Dateline story

[rlogle]

Dateline NBC just did a story about Dogs that are trained to kill. IN the story the anchor said "Pit Bulls and Rottweilers have killed more people in the United States than any other dog." This is going to make people think even worse of our beloved breed.

[ March 03, 2001: Message edited by: rlogle ]

[K9-man]

Great.

[CarolineS]

I think you've got a little typo in your post :o...I think it said that pit bulls and rottweilers kill more people than any other breed of dog. That makes it sound even worse, but, sadly, it is the truth.

I saw the program and, for once, I thought it was a very well presented and factual accounting of the problem. They presented experts who said that vicious dogs are a result of bad breeding and/or bad ownership. They stressed that, in the end, it is the responsibility of the owner to ensure these large, powerful dogs are socialized and trained properly. The thing I really liked was to hear them say that breed bans are not the solution. They emphasized that holding the owners responsible is the way to go to solve this problem of dog attacks.

Up here in Toronto, the Humane Society has just posted a huge billboard with a picture of a child's arm, covered in stitches, and the words "how many days until another child is bitten" on it. The aim is to make dog owners aware that their dogs can do serious damage if not properly controlled. I think it is great that the emphasis is switching to the owners instead of focussing on individual breeds. Let's hope this trend continues.

[ March 03, 2001: Message edited by: CarolineS ]

[WorkinDogz]

I'm sorry I missed the Dateline story, but I'm very glad to hear that it was informative and well done CarolineS! (Actually; I find that ABC usually does a good job at presenting features.)

rlogle,

None of us are pleased that this breed gets so much bad press. The sad facts are that when a dog kills or mames a child; and it's reported (like it should be!) chances are you'll see a picture of a Rottie as the offending dog.

I'm sorry that the breed earned some of the titles that they have....but I'm NOT sorry that the public is made aware of very real power our dogs have....

I'm not in favor of "hiding the facts". This breed, so popular and powerful, had more than its fair share of people as owners that should NEVER own a Rottie.

Bad press can actually help a breed too. It can make someone who isnt' sure if they really want a Rottie reconsider GETTING one (I believe that NO ONE should aquire this breed unless 110% committed from the start.)

It can also prove to put pressure on the "less than responsible" people who currently own the breed. Their dog may not have been involved in an "incident" (yet) but...a street full of angry neighbors, who have already been *fed up* with seeing the dog roaming the neighborhood....or otherwise being permitted to make things unpleasant...can certainly rattle the cage and wake up a less than stellar owner.

This breed wasn't selected "Deadliest Breed" by pulling the name out of a hat rlogle.

Irresponsibly owned, irresponsibly bred dogs have tagged the breed. News stations just report the incidents.

I don't know of many "power breed" owners who haven't had a perfect stranger come up to them and say "Why would you want to own a horrible breed like that, that kills people!"

When it has happened to me...I respond with "You're absolutely right! Can you imagine owning a dog of ANY BREED that is a danger to your family or your neighbors??!! I sure wouldn't own one...that's why I would never just buy a dog from someone who happened to have a litter of puppies...and I spend a lot of time that I don't really have to make sure that ALL OF MY DOGS know who is running the show."

Defending the "breed" isn't my goal. I won't stand there and talk about how a Rottweiler is sugar and spice and everything nice! A Rottweiler is a powerful breed that requires a serious owner who willing to WORK VERY HARD and not sugar-coat the raw power they have at the end of the lead!

Ever hear of "kennel blind"? (the only "good dogs" come from a certain kennel) Well..don't be "breed blind"!!

I'm OFFENDED when I hear a fellow Rottie owner defend the breed when a child has lost their life at the hands of the breed!!

[Bruce Lanthier]

WorkinDogz, VERY well said. I wish I were smart enough to add more, but I think I'm smart enough to realize there isn't anymore to add. ;) :D

[brunie's mom]

WorkinDogz, I agree %100 with you. I never recommend a rottweiler for most people. They see my well trained, obedient dog and want one just like him. I tell them to get a Golden or a Lab.... much easier!!!

I also get so upset when people write to this forum because their dog is growling or biting and they don't listen to the advise given. IT DRIVES ME NUTS! I can't even read those questions anymore.
These dogs are smart, strong and powerful and not a great pet for most people. That's why rescue and shelters are full. After saying all this I will always have a rottie.

[German Vanegas]

CarolineS and WorkingDogz are quite correct.

Unfortunately, many misinformed-negligent-ignorant-amteurish-inattentive-unschooled-careless-irresponsible people, including criminal gangs and outlaws, got "pitbulls" and Rottweilers for a variety of wrong reasons (macho symbol, guard and attack, illegal dog fighting, protect illegal activities, and so forth), and the rest is history! These two, otherwise magnificent breeds, have been tremendously hurt in the hands of all kinds of irresponsible people.

