Dogs have lived with us for about 10 years. We knew from the beginning of our relationship that we could trust them. His strong instinct for protection, and that enormous desire to feel part of a family have made him an ideal friend. But, Are we his best friends?
Nowadays, there are some that are considered dangerous dogs, because they have done a lot of harm to some people. But, to what extent should they be considered dangerous? What are those races that are supposed to be feared? Y, Can humans influence the behavior of your four-legged friend?
Are dogs dangerous?
The first thing we have to ask ourselves is what is the natural character of dogs. If we observe a group of wild dogs, such as those that live in deserts, or one of wolves, we will realize that they are practically never fighting. In fact, They only do it when the females are in heat, or to defend their territory from intruders. Nothing else.
When people get close to them, they will most likely run away. Why? Because they are not violent animals. They can attack us, of course, but only if we show ourselves to them with a dominant attitude, and not as an equal; That is, if we stare at them and address them directly, they will interpret it as a threat signal, so they will run towards us and attack us.
The same thing happens with domestic dogs. If we do not respect their canine rules of coexistence, if we do not use their own body language, it is normal for them to become dogs that will not know how to be with people. Obviously, it is not about walking on all fours or barking, but rather about use calm signals (a term that began to be used by the canine trainer Turid Rugaas, who wrote a highly recommended book entitled, precisely, »Signs of calm») that they use, such as making a small bend when we walk towards them or turning our back on them if they are insisting a lot in which we give them something, like food or attention.
If we educate them with respect and affection, it is very difficult for them to end up attacking someone. Of course, there are dogs more nervous than others, in the same way that not all people are calm. All living beings have their own character, which will vary depending on the technology in which they live, of the Education that they receive, and from who do they have contact with.
Even so, today there are still many people who think that certain dogs are dangerous. Which are?
Dog breeds »dangerous»
For a dog to be considered dangerous it must have a series of characteristics, between them:
- It must be large in size.
- Having a bite capable of causing significant damage.
- Be of a breed that has been historically used for dog fighting.
The Spanish government created Royal Decree 287/2002, which developed Law 50/1999, of December 23, on the legal regime for the possession of "potentially dangerous dogs" or PPP. Indeed: not all Spaniards can live with one of this breed, but rather You have to go through a series of exams to obtain the license that will allow you to care for a PPP.
Potentially dangerous dogs in Spain
What are the PPPs according to the Spanish government?
Pit bull terrier
The Pit Bull is a energetic and very obedient dog that you need to do a lot of exercise so that the coexistence is ideal. In addition, he is very intelligent and adaptable, being able to live without problems in an apartment.
Brazilian Row
It is one of the most faithful that exist, so much so that you need an experienced person to know how to teach you a behave.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
In his native England, he is one of the most popular dogs. It is an animal that adores children and knows how to live with all kinds of people.
American Staffordshire Terrier
With a more stylized body than the previous one, it is an animal that loves - in fact, needs it - company. Yes indeed, you have to start training him from day one so that he is a sociable furry and, above all, happy.
Rottweiler
It's a dog very good, calm and obedient that all he wants is to be cared for, and made to exercise.
Tosa inu
It's a dog friendly and sociable by nature, but it needs a lot of physical exercise, so only if you are willing to spend a few hours a day walking and playing with it, will you be able to enjoy this great animal.
Argentine Dogo
Although it may seem otherwise, it is one of the dogs sweeter and kinder who can live with a person.
Akita Inu
Who does not know the sad story of Hachiko, a beautiful Akita Inu who slept in a station waiting for his human to return? This breed is adored in Japan, its native country. His protective instinct is one of the strongest in the canine world. Perhaps the only "bad" thing we can say about him is that he is more independent than other dogs, but otherwise, he is very affectionate and faithful.
How does humans influence the character of dogs?
I am of the opinion that, behind a dog that has bitten someone, there is a person who has not been able to detect those signs that we mentioned before. These animals always avoid conflict, proof of this is the great variety of signals they send to other dogs or to ourselves. They cannot speak like us, so they use their bodies to convey messages to us, such as:
- Ears back, low body: he's trying to tell us to calm down.
- Ears forward, mouth slightly open showing fangs, bristling hair, growls: he is very tense and can attack at any moment.
- He licks his muzzle very often and stares at us: wants us to calm down.
- It addresses us or other animals in a curve: it is a show of respect.
- He lies on his back: He trusts us and knows that we won't hurt him, so he most likely wants us to scratch his belly 🙂.
I insist: knowing these signs is very important to avoid problems. In the same way that we spend time getting to know a person, we also have to spend time getting to know the dog that lives with us. Otherwise, we will be in for an unpleasant surprise any day.
On YouTube, I saw a video of a little boy grabbing a dog's tail and throwing it at him. The dog eventually got upset and jumped on him. This would not have happened if someone had explained to the child that it is not necessary to pull the tails of animals, for the simple reason that they can harm them.
Dogs are not there to serve us, or for us to do whatever we want with them. No. They are with us because they chose that way, and all they ask of us is that we treat them with respect and affection. Let's show them that we can be as good friends as they are to us.
Books to learn more about dogs
To finish, I would like to recommend a series of books to go deeper into this topic:
- »The language of dogs: signs of calm», by Turid Rugaas
- »Understand and rehabilitate your reactive dog», by Ali Brown
- »About dogs that stopped biting, when people began to listen to them», by »Santi» Jaime Vidal Guzmán
- »Dominance: Fact or Fiction?» By Barry Eaton
I have a Rottweiler, he is very well cared for and trained, but these last few days when stroking him and making his face towards his face (as if to kiss him or just bend over when I caress him) he growls and throws an angry head and his hair stand on end and get angry, my question is why does this happen? the dog has good food every day, goes for a run and has an equally large running yard, and was raised with two mongrel dogs that are small in height.