Breeds To Be Wary Of

[Cosmolo]

I absolutely agree with HW here.

I am really disturbed when people ignore breed predispositions when it suits them.

[Salukifan]

I guess we all have our opinions. A well raised staffy type dog is a wonderful dog imho.

Staffies were not bred for aggression, they were bred to be family dogs. Their breed has been sullied by gamers but that was not their original purpose.

Are you serious? The type started bull baiting and when that was banned they went into the fighting pits against one another. The courage and tenacity prized by breed fanciers today was selectively bred to make them better fighters. Any human aggression was rigorously culled because such a dog was unmanageable in a fighting pit.

Go ask any reputable SBT breeder about the breed's tendency for dog aggression and you'll get a far more realistic answer that isn't "they are no more dog aggressive than any other breed".

[mixeduppup]

I guess we all have our opinions. A well raised staffy type dog is a wonderful dog imho.

Staffies were not bred for aggression, they were bred to be family dogs. Their breed has been sullied by gamers but that was not their original purpose.

You might want to do some more reading on that one and what the hell is a "staffy type"

dogs that look like staffies but with no paperwork to back it up

[mixeduppup]

I guess we all have our opinions. A well raised staffy type dog is a wonderful dog imho.

Staffies were not bred for aggression, they were bred to be family dogs. Their breed has been sullied by gamers but that was not their original purpose.

Are you serious? The type started bull baiting and when that was banned they went into the fighting pits against one another. The courage and tenacity prized by breed fanciers today was selectively bred to make them better fighters. Any human aggression was rigorously culled because such a dog was unmanageable in a fighting pit.

Go ask any reputable SBT breeder about the breed's tendency for dog aggression and you'll get a far more realistic answer that isn't "they are no more dog aggressive than any other breed".

I was told by a pedigree stafford breeder years ago that they were originally bred to be nanny dogs?

[Cosmolo]

Why is it okay to say herding breeds have a predisposition to herd but not okay to say staffordshire bull terriers are more prone to dog to dog aggression? If every dog owner had a better understanding of what their dogs were bred for and what behaviours they are more prone to they wouldn't be so quick to put their dogs in inappropriate situations that cause so many problems.

[Salukifan]

I guess we all have our opinions. A well raised staffy type dog is a wonderful dog imho.

Staffies were not bred for aggression, they were bred to be family dogs. Their breed has been sullied by gamers but that was not their original purpose.

Are you serious? The type started bull baiting and when that was banned they went into the fighting pits against one another. The courage and tenacity prized by breed fanciers today was selectively bred to make them better fighters. Any human aggression was rigorously culled because such a dog was unmanageable in a fighting pit.

Go ask any reputable SBT breeder about the breed's tendency for dog aggression and you'll get a far more realistic answer that isn't "they are no more dog aggressive than any other breed".

I was told by a pedigree stafford breeder years ago that they were originally bred to be nanny dogs?

. They are wonderful family dogs because of their lack of human aggression and their high pain thresholds - byproducts of their origins in fighting pits. Great family dogs but not what they were originally bred to be.

[Salukifan]

Why is it okay to say herding breeds have a predisposition to herd but not okay to say staffordshire bull terriers are more prone to dog to dog aggression? If every dog owner had a better understanding of what their dogs were bred for and what behaviours they are more prone to they wouldn't be so quick to put their dogs in inappropriate situations that cause so many problems.

People need to understand the potential drives and thresholds in any purebred dog they are thinking of owning. They have been selectively bred for a particular set of drives, a bite threshold and a level of reactivity.

Or maybe not Cosmolo because you'd have a lot less work.

[Cosmolo]

That is exactly right- the very qualities that make them great family dogs are related to their origins and their behaviour with other dogs. I asked a Stafford breeder years ago why more selective breeding isn't done to reduce the predisposition to dog to dog aggression and the above was very close to the answer i got which makes alot of sense and sums up why 'breeding for temperament' can be so difficult.

