| WHY ARE SOME DOGS MORE AGGRESSIVE THAN | | | | likely to attack his master. |
| OTHERS? | | | | Young children may be seen as peers that can be |
| There are some dog breeds that were actually bred | | | | dominated so that the dog can get ahead in the |
| to be aggressive using selective breeding practices. | | | | hierarchy. A dog which shows domination tendencies |
| Some dog breeds were originally bred to be fighting | | | | towards children such as humping them should not be |
| dogs such as the Akita dog breed while others may | | | | left unattended with children because signs of trying |
| have been bred to be fierce guard dogs. Dogs such | | | | to dominate children could be a signal that this dog |
| as the German Shepherd or Doberman are breeds | | | | could become aggressive with this child. |
| that are prone to loyalty and protectiveness. This | | | | A dog who humps adult visitors may be simply trying |
| instinct can be tapped into to train these dogs to | | | | to show that in this house he or she is above the |
| become fierce watchdogs. | | | | visitor in the hierarchy but he will not necessarily bite. |
| Every dog is unique regardless of his or her breed. | | | | Perhaps children under the age of five are not left |
| You can meet a kind and gentle Rottweiler and you | | | | unattended with dogs as often as children between |
| can also meet a mean and fierce Poodle. The way | | | | the ages of five and nine and this may explain why |
| that a dog behaves does not only depend on | | | | there are more incidences with children over the age |
| bloodlines but just as much on how the dog was | | | | of five. |
| raised. | | | | It has been found that three out of four dog attacks |
| A dog can be conditioned to be fierce through abuse. | | | | against children are by the family's own pet. |
| Some of the training practices to train dogs to be | | | | Something else which people may find equally |
| guard dogs are actually quite abusive. A dog that is | | | | shocking is that friendly lovable dogs like Golden |
| scared and fearing for its safety will naturally tend to | | | | Retrievers have as many incidences attacking children |
| attack. Attacking a dog physically will provoke it. | | | | as other breeds. One conclusion that has been made |
| While it is true that starting off with a breed which is | | | | from this is that the more popular a breed is, the |
| known to have a tendency towards aggression | | | | more chances there are that dog bites will come |
| makes it more likely that a dog will be aggressive, | | | | from this breed purely because of the numbers. |
| there are also dogs that come from aggressive | | | | FATAL DOG ATTACKS |
| lineage but that have always been treated well and | | | | While all dog breeds may become aggressive in |
| are good-natured. | | | | certain circumstances, the number one dog breed for |
| DOG AGGRESSION AND CHILDREN | | | | causing fatalities is the Pit Bull Terrier. The Rottweiler |
| Many studies have been done on children being | | | | comes in second. The problem of fatal dog attacks |
| attacked by dogs. While the researchers may have | | | | increases every year as these two breeds have |
| set out wanting to know which breed of dog was | | | | become more popular. For this reason it is important |
| the most responsible for attacks on children, what | | | | for governments to make decisions on the conditions |
| they have found is that while the breed of dog is not | | | | in which these breeds are allowed to co-exist with |
| consistent in terms of attacks, what is consistent is | | | | humans. |
| the age of the children. Most studies have found that | | | | Some cities and countries such as Denmark, Holland |
| the majority of dog bites and vicious dog attacks | | | | and Norway have banned Pit Bull Terriers completely. |
| occur against children between the ages of five and | | | | Others say that this does not address the problem |
| nine. | | | | of dog aggression because Pit Bull Terriers are not |
| Dogs are pack animals with a strong social hierarchy. | | | | the only dogs attacking, maiming and killing children. |
| The one who feeds and gives instruction in a | | | | One thing that is certain is that a solution needs to |
| household is usually an adult. A pet dog will equate | | | | be found to prevent such horrifying and meaningless |
| this behavior from this adult as similar to the behavior | | | | deaths. At present, how to deal with dog aggression |
| of the Alpha dog in the pack. Therefore a dog is less | | | | is a widely debated topic all over the world. |