DOCSLIB.ORG

AN ABSTRACT of the THESIS of Mallary A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text

Load more

AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Mallary A. Paoli for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Animal Science presented on May 30, 2012. Title: Perceptions of Pit Bulls and Other Canine Breeds. Abstract approved: ________________________________________ Linda Blythe The purpose of this study is to research people’s attitudes towards pit bull breeds compared to other dog breeds. The term “pit bull” refers to a type of dog with certain physical features including a muscular and stocky build, short coats, and a large skull with a square jaw. Over 20 different breeds can be classified as pit bulls and many people (including legislation) do not recognize this. Breed specific legislation often targets pit bull breed dogs, leading to breed stereotyping and an increase of pit bulls in animal shelters. In order to better understand peoples’ views about behaviors of pit bull breed dogs, this survey asked questions about eight different dog breeds – four pit bull breeds and four non-pit bull breeds. The survey found significant differences in the way that people view dog breeds and their behaviors. Overall, the majority of pit bull breeds (except Boxers) were rated lower in behavior characteristics than non-pit bull breeds (with the exception of the Rottweiler). Respondents were 80% accurate at categorizing breeds as pit bulls or non-pit bulls. There were no correlation between any human factor (age, gender, etc) and a person’s perceptions of dog breeds. Keywords: breed specific legislation, dog, pit bull Corresponding e-mail address: [email protected] ©Copyright by Mallary A. Paoli May 30, 2012 All Rights Reserved Perceptions of Pit Bulls and Other Canine Breeds by Mallary A. Paoli A PROJECT submitted to Oregon State University University Honors College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Animal Sciences (Honors Scholar) Presented May 30, 2012 Commencement June 2012 Honors Baccalaureate of Science in Animal Sciences project of Mallary A. Paoli presented on May 30, 2012. APPROVED: ______________________________________________________________________________ Mentor, representing Animal Sciences ______________________________________________________________________________ Committee Member, representing Animal Sciences ______________________________________________________________________________ Committee Member, representing Animal Sciences ______________________________________________________________________________ Chair, Department of Animal Sciences ______________________________________________________________________________ Dean, University Honors College I understand that my project will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University, University Honors College. My signature below authorizes release of my project to any reader upon request. ______________________________________________________________________________ Mallary A. Paoli, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Dr. Blythe – Thank you so much for taking a chance on a crazy student who showed up at your office and wanted your help to study pit bulls! You have been behind this project since the beginning and I really appreciate your help and support over the last three years. Dr. Menino – Thank you for all of your help with this project! I would have been in a lot of trouble without your statistics expertise and sense of humor to help me finish! Mom – You have listened to me ramble on and on and on about pit bulls for almost five years now and you still manage to smile and let me keep going! You’ve always helped me dream bigger than I thought was possible. Thank you for believing in me no matter what! Dad and Gus – Whenever I need some motivation, you guys were always a phone call away with a ready supply of sarcasm and puns. Thank you for supporting me as I chase one crazy dream after another! Suzanne and Marisa – You guys put up with my pit bull obsession for more than two years. The two of you kept me sane and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you! TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………. 1 What is a pit bull…………………………………………………… 1 History of the pit bull breeds……………………………………..... 2 Dog bit reports…………………………………………………..…. 5 Media influence……………………………………………............. 9 Breed specific legislation…………………………………………... 12 MATERIALS AND METHODS…………………………………………... 17 Survey design………………………………………………………. 17 Survey population………………………………………………….. 18 Data analysis…………………………………………………..…… 18 RESULTS…………………….……………………………………...……...20 Questions by breed………………………………………..………... 20 Other analysis by question.…………………………………….…... 38 Analysis by respondent factors…………………………………….. 38 DISCUSSION……………………………………………………………… 34 BIBLIOGRAPHY………………………………………………………….. 37 LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES Figure Page 1 Sports Illustrated cover from 1987………………………………… 10 2 Sports Illustrated cover from 2007………………………………… 10 3 Trainability by breed………………………………………………. 21 4 Friendliness by breed……………………………………………… 21 5 Appropriateness as a family pet by breed…………………………. 22 6 Likelihood to attack a human by breed……………………………. 24 7 Likelihood to attack an animal by breed…………………………… 24 8 Comfort level if approached by an off leash dog by breed………… 26 9 Identification as a pit bull breed…………………………………… 27 10 Total mean response by breed………………………………………29 11 Likelihood to attack a human versus an animal……………………. 30 12 Likelihood to attack a human versus friendliness………………….. 30 13 Mean response of dog owners and non-dog owners……………….. 32 14 Mean response of pit bull owners and non-pit bull owners………... 32 Table 1 Mean response by respondents’ college…………………………… 33 LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix Page 1 Survey…………………………………………………………… 40 2 OSU IRB Approval….……………...…………………………... 55 INTRODUCTION What is a pit bull The term “pit bull” is defined many different ways by many different people. Depending on who is using the term, pit bull may refer to between one and 20 breeds of dogs. In the narrowest interpretation, the term pit bull refers to the American Pit Bull Terrier and the American Staffordshire Terrier. Staffordshire Bull Terriers are commonly considered to be pit bulls as well. Bull Terriers, Boxers, and American Bulldogs are often listed in the pit bull category as well (Lockwood and Rindy, 1986; Collier, 2006). Often in legislation or contracts, such as apartment rentals, there will be a list of prohibited breeds and a clause including “any dog displaying the majority of physical traits for any one of these breeds” (Denver Code of Ordinances, 2012). According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the following breeds are sometimes labeled as pit bulls as well because they have similar physical characteristics: Presa Canario, Cane Corso, Dogo Argentino, Tosa Inu, Bullmastiff, Dogue de Bordeaux, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, Old English Bulldog, Japanese Tosa, and Filo Brasiliero (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2012). Experts and veterinarians have a general summary of the physical characteristics of a pit bull. These dogs are short-coated muscular dogs. They have a wide skull, large square jaws, and are stocky in stature. Aside from these characteristics, the dogs can range in weight from 30-75 pounds and have a variety of heights (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2012). For the purposes of this paper, the term “pit bull” is used to refer to the American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and Bull Terrier. 2 History of the pit bull breeds Pit bulls originated in Europe, particularly in England. Terriers were crossed with bulldogs in order to produce a dog with game abilities as well as athleticism and strength. These dogs (and many types of bulldogs) were used by butchers to control livestock waiting for slaughter. This led to dogs that were bred smaller so that they could be used for baiting – a sport of dogs fighting bulls, bears, and other animals. When baiting was made illegal, pit fighting (or dog fighting) became more popular. Aside from fighting, pit bulls were used for hunting, herding, and companionship. Historically, pit bulls are often called “nanny dogs” because they were companions and protectors of the family’s children. The American Pit Bull Terrier was recognized as a breed by the United Kennel Club in 1898. Their definition of an American Pit Bull Terrier states that: “The essential characteristics of the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) are strength, confidence, and zest for life. This breed is eager to please and brimming over with enthusiasm. APBTs make excellent family companions and have always been noted for their love of children. Because most APBTs exhibit some level of dog aggression and because of its powerful physique, the APBT requires an owner who will carefully socialize and obedience train the dog. The APBT is not the best choice for a guard dog since they are extremely friendly, even with strangers. Aggressive behavior toward humans is uncharacteristic of the breed and highly undesirable. This breed does very well in performance events because of its high level of intelligence and its willingness to work” (United Kennel Club, 2008). 3 This description is a good generalization of most pit bull dogs’ temperaments. Fighting dogs were bred to fight animals, not humans. The fighting history of pit bull breeds means that these types of dogs need extra training and socialization as puppies and continued reinforcement throughout their life. Pit bulls are not fighting dogs purely
Recommended publications
  • Dog Breeds of the World

