Could your Dog Kill a Child?

The recent tragedy in the local headlines, of a Rottweiler killing a 3-year-old girl, has brought the issue of child and dog safety right to the front. What makes a sweet little pup grow up to be a child-killer? What can we do to stop more unnecessary deaths and to safeguard future generations?

Could my dog kill a child? I'm sure this thought would have crossed the minds of many of us who own dogs when we saw the terrible news report not so long ago, that a three-year-old child had been killed by a pet Rottweiler dog.

To prevent the persecution of dogs of the same breed with good character, we need to be calm and keep an open mind, most dogs, like the Rottweiler are kept and trained as guard dogs. Obvious this is the main reason why we often see the same dog breeds attacking children.

As one sensation TV news reporter put it, “Yes, but we keep seeing the same breeds implicated in these attacks time and time again.” Well, she has a point and while it is perfectly possible to raise and keep beautifully behaved specimens of particular breeds, who wouldn't harm a fly, it is easier to go wrong with certain types and breeds of dog.

It is no surprise that Jack Russells bite more children in the world than any other breed. Originally bred to be feisty and instantly aroused on a hair trigger so they would be good vermin killers, it is understandable that many are quick to use aggression as a way out of a problem. Biting first and thinking later is what many of the breed are programmed to do. But it only takes one or two quick bites and a shake to kill a rat, as anyone unluckily enough to be bitten by one of the small terriers knows. They don't need extra-strong biting muscles of a tendency to hang on once they have bitten in case of retaliation or to sustain arousal for a long period. Breeding dog to fight other dogs or to be good guards is a different ball game. Humans are very good at breeding exactly the type of temperament and abilities needed, but when these dogs are in the pet population, we really do need to be careful what we wish for.

Worse still, dogs bred for fighting and guarding are often the first choice for people who should never be allowed to own any dog, let alone ones with potentially dangerous characteristics. Bad, mad or cruel owners often like to keep impressive dogs as an extension of their own aggressive personalities, and enjoy the feeling of power that such a dog can help them to achieve. They often put a lot of their own aggression into the upbringing and future care of these dogs, which become hardened and aggressive themselves. Things can go seriously wrong when such pets are then looked after by unsuspecting relatives.

Not all owners with dangerous pets fall into this category. Some have aggressive animals almost by accident. For example, many people choose their new dog on how it looks rather than by considering inherited characteristics. Take a look at a Jack Russell pup, your first feeling is what a cute doggy...., so wrong. Many owners do not even know what the ancestors of their dog used to do or what behaviors traits it has inherited as a result. Ignorance of these issues can result in people getting the wrong type of pet for them, and raising and keeping it in a way that is totally unsuitable for the breed. And then there are people who get certain breeds because they live in fear themselves and want a large, powerful, and potentially aggressive dog to look after them.

So why do some dogs turn into killers while others don't ? The answer lies in a combination of nature and nurture. The breed traits and individual characteristics are one part of the story, but other very important considerations are how the dog is raised and what conditions is lives in. Raising a puppy in an aggressive environment, where threats and punishment, are handed out on a regular basis, turn it into a dog that is quick to use aggression to defend itself or as a way out of a problem.