[Team Pupsters!]

Just wondering which breeds (if any) do you think should be banned?

Before people get mad, I'm not just talking about breeds that are considered dangerous, I'm also talking about breeds which are a genetic disaster too. For example:

British Bull Dogs: Absolutely gorgeous dogs, but due to years of inbreeding, they suffer with so many physical problems and are in so much pain a lot of the time, that I don't think it's fair to them. That's why they tend not to live very long.

Shar Pei's: Pretty much the same as above. Shar Pei fever is incurable and it's an unpleasant demise for the dog. Approx 1 in 5 Shar Pei's are diagnosed with the condition, and tend to develop it when they are pups.

And here's a couple that I personally think should be banned because of their 'aggression'

American Pit Bulls: I know people keep them as pets in some parts of the world. But I think people in the UK understand why they are banned in this country, and I think it should stay that way.

Akita's: A common choice of pet in the UK (and the US I believe), but why anyone would want to keep an animal that bred specifically for fighting is beyond me. This one, I have to say is personal to me, because 14 years ago, I had a dog that was attacked by an akita without any provocation whatsoever. He survived (don't know how), but to this day I still get really upset over it. I do know someone who has an akita, and she has spent a lot of time and money taking her for special training. By her own admission, akita's are not her choice of breed, and she doesn't believe they should be kept as pets either. But in fairness to the owner, she more or less had the dog 'dumped' on her. Not many people over here want to rehome akita's, and she couldn't face having a healthy pup put to sleep when it had done nothing wrong.

So, over to you. What do you think????

[reeskujo]

First of all I don't think any breed should be banned...The irresponsible breeders should be...Secondly please don't bash Akita's when you don't know what your talking about!....They were for a brief period used for fighting but that didn't last long...Their original purpose was #1 to hunt bear and #2 to guard the family....When properly trained and socialized they are extremely loving and loyal to their family!...They thrive on being a family member and spending all their time in the company of their family...Anyone who says they shouldn't be kept as a pet knows nothing about the breed...I bred them for many years and until this day still own one and have never had one that was not a good member of the family!...In fact in Japan they are considered a national treasure!

The Akita's ancestors were dogs used by matagi for hunting. These dogs, usually called matagi inu, were not as large as modern Akita dogs. Many of these dogs were used as guard dogs. They were also used in the sport of hunting bears. Many were used to guard the emperor and his children. Akitas would sometimes be used instead of babysitters.

[Team Pupsters!]

Originally Posted by reeskujo

They were for a brief period used for fighting but that didn't last long...

I don't know how long you mean by a 'brief' period - but isn't any period too long?

As you are a good breeder who has never had a problem with Akita's would it be fair to assume that you've never seen first hand an akita attack (and i do mean attack) another dog? Have you heard the noises a dog makes when it's being shaken like a rag doll? Do you know what a petrified dog with puncture marks all over it's back smells like? Well i do and i wish i didn't.

Your defence of akita's mainly consists of how good/loyal they are around family members and in the home.

What about outside?

[reeskujo]

I have seen first hand an Akita attack with one that was not my own....However any dog that is not properly trained can attack,even a small breed dog...My defense of the breed is not simply because I know what a good family dog they are but because I know what a good dog they are period!....Any dog that is not properly trained is capable of bad things and I do not think it's fair to say a breed is not a good pet based on the experience with one dog of that breed...Yes I think any length of time is to long to be fighting a dog but you stated that's what they were bred to do and that is not the truth!....How can you say they should not be kept as pets when you've never owned one...FYI I have a JRT that lives behind me and he jumped my fence one day and went after my Akita biting his feet in MY yard...My Akita obeyed me and went in the house with this little dog still running behind him trying to bite him....I guess JRT's should be banned and not kept as pets either!

[Team Pupsters!]

More fool the owner of the JRT for letting it roam (especially as they have a passion for chasing moving vehicles!)

I didn't say they shouldn't be kept as pets - my neighbour who owns one did. But i do agree with her i have to say.

Why do you believe that no breed whatsoever should be banned though?

[reeskujo]

Because it is the irresponsible owners like the one behind me that do not properly train or socialize their dog or neglect and abuse them that cause the dogs to do the things they do..Not the breed in itself...If a statistic shows that more minorities commit crimes then any other race should they be banned from the country they live in?....Of course not because you can't judge a whole race by a few bad apples....I have trained many of these so called dangerous breeds and most of them are the sweetest,best tempered loving dogs you can ever meet....It's the irresponsible owners,puppy mills and back yard breeders that need to be banned not the breeds...Not to mention there's no way the government is going to tell me what breed of dog I can own because their not educated enough to know it's not the breed...Any dog I've ever been bit by has always been a small breed but I don't think they should be banned...I think their owners should not have dogs if they do not want to train them properly!

[Team Pupsters!]

Like i said in my original post, i don't mean banning a breed just because of 'behaviour' I also meant banning breeds that are genetic disasters, from years of inbreeding.

Whilst the british bulldog is my national dog, extremely cute and generally sweet natured, i do think they should be banned. Why? Because of the pain and suffering that they have to endure (and will continue to do so as long as the breed is alive), due to years of excessive inbreeding. Poor little things can hardly breathe, walk, jump etc. Whilst banning the breed may sound cruel, man is more cruel for allowing the breed to develop and mutate in the first place.

Again, as i mentioned earlier, American Pit Bulls are banned in this country, and you would be hard pressed to find someone over here who didn't back it.