    Dog Breeds of the World

    Dog Breeds of the World Get your own copy of this book Visit: www.plexidors.com Call: 800-283-8045 Written by: Maria Sadowski PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors 4523 30th St West #E502 Bradenton, FL 34207 http://www.plexidors.com Dog Breeds of the World is written by Maria Sadowski Copyright @2015 by PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors Published in the United States of America August 2015 All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including photocopying, recording, or by any information retrieval and storage system without permission from PlexiDor Performance Pet Doors. Stock images from canstockphoto.com, istockphoto.com, and dreamstime.com Dog Breeds of the World It isn’t possible to put an exact number on the Does breed matter? dog breeds of the world, because many varieties can be recognized by one breed registration The breed matters to a certain extent. Many group but not by another. The World Canine people believe that dog breeds mostly have an Organization is the largest internationally impact on the outside of the dog, but through the accepted registry of dog breeds, and they have ages breeds have been created based on wanted more than 340 breeds. behaviors such as hunting and herding. Dog breeds aren’t scientifical classifications; they’re It is important to pick a dog that fits the family’s groupings based on similar characteristics of lifestyle. If you want a dog with a special look but appearance and behavior. Some breeds have the breed characterics seem difficult to handle you existed for thousands of years, and others are fairly might want to look for a mixed breed dog.
  • LICENSE REQUIRED. Every Person Residing in the City Who Owns a Dog

