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*sigh*
Obligatory rant:
Some dog breeds have been selected for a particular temperament, such as aggression, low bite threshold, territoriality, etc. That doesn't mean that the individual dog of that breed shares those temperament characteristics. Their breed characteristics make them more likely to attack ONLY IF that basic temperament is coupled with inappropriate training.
Makes me so mad, because the problem is bad owners and not bad dogs. One easy way arouond the issue would be to increase premiums for all dogs UNLESS you can certify that the dog has passed the AKC's Canine Good Citizen course. It requires that you learn the basics of dog behavior, and that your dog is under your control at all times. (At least dominance-wise if not physically.) I have a sweetie of a chow mix, and she's the most submissive dog ever with people, but she's definitely got some chow characteristics that make me doubletriple cautious not because I'm afraid she'll bite, but because if she ever does she's already got prejudice against her for her breed - never mind that we passed not only the CGC but Therapy Dog training, but that doesn't mean she won't lunge after another badly-trained dog that's up in her doggie grill. I get so mad that bad owners make it tough on the rest of us, and ultimately on the poor dogs.
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"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."
- Anatole France
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