bite and hold on to a bull, a husky bred to pull a sled, or a
Doberman bred to snap at anyone invading its territory – these dogs have strong
predispositions to do their work. And banning a dog for doing its work is not
the answer to dog aggression.
Cesar
Millan has introduced to the public correct handling skills for powerful breeds
through his television show, Dog Whisperer, and his many books. One of the main
outlets for pent up energy in a dog is appropriate exercise. Swimming, running,
long walks and other forms of strenuous exercise for a dog will create a
tremendous difference in a dog’s temperament. Energy that was once expressed as
aggression is drained, and the dog learns his place in the “pack” by travelling
with his owner when walked correctly. This is done by establishing that the dog
may never lead the walk, or pull on the lead. (Millan, 2008) The Dog Encyclopedia states, “People
who keep German Shepherds frequently overlook the fact that they are eager to
work for their handler… If you do not have the time to devote to it, do not purchase
a German Shepherd.” (Verhoef-Verhallen, 1996, p. 30) This is true of any
powerful breed.
Breed
Ban Legislation is the practice of banning an entire breed from specific areas.
And unfortunately the Pit Bull is a news favorite. But the difficulty comes
when legislators attempt to define the word “pit bull”, which is no more a
breed than a “hound”. This wide range of dogs that fall under this category
makes it more likely that a “pit bull” will bite, because it involves several
different breeds of dogs.
“It has been estimated that there are half a million pit
bull terriers alive in the United States today. What about the 99% who have
never bitten a human being? Are these dogs "loaded handguns," as many
have called them? "There's something a little scary about wondering, Is
there a time bomb ticking in my dog?" says Dr. Franklin Loew, dean of
Tufts Veterinary School, who opposes efforts to legislate against pit bull
terriers and believes the breed is the victim of "canine racism."
Loew adds, "The pit bull does seem to respond more than other dogs to
people trying to bring out aggressiveness. But everything I know professionally
tells me that this is not a dog problem, but a problem of dog ownership." (Swift, 1987)
Banning a breed does not fix the problem of bad dog ownership, in
fact it displaces blame. It’s easier to blame the dog than to accept that you
haven’t raised your dog right, and even easier to turn a dog out and say you
just didn’t have the time to train him. Owning a powerful breed means more
responsibility than other breeds and you owe it to the dog to give it proper
exercise, discipline and affection (and as Cesar says, “In that order”.) (Millan, 2008)
But perhaps blame lies with the common misconception that anyone
can own any dog they please. It’s not unusual for a dog to be chosen for looks
- or as a status symbol - and for that dog’s needs to be neglected. Certain
breeds are more aptly made for specific kinds of work and when that energy is
never drained the dog becomes frustrated, hyperactive, and even aggressive.
Dogs 101, a popular television show on Animal Planet, always has
the disclaimer during the credits: “Remember, each dog is an individual and
will not always conform to breed standards.” ( Discovery Communications, 2010) So then why is it
our reaction to treat an entire breed as a singular unit, and assume a dog
attack means all dogs of that breed are vicious? William Twitchell stated, “I
have a mutt more dangerous than any pit bull.” (Twitchell, 2010) Yet mixed breed dogs are well known for
their sweet nature and healthy body condition, generally. So does this mean
that Willy Twitchell’s mixed breed dog should be a model for all mixed breeds?
It is obvious that Twitchell’s “dangerous mutt” is its own individual, and so a
dangerous pit bull should be regarded in the same manner. It is a hazardous dog
- not a hazardous breed.
Some will argue, such as Dr. Loew, that many breeds are a victim
of “Canine Racism”, yet we know that some breeds have been bred specifically to
bite or kill animals. When this attitude is turned on humans, we are shocked
and horrified. But should we be? We created these animals, and now we
discriminate against them for doing exactly what they were bred to do. Our
downfall was we stopped giving our dogs a focus, or target, to direct this
behavior. We chain them up, or never train them, and expect them to be
well-behaved naturally. But just like raising a child, a good dog does not just happen.
