76.2% of the DBRFs in this study involved dogs that were not kept as family pets

Family dogs were rarely involved

76.2% of the DBRFs in this study involved dogs that were not kept as family pets; rather they were only resident on the property. The distinction between a resident dog and a family dog[2] was first proposed years ago by NCRC Founder Karen Delise. Dogs are predisposed to form attachments with people, to become dependent on people, and to rely upon their guidance in unfamiliar situations. While it is extremely rare that dogs living as either resident dogs or as family pets ever inflict serious injuries on humans, dogs not afforded the opportunity for regular, positive interaction with people may be more likely, in situations they perceive as stressful or threatening, to behave in ways primarily to protect themselves.

Breed was not one of the factors identified

The authors report that the breed of the dog or dogs could not be reliably identified in more than 80% of cases. News accounts disagreed with each other and/or with animal control reports in a significant number of incidents, casting doubt on the reliability of breed attributions and more generally for using media reports as a primary source of data for scientific studies. In only 45 (18%) of the cases in this study Proponents of breed bans, such as Denver Assistant City Attorney Kory Nelson, instead argue that pit bulls are more dangerous because, when they do bite, the injuries they inflict are more serious. So we looked at figures gathered by the Colorado Department of Public and Environment on hospitalization rates for dogs by county. From 1995 to 2006, more people sought medical attention for dog bites in Denver County than anywhere else in the state. Counties without pit bull bans -- Boulder, El Paso and Jefferson -- showed fewer people going to the hospital dog bites.Are bites from pit bulls more severe?

BiteLevelByBreed_chart.jpg
Bite severity by breed (click to enlarge)
The Coalition for Living Safely with Dogs, a Colorado group made up of veterinary associations and animal welfare groups, gathered information from animal control divisions across the state. Their report found that the severity of pit bull bites -- 1 being a "bruising" and 5 being a "maul (serious bodily injury)" -- was about the same as bites from breeds such as Australian Cattle Dogs and Akitas, and below breeds such as American Bull Dogs, Dalmatians and Dachshunds.could these researchers make a valid determination that the animal was a member of a distinct, recognized breed. Twenty different breeds, along with two known mixes, were identified in connection with those 45 incidents.
- See more at: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites/dog-bite-related-fatalities/#sthash.Q7fANfbe.dpuf

Dog bite-related fatalities are extremely rare Dog bite-related human fatalities have always been exceedingly rare

Dog bite-related fatalities are extremely rare Dog bite-related human fatalities have always been exceedingly rare, though they can attract the kind of publicity that creates an impression that they are more prevalent than they actually are. The annual total of such fatalities has risen and fallen with no discernable trend, while the canine population in the U.S. has continued its steady increase. The chart below shows the number for some common and uncommon injury related fatalities for 2010 (2010 is the most recent year which CDC fatalities are available).                                                          (Sources for this graph)[3] - See more at: http://nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com/dogbites/dog-bite-related-fatalities/#sthash.Q7fANfbe.dpuf

Now, certain physical and behavioral traits may be linked. In the famous "Farm-Fox" experiment launched by geneticist Dmitri Belyaev,

Now, certain physical and behavioral traits may be linked. In the famous "Farm-Fox" experiment launched by geneticist Dmitri Belyaev, the researcher bred silver foxes who were friendly towards people, creating and increasingly reliable stock of tame foxes. As he bred his tame foxes, their appearances changed over the generations; their pricked ears folded over and they became more puppy-like in appearance. Border Collies suffer disproportionately from noise phobia, which may be a byproduct of a desired trait—the one that makes Border Collies able to obey a voice command or whistle given from hundreds of feet away.

However, we must be careful not to assume that, just because a trait may have a genetic component, it exists across members of a breed. After all, we've established that Border Collies raised for the show ring show different behaviors than Border Collies raised for work, and we'll need more research into whether show Border Collies are suppressing a natural urge, or if they differ genetically from their working cousins. And behavioral traits that we may think of as common in certain breeds aren't necessarily universal; Janis Bradley's essay in The Bark about her lazy greyhound—and whether greyhounds are particularly predisposed toward racing behavior—is particularly enlightening.

Does Breeding Impact a Dog’s Behavior?

Does Breeding Impact a Dog’s Behavior?

