I'm not sure if rotts or pitts are any more aggressive than other dogs - however I do recall a study that does suggest that they are. As a few others on this thread have suggested any dog can be aggressive/protective at times. It's just that a rott, pitt or dobbie can do a lot more damage in that 30 second (out of character) aggressive streak than some of the ankle biters out there.

Also, no matter how much we love or trust our pets, they are still animals with instincts and not sophisticated thought processes. I saw a police vehicle where the officers police dog (german shep) appropriately attacked a suspect who had a gun. The officer ended up wrestling the suspect and got hold of the gun and then the police dog attacked the officer. This 'well trained' and trusted police dog was taught to go after the gun, and did not consider who was holding it. (this also lead to the perp getting away for a while longer).

Bottom line, any dog can attack (regardless of training, love, care, trust, etc). It's just that certain dogs can cause a lot more damage than others if/when they do. Should certain dogs be banned? I don't know, but I do believe that the owner has to take responsible for any/all damage the dog may create.

I have someone I do business with in Arkansas that has 2 bred wolves as pets. They are beautiful, but that's one scary pet.

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Fiona, if a person cant hold their dog while walking him/her they shouldnt own one like that in the first place. I watched after my friends Boxer and he is about 2 when i was with him at 70+lbs thats one big puppy and yes when he wanted to look at something that i didnt approve of it took a bit restraint but he has his sister walking the dog and she weights just a bit more than the dog thats a bit frightening. i dont think you can predict how any animal including humans can or will act but its all up to how the owner raises them

We have had Pit bulls most of my life without any incidents. However my son (3) was bitten in the face in June this year by my moms dog ( a boerbul not sure if they are around the rest of the world) for no apparent reason we were all sitting around watching TV and next thing she bit him as she stood up. Pic is after 2 ops, before pics you don't want to see. All I can say is reconstructive surgeons are amazing. I think it is just the dog on the day.

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ouch, I def don't like to be around them, hopefully that dog was put down

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Sad for sure, but any dog could do the exact same thing. Setting aside one breed is completely unfair. As was stated, dogs are dogs. And a Boerboel is a breed similar to the Mastif, which many people consider a perfect family dog, even though there temperment if left alone is very ill-suited to that life. And weighing in between 140- 200lbs...it is huge.

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Ok gang, I am a dog lover and owner and I know this is going to start a flame but I have to tell the honest truth.

There are some dogs that should not be breed and kept as pets. That list includes:
Rottweilers
Pit Bulls
American Bull Dogs
Chows

My reason for this is simple. I used to spend a lot of time in the Washington Square Park dog run in NYC. With out fail, every weekend, there were some vicious dog fights that resulted in both dogs and humans getting hurt. Without fail, every time it happened, it was involving one of the four breeds listed above.
Yes, I am sure there are many people who have had these breeds without incident. I am sure they can be trained to be loving, family animals. But at the end of the day, they are DANGEROUS, by nature. Because of the strength these animals have and the particular way the jaw locks when they bite into something.

I hate to use this as an example but "Gun Control" is a very similiar issue. I own guns and shoot guns but I also believe that gun control laws should be tighter. Not to say that people should not be able to have guns but not every jackass off the street should be able to buy one on the spot. I like the Brady Bill and hope the restrictions get tighter even though I like to own them.

So, what I am saying about these dogs are, if you own one, and it bites, attacks, another dog, person, etc. the owner should be put in jail for assault. In many places these dogs are illegal and no one enforces it.


These dogs were bred for there aggressive nature. I see children walking them and weaker people who could not control these dogs in a rage.

So please, don't find a quote in my text and find a way to use this against me in a reply. I am sure my opinion on this matter has holes. You need not point them out. Again, I am a huge dog lover, owner, maybe even one day a breeder. But having been around tons and tons of the above mentioned breeds, they don't belong in parks or around kids, just like a loaded gun does not belong around parks and kids. Why because of the potential danger.

I am sure your dogs are very sweet and very cute. But you've probably never seen a Pit Bull kill another dog in a dog run.. I have. And the owner was not some thug, it was just some guy who also thought his dog was the sweetest cutest animal around.

B

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I'm going to have to weigh in now.

My neighbor at my old house had 2 rotts. They are top bred show dogs with a long line of pedigree. They were professionally trained to be show dogs. ALOT of time was spent with them and still is spent and they are treated as family members.

They ARE THE SWEETESS GIANTS around. when my oldest daughter was 2 years old, she was pushing these dogs around to get out of her way, and she would yell at them and they would roll over.

When you look at them or hear their bark, they are frightening if you don't know them. Dogs can sense fear and aggression/defensive behavior in people just like any other hunting type animal (your heart races, body heats up, sweat, twitchy, tense, etc). However, these dogs do not act on it because they were trained not to. I have taken food out of their mouths, as I do with my own dogs. I have sat on their backs nd I'm heavy. I have sweeped their feet to flip them on their backs.. all they do is try to jump on me and pin me, then slober on my face or gnaw on my arm but are even more gentle them my own little shih tzu's.

BOTTOMLINE: breeding for the correct temperment takes all aggression out of the dog. My neighbor was telling me what to look for in picking a pup (any breed) and after that the key to keeping them docile is spending A TON OF TIME with them. Just like they are your own kids. I trust those dogs not to harm anyone - EVER. its all in the breeding, training, and upkeep.

Leave them in the yard alone, and they revert to their instincts. If you are not prepared to spend the time and leave them in the yard or even just ignore them in the house, then you should not have the dog.


Edit: I also used to raise and breed german sheppards. And some of them are bred/train for police work/guard/protection. The key is to spend time with them and let them know you/humans are the leaders of the pack and they don't need to protect you... (ie: spending time with them again)