Identify these 2 breeds, both on the banned list!

Humphrey10

Jojo_the_Tightfisted wrote: »

The most aggressive dogs in my experience, towards people/children/other animals, have been small terriers. I don't know whether this is because they have a naturally nasty temperament or because idiot owners think that little dogs are funny when they snap.

I read something in a dog magazine about aggression in dogs, it said terriers tend to have more natural hunting instincts left and also aggressive traits because of how they are used to hunt. A terrier let loose on its own among eg. rats just needs to kill, it doesn't need to know when to stop, whereas a pointer needs to be able to control itself and just point, a large dog used to hunt wolves needs to give up if the wolf is winning, a dog used to hunt food needs to be able to not eat the food its killed.

No idea how true this is, not sure how reliable dog magazines are, but it makes some sense. Certainly I've only ever been snapped or growled at by terriers (and a wire-haired dachshund, but they are quite similar to terriers really).

But as you say, small terriers can't do as much damage to a person as large dogs.

foreign_correspondent

daschunds are tough little dogs too (or were - I suspect they are far less hardy and keen now than they once were)- they were bred to hunt badgers, which are strong and powerful animals.

Of course, the breeds original purpose has some bearing on their temprement, but there is a lot of variation within a breed, and nurture is very important too.

MrsTinks

I guess the real danger in many (not all) breeds is when the wrong person nurtures the natural instinct of the breed in the wrong direction...
But I do agree that once in a while you just get your naturally occuring "psyco" in any breed. The more inbred the higher the likelyhood of it occuring too...

MrsTinks

And whilst Shetland ponies may snap more than others then they can't bite as hard as a shire :P Shires could kill you by accident so you could argue they are more dangerous (BTW horselovers - I adore shires - I have many a happy memory of doing what felt like the splits on a broad shire back in my younger years... plodding along the roads on a horse that could so easily have ignored the little terror on it's back but instead patiently would let me pull on the reigns and then make his own mind up and go the way he knew he should instead of what I seemed to think... I'd have a shire in a heartbeat - and a few shetlands for the insane fun they can be

It just irks me that one set of rules have been applied to one animal and not another which is technically statistically more dangerous...

orlao

MrsTine wrote: »

It just irks me that one set of rules have been applied to one animal and not another which is technically statistically more dangerous...

As both a dog and horse owner,IMHO the difference between horse and dog injuries is that the handler/rider of a horse is much more likely to be injured than anybody else in an accident. Yes, loose horses on a road can and do kill innocent motorists but thankfully that is rare (and the horse will come off much worse in a collision) and it also happens with dogs.

However, horses are very, very rarely allowed to run out of control in public parks, attacking dogs or people;).

FC, any Shetland ponies round my way are invariably known as Sh*tlands:D usually because they are spoilt rotten little s*ds......

I'm very much a supporter of "Deed not Breed", I don't think any breed of dog should be banned and I wish that the sensible part of the DDA was enforced in a clear consistent manner that would remind ALL dog owners, no matter what breed/s they own that are responsible for having their dog under control at all times in public. Harsh I know, but we are already seeing dogs being banned from many open spaces by councils because of the behaviour of a minority of owners.....and it will only get worse IMHO.

frugallass

all dogs are capable of causing horrendous damage and death - my Westie (terrier) can be a nasty !!!!!! and is placed in another room if children visit my house

some dogs were bred as fighting dogs, some as retrievers and some as protectors. it's a natural instinct

the problem occurs when people use these dogs as an extension to their own personalities such as groups of young people using their dogs to fight each other - the dogs in the photo look the business, I don't think my Westie would make a young chav feel 'hard' on the streets of his neighbourhood.

foreign_correspondent

frugallass wrote: »

al
some dogs were bred as fighting dogs, some as retrievers and some as protectors. it's a natural instinct

Whist that is indeed true, interestingly, I think labradors (which are of course retrievers) are statistically one of the breeds most likely to bite - I have heard people claim this is due to poor breeding due to their popularity - I cant find a link right now (off out), but if I do, I will paste one

Paradigm

You know what makes the DDA even more of a joke?

Unless I've missed something there is no provision for an individual to apply for permission/licence to own any of the 4 banned breeds! They are banned & that's that!

There is/was an index of exempted dogs but the only way to get a banned dog on it is to be found guilty of owning a banned dog & hoping the court shows some leniency, pretty much a lottery as the chances are the court would order it to be destroyed.

Now this is where it gets absurd....If I could convince my local council that I met all the criteria I could, in theory, be granted a licence to own... wait for it .... a lion, leopard or most any animal you care to mention!

I'm not naive enough to think that, as a regular guy in the street, I would even come close to being granted a licence but the process is there for me to try if I wanted. There is no process to own a Tosa!

It gets worse!

As of 2007 I don't need a licence to own one of the nastiest pieces of work to walk the earth, a Raccoon! I could just go and buy one :eek:

MrsTinks

Why anyone would want a raccoon is anyones guess but yes I know what you mean. Same with monkeys and other exotic wildlife. I can see the attraction of a large cat - until it becomes large and is no longer a cute fluffy kitten the size of a dobie...
I think to summarise then the banned dogs list is a joke and there should be strickter controls overall on pet ownership?

Oh and orlao I do agree and yes shetlands can be mean little critters - same as you get mean little dogs I think I've probably been kicked and bitten more by shetlands than any other type of horse (you'd think I'd learn right?) - where as I have never been bitten or kicked by a shire... (or my personal fave - irish draught horse) - although the worst was a really bad bite from a welsh thoroughbred cross - evil tempered beast! Tried to take a chunk out of the side of me... nasty mare.
Funniest was a perfect set of teethmarks on one butt cheek from a shetland... the bruises were so perfect they could have used them on CSI for identification! :rotfl: That was from a badly tempered little coloured stallion... which to my disgust was everyones favorite as he was " so cute"... cute my a**e! Nasty thing he was...

tandraig

jeez - havent you horse lovers come across any ex polo ponies? I have - the only horse that ever bit me - and i worked with that horse for over a year and with a friend got him socialised. some of you may have seen an earlier post about him. the pony hated men mainly but bit out of fear. and i think thats what some dogs do - they bite out of fear. apart from the psychos. and the mummies darlings who never ever learn respect for humans cos mummie thinks its funny when fluffykins snaps at everyone who comes near her/him. and usually they are small dogs. who can kill if they bite a vulnarable spot or child or baby.
I still think its not the breed - tho some are more protective to owners and some have a hunting instinct which hasnt been bred out. its the dogs upbringing and the treatment.
i need to contradict myself here - if you search on the net you may find a story about an american pit bull who was found near death by a police officer - that dog recovered and had a new career as a police dog - and was a reliable family dog too.