Sadly enough, the facts speak for themselves. It really hurt us, responsible dog owners as well as ethical breeders, a lot. It is painful to see how wrongly our breed is been portrayed and labeled... but there is a reason for it: IRRESPONSIBLE PEOPLE! :( :(

[zeusdad]

What gets me is all the coments about how mean our dogs are. I take mine to obedience class to help socialize him with people and other dogs, and everyone who meets him loves him. He is not sceen as a monster by most, however he is most certainly respected. I feel that owning any dog or pet should come with the knowledge that some people will never understand why you picked the breed you picked. I would be willing to bet that more people are bitten each year by other animals, dogs, cats, ferrets, birds, and so on that never get reported. I for one know my lab wil put her teeth on me long before my rotti will. A Rotti is a strong animal and can inflict severe damage with its jaws. A responsible owner knows this takes care to train the dog so that bad things do not happen. I hope I am not rambling on here, but I believe with certain breed you will never have full acceptance. It comes with the territory. I only wish the NEWS showed some of the good things these animals do. Like how Guinness saved her owner, or the search and rescue dogs, unfortunatley Good News does not sell only bad news.

Zeusdad

[damp]

Originally posted by zeusdad:


A responsible owner knows this takes care to train the dog so that bad things do not happen.

I hope I am not rambling on here, but I believe with certain breed you will never have full acceptance.

Three times in the last week, I have had experiences where dogs (2 of leash and one on leash) totally out of the owner’s control, has been running towards my dog. In all situations I gave my dog a “plads” command, and nothing happens, but all the owners were scared to death, because THEIR dogs ran away to play with or challenge a Rottweiler. In one of the cases I had to put my own dog in “down”, while I helped the owner to recall her dog and put on the leash. All three times I was asked: How old are your dog? How do you teach him that? etc. etc. The answers: TRAINING, and if you don’t care for that, buy a bird or a gold fish or at least… KEEP YOUR DOG ON LEASH.

A well-trained and obedient dog is ALWAYS admired, regardless of the breed.

[ March 03, 2001: Message edited by: damp ]

[whitney greenway]

I have been having an on going problem with a dog on my street!

There is a man that lives several houses down from us that just lets his dog go!

This little dog has the Napolean Complex, you guys know, ;) over compensation for being TINY!

This dog will charge Cam, bite and yip at me, and it's a a joke to the owner! Snapped at my daughter when she was just a baby!

If the roles were reversed, I would be very worried.
1. I would have an uncontrolable dog, leaving myself and the breed open to a heap of trouble
2. I would just be perpetuating the Rottweiler Saga. This dog is a bad a**, and you better watch out!

The offending one should be punished, not the whole breed!

Be it Yorkies, Poodles, Rotties, or Mutts!

[CarolineS]

Owning a Rott is kinda like being a woman in the workplace, you just gotta try harder. ;)

It is indeed frustrating at times, the comments we have to put up with. But, like Annette, I'm the first to agree with people that there are, indeed, some nasty examples of the breed out there, be it through poor breeding and/or poor training. I will not defend the breed as a whole, just as I won't denigrate it as a whole either.

Just last week I think I was paid one of the nicest compliments I've ever had about Maggie. We do therapy work in the hospital and we're always accompanied by a nurse. A guest of one of the patients, after watching Maggie work the room, said that if she hadn't seen it herself, she wouldn't have believed that a Rottweiler could be "nice". The nurse accompanying us sprang to our defense before I could even open my mouth. She said she'd been a little "hesitant" herself when she heard she'd be accompanying a Rottweiler around, but that seeing Maggie "work" put her mind right at ease. Said she'd never seen a therapy dog, of any breed, be so quiet and gentle with the patients. Maggie now has a huge fan club among the hospital staff and this is a hospital we had to fight to get into. Although Maggie is fully qualified, there was a certain contingent that tried to keep her out merely because of her breed. Luckily, the woman in charge of pet therapy wasn't so prejudiced and we've changed a lot of people's minds about Rottweilers.

Sorry for the long ramble, but the moral of my story is let your dog's actions speak louder than the stories people hear about the breed.

[winniecnm]

Such a sad situation our breed is in. :(

For those of us that are devoted to the breed and care how our dogs behave, there seems to be 10 people who also "own rottweilers" and really mess things up.

If I had a nickel for everyone who has approached me looking for a male unaltered rottweiler with an attitude, I would be a very rich girl. Or how many people come up to me that also own rottweilers and try to give me their version of how to "properly" raise them. Funny how they couldn't tell me the first basic thing about the breed, but knowitall anyway.

Out of probably a hundred owners I have met face to face in the last year and a half, only FIVE have had the mindset and knowledge needed to own the breed. That is sad and VERY discouraging... :(

[Vicki]

I was horrified at the dog fighting they showed. I kept hoping they would say they were showing footage that had been used in the trials of the scum fighting the dogs, but they never said where it came from.

[whitney greenway]

By the way,
I saw the show and the Pit bull fights were very hard to watch.

[German Vanegas]

Originally posted by Vicki Magnus:
I was horrified at the dog fighting they showed. I kept hoping they would say they were showing footage that had been used in the trials of the scum fighting the dogs, but they never said where it came from.

In Japan, and in some European countries, dog fighting still is called a "sport" considered an spectacle!