Dogs, "Dangerous Breeds", Breed Bans, Responsible Ownership, Etc....
This page will be a work in progress, so please check back often.
Yes, Celtic Rein is primarily a horse rescue and sanctuary, however, we have and do, rescue and assist dogs in need as well. We have also assisted cats & rabbits. On this page, I would like to describe my personal experiences with owning, fostering, rescuing and placing different dog breeds. I grew up in a very animal friendly family and I have owned, fostered, rescued and placed many different breeds. Following in my mother's footsteps, I have a passion for large dogs, mainly German working/guarding breeds - many that are considered "dangerous breeds". My other passion is Chihuahua's - these small dogs have huge hearts and lots of courage, sometimes too much for their own good. They are challenging, yet so loving and fun.
I have worked many years as a veterinary assistant in private animal hospitals and at a low cost spay/neuter clinic at a local shelter when I resided in NY. We literally spayed/neutered 40+ dogs and cats a day. I am the mother of two children who are now 13 and 16 years old - they were raised with dogs since the day they were born, just as I was. Because of my two children, we have a very active household and always have. Their friends are in and out and out and in - some familiar to our dogs, some not. My husband and I have many friends and because of that, there is often a stream of adults in and out of our house as well. We have had supporters/friends of our rescue from other states that come to visit for weekends so they can meet the horses & animals they help - they've stayed at our home as our guests, with our personal dogs and fostered/rescued dogs.
I do not claim to be a professional although I have fostered, trained and cared for my share of dogs, many with 'issues' due to being bounced around, abused, neglected, completely untrained and owned by people that had no right owning a dog or that specific breed in general. I have yet to meet a single dog that could not be re-trained to be a good canine citizen. I am certainly not saying that dogs of that nature are not out there, but I've yet to meet one. A dog trainer that I highly respect, who trains protection dogs for law enforcement divisions all over the country, has told me that out of all dogs she has trained (we're talking huge numbers here), there were 2 that were truly aggressive that she couldn't get through to. Considering the amount of dogs she's trained and the breeds she worked with, this is an extremely small percentage.
Later on in this page, I will break down every breed I have ever cared for personally as a foster home, rescue home or owner. I will not use my personal knowledge of dog breeds that I have encountered while in the medical setting because animals do have a tendency to sometimes act differently in strange settings, so as not to bias my opinions, I will leave that out and not include it in my information below.
I will say quickly, however, that the most aggressive dog I've ever encountered in the medical setting was a female Golden Retriever and out of the two bites I receieved as a veterinary assistant, one was from a Briard awaking from surgery and the other was from a cat! I've had many a small dog try to nail me at the hospital, but none succeeded thankfully!
As a young child who grew up with Rottweilers, German Shepards, Dobermans, Chihuahua's and more than a few loving mutts of these mixes, I was never bitten by a single one. I was bitten by my best friends un-spayed Shih Tzu and it was completely unprovoked. I was walking from the garage to my bike and she just decided to taste my ankle - I knew this dog for 8 years and always loved her, even after she bit me. She was a lot of fun, but she did have a gigantic attitude for a small dog.....it was hot, she was crabby and after she bit me, she just sauntered away like she never did a thing. And get this....my parents didn't sue my best friends parents because I got bit! Imagine that in today's world!
Currently, my family owns a 14 Y/0 Pit Bull Terrier that I rescued when he was approximately 2 years old (he was running loose in the
Cross County Shopping Plaza in Yonkers, NY). (Update: My Chance passed away on October 27th - we miss you boy) We also own a medium sized Boxer/Terrier mix that we adopted from a NY shelter at 8 weeks old, a 3 Y/0 Rottweiler that we were given from a woman in upstate NY who was overwhelmed with too many dogs (she was 7 weeks old when we took her home) and 2 Chihuahua's - one that we got from my friend's mom who was about to undergo major surgery & one was an owner surrender. We just adopted out our Border Collie that we were fostering for a local Maryland rescue because they were running out of options for her. She had a horrible habit of fence jumping, door breaching, crate destruction and seperation anxiety. We were her 4th foster home in a year.
I am 110% of the belief that not every person should own specific breeds and that some people should not own an animal, period. While all dogs require a vigilant, responsible, knowledgable and dedicated owner, certain breeds DEMAND they be owned by that type of owner. Unfortunately, more times than not, we see people buying or adopting certain breeds that they have absolutely no business owning. I sometimes wonder if licensing people after testing them on their knowledge, training ability and ability to care for their breed of choice wouldn't be a smart move. I think it would save a lot of dogs from ending up in the wrong home and then being labeled "vicious" because of owner negligence.