[Cosmolo]

I'd like to think i'd have more work HW but in a different way- in my dream land we'd work to prevent problems more, rather than resolve them once something bad has already happened.

[Salukifan]

That is exactly right- the very qualities that make them great family dogs are related to their origins and their behaviour with other dogs. I asked a Stafford breeder years ago why more selective breeding isn't done to reduce the predisposition to dog to dog aggression and the above was very close to the answer i got which makes alot of sense and sums up why 'breeding for temperament' can be so difficult.

The problem is that tweaking the combinations in a breed can lead to unexpected and unwanted results. An SBT with less nerve might suddenly be less stoic - more HA for example.

I have read somewhere that "pet" breeders trying to breed a less high energy Golden Retriever had issues with lower bite inhibition..

[Cosmolo]

Exactly. And I believe there were issues with Weimaraners being bred for 'lower activity levels' increasing their predisposition for anxiety. It's hard to change one thing without unintentionally changing another. And this is why what the dogs were bred for is still relevant.

[mixeduppup]

I thought he meant that was their origin. I suppose when you see it from that light then yes it pays to be careful.

[blakkjackal]

I thought he meant that was their origin. I suppose when you see it from that light then yes it pays to be careful.

He probably did too. An alarming percentage of bull breed owners, so called enthusiasts and even breeders have absolutely no clue about what their dogs are and what they were originally bred for. The whole nanny dog myth is dangerous to start with, you do not want to put that idea into anyones head really. I mean, nanny dog... That to me translates as a dog that was bred to take care of kids, a dog that can be left alone with kiddos with not a single worry in the world. Very very dangerous thinking there.

Bull type dogs are prone to dog aggression due to their genetic background and decades of selective breeding. However that does not mean that they will be dog aggressive. My entire male tolerates all small dogs, even the yappy and aggressive ones. He loves females and so far hasn't had trouble with any desexed males either. Really only other entire, medium to large sized males are a no go.

[Salukifan]

I thought he meant that was their origin. I suppose when you see it from that light then yes it pays to be careful.

He probably did too. An alarming percentage of bull breed owners, so called enthusiasts and even breeders have absolutely no clue about what their dogs are and what they were originally bred for. The whole nanny dog myth is dangerous to start with, you do not want to put that idea into anyones head really. I mean, nanny dog... That to me translates as a dog that was bred to take care of kids, a dog that can be left alone with kiddos with not a single worry in the world. Very very dangerous thinking there.

Bull type dogs are prone to dog aggression due to their genetic background and decades of selective breeding. However that does not mean that they will be dog aggressive. My entire male tolerates all small dogs, even the yappy and aggressive ones. He loves females and so far hasn't had trouble with any desexed males either. Really only other entire, medium to large sized males are a no go.

I think most are quite good at reading challenges and dismissive of anything that's not serious. I recall Wreckit Whippet's entire SBT boy ignoring a silly adolescent Whippet pup bouncing off him due to Dodger's ability to walk a straight line on lead. If he could have rolled his eyes, he would have. One year on and I don''t think Bretty would be wearing that so willingly.

I like SBTs. Don't want to own one but they are great characters and well managed, easy to be around (apart from the wombat charges into your legs). They are what they are and I only wish more owners knew what they were bred to be.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[blakkjackal]

Haredown Whippets; that would have been the goal. A good, smart game dog would know when it was "go" time and when to ignore silly overexcited youngsters. They would be safe around puppies and most dogs of other breeds too as they didn't represent a challenge to them. In a way I believe that's one of the reasons why my boy doesn't give a crap about small dogs displaying aggression, maybe they're too much of an "obvious win" if that makes any sense...

Their background is also the primary reason for their lovable natures and human friendliness. Not all bad things at all. :) (and actually, I personally don't mind DA, it's really an attitude and management "issue")

[Salukifan]

Haredown Whippets; that would have been the goal. A good, smart game dog would know when it was "go" time and when to ignore silly overexcited youngsters. They would be safe around puppies and most dogs of other breeds too as they didn't represent a challenge to them. In a way I believe that's one of the reasons why my boy doesn't give a crap about small dogs displaying aggression, maybe they're too much of an "obvious win" if that makes any sense...

