What Is Your Dog Breed Bias

 What is your childhood dog your favorite breed? Are you scared of pit bulls? Do you agree with the rest of America that the beagle is the best? Join our awesome team of dog bloggers in a conversation about breed biases.  

Bernie:    I know so many bully breed dogs that are therapy dogs.

Chris:    I'm very partial to the herding breed type dogs.

Dr. Robyn:    Personally, I love the hound and the sporting breed dogs.

Drew:    Hey, this is Drew from Drew's Pawspective, and today's question on The Doggie Dish is:  What is your dog breed bias?

Dr. Robyn:    Breed bias was an interesting question because I hadn't really thought about it.

Drew:    My first dog, Amber, was a golden retriever. I got her when I was 14, and she was fantastic. She had a great temperament. She was mellow. She was great around little kids. She was actually so smart that we didn't even have to let her out. If she needed to go outside, she would just let herself out. When she was ready to come back in, she would just open the door and let herself back in. Yeah, that trick got me in trouble a few times in high school.

Dr. Robyn:    Personally, I love the hound and the sporting breed dogs. The large dogs are my favorite. Maybe it's because I grew up with a beagle, and so my first experience, I think a lot of it is based on your childhood experience and what pets you've been accustomed to, what ones you have an affiliation with. But we only had beagles, and the other dogs in our neighborhood were fairly small, and I like the large breeds.

Drew:    Beagles are great. They're super smart and I love those ears!

Chris:    I love all dogs, of course. But if I was to pick, I would say probably the herding breed dog, border collie, cattle dog, Australian shepherd are probably among some of my favorite breeds of dogs. I like dogs that are kind of a medium size to maybe a smaller size, anywhere from 20 pounds to 40 pounds typically.

Drew:    I also love the Dutch shepherd. This is a dog that isn't really well known, which is kind of what makes them cool. They're similar to German shepherds, but they typically have a medium length brindle coat.

Amelia:    I've had some kind of dicey moments with some German shepherds. I've never been attacked by a dog, but I have had some moments where I've been a little concerned.

Drew:    Okay. Now for the breeds I'm not so fond of. Now, I'll admit that I've met some cool pits. This is just a personal preference that's based on three different instances where I was personally involved in dog attacks, all of them pit bulls. The most recent was two summers ago when a pack of three attacked my wife and then 20 pound puppy, Mulan. No thanks.

Bernie:    Many people are afraid of different dogs for different reasons. Probably the most feared breed is the pit bulls. I just have to tell you that this shouldn't be the case.

Chris:    This here is Acrobatic Abby. She's a pit bull greyhound mix. She's pretty calm, good family type dog.

Amelia    My dog Lornadoone is a pit bull mix, and she rescued from a group here in San Francisco. I have a bias for pit bulls. I really think that they are fantastic dogs. She's super happy, especially when she's prancing down the street. I have had a few instances where people have crossed to the other side of the street, and I'm sure it's because she's a pit.

Bernie:    Dogs look at us. They look at us, their owners, their people, to lead them and teach them. We are their caretakers, and it's in our hands how they are trained, how they react to every situation. With proper training, there should be no breed bias.

Drew:    Yeah, you know Bernie, I absolutely agree. It's critically important to make sure that your dog is properly trained. But don't forget, some breeds are just naturally more prone to aggression than others. So it's really important for the owner of, say, an Akita or a pit bull to make sure that their dog is very well trained. I know that this is a huge generalization because ultimately every dog is unique.

Chris:    Lots of great dogs out there to choose from. You've just got to figure out which one works best for you and your family.

Dr. Robyn:    It really is personal. There are so many different breeds out there, from the little Chihuahuas to the Great Danes. I don't know how you develop it.

Bernie:    So to avoid breed bias, it really lies in your hands. As a responsible pet owner, train your pets to be the best that they can be.

Announcer:    Thanks for watching. For more of the dish on dogs, go to TheDoggieDish.com.

Drew:    Because ultimately every dog is unique, every dog is going to have its own factors that play into its level of aggression, except for Chihuahuas. They're just evil.
 

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