‘Killer dogs’: Nature or nurture?
Nature versus nurture, the age old debate dating back to Greek Mythology, to determine whether genetics or environment plays the most prominent part as factor in shaping behavior.
POLOKWANE – The exact same question can be asked regarding dog behavior and according to Jeanette Erasmus, President of the Pit Bull Federation of South Africa, it is a mixture of both, as is the same with human nature.
Some dogs might have a predisposition toward certain types of behavior due to genetics, she explained. Wrong breeding, however, and the manner in which the dog is raised ultimately determines whether certain traits would be triggered. The same counts for humans, she added.
“These ‘aggressive breeds’ get a bad rap for all the wrong reasons; just because a dog can be trained to be aggressive doesn’t mean they are inherently aggressive; any breed can be trained to be aggressive. Smaller dogs like, for example, toy poms, might be more likely to bite than pit bulls. But because they wouldn’t cause as much damage as a bigger breed, these bites are often swept under the rug whereas a bite from a ‘killer breed’ like a pit bull will make front page news.”
Dogs are not inherently aggressive towards people, they are trained to be this way by people. “People exploit the extreme loyalty of these ‘aggressive’ breeds like pit bulls, german shepherds and dobermans, because they are so eager to please that any type of behavior the handler praises is automatically accepted as the norm.”
According to Lizelle du Bruin, specialist dog trainer at the Limpopo K9-Academy, some breeds are more responsive to training. She explained, however, all dogs can be trained.
“People do not always understand dogs are not toys and are ignorant to the fact that they also have ‘off’ days due to perhaps an ear infection or a sore joint. Or they just don’t appreciate a stranger storming in and kissing them. In the same way personalities vary among people, they vary among dogs as well. This is why stigmatising a certain breed is extremely ignorant. Children should never be left alone with dogs to ensure they do not hurt the dog resulting in it lashing out towards the child. Children must also be taught not to ride on dogs, pull their ears or tails as this might hurt the dog and cause it to behave aggressively. When the dog behaves aggressively or bites as a result of this abuse, it is always blamed on the dog without considering the actions which led up to the actual event,” she explained.
“Children should be taught from a young age to approach and handle dogs with respect and love.”
Jeanette has worked with pit bulls for over 27 years and explained dogs will always warn you before they bite.
“All my children grew up having their own pit bulls and none of them have ever shown aggressive behaviour. We raise them with love, respect and a passion for the breed. People should also note certain breeds are not suited for everyone, do your research about the breed first and buy your dogs from a reputable breeder.”
For more information contact, Lizelle du Bruin at 082 829 4024.
