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Should Chihuahua and Pomeranian dog breeds be listed on the most vicious dog list?
Results so far:
| Yes | 53% | 62 votes | Total: 117 votes | |
| No | 47% | 55 votes |
Yes
by Brenda Nelson
Created on: November 12, 2010
Believe it or not, but even a Pomeranian dog can kill a child, in fact, at least one already has. In 2001 a 6-week-old baby was left alone with a Pomeranian dog who killed her in a very short while. Chihuahuas and Pomeranians, because of their size, are often not socialized properly and prone to become vicious.
-The Most Vicious Dog List-
The most vicious dog list does not relate tendency to bite with the damage concerns of the bite itself. This is something many people are not understanding when the likelihood of a bite is mentioned. The fact that a Chihuahua's, or Pomeranian's bite is considerably less powerful that that of a larger dog, such as a Bernese Mountain Dog, is not the issue, what is of concern here is that a Chihuahua, or Pomeranian may be more likely to bite than a Bernese Mountain Dog.
We are talking about the potential to be vicious, not the potential to do damage, and most people agree that a Chihuahua, or a Pomeranian, have the potential to bite.
-Socialization and Training-
What often lies at fault is the fact that owners of small dogs often carry them around like accessories rather than follow through with proper training as related to dogs. Owners of some small dogs simply do not see the value in attending socialization, or training classes. In short order their dogs become risk factors.
The owners typically cater to their dogs and know the warning signs. Rather than teaching their dog not to have food aggression issues, they simply tell others to leave it alone when eating. Rather than teaching their dog how to interact correctly with other dogs, or humans, they pick it up and carry it around.
Many owners of Chihuahuas and Pomeranians have created little monsters ready to bite if not treated exactly how they want to be treated. Anything out of the norm is an excuse to snarl, or even bite.
Pomeranians have the added disadvantage of being a Spitz type dog, already noted for being moody, while Chihuahua are often poorly bred, with emphasis being on cuteness, and small size, rather than on a good temperament.
-Vicious Dogs-
All dogs have the potential to be vicious, people need to recognize this in their breed choice, as some dogs are naturally more of a risk than others. Of course we see that human error can be a contributing factor but it still should go without saying that Chihuahuas and Pomeranians have given us good reason to be considered potentially vicious. To say that they should be at the top of the list is not necessarily correct, however they should not be stricken from the list simply due to their small stature.
Learn more about this author, Brenda Nelson.
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No
by Peter Quitadamo
Created on: November 09, 2010
Although these two breeds of dogs can be quite vicious, including them on a list with dogs such as Rottweiler's or Pit Bulls is absolutely ridiculous. A vicious Pomeranian or Chihuahua attack at worst leaves somebody with bloody ankles, and some scarring. An attack by a larger dog has killed children, and if a few of them congregate together in packs, they are more than capable of killing a full grown human being.
For someone to even suggest that a Chihuahua could come close to the damage caused by a larger dog requires a mighty stretch of the imagination. If one was being completely truthful and not adjusting for size, then yes, one could put the smaller dogs on the list, but in terms of damage that is caused, it is impossible to make the case that the smaller dogs should be included on the list of most vicious dogs. To put the small dogs on the list would make people afraid of a thing that is six inches off the ground and weighing at most thirty or forty pounds.
To a baby or toddler, a dog this size could do a significant amount of damage, but only if the child's parents were very careless and ignored the screams while the dog attacked. Pit Bulls would hang their heads in shame if dogs this tiny made it onto a list of vicious dogs. Any list that included them would seem like a joke to serious readers.
The question doesn't really even have much merit, it's comparing apples and oranges. As previously stated, although the smaller dogs may be vicious for their size, the fact that they are so tiny makes it ridiculous to include them on a list of vicious dogs. Presumably the idea of such a list would be to keep people aware of what breeds to avoid, that might not be the best idea for small children. Including dogs of such a small size on this list would be doing a disservice to those breeds and their breeders.
Having a list of most vicious dog breeds is a good idea so that families know which breeds to avoid. Thus, having such tiny dogs on it simply would not make sense. Chihuahua's and other small dogs, while they may have a temper, do not belong on a list of most vicious dog breeds.
Learn more about this author, Peter Quitadamo.
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