    LICENSE REQUIRED. Every Person Residing in the City Who Owns a Dog

    12.03 DOG LICENSING AND REGULATION. (1) LICENSE REQUIRED. Every person residing in the City who owns a dog which is more than 5 months of age on January 1 of any year shall annually at the time and in the manner prescribed by law for the payment of personal property taxes obtain a license therefor. (2) FEES. (Am. #91-0282) The owner shall pay to the City Treasurer a fee as provided in §12.01 of this chapter for each dog. (3) ISSUANCE OF LICENSE. Upon payment to the City Treasurer of the required fee, the Treasurer shall issue to each person a license to keep such dog for one year and such person shall, upon procuring the license, place upon the dog a collar with a tag furnished to him/her by the City Treasurer or the county clerk. (4) STATE REGULATIONS. Ch. 174, Wis. Stats., shall apply so far as applicable. (5) DOGS RUNNING AT LARGE. (a) Prohibited. No person who owns, harbors or keeps a dog shall permit the same to run at large. (b) Defined. For the purpose of this section, the phrase "at large" means all places within the City except the owner's premises and includes streets, alleys, sidewalks or other public property which may abut on the owner's premises. A dog shall not be considered to be running at large if it is on a leash and under the control of a person physically able to control it. (c) Turning Dogs Loose. No person except the owner or his/her agent shall open any door or gate of any private premises for the purpose of getting or setting any dog at large or otherwise enticing or enabling any dog to leave any private premises within which such dog is kept for the purpose of setting such dog at large.
  • New Jersey Animal Guidelines

    New Jersey Animal Guidelines

    New Jersey Animal Guidelines: Any of the following animals owned, kept by, in the care, custody or control of any occupants of the home are ineligible: 1. Any animal deemed dangerous, vicious or potentially dangerous under state statute. 2. Any exotic animal, wild or zoo animals (including but not limited to reptiles, primates, exotic cats and fowl). 3. Any of the following dogs: • Akita Inu • German Shepherd • Alaskan Malamute • Giant Schnauzer • American Bull Dog • Great Dane • American Eskimo Dog (member of the • Gull Dong (aka Pakistani Bull Dog) Spitz Family) • American Staffordshire Terrier • Gull terrier • American Put Bull Terrier • Husky or Siberian Husky • Beauceron • Japanese Tosa/Tosa Inu/Tosa Ken • Boerboel • Korean Jindo • Bull Mastiff/American Bandogge/Bully • Perro de Presa Canario Kutta (any other Mastiff breed) • Cane Corso • Perro de Presa Mallorquin • Caucasian Ovcharka (Mountain Dog) • “Pit Bull” • Chow Chow • Rottweiler • Doberman Pinsher (other than a • Rhodesian Ridgeback miniature Doberman • Dogo Argentino • Staffordshire Bull Terrier • English Bull Terrier • Thai Ridgeback • Fila Brasileiro (aka Brazilian Mastiff) • Wolf or Wolf Hybrid Or any mixed breed dog containing any of the aforementioned breeds. 4. A dog that has been trained as and/or used as a guard dog or attack dog. 5. A dog that has been trained or used by the military or police for enforcing public order by chasing and holding suspects by the threat of being released, either by direct apprehension or a method known as “Bark and Hold”. 6. A dog belonging to a breed that was historically bred for fighting. 7. A dog that has bitten anyone or has exhibited aggressive behavior towards people.
  • The Police Dog: History, Breeds and Service the Dogs Of

