Who has a better temperment? Rottweiller or Shih Tzu?

by kittyeatzjdubs 37 Replies latest jw friends

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  kittyeatzjdubs

  Alright class. Break out your pencils. Time for a test ....According to the American Temperment Test Society, Inc., which dog scored higher in a temperment test?

  Rottweiller or Shih Tzu?

  Dachsund or Pit Bull?

  Beagle or Mastiff?

  .

  .

  .

  .

  .

  TIME'S UP!

  Result's are in.

  Rotweiller passsed with a 82.5%........Shih Tzu passed with a 76.9%

  Dachsund got a 66.7%........Pit Bull got a 83.5%

  Beagle received a 79.7%....Mastiff received a 84.4%

  Results courtesy of http://www.atts.org/index.html

  My point? Before you jump to a conclusion about a certain breed, do your research first. And please don't just go on what you see in the media.

  

  Peace!

  ~luv, jojo
• 

  XJW4EVR

  I am one that believes that is no such thing as a bad dog, only a bad owner. I grew up with all types of dogs from garden variety mutts to purebreds (Bassett Hound, she was from a litter of two champion showdogs & Pitbulls). I never had a problem with any dog I owned.

  Dogs are great animals, and are the best pets you can own.
• 

  Zico

  Hi JoJo, My parents have a chihuahua... it might look cute and nice, but it can be a snappy little thing when it's not in the mood, she can be a real... bitch
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  kittyeatzjdubs

  Thanks guys. And honestly...I know that there are people out there who hate pit bulls and will never change their views. I'm not trying to convert anyone. All I'm trying to do is educate those who haven't yet formed an opinion. You can't make a vegetarian love a steak, ya know?

  And exjw, you're absolutely right. There are no bad dogs, just bad owners. When I was growing up, my aunt and uncle next door raised pit bulls. I was over there everyday playing with them. They were well trained, and very well taken care of and they never even showed their teeth to me. On the other hand...my dad brought home a cocker spaniel that his friend at work got rid of. I was playing with the dog in the livingroom one night. I reached down to get the ball and throw it, and she jumped up and bit me on my face. It went clear through my cheek and I spent the night in the ER getting stitches. My dad shot the dog.

  Point being....any dog can be vicious...don't narrow it down by breed only.

  ~luv, jojo
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  Satanus

  The thing is, people rarely get hurt when a chihuahua loses it. Now pitbulls, on the other hand, leave a lot of damage behind them.

  There are no bad dogs, just bad owners.

  Maybe people who want to own pitbulls should be screened like people who want to own gun are, in most places

  S
• 

  aSphereisnotaCircle

  Rotts do have the better temperment.

  I'll choose a rotty over a shihtzu anyday.
• 

  blondie

  I figure this, if a shih tzu has a bad day and bites me it will never compare to the bite the rottweiler will give me on an off day.

  Blondie
• 

  kittyeatzjdubs

  Maybe people who want to own pitbulls should be screened like people who want to own gun are, in most places

  I AGREE! I think anyone who wants a dog should be screened. There are very mean people out there who get dogs, be it a pitbull or a labrador, for the wrong reason. They get the dog on a whim, and get tired of messing with after a month, or have established that they're a ''bad a$$ in their ''hood'', and the dog gets tossed aside.

  And I don't believe in defending a dog that does attack a human. No dog is ''naturally vicious'' toward any human. If it is, then there is something wrong with the dog mentally or psychologically and should be put down immediately, as was the cocker spaniel that bit me.

  Here is another example of what mistreating a dog can do...

  My boyfriend, Matt, was in the backyard with our 2 dogs a few months ago. We have a bassett hound and a pitbull. Our neighbors next door also have a pitbull, but they keep it tied to a tree outside, never play with it, never walk it, and it is only used for breeding. They MIGHT let the dog off of the chain every now and then the dog always gets through a hole in their fence that has been there forever and terrorizes the neighborhood. Anyway.....Matt noticed that the neighbor's dog had gotten out and climbed over our fence into our yard. Immediately, our pitbull, Marv, goes over to investigate. Not growling or showing teeth...just sniffing around. I was talking to Matt on the phone while this happened, and he told me what was going on. I said, ''Matt, go get Marv RIGHT NOW and take him inside. That other dog is sketchy, and he's liable to snap.'' So he hung up with me and this is what went down...

