Biased Perceptions of Animals...

[kokopelle]

Disclaimer: I know dogs can be very aggressive and attack people. There are very good dogs and there are very bad dogs. In the middle are scared and mentally whacked dogs. Some breeds are generally better with children and other pets than other breeds. With that said...

I found a website today that listed “Deadly Dogs - The Most Potentially Violent Dogs to Own”. The ranking was sorted by most to least US fatalities.

1) Pit Bull/Pit Mix
A Pit will take on any opponent and has no fear of losing a fight. Although it is a fallacy that they can lock their jaws, it is unlikely that they will release their prey until it is dead.

2) Rottweiler
These dogs are intelligent and serious. They have keen territorial instincts that may lead to aggression against intruders and are the size of an average woman.

3) German Shepherd
If badly bred, Shepherds can have a nervous and untrustworthy disposition. If mishandled, this dog will never forget and could lash out.

4) Husky Type
This breed is independent and domineering and if not trained well as a puppy, anxious tendencies can lead to nipping, then biting.

5) Alaskan Malamute
These dogs are high energy and strong willed, if bored they can become destructive.

6) Doberman Pinscher
This dog does not typically enjoy children. Males can be nervous and aggressive towards other males. Dobermans frequently suffer from abandonment issues if left home alone too often.

7) Chow Chow
Their aloof and independent nature can cause them to be aggressive towards unfamiliar people or animals. They are also obstinate and need constant reinforcement.

Other Breeds that have attained a bad reputation for a few rare attacks…

Boxer
Some experts say that their aggressive tendencies have been “bred out” but they are naturally suspicious of strangers.

Dalmatian
They have protective tendencies, active minds and require a ton of exercise to avoid retaliation from boredom.

Presa Canario
Originally bred to guard and fight with cattle, an attack by this dog has been described as hopeless for the victim. They are a guardian breed with man-stopping ability, incredible power and a complete lack of fear.

Wolf Hybrid
Any dog crossbred with a wolf will have some wild instincts to hunt and harm.

This list caught my eye because the top seven included Malamute and Chow Chow along with the ‘dishonorable mention’ including Wolf Hybrid. My lovely mate has Malamute/Wolf mixes and a Chow Chow. Am I in horrible danger? Probably not. The comments on the original website pointed out that bad dogs are often nurtured instead of natured. Breeds do have tendencies and their owners need to be aware of these traits. The wolf/malamute mix needs firm but loving discipline, lest they assert an alpha pull on their owners.

The other thing that caught my eye was the pictures that the person used for the dogs. The Dalmatian got a really bum wrap when it comes to a pictorial image. Shoot, I’d never have one if this was the typical behavior!



The Chow Chow did not fair much better...



Oh well... I suppose personal experience is the best teacher for confirming or dispelling the perceptions of others.

Comments

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm really surprised that the Jack Russell Terrier isn't in there; since they are the most aggressive dog 'type' that I've met, and when I did volunteer work at the RSPCA, were the ones put down (at least in the top three) frequently for aggression issues.

Ah well.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

I believe you! Wulfwalker and I were visiting friends yesterday and the loudest neighborhood dogs barking at us were small poodle mixes.

The list from the website is based on fatalities. While Jack Russell Terriers may be little terrors, they usually don't bite somebody to death.

Ah... context... such a wonderful thing! (smile)

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

A lot of the dogs listed are "ego" dogs (even the little Jack Russell is one because of "Frasier") Dogs certain types of people get to feel manlier who don't really have an emotional connection to animal lifeforms, they get boost their image. They get adopted by not-dog-people.

