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7 thoughts on “Report: Countries Worldwide that Restrict Dangerous Dog Breeds

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  1. Thank you for the work you are doing, Colleen. Zero national dog bans in North America – I’d like to see that change, since I live here. It doesn’t appear to be on the current administration’s radar.

    I used to think it was good that this isn’t a partisan issue but now I suspect that it simply isn’t seen as an issue at all by any of our leaders. In fact I’m beginning to wonder if any kind of control on dogs in America is a problem no politician wants to touch with a 10-foot pole.

  2. The scope of data encompassed in this study is absolutely astonishing. You are to be congratulated on bringing clarity, precision and comprehensiveness to a subject that would seem to defy any attempt to do so. The conclusions provide an indispensable overview of the dog breeds the world has determined merit special controls in order to protect human beings (and other dogs). Not of least importance is the simple, universal inference that breed matters. Thank you.

  3. Amazing work, Colleen! There’s tons of fascinating information. I just read about Kangals. Outside of Turkey, who the heck needs this guardian bear-sized breed? Maybe on a farm with marauding wolves. The Turkish breeder talks about celebrities wanting one of these. Oy vey. This breed does not belong in suburbia. There’s mention of an older woman and a young girl in England both killed by a Kangal.

    • I have wanted a livestock guardian dog for over a decade to protect my own small dogs from the modern threat of pit bull type dogs/large predatory dogs in my suburban area, it’s the main reason why livestock dogs are still in use even in small hobby farms in the USA.
      It’s difficult to find a flock guarding kangal in the US though there are similar livestock guardian breeds such as Anatolians and Central Asian Shepherds available with the primitive instincts that still make for a safer choice than most large guardian breeds. A LGD should use other methods of warning before leaving its flock such as barking and posturing instead of immediately engaging as dogs that leave their flock are no longer protecting their flock. Some LGD breeds are more likely to have different roles in the group making the weaker dogs move out on the perimeters and act as scouts while the more dominant dogs remain closer to the flock according to a study (I’ve forgotten the breed, maybe G Pyrenees). Anyway, aboriginal LGD are a very niche type of guard not given to immediately blast off and grab perceived threats the way bulldog breeds or rotts or whatever top maulers do. LGD were shaped over centuries to be intuitive and don’t need prong collars and leashes and bitework and obedience training under the shepherd, those dogs are still out there though difficult to find. Here is a typical interaction of the Central Asian Shepherd LGD showing how the guard instinct should be, warning bark toward strangers but reasonable threat assessment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oR0zTgcQn4

      • Correct on the different roles of LGDs, they work best in pairs, 1 patrols and alerts to danger. The other is the enforcer. I went to a seminar at a goat farm and they explained the roles of the dogs. Further research has confirmed the info they shared. They are NOT pets, they are difficult to contain and are only happy while guarding their flock or herd. They are naturally distrustful of strangers as well. I own a small hobby farm and discounted using LGD dogs to protect my livestock as containing them would be difficult with my fencing system. Kind of amazing how people understand genetics with working dogs but do not understand how dogs bred to kill other animals or people are also responding to genetics.

  4. Yes — thanks for the many years of diligent attention to the news of dog attacks the mainstream news didn’t consider important enough to cover.

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