By Nicole Pajer

Over the years, domestic dogs have been bred to showcase certain appearances. Through this process of selective breeding, a variety of breeds —from the tiny Chihuahua to the towering Great Dane — have been created. According to a recent study, selective breeding of domestic dogs not only alters the way a dog physically looks, but also drives major internal changes in canine brain structure.

Scientists from the University of New South Wales and the University of Sydney conducted a one-of-a-kind study, which revealed that in the process of breeding domestic dogs, the position of the canine skull has shifted as well. This is a result of humans selectively breeding for different skull lengths to create various breeds.

To determine this, Michael Valenzuela from the University of New South Wales and a team of researchers performed MRI scans on the brains of two English springer spaniels, as well as eleven euthanized dogs, which were donated to the study by a local pound. The batch of donated dogs included a range of breeds, such as an Akita cross, mastiff cross, Staffordshire bull terrier, Shih Tzu cross, greyhound, Maltese, Jack Russell terrier, Australian cattle dog, and a pit bull mix.

The MRI brain scans revealed that the dogs with the shortest skulls — the Shih Tzu cross, pit bull mix, and Akita — showed a significant reorganization of the location of the brain through breeding. In these short-snouted breeds, the cerebral hemispheres of the brain were rotated forward by up to 15 degrees. In addition, the brain’s olfactory lobes, which work to process smell, had shifted position in these breeds, moving from the front to near the back of the skull. According to Valenzuela and his team, the brains of these short-snouted dogs do not sit inside the skull cavity in the same manner as the brains of longer nosed dogs, whose brains appear to be closer to those of the domestic dog’s early wolf ancestors.

Valenzuela says the study reveals “strong and independent correlations between the size and shape of a dog's skull, brain rotation and the positioning of the olfactory lobe. As a dog's head or skull shape becomes foreshortened — more pug-like — the brain rotates forward and the smell centre of the brain drifts further down to the lowest position in the skull.” The study’s co-author, University of Sydney associate professor Paul McGreevy, stated that the study’s findings strongly suggest that one dog’s world of smell may be very different than another’s, and that this change alone could affect how domesticated dogs perceive their environments. The authors noted that this might in fact alter a dog’s personality and behavior, and they encourage people to be responsible when selectively breeding dogs.

Valenzuela and McGreevy plan to conduct future research as to how exactly these changes in canine brain positioning affect a dog’s brain function and what the impact is on its behavior.

Read more: http://www.cesarsway.com/training/socialization/Does-Breeding-Impact-a-Dogs-Behavior#ixzz38utBT26Q

More than half of all dogs in the United States are mixed breeds

More than half of all dogs in the United States are mixed breeds, and but even if your mutt has purebred grandparents, you can't necessarily predict its nature. Scott and Fuller studied breed differences in American Cocker Spaniels and Basenjis (as well as other breeds), such as reactivity to a doorbell, problem-solving, and spatial relations, and then crossbred the dogs. They found that the first generation offspring tended to have intermediate performance on behavioral tests relative to their parents, although behavioral patterns grew more complicated in subsequent generations. Nearly three decades later, geneticist Jasper Rine performed a crossbreeding experiment of his own, breeding his Border Collie Gregor (named, of course, for Gregor Mendel) with his Newfoundland Pepper. The first generation of puppies, as with Scott and Fuller's Cocker-Basenji mixes, exhibited a combination of their parents' traits: they loved water like Gregor and hunted down tennis balls with the eagerness of Pepper. But Pepper and Gregor's traits weren't so clearly combined in the next generation of pups, their grandpuppies. These puppies had some of Pepper and Gregor's traits, but the combinations of those traits varied from puppy to puppy. While the behavioral characteristics of Pepper and Gregor's children were predictable to Rine, the characteristics of their grandchildren were not. Just because one of a particular puppy's grandparents was a Newfoundland, that didn't mean the puppy had any interest in swimming.

There's another hazard to assuming a mutt's personality based on its presumed parentage: you might have the parentage wrong. When Scott and Fuller bred their Cocker-Basenji mixes, the second generation of pups showed a great variety in physical appearance and didn't look much at all like the original parents. (Edit: A study released by the National Canine Research Council found that dogs of unknown origin are frequently mis-labeled when it comes to breed.) Appearance, it turns out, isn't a reliable indicator of breed, so if you're using a dog's physical form as clues to its personality, you'll have little luck if that dog is a mystery breed.