Dogs that are not spayed or neutered can be more aggressive and honestly people, we have plenty of dogs & animals out there looking for good homes, so please spay or neuter your pets! Females with puppies are typically more protective/aggressive. Dogs at the end of their owners leash can typically be more protective - I have found that the shorter the leash, the larger the propensity for protectiveness. Dogs that are tied or tethered can be or become more aggressive. Dogs that have been abused/neglected/not socialized or not obedience trained can be aggressive and/or fear biters. Dogs that are lunging at you from inside of a kennel cage or run at home or at a shelter doesn't always mean that they are vicious or aggressive, they are being protective of their personal space. The dog could act completely different once taken out of the cage or run.
OBEDIENCE TRAIN & SOCIALIZE YOUR DOG(S)......PLEASE! I don't care what breed it is, all dogs are happier and better canine citizens when properly trained & socialized! They are NEVER too old to be properly trained and there is really just no good excuse not to do it. If you can't afford to have your dog trained, buckle down, buy a good book and get to work with that training! Petsmart training is not that expensive. If you can find 1 excuse not to train your dog, you probably should be re-thinking dog ownership.
In this paragraph, I will break down each breed I have personally owned/cared for in one way or another. All of the dog breeds listed are dogs that have lived in my home via rescue or foster. These are my personal feelings and experiences with these breeds.
Pit Bull Terriers
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Chance - my Pit Bull Terrier
Yes, I've had one nip. There was no crushed bones, no jaw locking (MYTH), no blood or guts, no horror story for the news - it was a nip and it was my own fault admittedly. My current Pit Bull Terrier I have owned for 12 years and he has grown up with my 2 children.
I have found a few to be on the stubborn side, but most to be extremely trainable, personable, friendly, hysterically funny and extremely trust worthy. Out of all of my current dogs, including my young Chi pup, he is the one that I have always trusted the most and who has been the most reliable in temperament.....HANDS DOWN. He is also the friendliest at the veterinarians office and when we're out on the leash.
I will also state that I have NEVER given any of these dogs the OPPORTUNITY to bite anyone else or try to bite - and yes, they can certainly be dog on dog aggressive.....that is what they were bred for friends (NOT human aggression and YES, there is a difference) and we all need to realize and accept that little tid bit of information and deal with it accordingly if we decide to take ownership of one of these dogs.
They do not belong in certain settings in my humble opinion. That has to be understood if you want to responsibly care for this breed. I do not, and have never, allowed my Pit Bulls to be around the horses, in a dog park, in Petsmart, etc.... I am not saying that none can be, just that I will not take the chance because of the history of this breed. I won't put my dogs, horses or other animals in that position - in my opinion, it isn't fair to any of them.
Most Pit Bulls start to show animal aggression upon reaching maturity and they mature late, around 2 years old or so - if you've researched your breed before you got him/her, you should know that and take every precaution for it. I know two Pit Bulls that were litter mates that suddenly decided to duke it out after 2 years of harmony - one ended up dead and the other seriously maimed. Take precautions......know the signs, watch for them and don't think it can't or won't happen with your dogs. Again, this is what has been bred into them - if you can't handle this responsibly for the dogs sake and the sake of all other animals that will be around your dog, don't get one! It's pretty simple.
ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE, who allows their Pit Bull to run loose should be put in jail and heavily fined if you ask me. I would love to see this rule implemented. They have to be under your care and control at ALL times - no room for mistakes here & no excuses. They can be the most lovable, fun and easy going dogs in the world, but they are what they are and they belong only with responsible owners who know the breed and respect & understand them for who and what they are.
As far as breeding Pit Bulls, I think it's insane. Go to any local shelter, or even easier, look the shelters up on Pet Finder and guess what you're going to find? Tons of Pit Bulls! Stop freakin' breeding them - just stop! I don't care who you are, one of your pups will end up contributing to the over-population and serious in-breeding going on that is destroying this breed and mauling its reputation. Sadly, for every reputable dog, cat and horse breeder that I know, I know many more that breed just for the sake of breeding.
Unfortunately, this breed attracts every punk gangster wanna-be and every wanna be tough guy/girl that think their status as a thug will be escalated by walking around with one. Even more unfortunate is the desire of this breed to do just about anything their owner asks of them. If you want them to fight and maim, they will. If you want them to be loving family dogs, they will.
