Bad dogs or bad owners?

[Justontime]

I know that most problems with behaviour can be attributed to the owner either choosing the wrong type of dog for their circumstances or treating the dog in ways that lead to problems, but are there a few dogs that are bad from the beginning? I have been lucky enough never to meet such a dog, but I have always wondered about it.

[kernow]

That is an interesting question, I think in most cases aggression and behaviour problems in dogs are down to the way the owner has treated the dog, but I really don't know the answer to your question.

[Bill]

You will very occasionally run into a bad dog. One with mental problems whose brain just isn't wired right. By far, the greatest percentage of dog problems are owners using the wrong approach or no approach at all.

[luv2write]

I feel that the dog is going to act based on how well he or she is treated. If they are treated well and worked with there should be minimal problems.

[Orrymain]

Bad owners. I remember being at the shelter once and a man was turning in his 'old' dog who had become agressive. They questioned this, hmm, idiot repeatedly about changes and whatnot. He made it sound like the dog had just changed for no reason. They finally pulled out of him that they'd just gotten a new young dog and were giving the new dog a lot of attention. Bad owner, for sure.

[Justontime]

Thanks for your responses. As well as the factors already mentioned, I think too many people choose to have a dog for the wrong reasons (eg to enhance their image) rather than thinking about the most suitable type of dog for their circumstances.

[luv2write]

Thanks for your responses. As well as the factors already mentioned, I think too many people choose to have a dog for the wrong reasons (eg to enhance their image) rather than thinking about the most suitable type of dog for their circumstances.

It is really too bad when people do this. We should see pets as family members, not just animals who we can control or choose to love when we want to.

[Justontime]

luvtowrite, we should certainly see the pet as our responsibility for the whole of it's life. If people really thought like that they would be much more likely to choose their pet much more carefully in the first place.

[kernow]

Very true, I think many people take on a dog with good intentions, but without fully understanding the commitment required in terms of time, effort and expense.

[K-9Trainer]

Hello Forum, I think dog owners have a mis-conception about what defines a a bad dog or a dog with Aggression prolems. I think that we as dog owners don't allow our dogs to express themselves the way dogs are suppose to, we see Hackels up on a dogs back, or see the lips curled, or body posture changes and we automacially difine this as a unsound dog or an aggressive dog when in fact, I don't consider a dog aggressive until that dog has drawn blood from another dog. We have a tendacy to forget that everybody has a bad day and even dogs, as an example if I ask you how was your day and you respond that you have had a lousy day because on the way home from work the driver in front of you held up traffic but the reality is, is that you had experienced a combination of events in your day that lead up to these emotional feeling aand the same applies to our dogs it's a layer of stressful events that lead up to the behavioral chance, not just one isolated situation it's a combinations of layered stressers which create various behavioral changes in our dogs! Thank for allowing me to share my thoughts.