[reeskujo]

[quote=Team Pupsters!;43213]Like i said in my original post, i don't mean banning a breed just because of 'behaviour' I also meant banning breeds that are genetic disasters, from years of inbreeding.

I don't think they should be banned for that reason either...Again I think it's the puppy mills and back yard breeders that should be banned....The breeding should be regulated and the breeders and their program investigated before their licensed to breed....As for the Pitbulls people are afraid of them because of the bad things they hear...The dogs that attack are either trained to do so or abused and neglected...They are not that way by nature...if people would educate themselves they would see that is the case instead of labeling an entire breed because of the bad ones...There's bad ones in every breed.

[elizabeth976]

I'm not particularly for the idea of banning any breeds, since, as an animal lover, I would like to make my own decision as to what breeds I own, and not have the government, for instance, make those decisions for me. However, I most strongly agree that there should be more emphasis placed on responsible ownership and breeding, and that people breed with a specific goal of "improvement", especially with regards as breeding for good temperment and health, as opposed to just wanting to make an easy buck. A dog is only as good as it's owner and breeder... and some of the most ill-behaved dogs I have seen have been the little "lap dog" types, which oftentimes tend to be bred and owned based on their looks. If any requirements would be made, I would suggest that it would be great for all dog owners to be required to take obedience classes with their dogs, and that backyard and puppy mill and "unscrupulous" breeders be banned, rather than any particular breeds. Also, it would be great to see that greater emphasis be placed on temperment and health, as opposed to looks. Pretty is, as pretty does

[nattiej1976]

None!

My reason for saying that is because otherwise where will it end? Ban the PBT Ban the rotti, Ban all big dogs that have had a history of being a guard breed.........then what next? Ban the breeds that bark alot? ban the breeds that now have a percieved bad reputation becuase the other breeds with misunderstood reputations are gone? ban any dog over 20 kilo because it COULD bite harder?

Before we know it the right to own a dog is gone.

Breed banning is only a small speed hump to those that want to own certain breeds for a more sinister reason.......and there does your dangerous dog lie, not socialised, kept in cages out of sight, does not get to experience the true bond that can occur between human and canine.

The reality is that breed banning most often effects the responsible owners, those that have had their family companions stripped away from them because of nothing but its geneology and ancestory.

Here is a poem I wrote earlier this year, I often like to share it at discussions like this one, as a voice for the dogs that dont get a say.

By Natalie Jones
My Friend (a dogs perspective of BSL)

From the day you took me for your own,
Was the day I prayed for my forever home.
These things from you is all I need
A tender hand, and a healthy feed.

My friend in return, I promise you
My companion, affection and love so true.
I guarantee you a laugh and a smile
I will walk by you through the longest mile.

My friend when you leave and head on your way
My thoughts are of you and your return that day
Eagerly I wait for you to open the door
And then I won't worry for you any more.

Friend you are again by my side,
My pleasure to see you, I will not hide.
And as the day closes and comes to an end
I will still be here with you my friend.

When we awake to the next rising sun
Another happy day with you has begun
I will do what ever you want to do
Just promise me that ill be there with you.

As the years go by we'll grow old together.
Through any trial and any weather
I will see beyond your aging flaw
I just want to be with you, nothing more.

You see my friend, that's why im here
To love and serve you each day of the year
But Government is making a strange new law
To say that I can not be with you anymore

They say my kind is causing fear
They say with our loved ones we can no longer be near

For me there is nothing stranger
To have someone say im a horrific danger
When all I've done is serve and protect
A service I hope you will never forget

I know for me it's far to late,
But please fight on to protect the next dogs fate.

My friend you took me for your own
I found with you my forever home.
I am guilty of love, that was my deed,
But now I must go because of my breed.

from your friend.

Written by Natalie Jones
Tasmania, Australia
Against Breed Specific Legislation

Use with permission.

I use this as an example often, because a dog is exactly that, a social animal, regardless of it particular breed, and with guidance and a human owner who understands its need for leadership, kind handling, and fairness in their dealings, is capable of being a GREAT dog. PBT, Akita, Rottie, dobe....whatever breed.

Breed Banning, does not resolve the true problem at hand, its us humans, we have, for our own entertainment and sport, ruind reputations of an animal that is only doing exactly what we have expected him to do generation after generation. But so typically for us humans, when it all goes wrong, its the dogs fault, not ours.

IMO a better education on dog ownership, handling, training and public and social responsiblility is where the solution to the problem lies. Abolish pet store pet sales, (doing this also takes away sale point for alot of puppy mills) also stops just anyone off the street just buying a dog on an impulse, apply strict regulations on rehoming shelters and registered breeders, allowing them the freedom to scrutinise the suitability of a potential dog owners before releasing a dog to them. No unlicensed selling of dogs through the net, paper or poster on the wall.....You want to breed it, you gotta licence it to breed and pay for that licence. Dont want to pay the fee.......Get the dog spayed or neutered.

I could go on and on with this one, but I think you get my point of view. We are opening a can of worms with the BSL, and it is going to go way to far if we as dog owners dont put a stop to it, there are better ways!

Must also add.......Pics of a killer Akita ready for luch:mrgreen:









DO YOU DARE BE THE ONE TO TELL THIS CHILD SHE CANT HAVE HER DOG ANYMORE BECAUSE SOMONE SAYS HE IS DANGEROUS?????