    The Police Dog: History, Breeds and Service the Dogs Of

    Police Dog Book Extract from: The Police Dog: History, Breeds and Service Copyright James R. Engel December, 2018 Chapter 14 The Dogs of War The propensity of primitive men to raid neighboring bands or villages did not abate as we advanced technically and socially, learned to fashion ever more sophisticated and effective weapons and the technical and societal means to plunder on an ever expanding scale. As understood and explained by scientists such as Konrad Lorenz, this innate aggression is a necessary evolutionary adaption for life; but establishing mechanisms of social control has become much more difficult as advancing technology and production potential have provided increasingly effective weapons, U.S. Marine handler, Corporal Michael Galloway and mobility as in use of the horse and Scout Dog Stormy search a tunnel and find an enemy larger and more robust states to satchel of explosives (Vietnam, 1970). support more far reaching Stormy’s first handler was Ron Aiello. excursions. As a consequence small scale skirmishes between bands evolved over time into full scale wars among nations. Dogs were participants from the earliest times, providing intrusion warning, searching out opportunities of plunder and directly fighting an adversary. Such things were natural extensions of the herd guardian and hunting roles, emerging out of ancient, evolutionary established predatory and territorial instincts and the family group or pack social structure. Even into the era of swords and spears aggressive dogs could be a significant factor in an engagement, just as in the hunt. En masse deployment of war dogs of the Molosser type has been depicted on the walls of the ancient Egyptians and Assyrians and in the writing of the Greeks and Romans, sometimes with armor and spiked collars.
  • The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention (May 15, 2014)

    The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention (May 15, 2014)

    Literature Review on the Welfare Implications of The Role of Breed in Dog Bite Risk and Prevention (May 15, 2014) BREEDS IMPLICATED IN SERIOUS BITE INJURIES In a range of studies, the breeds found to be highly represented in biting incidents were German Shepherd Dog,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,50 mixed breed,1,4,6,8,10,11,12, 19,17, 20,50 pit bull type,5,9,13,16, 21,20,22,23,24,25,26,27 Rottweiler,15, 18,22,24, 25, 28 Jack Russell Terrier,21,25,26 and others (Chow Chow,7,23 Spaniel,14,26 Collie,3,29 Saint Bernard,20 and Labrador Retriever2 ). If you consider only the much smaller number of cases that resulted in very severe injuries or fatalities,21,23 pit bull-type dogs are more frequently identified. However this may relate to the popularity of the breed in the victim’s community, reporting biases and the dog’s treatment by its owner (e.g., use as fighting dogs21). It is worth noting that fatal dog attacks in some areas of Canada are attributed mainly to sled dogs and Siberian Huskies,56 presumably due to the regional prevalence of these breeds. See Table 1 for a summary of breed data related to bite injuries. CONTROLLED STUDIES The prevalence of particular dog breeds can also change rapidly over time, often influenced by distinct peaks of popularity for specific breeds. It seems that increased popularity is sometimes followed by increases in bite reports in some large breeds.
  • ASPCA - Virtual Pet Behaviorist - the Truth About Pit Bulls

    ASPCA - Virtual Pet Behaviorist - the Truth About Pit Bulls

    ASPCA - Virtual Pet Behaviorist - The Truth About Pit Bulls http://www.aspcabehavior.org/articles/193/The-Truth-About-Pit-Bulls.aspx Register Login Sitemap Home > Pet Care > Virtual Pet Behaviorist Animal Poison Control Virtual Pet Behaviorist Center Back to List Ask the Experts Virtual Pet Behaviorist Pet Care Tips The Truth About Pit Bulls Print this Page What Is a Pit Bull? Pet Loss There’s a great deal of confusion associated with the label “pit bull.” This isn’t surprising Pet Care Videos because the term doesn’t describe a single breed of dog. Depending on whom you ask, it can refer to just a couple of breeds or to as many as five—and all mixes of these breeds. Kids and Pets The most narrow and perhaps most accurate definition of the term “pit bull” refers to just two breeds: the American Pit Bull Terrier (APBT) and the American Staffordshire Terrier Free and Low-Cost (AmStaff). Some people include the Bull Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier and the What type of pet do you own? Spay/Neuter Database American Bulldog in this group because these breeds share similar head shapes and body Select... types. However, they are distinct from the APBT and the AmStaff. Disaster Preparedness What is your pet doing? Because of the vagueness of the “pit bull” label, many people may have trouble Pet Food Recalls recognizing a pit bull when they see one. Multiple breeds are commonly mistaken for pit bulls, including the Boxer, the Presa Canario, the Cane Corso, the Dogo Argentino, the Tosa Inu, the Bullmastiff, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog and the Olde English Bulldogge.
  • Junkyard Dog Monique Polak