I adopted a Jack Russell mix from the pound years back (RIP Boris) and at the time of adoption, I'd heard that lots of people returned Jack Russells to the pound because they kept wanting to get a Frasier dog while holding a Frasier lifestyle.. that was a tv show. In reality, they don't mix.
Jack Russells are high energy dogs that demand a lot of touch attention, play, and a lot of PRESENCE from their owners. If their owners are regularly away from the house most of the day for the early years of the dog's life, they should go for a different breed or a cat - a Jack Russell will in their owner's absense get lonely, anxious, start to cry, and then tear every last thing they can reach apart. This isn't a short-term personality problem, this is the nature of Jack Russells that they love/need company and attention and they are high energy. What is normal or good attention for other dogs is neglecting them. Most people want a different type of dog.

What I heard was people trying to break them from being their personality of being a dog that needs lots of company and attention - they would crate their dogs, lock them in the bathroom, beat them up, etc. just anything to try to get them to stop crying and being anxious and tearing up the house in their loneliness. The dogs would get psychotic and aggressive and then get sent back to the pound.

When I got Boris, I was ADHD and high energy myself, home a lot (stay at home mom), and had another dog and a small child and a playful, active dog who liked lots of physical touch from children was just PERFECT. He was a terrific companion.

As a general situation, people really need to research their dogs and their dog's breeds before adopting, not just look and say "oh, cute". And they should get an animal that fits a lifestyle they actually have, not one they "wish" they had - if someone isn't already up and exercising everyday, they shouldn't plan to get a dog to motivate themselves to exercise - they might exercise more with a dog, or it might end up like that expensive Bally's membership many - that ends up getting used once a month. A dog shouldn't have to spend its time locked up in a bathroom or basement day after day because its owner doesn't have time. Maybe I'm too harsh in my thinking.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Oh I completely agree with you. I think the saddest thing about small dogs is that families and people go 'oh it's small, it MUST be cute and good with kids and docile and blah blah blah' and it's SOOOO not true.

The tiny dogs are generally higher in energy than the massive dogs, require - as you say - constant presence and attention, and crating / locking it away only creates severe, long-term behavioural problems. Especially as Jack Russells are ratters and are intended to work hard on farms; they don't adapt super well to family life unless - like in your case - they are paired with someone well suited to them! :)

But when I worked volunteer at the RSPCA, Jack Russells were often dumped not by people who didn't love the dog; but by families who just thought that a small dog would be suited to a small child (that reasoning never EVER works out), only to have the small dog bite the small child that attempted to corner it / pull on its tail / etc. Ugh.

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

Right. I understand that, but Boris never bit her. Most dogs fear small children, he adored them, and my kid was the queen bee. I'd have to wash his coat regularly to get her various "finger paints" off of him, she'd get into cream cheese and paint that on him or peanut butter. She kept handing him stuff to "eat", too.. if she put a stick, rock, or anything by his mouth, he'd gently take it and politely hold and pretend to chew on it until she looked away and then drop it - it was a game they'd play. Boris would only pretend to eat anything she offered him, wasn't willing to do that for anyone else. He would tolerate a lot of things from her and from other kids that he wouldn't tolerate from anyone else.. which makes sense.
I was worried of course about having a dog with a small child around. His tail got pulled so he cried out a few times, but he didn't snap or grow aggressive towards her. I did stop my daughter from hurting the dog any further - and I let my kid know that hurt and that if she kept that up, he wouldn't want to play with her - and told her to apologize to the dog and to be nice. I also would say "stop teasing the dog or you'll go to your room". But I watched the two of them to be sure that she didn't get cruel to him and that he wouldn't be put past his large tolerance. My kid didn't have adults or older siblings living in the house encouraging her to be cruel to the dog. I think that helped them both get along, also I think she's a dog, animal person. Often adults don't want their children to really bond with anyone "not them" and they want a kid to have a decorative rather than understanding kind of bond with animals - heaven forbid their small kid wants to sleep with the dog as a "pillow" and wants to dress their dog with peanut butter.. ;> (It comes off) I really think part of why it worked out was I didn't see anything wrong with that kind of thing, just if anyone got hurt.

[elnigma.livejournal.com]

I think it is usually large dogs that make the best family pets for the *typical* family. Like labradors and golden retrievers. :)
The meanest dog I've ever seen (not caused by abuse, just by nature) was a schipperke.

