There has been much recent media about dangerous dogs, for example, the XL bully, the UK holds a list of dogs considered dangerous and therefore illegal to own.
For clarity, the definition of a dangerous dog is
A species which belongs to the canine family,
Has four legs,
A tail,
Sharp teeth.
All dogs can be dangerous when miscommunication between dog and human occurs. No one breed is more aggressive and dangerous than another, but sadly often used by humans as an excuse for their failure in behaviour, communication and understanding.
Different breeds do have different ‘thresholds’, this term refers to how high their anxiety can go before reacting in an undesirable behaviour.
As humans we all have our thresholds, how much does someone have to push your buttons for a reaction. If you think about it, even those of us considered 'Passive', and less likely to react, it's not nice having your buttons pressed, is it?
From a canine welfare perspective, I fear more for the breeds with high thresholds as basic statistics would suggest, they suffer greater levels of anxiety from being too passive.
A dog has nothing to gain from attacking humans other than to defend themselves. They do not possess the mental capacity to make calculated choices in behaviour, (please see my page on how the brain works).
Dogs who have low thresholds need owners who understand their needs to avoid dog attacks.
Instead of banning certain breeds which in my opinion is futile we need to ban owners who do not take dog ownership seriously by addressing and understanding the needs of the dog.
It astounds me that anyone can legally own a dog without any canine education, I am not suggesting someone needs to be a professional but they need to know what they are doing.
To drive a car requires a person to take a simple yet important theory test as well as a practical demonstration, why ! Because cars are dangerous and kill people you need to show you are in control and understand how to be safe on the road. Yet you can own a dog without having a clue!
I was recently in a child's toy store and as always there was a cuddle toy dog, you pressed its paw for sound, and I just couldn't resist the little button 'press here'! the sound that came out was a dog whimper, not a sound you want to be hearing from a dog. However this was being merchandised to children as a cute sound, I just thought "What are we teaching our children about canine communication”.
Dogs have become very commercialised without consideration for the welfare of the dog.
Stop blaming the dog !
Mental Stimulation and Dogs
The importance of mental stimulation in domestic dogs cannot be underestimated.
WHY?
Endorphins are opiate-like chemicals produced by the brain in response to external stimuli Endorphins produce feelings of euphoria and furthermore reduce stress and anxiety, hence the importance. Dogs with high energy and anxiety will have lower-than-normal levels of these opiate compounds.
Dogs can even chew and lick themselves to the point of self-mutilation, but this is not down to anxiety alone. The process of self-harming behaviour causes the same chemical reaction in the brain forcing the brain to produce Endorphins, so in reality, they are only behaving in a way they need to!
Do not make the mistake of thinking a dog behaviour needs to be stopped, think more about changing the behaviour with a better alternative.
It is down to us to provide them with a better way of increasing these essential chemicals they need for general well-being.
Exercise is important for physical well-being and does stimulate the production of Endorphins, but challenging a dog mentally not only increases the production of these chemicals but has been proved to help a dog cope long-term with lower levels of Endorphins.
Intellectual stimulation benefits highly active dogs and dogs who suffer from anxiety by increasing the chemical levels through stimulation. In addition, mental stimulation promotes self-esteem, impulse control and greater communication skills for a calmer and more content-feeling dog who will be less likely to engage in undesirable behaviours.
Some benefits of mental stimulation play
Relieve boredom.
Increased communication skills with humans.
Develop problem-solving ability.
Give a sense of achievement increasing self-esteem and reducing anxiety.
Gain greater interaction and social skills.
And it’s great fun for you both!
The Lockdown Excuse
As we all know too well many dogs were bought just before or at the start of lockdown and I am tired of hearing the excuse they could not be socialized!
This is nothing more than an excuse from uneducated or lazy owners.
The law did not prevent dogs from socializing in the park the rules only applied to human interaction.
The dogs played together as the owners all stood at a social distance.
The law also allowed dogs to be walked as many times as you would normally which for a young to adult dog should be three times a day. Three times a day they could be in the park running around with other dogs.
Mass Slaughter
From the 1st of January 2024, the government imposed a law requiring XL Bully's to be restricted from exercise by muzzle and lead which will only harm their access to essential endorphins and serotonin. The government also ordered the mass slaughter of innocent dogs currently in rescue centres. Yes! I use the word slaughter or murdered because euthanasia it is not,
Euthanasia Definition
“the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma”.
The government have imposed this law disregarding all professional advice so they can be seen to be doing something about dog attacks, rather than address the issue of ownership, instead blame the dog they don't get a vote. This is not democracy but the government leading the country down a dark and dangerous path unless you live in Scotland.
Laws protecting dogs and hence the public have been needed for decades now.
Some Staggering Facts
A person without any professional knowledge or licence can breed and sell three litters a year!
The Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra) said about 1,150 people per year are convicted for animal cruelty - but fewer than five receive the current maximum sentence of just 51 weeks.
A man who systematically abused and killed several puppies by beating, choking and stabbing them, sentenced to the maximum six months’ imprisonment and banned from owning animals.
A man who kicked his girlfriend’s dog to death, given a custodial sentence of just over five months, fined £1,000 and banned from owning animals.
A man who fed his dog aspirin and paracetamol to try to kill her, before beating her to death with a shovel, sentenced to four months in prison and banned from owning animals.
Yes we need tighter laws and penalties but not the slaughter of innocent animals