    Junkyard Dog Monique Polak

    Orca Currents Teachers’ Guide Junkyard Dog Monique Polak Reading level: 3.1 978-1-55469-155-5 PB 978-1-55469-156-2 LIB AR Quiz # 133961 Book Summary Justin is fascinated with the aged guard dog at the corner store. He names him Smokey and sneaks the dog treats. Smokey belongs to a company that supplies working dogs to local businesses. Justin is thrilled to get a job working for Smokey’s company, until he learns about their mistreatment of the animals. When Justin can’t shake his suspicion that someone in the company is involved in a rash of thefts, he tries to quit. But Justin knows too much, and his boss won’t let him go. Author Biography Monique Polak lives in Montreal, Quebec, with her husband, a newspaper- man, and daughter Alicia (who was named after Alice in Wonderland—the subject of Monique’s master’s thesis). She spends her days doing her two favorite things: writing and teaching. In addition to being a frequent contributor to The Gazette, Montreal’s English-language daily newspaper, Monique is the author of several novels for young people, including Finding Elmo and 121 Express from the Orca Currents series. She has taught English and humanities at Marianopolis College in Montreal since 1985. orca currents orca Monique says she gets ideas for her novels from her work as a reporter and teacher. Orca Book Publishers • www.orcabook.com • 1-800-210-5277 Orca Currents Teachers’ Guide Connecting to the Text Character and Novel Study Use the following ideas as individual or small group novel study exercises: 1.
  • Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: the Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy Vankavage

    Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: the Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy Vankavage

    Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Advoca'ng*for* Pit*Bull*Terriers* *A6orney*Fred*Kray,*Pit$Bulle)n$Legal$ News,*presen'ng*the*Wallace*Award* to*Lori*Weise,*Downtown*Dog*Rescue* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 1 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Ledy%VanKavage,%Esq.% Sr.*Legisla've*A6orney* Past*Chair*of*American*Bar* Associa'on’s*TIPS’*Animal* Law*Commi6ee* [email protected]* Karma*at*Fight*Bust*BunKer*before*adop'on** * (photo*by*Lynn*Terry)* * No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 2 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage Join%Voices%for%No%More%Homeless%Pets% * % * capwiz.com/besJriends* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 3 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage *“Pit*bull*terriers*have* been*trained*to*be* successful*therapy*dogs* with*developmentally* disabled*children.”* Jonny*Jus'ce,*a*former*VicK*dog,*is*now*a* model*for*a*Gund*stuffed*toy.* No More Homeless Pets National Conference October 10-13, 2013 4 Advocating for Pit Bull Terriers: The Surprising Truths Revealed by the Latest Research – Ledy VanKavage “Pit*bull*terriers*are*extremely* intelligent,*making*it*possible*for* them*to*serve*in*law*enforcement* and*drug*interdic'on,*as*therapy* dogs,*as*search*and*rescue*dogs,*
  • Myth: Pit Bull Terriers Have Locking Jaws. Myth: Pit Bulls

    Myth: Pit Bull Terriers Have Locking Jaws. Myth: Pit Bulls

    Myth: Pit Bull Terriers have Locking Jaws. Fact: From Dr. I Lehr Brisbin of the University of Georgia: The few studies which have been conducted of the structure of the skulls, mandibles and teeth of pit bulls show that, in proportion to their size, their jaw structure is no different than that of any breed of dog. There is absolutely no evidence for the existence of any kind of "locking mechanism" unique to the structure of the jaw and/or teeth of the American Pit Bull Terrier. Myth: Pit Bulls attack without warning. Fact: A well-bred dog of any breed will not attack without warning. Just like with any breed dog the Pit Bull will show signs before attacking. (i.g. barking, the hair of the scruff will stand.) In 99.9% of the cases a well-bred Pit Bull will not be human aggressive (HA). When these dogs were first being bred the dog men of the past did not accept HA as an acceptable trait in the APBT breed. Now dog aggression (DA) and animal aggression (AA) is another story. These dogs were bred to fight for many years. Responsible owners should to keep their Pit Bulls away from strange dogs or other animals. A dog can only fail if the owner sets it up to do so. This is not stating that every dog will have a game drive. I personally have three Pit Bulls that all live together while supervised of course. Myth: Treadmills are only used to get dogs ready for a fight. Fact: There are responsible owners of many breeds who utilize treadmills to exercise their dogs.
  • Blood Cell Characteristics and Some Hematological Values of American Pit-Bull Terriers in Thailand

    Blood Cell Characteristics and Some Hematological Values of American Pit-Bull Terriers in Thailand