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

I really agree with this actually. :) The most docile dogs I've personally met (but I don't have like years and years of experience, so I could be wrong), were a bernese mountain dog, and an irish wolfhound. Man, short of being ridden by children, these dogs put up with anything.

But they're kind of huge. Lol. I like labradors and retrievers.

I've heard things about Schipperkes actualyl, but they're not as common in Western Australia so never actually met one. :)

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Deadly Cats - The Most Potentially Dangerous Cats to Own”. The ranking was sorted by most to least likely to drive a person insane, leading to death.

1) Cthulhu Possessed Domestic Kitten
2) Ti... MY HEAD... THE PRESSURE... AARRRGGGGHHHH AAAACKKKKKKKK BLUUBBBBB... (thump)

[stargazercmc.livejournal.com]

Akasha is half malamute, a quarter lab and a quarter chow chow, and the only characteristic I see listed here is that she does get slightly territorial (she barks through the window at people walking on the sidewalk across the street) and she tends to try and prove she's alpha (but she only does that after she's had a toy taken away from her).

Malamutes are simply great dogs. Akasha is incredibly smart, loving and loyal.

[chimerae.livejournal.com]

I really love dog . . . (EVER so much more than people) but genetics are a factor both with people and with animals.

My most beloved dog ever was a Siberian husky -- her responses were much closer to a wolf than a dog. After a lifetime of owning and training dogs, I had to forget everything and learn all over for her. In fact, she came to me from a ranch where she had been raised by people who trained throuroughbred horses and raised and sold beagles -- but they couldn't keep her remotely under control.

She very clearly sorted people into two groups -- people and honorary fellow wolves. She was patient and gentle with people but completely different with "honorary wolves" The human she tormented the most, threatening to bite, was actually my boss on the ranch. The husky had "issues" with me not being at the top of the pack order.

To deal with her, I had to learn to absolutely establish a non negotiable pack order and strictly enforce it. Whenever I wavered she would act out, generally by killing one of my chickens. The rest of the time the chickens treated her like furniture, crowding into her doghouse with her.

Finally, to compare with humans, it matters a whole lot if a 20 pound angry child or a 200 pound angry man gets out of control or has a less than perfectly wired psyche.

Everything I have seen leads me to agree that Wulfwalker is responsible with her wolf dog crosses and it's a joy to see. I know several other people who are not at all responsible, allowing their wolf dogs to roam unsupervised with groups of dogs, allowing wolf dog crosses to roam when they are unneutered. Not selecting nor socializing for appropriate behavior.

[greensh.livejournal.com]

You are dead-on about needing to maintain the correct pack structure with a dog breed that pays attention to such. There are some behaviors that Wulfwalker and I don't allow the males to commit. They are not allowed to push us around or attempt to dominate us physically. Sometimes this is subtle. Believe it or not, the best reaction to behavior like this is to lay the dog on the ground and and show it who is really the boss/alpha. In essence, Wulfwalker and I are the alpha pair to her pack.

I wish Wulfwalker could write a book based on her many years of raising and breeding these wonderful animals. It would be a blessing to those working with wolf dogs.

Thinking of you and wulfwalker

[chimerae.livejournal.com]

A client sent me this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adYbFQFXG0U

Re: Thinking of you and wulfwalker

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

Re: Thinking of you and wulfwalker

[valleysailor.livejournal.com]

thanx, chimerae - I have no eye make-up on now! Everytime I see that video, I am compelled to watch and cry...

Re: Thinking of you and wulfwalker

[greensh.livejournal.com]

Regarding the video, I get a very similar greeting each morning and afternoon from my kitty Prince. He must think that he is a lion! (smile)

Re: Thinking of you and wulfwalker

[chimerae.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me too.

Those are the tears that wash the soul and rain down on best of the fertile ground where every good thing waits in seed to be sprouted.