  Matt went to go get Marv and take him inside. The 2 dogs were basically just staring each other down at this point, waiting for the other to make the first move. When Matt got close, the neighbor dog lunged at him (Matt) baring his teeth. Immediately Marv stepped in and snapped at the neighbor dog. Then a all out fight insued. Matt ran and grabbed the baseball bat and hit the neighbor dog OVER and OVER again, but it didn't even phase him. Matt called 911 and the cops and animal control were there in less than 3 minutes. The cops used their sticks to break the dogs apart. Finally neighbor lady comes out and asks what's going on. Matt said, ''You're damn dog attacked me!'' She starts going on about how that's NOT HER dog, it's her SON'S DOG....blahblahblah. The cop told her that if this happened again and someone got hurt, the judge wasn't going to give a damn about who's dog it is. She'll be held liable b/c the dog is on her property, so she'd best get that fence fixed. And you know what the saddest thing is? The animal control man KNEW the dog because he had been called on him SEVERAL TIMES before. Matt asked why the dog hadn't been put down yet, and apparently animal control isn't high on the list of priorities on Horn Lake, MS.

  The part that broke my heart was how our dog, Marv, acted after this incident. Matt said that after it was all over and everyone had gone home, Marv seemed to be in shock. He wouldn't even accept a treat, which he loves. He just sat there looking at Matt like, ''Daddy? What just happened? I didn't like that.'' This was a dog that was bred to fight! And he didn't even like it!

  He's fine now. Just a few scars on his chest and muzzle. We don't even think he remembers the fight at this point. We will always love that dog more than anything. He probably saved Matt's life.

  ~luv, jojo
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  gordon d

  Hey Kitty,
  Would your attitude change any if you had a baby or small defenseless child?
  
  You seem very intelligent and pretty realistic about any animal's potential for aggresive behavior even with an ideal owner... but could any owner ever completely rule out the chance of an animal like a pit, akita, chow, etc... from lashing out and possibly killing a child.
  
  I have two nephews in Oklahoma, both of which were seriously injured by the same Akita, on two seperate occasions... Sadly, after the secong attack, the dog was put to sleep but even the first instance wasn't enough to wake up my sister enough to be objective about the inherent nature of such an animal.
  
  As for me... no more potentially dangerous pets.... Maybe a couple of midgets (sorry!..."little people") for breeding purposes.... but that's it!
• 

  kittyeatzjdubs

  Hey Kitty,
  Would your attitude change any if you had a baby or small defenseless child?
  
  You seem very intelligent and pretty realistic about any animal's potential for aggresive behavior even with an ideal owner... but could any owner ever completely rule out the chance of an animal like a pit, akita, chow, etc... from lashing out and possibly killing a child.
  
  I have two nephews in Oklahoma, both of which were seriously injured by the same Akita, on two seperate occasions... Sadly, after the secong attack, the dog was put to sleep but even the first instance wasn't enough to wake up my sister enough to be objective about the inherent nature of such an animal.
  
  As for me... no more potentially dangerous pets.... Maybe a couple of midgets (sorry!..."little people") for breeding purposes.... but that's it!

  Hi gordon, First of, let me say I'm sorry for what happened to your nephews. That was a terrible thing to happen! And I do agree with you....after the first attack, the dog should have been put down immediately. But based on the research I've done over the years on dogs (I'm a big animal person) and from what I've witnessed first hand....I don't believe that dogs ''lash out'' at people. In those instances where you have a family dog that has no history of problems, and it just ''snaps'' one day....there was something obviously wrong with the dog to begin with. Maybe inbreeding, mental issues, the dog wasn't well trained...any number of things. If you have a well trained, well bred, mentally stable dog on your hands...then it should never ''snap''. It suprised the hell out of me when Matt told me that our pitbull had fought back against our neighbors dog. He has never showed any hostility against animals besides that one time. He even gets along with my cats. And me and Matt both agreed when we got Marv, that the first time he showed aggression toward a human, he would get put down. It would break our hearts to do it, but the cycle has to be broken somewhere. But so far he just gives aggressive kisses.

  And you asked if I would change my mind if I had a small child...honestly...I doubt I would. Like I said earlier, I grew up playing with pitbulls. And as a breed, they are far more tolerant of a child climbing over them, pushing them around, or pulling their tail. Mostly due to their high pain tolerance. They are wonderful as a family pet...very loyal, very patient, very loving. BUT...I would NEVER NEVER EVER leave a small child unattended with a dog! I don't care if it's a pitbull or a golden retriever. That's just being irresponsible as a parent. I was left alone with a cocker spaniel, and ended up with a hole in my cheek and stitches. If it was up to me, EVERY pet in America would be spayed and neutered, EVERY person would go through a screening process before purchasing a pet, EVERY person would be required to put their dogs through a training course and temperment testing, and animal cruelty would be a federal offense..... ...but it's not up to me. So I just try to do the damn best that I can in trying to educate and inform people. ~luv, jojo