What if a lawmaker states they can positively identify a dangerous breed?

What if a lawmaker states they can positively identify a dangerous breed?

Breed identification is tough. The descriptions lawmakers use to try and identify "dangerous breeds" are often vague:

(1) The XYZ is a strongly built, medium-sized, short-coupled dog possessing a sound, athletic, well-balanced conformation that enables it to function… Physical features and mental characteristics should denote a dog bred to perform as an efficient... The most distinguishing characteristics of the XYZ are its short, dense, weather resistant coat… a clean-cut head with broad back skull and moderate stop; powerful jaws…

(2) The ABC should give the impression of great strength for his size, a well put-together dog, muscular, but agile and graceful, keenly alive to his surroundings. He should be stocky, not long-legged or racy in outline. Head: Medium length, deep through, broad skull, very pronounced cheek muscles, distinct stop; and ears are set high. Muzzle: medium length, rounded on upper side to fall away abruptly below eyes. Jaws well defined.


What breeds are defined here?  Both are American Kennel Club recognized and wording taken directly from the AKC standards.  One is a breed often mentioned in bans under a generic name.  The other is one often touted as the perfect pet.


What can I do to stop BSL?

When you hear of a BSL anywhere, start writing letters, faxes, phone calls, emails, etc. In a calm, rational and non-insulting manner, try to educate lawmakers about why BSL are not the way to go when addressing dog issues.  Push for laws that target the owner regardless of the type of dog owned.  Encourage them to create leash laws and see they are enforced. Increase penalties for animal abuse, cruelty and the use of animals as weapons.  In many communities it is a misdemeanor to neglect or abuse an animal.  Lastly, encourage owners of breeds not mentioned to become involved with the fight.

Karen Peak www.westwinddogtraining.com

Incorrect Breed Identification Costs Dogs Their Lives

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Incorrect Breed Identification Costs Dogs Their Lives
February 2012

Is that "pit bull" on your shelter's adoption floor really a pit bull? The results of a recent four-shelter study suggest chances are good that he's not.

Four Florida shelters - Jacksonville Animal Care and Protective Services, the Jacksonville Humane Society, Marion County Animal Services, and Tallahassee Animal Services - participated in the study. Four staff members at each of the four shelters indicated what breed(s) they thought 30 dogs were, for a total of 16 observers and 120 dogs.

Of those 120 dogs, 55 were identified as "pit bulls" by shelter staff, but only 25 were identified as pit bulls by DNA analysis.

Additionally, the staff missed identifying 20% of the dogs who were pit bulls by DNA analysis, while only 8% of the "true" pit bulls were identified by all staff members.

These poor track records for correctly identifying breed is particularly important, say study authors, because in many municipalities, dogs identified as "pit bulls" are not offered for adoption or are subject to local breed bans preventing their adoption or ownership.

Even in areas without restrictive ordinances or shelter policies, pit bulls are usually stigmatized as undesirable. Labeling a dog a "pit bull" can result in difficulty finding him a home or even his death.

The study report was authored by Kimberly R. Olson, BS and Julie K. Levy, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, of the Maddie's® Shelter Medicine Program, University of Florida and Bo Norby, CMV, MPVM, PhD, of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University.

Among the authors' conclusions were:

Because the observers' identifications were so inconsistent, visual identification of breed is unreliable.
The safety of individual dogs is best evaluated by looking at the individual dog's attributes, including personality, behavior, and history, not breed.

A study by Dr. Victoria Voith showed that 87.5% of dogs that were identified by DNA were not labelled correctly by the adoption agency

