When dogs attack

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

ABC - Southcoast WA
Presenter: Irene Montefiore

Recent dog attacks in Australia have once again fuelled the debate of banning dangerous dog breeds and have us asking the question, why do dogs attack people?

Dr Paul McGreevy is a Specialist in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine at the University of Sydney. According to Dr McGreevy, a dog will attack because of, "Fear...dogs respond with aggression from fear. Also, the protection of resources, for dogs, resources that are valuable can include food, toys and territory."

Whenever the bad dog debate heats up, we can't help but blame the pit bull breed because of its size and reputation.
Dr McGreevy states that, "If we're talking about the size of the bite, the power of the jaw muscles and the tenacity with which an attack is launched, then clearly the dogs that were bred for fighting are high risk."

The evidence is unconvincing that pit pulls are actually biting more people than other breeds.

According to Dr McGreevy, "It's the damage that can be done by a large dog that makes large dog bites more likely to send somebody to hospital. The worst misconception you can make is that these dogs were somehow bred to be dangerous to humans."

Size doesn't always matter; take a look at the cockerspaniel. Dr McGreevy states that, "Rage syndrome has been identified in the golden cockerspaniel. The breeders are aware of this and are trying to remove the gene sequences responsible from their blood lines."

Obviously, prevention is the preferred strategy. A lot of veterinarian clinics recognise this need and run puppy classes to help socialise pups, reducing the risk of future aggressive behaviour.

Dr Ann-Marie Horwitz is a Veterinarian in Albany, Western Australia and Puppy Preschool co-ordinator. Dr Horwitz believes dogs can be helped at a young age, "Dogs between 3 and 14 weeks of age, that's the ideal puppy socialisation period - it's a window of opportunity for us to expose puppies to lots of different situations, different dogs and people."

According to Dr Horwitz, "Dogs that miss out on that period of socialisation are certainly at risk of being problematic. For instance if they don't meet lots of dogs during the period, then they can often be very frightened of dogs or they can be aggressive towards them. The same thing can happen with people, if you just keep your puppy at home in the same environment, during the socialisation period."

[Cassiepeia]

Does anyone else think this is a round about way of saying nothing in particular, yet still getting people to read the article (because it's dog related)?

Cass.

[Crossfire Bulldogs]

Actually I think it makes some pretty good points that all too often get overlooked by the general public. It doesn't say much that experienced / responsible dog owners don't already know but does remind people / educate people that maybe didn't have the knowledge before.

[HarleysMom]

At the clinic today we had a talk regarding the ban on breeds instead of dangerous dogs PERIOD...its sad that congress and goverments with NO animal related backgrounds *most likely* are the ones to say which breed is dangerous and which is not.... Every vet I have spoken to agrees that it is not the dog it is the people who raise them....and people working with animals daily most likely agree--SO why are their thoughts and FACTS on this matter never taken in to consideration...

In all the years I have been around animals and worked with them-- (I grew up with Germ Sheps. and Pit Bulls) and have fostered SO MANY different breeds and now working in an animal hospital for 2 yrs and handling different breeds daily-- I have only been biten twice--ONCE by a Cocker Spaniel and ONCE by a cat---I have to say of the two bites the cat was alot worse...I believe if you get really involved and look into it amoung people working with animals Cat bites are more common--So what next...Ban Cats? This whole BSL is just plain stupid.. Any dog can be dangerous....We have more issues with small breeds then large breeds as the smaller breeds tend to be a bit more standoffish and reserved..

JMO

[Cassiepeia]

Originally Posted by Crossfire Bulldogs

Actually I think it makes some pretty good points that all too often get overlooked by the general public. It doesn't say much that experienced / responsible dog owners don't already know but does remind people / educate people that maybe didn't have the knowledge before.

Hmm...yeah, that's probably it. And I think it just skims over things a bit too much as well. Our ABC are usually quite good at doing in depth stories, perhaps I'm judging it based on their past performance?

Harleysmom....While I agree with you that BSL is ridiculous, I don't agree that everyone working with dogs on a daily basis believes it's always the owners fault. I say that with a frown though because I wish it wasn't true.

I know for a fact that the RSPCA down here (not just the people in charge of it but a large number of the shelter workers too) are pro-BSL and anti-American Pit Bull Terrier (or any pit bull mix)...as well as being against several other breeds that are banned in Australia (Dogos, Filas, Tosas etc..).

Which is a huge blow because they're actually quite an influential organisation. People think they're so 'pro-animal' that they'll believe anything they say. So when the RSPCA says that APBTs are killing machines...the public believe it.

Cass.

[HarleysMom]

Thats sad that the RSPCA is like that there-- I believe or hope that it is different with the ASPCA here....I could be wrong but everything I have read and heard says that they are not for BSL.....many vets are the same NOT for BSL.. I just don't think the goverment should be able to tell us what breeds are dangerous and which ones are not==but unforn. for everyone involved that is the way it works..Its a sad truth....