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Dominance/Submission and Aggression are VERY different things.
The most aggressive dogs I've encountered are little dogs - because their owners don't take the time to socialize them properly, and are afraid of every dog.
My Pit bull tolerates dominance just fine. While play wrestling other dogs, big or small, they seem to take turns submitting. When a dog signals to her to keep away by growling, she backs off. She also tolerates breed-specific behavior, like the nipping that herding dogs do. BUT, if a dog SNAPS at her aggressively (out of fear, or anything else), she steps up and defends herself. I won't train her not to defend herself - got forbid she ever runs away, (though she would likely just go visit a neighbor or the dog park) she should at least be able to keep herself safe until she is found.
I've only seen aggression in small dogs, so anytime a small dog comes into the dog park, I immediately put my dog on-leash until I see what the small dog acts like around other dogs. As soon as I see it snap at ANY dog, we leave the park. They're aggressive 9 times out of 10. It really annoys me that WE have to leave because OTHER owners can't train or socialize their dog.
DAMN!!!! I finally agree with you about something. It must be snowing in hell or something.
That was the point of my first question.I remember a few years ago there was a person mauled by a pitbull (to death)..It turned out the dog was a black lab.
There was a nationally reported story about a "pit bull" that attacked a baby - chewed its toes off.
Turns out, it was a FERRET. No kidding.
Why did it happen? Same reason they all happen: the parents were not in the room with the child and the animal.
Question for the pit owners and defenders. Most insurance companies don't cover your beloved little pits. Why is that?
My old insurance company didn't cover many large dogs, including Akitas, chows, pits, rottweilers, dobermans, German Shepards and many other breeds. I got a quote from one company that won't cover any dog above 25 lbs, regardless of breed.
My current insurance doesn't have breed specifics.
Question for the pit owners and defenders. Most insurance companies don't cover your beloved little pits. Why is that?
Quote:
Despite the fact that animal welfare and behavior experts all agree that there's no such thing as a bad breed, many insurers are adopting "blacklists" of dogs they refuse to cover.
The American Kennel Club believes that insurance companies should determine coverage of a dog-owning household based on the dog's deeds, not the dog's breed. If a dog is a well-behaved member of the household and the community, there is no reason to deny or cancel coverage. In fact, insurance companies should consider a dog an asset, a natural alarm system whose bark may deter intruders and prevent potential theft.
I just wonder what kind of parent would even risk having a dog with a "bad reputation" around their children. Even if you wholeheartedly believe that it's the owner, and not the dog..why would you even take even the smallest risk (on the chance that your theory might be wrong).
I equate it to purchasing a car that is known to be recalled for catching fire or has faulty brakes..even the chance that it might happen would put me off..even if the problem was supposedly corrected, I still wouldn't chance it..I like dependability in pets
Bad reputation? This is exactly what the problem is here...remember that dude in high school who had a bad reputation but turned out to be the biggest teddy bear you ever met? Or the girl with a reputation for being stuck-up when she was actually just painfully shy? Reputations are like rumors...they get blown out of all proportion, and people believe what the TV and their peers tell them. A dog, any dog, should be with people who do not equate it to a car, a piece of property, or any other so-called possession, but with those who understand it is a living creature to be loved and respected. You will not get dependable results unless you have the time and patience to train, exercise, love and establish yourself as alpha. Whatever the breed, if you treat your dog like it is just another possession, you could very well be in for a long road of mishaps and erratic behavior. Like people, some dogs can be born or go crazy, but this does not happen for whole breeds.
A friend of mine had 7 cats and a ferret at one point, and that ferret kept ALL those cats in-check! It was the funniest thing to see it ruling the roost that way, but then they are also part of the feline family so have the same I-am-in-charge-here mentality!
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