by Ashley Hester

Created on: November 20, 2008   Last Updated: June 20, 2009

All dogs have different personalities and temperaments. So is it really fair for us to stereotype different dog breeds and assume that one dog is going to be more aggressive than the other just because of their breed?

We as humans are very judgmental. We always seem to believe the first things that we hear and just jump to the conclusion that certain types of dogs are "bad dogs". But the saddest part is that it is not the dogs fault at all. It is ours.

I have heard stories my whole life about pit bulls being evil and aggressive. Do you think a pit bull is born thinking "I am going to be in dog fights"? No they just happen to be strong, tough dogs so they are purchased by people that are going to take advantage of them. These dogs are usually neglected, abused and not properly socialized. This can lead to aggression.

There is no doubt that certain breeds are more aggressive than others. Dogs such as German Shepherds and some Mastiff breeds are breed specifically for protection or police work. But if these dogs are not trained to do "their job" they are not automatically going to be a guard dog or a police dog.

Dogs are compliant animals. They want to please us and be a part of our family. When a dog does go "bad" there is usually a good explanation. Most cases of a dog biting someone is out of protection for its human family or its K9 family. Health issues can also cause aggression.

I grew up around two different Rottweilers. One was a trained police dog and the other was a pet. This breed is naturally dominant. Max was the police dog. When I was five years old, I bent down in front of him while he was chewing on a dog bone. In an instant he jumped at me and clamped his massive jaw down on top of my head. This, however, was not his first offence. Max continuously growled at strangers and his family and showed aggression towards other animals. No medical problems were found. Although, when Max was a puppy he went through vigorous training and "tough love" so he could become a" grade A" police dog.

Rico was the other Rottweiler. Rico only received basic training and was treated as a member of the family. In his ten years of life (rest his soul) he was not in one fight, did not show any aggression and would sleep in the bed with my sister and me.

We all know some dog breeds will never be trusted as much as others. But we can't always blame the breed. Bad breeding, neglect, abuse, and lack of socialization is the main reason why certain breeds have been characterized as aggressive or bad.

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