Their background is also the primary reason for their lovable natures and human friendliness. Not all bad things at all. :) (and actually, I personally don't mind DA, it's really an attitude and management "issue")

its poor breeding that gives you a dog that aggresses against any dog and every dog (and dogs attacking bitches).. and poor socialisation and control. Not what a quality bull breed should be at all.

Personally I don't rate them for novice dog owners unless they are prepared to learn and learn fast. And the first thing they need to learn is that taking their young bull breed down to the dog park to be roughed up and learn to play rough should be an absolute no no.

Edited November 8, 2013 by Haredown Whippets

[BC Crazy]

While I agree with everything else said another way to look at it is from your dog's preference. I find my dogs get on poorly with dogs most dissimilar to them - i.e. they generally get along well with other kelpies, pretty well with border collies, ok with shepherds down to bully breeds where things are often quite tense. So although I love bullys and boofas I generally avoid them to keep the peace

i think it relates to dogs ability to read each other and preferred play styles. The more different the dog, the more challenging it is for your dog to 'read' it.

Look at Boxers - they tend to spark a lot of reaction from other dogs. I think its because their expression tends to look challenging when its just their head and eye shape.

Oh gods yes, boxers might as well be from Mars as far as my 2 are concerned!

Same with my 2 guys. Between their upright stance & their goofiness I think they think that they are directly from Mars. They are just so different. Their play style is very different. I'm yet to have meet a mean one though.

Edited November 9, 2013 by BC Crazy

[Staffyluv]

While I agree with everything else said another way to look at it is from your dog's preference. I find my dogs get on poorly with dogs most dissimilar to them - i.e. they generally get along well with other kelpies, pretty well with border collies, ok with shepherds down to bully breeds where things are often quite tense. So although I love bullys and boofas I generally avoid them to keep the peace.

i think it relates to dogs ability to read each other and preferred play styles. The more different the dog, the more challenging it is for your dog to 'read' it.

Look at Boxers - they tend to spark a lot of reaction from other dogs. I think its because their expression tends to look challenging when its just their head and eye shape.

Oh gods yes, boxers might as well be from Mars as far as my 2 are concerned!

Same with my 2 guys. Between their upright stance & their goofiness I think they think that they are directly from Mars.

Zig is the opposite - he loves boxers and the way they play. He also loves the working dogs because they are always on the run (so he has someone to run with)..

[airlock]

maybe i should have made a thread along the lines of "types of dog owners to avoid" unfortunately its pretty hard to know how they raised there dog untill its a bit late

[sandgrubber]

Some breeds are more dog aggressive than others. Anyone objectively studying dog aggression by breed will come to that conclusion. See eg. Breed differences in canine aggression (2008) Deborah L. Duffy a, Yuying Hsu b, James A. Serpell, which was much quoted for finding Daschunds the most aggressive breed. The important thing to remember is that serious aggression is rare even in the most-aggressive breeds, and most owners of seriously aggressive large dogs have learned that they need strong management.

Here's a table showing the relative frequency of different forms of aggression in common breeds. The differences are very significant, statistically. Notice that, in this table, the English Springer Spaniel, Daschund and Yorkshire terrier are the ones to beware of. Oops!

.

Looking to stereotype breeds for aggression, Duffy et al found high levels of dog aggression in only 20% of pit bulls (Yorkies and JRTs were worse). And the offensive 20% are not the ones you are most likely to meet at the dog park or walking down the avenue.

It is grossly unfair to generalize form the offensive few and condemn the majority for their faults (which some a##-hole owners may consider virtues). Just as it's unfair to castigate some ethnic or racial group as a whole cause its population shows high incidence of crime.

corrected an error in original post

Edited November 8, 2013 by sandgrubber