Big Dog, Bad Rap
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Big Dog, Bad Rap
While walking with one of my most favorite Rottweiler clients (you know who you are) the other day I got to thinking how obvious and unfair it is that some dogs get such a bad rap. This dog happens to be one of the sweetest and most gentle dogs I’ve ever met and she’s pretty well behaved too- but, does that get people to stop crossing to the other side of the street so as to avoid what must be a potentially dangerous situation? No! So, I was doing a little research on this topic and stumbled upon the American Temperament Test Society, Inc.’s website and found some very interesting information. They give dogs temperament tests on these areas:
- Unprovoked aggression
- Panic without recovery
- Strong avoidance”
In order to receive a passing score, the dog must not fail any one of these aforementioned categories. Just to give an example and break up the stereotype that some dogs have I will provide one comparison from the ATTS’ findings:
- Rottweiler with passing scores on this test: 83%
- Toy Poodle with passing scores on this test: 82.4%
Ironically, nobody seems to cross the street when I’m walking my Toy Poodle clients. While I think that one breed can arguably do more damage with a bite than the other, I think it’s worth mentioning that the probability of occurrence it almost identical.
Rottweilers, usually the most dependable of dogs in many situations, are named yet again in connection with tragedy after the mauling by two rotties of young Rhianna Kidd. What could have made these specific animals, themselves mature family pets in a family with five children, attack seemingly the most harmless of subjects? Smell perhaps? Shouldn’t we be looking into this? The rottweilers involved have subsequently been put down - what for? Wouldn’t it be potentially more beneficial if they were retained for examination?