Breed Specific Legislation Should Be Illegal

Quick! Think of a breed of dog that is necessarily vicious and which should be banned in your area.

If you aren't a dog person, chances are that at the top of your list is either a Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) or a Rottweiler. You may have heard of a "pit bull" attack in your area, or you know someone who keeps a Rottweiler as a guard dog. Just the focus on Michael Vick and his dog fighting ring might have you concerned about pit bulls in your area. Aren't these dogs dangerous to you, your children, and your neighborhood?

No. Not necessarily.

The three types of dog that are most often affected by BSL are bully breeds (APBT, American Staffordshire Bull Terriers, American Bulldogs, etc), Molossers (Rottweilers and Mastiffs, mainly) and guardian breeds (German Shepherd dogs, Dobermans).

Each breed has a link to information on an external website (which I do not own). The words on this page are my own, from personal experience with breeds or coming from research that I did when selecting the right breed for my family. I looked at most of the bully breeds during this time period, and have done fairly extensive research.

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American Pit Bull Terrier - The American Pit Bull Terrier generally has a very sweet disposition. This is a very people-loving breed. However, if you asked the average person to identify a breed of dog that is particularly dangerous to children, the pit bull is one of the most often named breeds!

Pit Bulls were bred for pit-fighting. With this in mind, I want you to think for a moment about the peril of a human being in a pit with dogs who are bred to be aggressive toward humans. You would have to be stupid to fight the dogs, wouldn't you? Pit bulls were bred to be dog aggressive, not human aggressive.

American Staffordshire Terrier - This is one of my favorite breeds. I fell in love with the Staffordshire Terrier when I was living in England, and have since met several lovely American Staffordshires. They make wonderful family dogs and have a great disposition around children. In my opinion, there are few better breeds for young children!

Breed origins are similar to those of the APBT, and the same logic pertains. Fighting dogs are bred to be dog aggressive rather than human aggressive.

American Bulldog - Not to be confused with the short, squat and wrinkly English Bulldog. I don't have a lot of experience with American Bulldogs particularly, and actually didn't know they existed until fairly recently (what a surprise!). I am not going to give a personal dialog on the breed since I have no experience with it except that it has been affected by BSL in recent years.

Boxers - I must confess to having been utterly shocked when I first heard that Boxers were now being considered for BSL and that local ordinances were beginning to create problems for Boxer owners. I have never known this as an aggressive breed, though I have known several very hyper Boxers. It just goes to show just how much breeding matters in the temperament of your dog.

Of interest: In some areas your dog may be seized and/or destroyed for looking like a pit bull. Clearly this affects pit bull mixes, but even in areas where Boxers aren't banned, Boxer mix puppies are often mistaken for pit bulls. All it takes is an animal control officer who doesn't know the difference between a pit bull and a boxer mix and your dog's life could end.

Breed Specific Legislation is dangerous!

There are many breeds of molosser, and it would be almost impossible for me to list every breed here. However, the breed that is most often affected is the Rottweiler (shown at right).

Instead of going through the different breeds breed by breed, I would like to give you an overview of Molossers and their origins and purpose.
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Well, I would like to. Not a lot is known about the true origins of the Mastiff breeds, though they are many and varied. These breeds have been used as war dogs and for guarding lifestock and property. They are powerfully built and very protective in nature.

Since Rottweilers are the most-affected breed of Mastiff, I am only going to address this particular breed. To date I know of no other Mastiff breed that is being singled out by legislators.

Rottweiler - A well-bred Rottweiler is protective, stranger aloof and loyal. Rottweilers are natural guard dogs who will protect their home and their family from perceived danger. They are highly intelligent and easy to train, but definitely have a mind of their own. They need constant training and socialization from a young age.

As with any powerful breed (and all of the molossers qualify as "powerful), Rottweilers should be temperament tested at a young age. Before choosing a Rottweiler, please carefully choose a good breeder or rescue organization!