    World Applied Sciences Journal 2 (3): 158-162, 2007 ISSN 1818-4952 © IDOSI Publications, 2007 Blood Cell Characteristics and Some Hematological Values of American Pit-bull Terriers in Thailand W. Aengwanich, C. Daungduen, S. Pamok and D. Suppaso Stress and Oxidative Stress Research Unit, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham 44000, Thailand Abstract: Blood cell characteristics and hematological values were determined in thirty seven clinically normal American pit-bull terriers reared in the northeastern part of Thailand. The result revealed the following information: The blood cell characteristics of the American pit-bull terriers were similar to the blood cell characteristics of humans and other mammalians. In group I (born to 1 year), the monocytes of the male American pit-bull terriers were greater in number than those of the female (p<0.05); group III (4 year to 8 year), the total white blood cell count of the males was significantly greater than that of the female (p<0.05). The hematological values of the American pit-bull terriers were partly the same and partly different from the reference range of other dogs. Finally, this study showed that the use of hematological data from other dogs was inappropriate for use in the clinical diagnosis of American pit-bull terriers. Key words: Blood cell characteristic American pitbull terries hematology Thailand INTRODUCTION hematological values for the American pit-bull terriers. The current study therefore, undertook to establish blood American pit-bull terriers were originally bred from cell characteristics and hematological values and bull-and-terrier crosses and brought to America from compare the hematological values between sex and age England and Ireland in the 1800s.
  • Choosing Your Puppy

    Choosing Your Puppy

    Wendy Volhard’s Puppy Aptitude Test © 1981, 2000, 2005 “Puppy Aptitude Testing” was named Best Film on Dogs for 1981 by the Dog Writers Association of America CHOOSING THE RIGHT PUPPY FOR THE RIGHT HOME! Getting a dog or puppy on impulse is rarely a good idea. Remember that dogs, like cars, were designed for a particular function. You need to decide what you want, a Corvette or a Suburban, a Fox Terrier or a Newfoundland. When the various breeds were originally developed, there was a greater emphasis on the ability to do a job, such as herding, guarding, hunting, drafting, etc., than appearance. If a particular breed interests you, find out first what the dog was bred to do. There are so many different breeds to choose from and if there is a secret to getting that “perfect puppy”, it lies in doing your homework. DECIDING WHAT KIND OF DOG TO GET The well-trained dog begins with some idea of what role the dog is expected to play in your life and then selecting a dog that is suitable for the job. Following are some of the reasons for selecting a dog: • Companionship; • Playmate for the kids; • Protection; • A special activity, such as hunting, herding, breeding, showing in conformation, or competing in performance events; • Status symbol (not wise); or • A combination of the above. Some dogs are able to fill all of these expectations, while others have more limited talents. Getting a dog for a status symbol usually means one of the guarding or rare breeds, and often these represent some special challenges.
  • THE IRISH TERRIER UNIQUE ORIGIN: the Exact Breeds That The

    THE IRISH TERRIER UNIQUE ORIGIN: the Exact Breeds That The

    THE IRISH TERRIER UNIQUE ORIGIN: The exact breeds that the Irish Terrier descended from are unknown but many believe their ancestors were the now-extinct black and tan Terrier and a larger wheaten-colored terrier. The breed hails from County Cork, Ireland and emerged as a recognized breed around 1875 at a dog show in Glasgow, Scotland. They were bred for their working and hunting abilities and were referred to as a poor man’s sentinel, a farmer’s friend, and a gentleman’s favorite. PERSONALITY: Two nicknames for the Irish Terrier are Daredevil and Red Devil, one for being so feisty and courageous that they will guard their home and family with their strong protective instinct, and the other name because of their red, wiry coat color that helps protect them from the weather. They were created to be a companion, hunter, and guard dog, and as such, they are watchful, protective, and territorial. Irish Terriers are also feisty, spirited, good-tempered, and adaptable. They love their families and aren’t considered a one-person dog, as they love people and are even friendly towards strangers. They are very affectionate and tender with children and have infinite patience with them; however, they can be dog aggressive, especially towards dogs of the same sex. This independent and smart dog makes a wonderful family pet. APPEARANCE: Irish Terriers usually weigh between 23 to 30 pounds and stand approximately 15 to 19 inches tall. They are a medium-sized dog with a muscular and agile build. Their coat is short and wiry and often sport bright red hair.