In fact, dogs that are chained are 2.8 times more likely to bite
than an unchained dog. (DogsBite.org, 1991) Dogs Deserve Better,
an organization working for a more humane lifestyle for dogs, spent 54 days on
the steps of congress protesting the lack of laws that allow pet owners to
chain their dogs all day, every day, and every year. This leads to dog aggression, they say. (Dogs Deserve Better, 2010)
Even
more interesting is the American Temperament Test Society found that the
American Pit Bull Terrier, and American Staffordshire Terrier (most commonly
recognized breeds in the pit bull group) are in the 83rd percentile,
which means that 80+% of the these dogs passed the temperament test, which
grades dogs based on “stability, shyness, aggressiveness, and friendliness as
well as the dog's
instinct for protectiveness towards its handler and/or self-preservation in the
face of a threat.” (American Temperament Test Society, Inc. , 2010)
. Other breeds, such as the
Bichon Frise (76.7%), Chihuahua (71.1%), Shih Tzu (78%), and the Shetland
Sheepdog (68%) are comparatively well below the pit bull, which is shocking
considering these are common family pets. (American Temperament Test Society, Inc. , 2010)
Another common cause of dog aggression towards humans is our
inability to communicate with the dog our intentions. People often approach a
fearful or aggressive dog that has been giving warnings to stay away without
knowledge of these messages the dog has been sending. Reading a dog’s body
language is the key to communication with dogs, and lack of knowledge in this
can lead to dangerous situations.
Many factors lead up to dog aggression including, but not limited
to: lack of exercise or discipline, ignorance to that breed’s specific needs,
or ignorance of appropriate social behavior. Dogs that were bred for working
purposes need more exercise and discipline than smaller or more docile breeds.
Breeds that were intended for biting or attacking other animals have more
powerful jaws and heavier builds to bring down prey, and this dangerous mixture
has not been taken seriously by uninformed dog owners.
Banning dog breeds is not the answer. But special registration or
required training of powerful breeds may be. If a well informed pet owner with
previous dog experience understands the risks and needs of a powerful breed,
they will be better prepared for training their dog to be behaved socially. By
asking potential adopters or buyers their dog experience, or requiring basic
training courses for owners of powerful breeds, we will be ensuring people are
better equipped to handle their dog correctly and prevent aggression.
A dog that is aggressive is not balanced, and we are failing as
owners to provide our dog’s needs. Until we can come to understand how our
canine friends are thinking as a collective, dogs will continue to suffer
because of our lack of knowledge.
We need to take greater steps in understanding our pets who have
served us so faithfully throughout the years. It is the least we could give
them. Dog breeds are not dangerous – human ignorance is.
References
One India Living. (2008, December 22). 'Aggressive' Genes
In Dogs Removed. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from One India Living: http://living.oneindia.in/home-n-garden/pet-care/2008/aggressive-genes-dogs-221208.html
United Kennel Club. (2008, November 1). American Pit Bull
Terrier. Retrieved November 01, 2010, from United Kennel Club:
http://www.ukcdogs.com/website.nsf/breeds/americanpitbullterrierrevisednovember12008
American Temperament Test Society, Inc.. (2010, June 12).
ATTS Breed Statistics. Retrieved November 3, 2010, from American Temperament
Test Society: http://www.atts.org/stats7.html
United Kennel Club. (2003, March 1). Doberman Pinscher.
Retrieved October 30, 2010, from United Kennel Club:
http://www.ukcdogs.com/website.nsf/breeds/dobermanpinscher
DogsBite.org. (1991). Dog Bite Statistics. Retrieved
November 1, 2010, from Dogs Bite: http://www.dogsbite.org/bite-statistics.htm
Discovery Communications. (2010). Dogs 101. United States.
Dogs Deserve Better. (2010). Dogs Deserve Better. Retrieved
October 30, 2010, from Dogs Deserve Better: http://dogsdeservebetter.com
American Veterinary Medical Association. (2007). Market Research
Statistics. Retrieved November 03, 2010, from American Veterinary Medical
Association: http://www.avma.org/reference/marketstats/sourcebook.asp
Becker, D. M. (n.d.). Dogs Need Time Off the Chain to Learn
Good Behavior. Retrieved November 01, 2010, from Dogs Deserve Better:
http://www.dogsdeservebetter.com/timeoff.html
Clark, L. P. ( (2005). The Dog It's Behavior, Nutrition,
& Health. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.
Coppinger. (1996). Readings in Companion Animal Behavior.
New Jersey: Veterinary Learning Systems.
Millan, C. (2008). Be the Pack Leader. Three Rivers Press.
Powell, K. (2010, November 3). (R. Counts, Interviewer)
Swift, E. (1987, July 27). The Pit Bull Friend and Killer.
Retrieved November 2, 2010, from Sports Illustrated: http://www.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/mag1066224/2/index.htm
Twitchell, W. (2010, November 1). (R. Counts, Interviewer)
Verhoef-Verhallen, E.J. (1996). The Dog Encyclopedia.
Buffalo: Firefly Books.
Pages of Interest
http://www.co.el-dorado.ca.us/publichealth/pdf/Section4_FullDogBiteReport.pdf
