Ever watch Animal Planet's coverage of humane societies in various cities (Detroit, L.A. NYC)? They rescue a dog. They don't know it's background. It's a very nice dog in all respects.
And then they do the "food aggression" test, wherein they give a dog food -- oftentimes a dog that was rescued starving from an abandoned lot -- and then they HARRASS IT with a fake hand by dragging the bowl away from it while it's frantically eating for all it's worth. And when the dog snaps at the hand, that won't leave it alone until it does snap, they "humanely euthanize" it because they don't want the liability of adopting out a dog that could bite a baby, for example. I always get HOPPING MAD when they do that. Heck, I'd bite someone poking me with a hand, even while I wasn't eating.
Better to ask what idiot adult let a baby approach an eating dog. In this case, I hold the family wholly responsible for the baby not being watched carefully enough.
Also: usually when people blame dogs for "misbehaving", I think it's the humans' fault for not understanding dog psychology. They are not furry humans, much as we feel they are part of our family. To blame them for being dogs, not humans, is unjust.
I think most dog training is more to teach the humans how to communicate properly with their dogs, rather than vice-versa.
I don't have dogs in my life right now because I don't have a "lifestyle" that can properly take care of them, or devote the amount of day to day interaction they require for me to be a good companion/alpha leader for them. Cats are for lazy people like me. :-) But I like the idea that someday I'll be a fit company for a rescue. Maybe even a pitbull.
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And then they do the "food aggression" test, wherein they give a dog food -- oftentimes a dog that was rescued starving from an abandoned lot -- and then they HARRASS IT with a fake hand by dragging the bowl away from it while it's frantically eating for all it's worth. And when the dog snaps at the hand, that won't leave it alone until it does snap, they "humanely euthanize" it because they don't want the liability of adopting out a dog that could bite a baby, for example. I always get HOPPING MAD when they do that. Heck, I'd bite someone poking me with a hand, even while I wasn't eating.
Better to ask what idiot adult let a baby approach an eating dog. In this case, I hold the family wholly responsible for the baby not being watched carefully enough.
Also: usually when people blame dogs for "misbehaving", I think it's the humans' fault for not understanding dog psychology. They are not furry humans, much as we feel they are part of our family. To blame them for being dogs, not humans, is unjust.
I think most dog training is more to teach the humans how to communicate properly with their dogs, rather than vice-versa.
I don't have dogs in my life right now because I don't have a "lifestyle" that can properly take care of them, or devote the amount of day to day interaction they require for me to be a good companion/alpha leader for them. Cats are for lazy people like me. :-) But I like the idea that someday I'll be a fit company for a rescue. Maybe even a pitbull.