I once called my dogs name while sitting on my jet ski about 20 feet off the dock (it was a private dock) - he's the only dog I know that can't swim, but he really can't! He never hesitated for a second to jump off the dock in his attempt to come to me when I called him and like a big boulder, he sunk and didn't come up. I was with 6 friends on jet skis and on the dock and every one of us dove in after him after he didn't come up in a few seconds. He was licking my face off as we pulled him out of the water and he never skipped a beat. I can guarantee that if I did the same thing again, he would have repeated what he just did. This breed is loyal to a fault and many people with no good intentions take full advantage of that. I don't mean just loyal in that they will protect you, they are loyal to the point that they will harm themselves to do what their master wants. Sadly, I think this is one of the breeds biggest downfalls to themselves.
Chance is also the dog that taught a very special little girl to love dogs. She was attacked by a dog as a baby and would scream when approached by a dog. Being our neighbor for many years, she was slowly introduced to dogs from a distance. When her mom became sick one night and had to be rushed to the hospital, I was asked if she could stay with us until they came home as she had school the next morning. It was the middle of the night and Chance was sleeping on the couch. She curled right up to him with her blanket and pillow and there the two slept until it was time for school in the morning. From that point on, Chance was her best friend and to see this child be completely comfortable around a dog was nothing short of wonderful and amazing. Her and her mom are now proud and loving dog owners!
American Pit Bull Terriers: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em
Ki - My 3 Y/0 Rottweiler
Rottweilers
My all time favorite breed, this is a large, protective and powerful breed - yes, they will most likely defend their owner, family & property to the death. To be completely honest, I believe that 'most' Rottweilers are just too much dog for the average person/family. There are not many people out there that have the skills needed to properly manage this breed and because of that, the dogs end up paying the price. They aren't Golden Retrievers and they can't be treated or managed as such. On that note, I will also say that I have never had one bite anyone and they genuinely do seem to be able to distinguish the difference between friend and foe, but they are protective and they are strong. This is what they were bred for, so PLEASE, don't get one if you can't handle that! Like any other large, powerful and protective breed, the "2% -1 step" rule applies here folks...you MUST be at least 2% smarter than the dog you are handling and always one step ahead of them! You must know them, be able to read them and understand how these dogs think and why. They absolutely must be trained and trained well. If you think there may be an ever so slight chance that you can't do that, pick a different breed and do the breed and humans at large a huge favor. If you can't physically control a large & powerful dog, a Rottie in not for you. If you can not mentally convince a large, powerful and sometimes very headstrong & intimidating dog that you're the boss, a Rottie is not for you.
Anyone being dragged down the street by a Rottie (or any dog for that matter) is doing something seriously wrong...Rotties, although sometimes headstrong, are HIGHLY trainable and love to please and want to be right near their owner. If your Rottie is dragging you around, you and your dog are an catastrophy waiting to happen.......TRAIN YOUR DOG! My current Rottie is beyond behaved at all times while being leash walked & I will tolerate no less from her. Very protective, but very well trained. She should be the "Rottie on a leash" poster dog!
On to another point about leash walking....although I know that my Rott is well trained and completely obedient on the leash and that my children could almost definitely control her on the leash without issue, it doesn't happen. Again, weigh your responsibilites and risks - is it worth the risk? NO. I do not think it's cute to see a young child or young teen walking a large breed around. IF that dog decided to go, the person on the other end of the leash MUST be able to physically control the dog AT ALL TIMES.
Out of all of my dogs, my Rottie girl is the most loving, trainable and protective of me, the kids and our home. She has also "adopted" the Chi pup as her own. No matter where I go in the house, she always feels the need to follow me to keep tabs on where I am incase she feels I may need her help :) She will also walk through the house and check on all of her human family members throughout the night. She is not happy unless a part of her body is touching her human. She does not have to be locked up when visitors come by, however, for the comfort of our guests, we will lock her up if need be. I do not like the thought of any of my guests being uncomfortable and yes, dogs do sense when someone is frightened of them. Again, 'safe not sorry' is the motto when owning a large breed. Ki looks to me to let her know that our visitor is ok and once she gets that cue from me, she's content to be friends with them too. She and almost all of those that I have previously owned or fostered were fantastic barn dogs. Great with the horses and always right by your side. They normally do not want to be far from you at any point in time. If I have a late night in the barn alone, she is always right there by my side and I have not a fear in the world. But, with the comfort of that protection comes a large level of responsibility. You can't have one without the other. I'll say it again, research your breed!
Siberian Husky
Skye - 3 Y/0 Husky Mix I Rescued from a County Pound
This is another breed that I absolutely love for their intelligence & eagerness to work. I currently have a beautiful and extremely sweet Husky mix in rescue and he is proving to be one of the most amazing dogs. Calm & even temperament, highly trainable, great with other dogs and kids. Instead of going into a lengthy discussion about the breed, I would like to direct you to an excellent page that discusses this breed in depth. Please visit the different Husky breed rescues listed on this page if you're interested in possibly adding one of these fantastic dogs to your family. Very lovable, but again, they need a job to do DAILY.
http://www.petharbor.org/snowdogs.htm
Doberman Pinscher
Our Brandy Alexander "Brandy" - Passed away in 1990 at 13.
