Should we ban specific dog breeds?

[blackbirdbluebottle]

I love dogs but I have always been wary of particular breeds such as pit bulls, staffies and breeds that are banned. It's been in the news about banning certain breeds. Do you think we should be banning certain breeds or should we ban the dog on a dog by dog basis?

*so it’s not necessarily a nasty dog, but a shit and complacent owner

No dog should be banned imo

If a dog is behaving aggressively then by all means, seize.

But just because a dog looks of type,'it shouldn't.

More innocent dogs are put down than guilty

So poodles are the exception to no larger than toy breeds because they’re slender?

Sorry I was referring to someones comment about a staff being the same size as a miniature poodle. I just meant the two breeds arn't comparable as one is pure muscle with a big mouth and the other is a little skinny thing. Standard poodles would probably go.

Greyhounds can stay for racing but you need a licence to have one as a pet. I like saluki's, I'm not sure how big or strong they can get though so I'm not sure.

I don’t think pit bulls or staffs etc are inherently evil dogs, but I think they need an experienced and suitable dog owner.

But isn't the issue with pit bulls that they have been breed for aggression and fighting ability because they are used in dog fights. So a pitbull can be inherently aggressive no matter how you raise it.

As a dog groomer the most aggressive breeds I've encountered are cockerpoos, shih tzus and westies. Every single Staffie has been a delight.

I’d ban some people as owners, rather than the dogs. I have a fair bit of experience with dogs and it all comes down to training, commitment and responsibility of the owner. Many of the little fluffy anklebiters can turn into monsters, chihuahuas to be very fiesty and on a couple of occasions have tried to eat me 😳I agree desexing is a good way to go, as a PP suggested.

“Standard poodles would probably go.”

Mini and standard poodles can be in the same litter, the same with toy and mini poodles.

A small but within breed standard staffy is only an inch bigger than a toy poodle. So a litter containing toy poodles could produce dogs that are considerably bigger than that
Staffy.

What I’m trying to point out is that size or strength is actually a really unworkable concept unless you’re willing to have an exact cut off and kill any dog that then grows past it.

“But isn't the issue with pit bulls that they have been breed for aggression and fighting ability because they are used in dog fights. So a pitbull can be inherently aggressive no matter how you raise it.”

No, random aggression is a rubbish trait in a fighting dog, they’re bred to be able to be trained to fight, but also manhadled while fighting.

People need to be able to go in, pull their dog out and fix injuries - you can’t do that with a dog that’s also going to attack you.

**Greyhounds can stay for racing but you need a licence to have one as a pet.

@Wherismymind this statement clearly shows you don't know much about dog breeds at all..... Greyhounds are horrifically treated in very high number of cases by racers with estimated over 3000 unaccounted for each year (large majority killed illegally as its expensive to be euthanized). The cruelty is so bad there is a parliament act specifically to try to reduce it.
The lucky ones get rehomed. So you will allow the cruelty to continue of concrete bottom creates, questionable training regimes (which has included throwing dogs into the sea in stormy conditions), poor diet and discarding once they stop making money but in your world the person that rehabilitates, cares for and actually gives the dog love, care and affection can apply.....

Apologies if this has already been mentioned. Surely it would be more beneficial for the responsibility to fall to the owner of the dog as opposed to banning certain breeds because of perceived personality traits.

As a dog owner I have paid for puppy club, insurance, microchip transfer fees etc, training classes.

I would happily apply and pay for a licence for my dogs as they are my responsibility and behave as I have allowed them to.

I'm a responsible owner, pay for my pets and take care of their needs. I would happily take responsibility for their actions.

@twiglet I couldn't agree with you more. Racing greyhounds have the most appalling life and once in a home are normally so grateful and happy to sleep 23 hours a day! The more people that realise this the better!

@twiglet

I'm well aware that there are issues around animal welfare and using animals for sport. However the morals of using animals for sport is not what we are discussing here. We're discussing whether banning certain breeds would minimise dog attacks.

@Wherismymind yes but you also need to understand breeds, their temperaments and characteristics which you clearly don't with ridiculous statements of banning everything which isn't a toy breed and applying for licensing for anything bigger.
The majority of people on here have all said it would be ineffective and actually making all owners have licences (thus regulating the people who mistreat dogs) would be far more effective.
Yes I object to greyhound racing because of ill treatment, just like I object to cruelty of any dog. But I object most to typifying breeds based in public perception, media and some cruel nasty peoples treatment of them.
In answer to your question as many others have said on this topic no banning particular breeds will not minimise dog attacks. As many have pointed out.

yes but you also need to understand breeds, their temperaments and characteristics which you clearly don't with ridiculous statements of banning everything which isn't a toy breed and applying for licensing for anything bigger.

Your missing my point. I'm well aware that it is the owner that makes the dog. But as I said up thread, you will never stop idiots having dogs and raising them to be aggressive or neglecting them and abusing them turning them aggressive. We just can't police what people do in their own homes that well. Let face it, the current law is based on punishing those that have dangerous and out of control dogs but it doesn't work very well does it.

So my alternative solution is to remove any larger and stronger breeds. That way if the dog does become aggressive, it won't pose as much threat to humans and other animals. You would also stop people raising "weapon" dogs. Banning a specific breed like a staffie would be pointless as those that want them as a "status" dogs will just move to a different breed. So in theory if you ban all the big powerful breeds and only leave the little cute fluffy ones, there would be no such thing as a status dog. But you would then have to make allowances for working dogs and the pups left over from the various working industries which is where the licence comes in.

“We just can't police what people do in their own homes that well.”

Except people said similar things about drink driving...

It’s very very hard to own a dog without it also being outside the house, put the right laws in place and make them self funding with licences and fines... and you could crack down on most of them.

I’m a responsible dog owner, I’d happily pay for a licence, I’d be more than willing to undertake assessments or take mandatory traning, depending on what was put in place.

I wouldn’t swap to small fluffy dogs though, I know what suits me in terms of activity, grooming and trainability and there aren’t small fluffy breeds that fit that.

Getting a dog that doesn’t suit your lifestyle is a recipe for disaster tbh.

My Pitt Cross is just lethal!

Awwwww - what a gorgeous puppy.

My sister has a staffy, then she got a kitten, after getting them used to each other she left them in the conservatory over night, there was a little bed for the kitten and a big bed for the staffy, next morning the kitten was in the dogs bed and the dog was on the floor, the staffy also has a toy that he loves a little yellow ducky, he came into the front room looking dejected and whining, the kitten had taken his duck he could have barked or been aggressive to the kitten but he did neither just went to my sister to get her to sort it out