[Purple]

There Are No Bad Dogs, Just Bad Owners

A ban on pit bulls will go into effect on August 29th in Ontario. This happened because of public outcry after a Toronto man was attacked by pit bulls. How does that affect us in Northern British Columbia? Prince George City Hall has been working on muzzling laws for pit bulls, but there has been no word yet. Today it’s "pit bulls" tomorrow it will be poodles. I detest discrimination, whether it is skin color, religious beliefs or dog breeds!

Let’s talk "pit bulls".
This is the term generally used by the public. It refers to several different dog breeds such as the American Pit Bull Terrier, the American Staffordshire Terrier, and the Staffordshire Bull Terrier. Then we can always go to the "pit cross". So now we are actually speaking about a whole group of dogs.

So are we going to ban all these dogs just because of the breed?

This is insane. What we have are bad owners who make their respective breeds look bad. Pit bulls are just the latest to get such a bad rap. It began when some macho moron decided that it would be cool if their dog would attack and harm people and other pets and decided that the pit bull would be their dog of choice.

Now isn't that cool? What fine human being would teach a dog that behaviour? We know dogs have an inherent desire to please the owner, So the dog pays the price by doing what is asked by the owner. This is now being done to "pit bulls". Yesterday it was the Rottweiler, doberman Pischer, and the German Shepard. Let's also not forget the Akita, and Chow. These breeds weren't born violent. Owners gave them the bad wrap by the actions they asked of the dog.

From my point of view, if it has teeth it can bite, no matter what size.

So we hear about jaw pressure. Well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that a larger dog is going to deliver a bigger and more serious bite than a small dog. A larger dog is more apt to go for the upper torso and the little guys generally head for the ankles. Since large dogs are capable of bone-snapping jaw pressures of 90 to 200 kilograms, one has to have the dog obedience trained and socialized. This is also true of any new canine addition to the home. It’s part of the responsibility of owning a pet.

A smaller breed can be aggressive as well.

It will simply tear another area of the body that is more reachable. We all have heard the term ankle biter. It's not the breed that makes a dog dangerous, it’s the owner.

Dogs are a victim of their own popularity.

A popular credo of many dog clubs has become: "Never punish the breed; punish the deed." This makes much more sense. Collectively we need to re-define what is a "dangerous dog" not what breed it is. The best definition I have found that describes a dangerous dog is one that “when unprovoked, on two separate occasions within a 36 month period, engages any defensive behaviors when the dog and owner are off their property”.

What can we do to prevent a problem in the first place?

This is really a no-brainer. First, spay and neuter. Guys, don’t be so afraid of this one. Removing testicles does not change the sex of a male dog. You still have a male dog but a happy, healthier one. Enroll in obedience classes and learn the basics. There are several groups in this community that offer them. A well-trained, neutered Rottweiler will probably make a much better pet than a poorly socialized dachshund. Hey, I can say this since I have a dachshund that is neutered but was not socialized when we got him. He sure is now. What a difference.

City Bylaw Services has indicated that over a year and a half, 160 dog bites were reported. Don’t forget. Many bites are not recorded. I know of two just in the last three weeks and they were from small and medium sized dogs as a result of provocation by small children. One required stitches and could easily have been worse.

You want to muzzle dogs?

Fine! But wait till they are deemed dangerous and don’t discriminate against a breed. Use it as a punishment. Don’t use it because of the dog’s genetics.

I have a lot of respect for the folks of this community, even the ones who don’t particularly like dogs. I also have a lot of respect for Bylaw Services and the difficult job they have. I have no patience for those of you who are out there creating the problems in the first place. I say we strive for more severe penalties handed out to the irresponsible owners.

Remember there are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

http://www.opinion250.com/blog/view/...ust+bad+owners