German Shepard
Abbey - 20 Month Old German Shepherd I Rescued from County Pound
Isobelle & Baxter - our 6 month & 1 year old Chihuahua's
Citizen Responsibility
Dogs can bite - they are 'animals' and therefore, not always predictable. As much as I will be the first one to crucify an irresponsibe dog owner, I also believe that people in general usually have some fault in dog bites/attacks. I will be the first to admit that there certainly are some truly dangerous dogs out there, but I think that number is extremely low. I will be the first to admit that if one of my dogs or a friend's dog attacked anyone without being provoked, I'd be calling in an appointment to the vet to find a medical diagnosis and if none could be found, promptly setting up an appointment to have the dog humanely put down.
Reading about most dog bites, any dog savvy person can almost always find the human error in the situation. A dog that is tethered in the back yard and attacks a kid that wondered into the yard is a horribly sad situation, but if the dog is properly contained and the child wanders into the yard, can we completely blame it on the dog and it's owner? Most dogs, and I don't care what breed, have a tendency to be protective of their home and property. I do not advocate tying a dog in a yard for any length of time either - dogs that are constantly tethered and kept away from their human companions can easily become aggressive.
Parents, just as I have done through my children's entire lives, should teach their children NOT to walk onto someone's property unattended & without permission for any reason and most definitely should NEVER walk up to a strange dog for any reason! If a child is too young to understand that, they need to be constantly supervised! That is a parent's responsibility.
Just the other day, I brought my Rottweiler to the vet for her vaccinations. I was sure to schedule myself as the last appointment of the evening because my dog does have anxiety issues in the vets office. When we arrived, there were still clients and other animals in the waiting room, so my husband held her while I went to let them know we had arrived and would be outside until the waiting room cleared out. I went back outside and walked away to a bench with Ki on the leash. I put her in a down-stay and she laid there calmly. A few minutes later, a woman and her very young daughter came out of the waiting room. The mom started talking to me from the distance and her child (about 6) bee-lined at Ki. Very loudly I said "Please don't come over here" as the mom stood there and did nothing to stop her child from approaching a very large and strange dog. As it became obvious that the mom was not going to stop her child, I quickly grabbed Ki by the collar and said "Leave It" (her command to not do anything or drop what she has). Now, if this strange child, under her mom's immediate supervision, quickly came upon Ki and accidentally stepped on her tail and got bit, who would be the bad guys? My dog and me - doesn't matter that she was leashed, quietly laying there not bothering a soul waiting for her appointment and 100% under my control - she bit a child and therefore, especially being a Rottweiler, everyone would scream that Rottweilers are vicious and that she bit a child. The mom would be considered an innocent victim and I would be considered a person owning a dangerous, child attacking dog. Although I did everything right, in the majority of the public's eye, I'd be wrong - not the mom who was watching her child bee-line towards this dog without ever saying a word to stop her. Yes, she started Ki, but Ki listened to me thankfully and just stayed where she was.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, dog owners who allow their dogs to run loose and unsupervised should be jailed and/or heavily fined. Any dog that attacks someone or another animal while running loose is a huge problem......a huge "owner" problem. In this day and age, how anyone could allow their dog to risk its life and the lives of others and other animals, is beyond my comprehension. In our county, a dog was at large and came onto a farm where horses lived. There were lessons going on at the time as well. The dog proceeded to attack some horses and at least one had to be put down - a baby. It also attempted to attack a child that was there for lessons, but if I remember correctly, the child's father put the child safely into a feed room and fought the dog off. If I was the child's father or the farm owner, the dogs owner would not have to worry about the police, but instead worry about me. How dare ANYONE subject any other living person or animal to that sort of thing! That is complete and utter lack of responsibility on the behalf of that dogs owner and in my opinion, that owner should be financially held 110% liable for all damages done by that dog. I can not even imagine those poor innocent horses standing there and suddenly being attacked - as a parent, to have to hide my child so that it doesn't get attacked by a strange wandering dog would just about put me over the edge. Who's fault was that? The OWNER OF THE DOG! Could that dog be a danger under the owners control? Who knows, but the fact is that the dog was NOT under the owners control and the owner should pay the price for their irresponsibilty that ended with innocent horses being killed and a child frightened so badly.