A study by Dr. Victoria Voith showed that 87.5%
of dogs that were identified by DNA were not labelled correctly by the adoption agency. Click here
to see a poster of 'Comparison of Adoption Agency Breed Indentication and DNA Breed Identification of Dogs' by Dr. Victoria Voith. This poster is a great visual tool to gain insight into how there is little correlation between a shelter staff breed mix guess, regardless of experience, and the DNA the DNA analysis.
Many people have preconceived ideas about what breed of dog would suit them and their lifestyle. This can stem from family experience, media, marketing and myths. In this link, Janis Bradley discusses the relevance of breed when a person is searching to purchase a pet. There needs to be a shift in how we as a community, and how shelter protocols continue to create unrealistic expectations of how a dog 'should' behave based on a breed label.
If breed labelling is inaccurate, why do we do it?
Many Australian shelters and pounds advertise a dog by its breed. This advertising has a high probability of being inaccurate and can lead to a false misrepresentaion. But, it can also decrease the chances of the dog being adopted. For example, not everyone is looking for a Terrier mix, but many people may be looking for a small, friendly and loyal dog. So what is being suggested by the experts? Do not guess a breed. Advertise the dog for its qualities and merits to optimise its chances of finding a home and finding its perfect match. Improved human-canine matches also decrease the likelihood of the dog being resurrendered to the shelter. Inaccurate breed guessing can also have fatal consequences for dogs that visually appear similar to the dogs that are included in breed specific legislation. The National Canine Research Council state that dog breed identification is no basis for shelter policy and Animal Farm Foundation encourage shelters to assist potential adopters to view each animal as an individual, regardless of current software requirements. Please click on the poster to download your free copy.
What is Breed Specific Legislation?
The National Canine Research Council defines breed specific legislations (BSL) as:
"Breed-specific legislation is a law or ordinance passed by a legislative body pertaining to a specific breed(s) of dog, and/or to any dogs that appear they may be mixes of those breeds. The most drastic form of BSL is a complete ban; but BSL also includes any laws or governmental regulations that impose other requirements or limitations on specific breeds or mixes: mandatory spay-neuter, mandatory muzzling, special liability insurance requirements, special licensing, property posting requirements, enclosure requirements, breed-specific pet limit laws, sale or transfer notification requirements, and prohibitions in government and military housing. BSL, in all of its forms, results in the destruction of many pet dogs."
The Australian Government, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has banned the importation of the Japanese Tosas, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro and the Perro de Presa Canario or Presa Canario and Pit Bull Terrier or American Pit Bull.
Click here to view the state by state legislation
Click here to view the changes in Victorian legislation
In Australia in 1927, there was an import ban on the German Shepherd which lasted up to 1974. It was based around the ideology that this particular breed was a sheep killer. The assumption was that if the German Shepherd mated with the Dingo, it would produce a 'super sheep killer'. It was not scientific based, just like breed specific legislation. While Australia was banning the importation of the German Shepherd, in 1928 this same dog breed became the world first civilian seeing-eye dog in the United States. His name was Buddy, and a statue of this dog can be found out the front of The Seeing Eye Dog headquarters in Morristown, New Jersey.
Click here to see Buddy
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) does not support breed-specific legislation for dog bite prevention, because experience in other countries has shown that such legislation has failed to reduce the frequency of dog bites. Since there is NO registered breed called the Pit Bull, there is no DNA test to identify a dog as a Pit Bull or Pit Bull cross. The breed that the media and legislation refer to as the Pit Bull is the American Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bull Terrier, American Bulldog and English Bulldog.
A blanket ban for the 'Pit Bull' is based on the assumption that all 'Pit Bulls' are aggressive. Many Australians assume that when they purchase a Labrador Retriever it will be just as obedient as the Guide Dog. It is the intense training that produces the end product in both the fighting dog and the Guide Dog, not the breed. The media and some Shelter Directors continue to release misinformed and uneducated opinions that have caused myths, opinions and has influenced politicians into passing legislation that kills innocent dogs and does not make the community safer.
Karen Delise, Founder and Director of Research at the National Canine Research Council is the author of The Pit Bull Placebo. It has taken more than twenty years of reserach to create an accurate report on the media, myths and politics of canine aggression. It includes a history on breed demonisation, common myths of the Pit Bull like the lock jaw, canine aggression and the real reason for dog attacks. This book is highly recommended to all people that seek answers to understanding dog bite prevention. Please click on the link to download your free copy.
Brad Griggs, Director of Canine Services International specialising in canine aggression and lecturer at the National Dog Trainers Federation in Melbourne Australia, says that "In my professional experience, breed consistently proves to be a poor predictor of aggression". He also adds that "While the animal management community is forced by poor legislation to enforce laws that focus on breed instead of individual temperament, the public is lulled into a false sense of security that dog bite prevention starts and ends with a handful of breeds."
In 2003, Italy revoked BSL and replaced it with legislation that made the owner accountable and in 2009, Italy scrapped the dangerous list of 17 breeds altogether and has since reduced the number of dog attacks dramatically.