by Emma Riley Sutton

Created on: June 08, 2008   Last Updated: June 25, 2008

Specific dog owners should be banned from owning certain breeds of dogs. For centuries, dogs have been bred with certain tasks and jobs for them to do. We should not expect them to, suddenly, stop doing what has been bred into them to do. There are several different examples of this.

Look at the Maltese. These dogs have been bred for centuries to be companion animals. That is their purpose. For generations, these little dogs have been bred to be lap dogs. They would be lost if their owner tried to turn them unto hunting dogs or herding dogs. As smart and as bright as they are, they can't overcome what humans have forced them to be. It isn't their fault. Dog owners wanting a hunting or herding dog should be banned from owning a Maltese.

What a about the bloodhound? This dog has been bred to track. It can't change that. This is not an attack dog. In fact, this breed has been bred not to attack. It's only purpose was to follow a scent and find the source of that scent. They can't help this. It is in their blood, no pun intended. Dog owners wanting an attack dog should be banned from owning a bloodhound.

These are rather extreme examples of how specific dog owners should be banned from owning certain breeds. No one wants to think about these examples. The talk of the town and around the world is about American Staffordshire terriers (ASTs). These dogs are known as pit bulls. That is the last time those two words will be used in this information about banning breeds. I refuse to further perpetuate the stigma these dogs have.

The American Staffordshire terrier can be a dangerous and deadly dog. They have been bred that way for years. Just as the Maltese have been bred to be a lap dog and the same way bloodhounds have been bred to track. The AST can't help this. This treacherous dog has been bred to attack and kill. The breed itself is not bad or evil; it is the people who have bred them to be that way who are bad and evil. Man created this breed and is now calling it a "killing machine." Of course it is a killing machine. It was bred to be a killing machine.

No one faults the lion or tiger for being a hunter. Everyone understands that is what they are. That is why they are not considered to be pets. Although not bred by humans to do this, it is still in their breeding. Lions and tigers have been hunting for centuries. Yet, man condemns the American Staffordshire terrier for being the way it is - the way man has bred it to be.

Who should be banned from owning an American

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>