Quote:
Originally Posted by SallyRand
There is no such thing as a "bully breed"!
There ARE very dominant breeds but "bully" is a term which can be applied to humans but not dogs. One of the worst mistakes which can be made it to anthropomorphize a dog; that is, to ascribe human emotions and characteristics to a dog; to try to make a human out of it. Dogs are dogs. Dogs think like dogs, act like dogs and remain dogs, regardless of how much some people try to make people out of them.
Aggression is never inherently part of a dog's nature but dominance can be and often is. Aggression is learned while dominace and territoraility are inherited and genetic as Hell.
Pit Bulls (Although there is no specific breed which is technically a "pit bull") are no more aggressive than any other dog unless taught to be so. Dominace, territoriality and fear-based behavior are often misinterpreted as aggression and therefore improperly dealt with.
Sally.*
*My smallest dog is 65 lbs (30 kg) and the largest 145 lbs (66 kg).
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There are 3 breeds that fall into the "pit bull" category. im not trying to argue semantics, but certain bloodlines in those breeds are known for dog on dog aggression. you can call it dominance or being territorial, but that doesnt change the fact that some dogs that fall into the "pit bull" category are naturally quite aggressive towards other animals (especially smaller ones). Terriers in general were bred to kill rodents and various other pests. It makes sense that they'd have natural aggression towards smaller animals as part of their instincts.
I COMPLETELY agree that most of the time its how a dog is raised that determines agression. However, I've known people that were caring, loving parents to their dogs and their dogs were still quite aggressive towards other animals. Sometimes its nature over nurture.
That being said....What Sally said before it totally correct. Socialization is the best thing you can do, and striking your animals will only make them think of you as violent and unpredictable. Specifically the kind of behavior you're trying to break them of. Read Caesar Milans books. The man is a genius when it comes to dogs.
Sally...what breed are your dogs?
This is the newest addition to my family :]
His name is Hank.
