Misunderstood Breeds - The Word Dangerous Is Used Out Of Fear
"The 'Bad Breeds' and the 'Dangerous Breeds' Stop yourself right now! Dogs are incredible animals, and in my opinion, based on all the experience I've had so far, regardless of the breed, they can be loyal, intelligent, loving, protective, and sweet animals that deserve to be loved.
I'm a huge animal lover, and I have grown up my entire life with dogs. I have had a total of 19 dogs, including present ones, so I think it's safe to say I'm no newbie to the world of paws and wagging tails. I have had several dog breeds that are classified as 'dangerous breeds,' but honestly, this is rubbish. Technically speaking, all dogs can be dangerous because they are animals. However, I have always said, and will continue to say, that 95% of the time, if you have an aggressive or bad dog, it's the owner, not the dog. I say 95% of the time because sometimes a dog's behaviour cannot be right if they're unwell, have a tumour, or some sort of mental illness. However, it's no different from a mentally ill person, except that a person can usually tell you what's wrong. If you treat a dog with love and kindness, you have a friend for life. In my opinion, the most 'dangerous species' in the world isn't any kind of animal; it's us humans.
The dogs aren't the ones to blame! If anyone is going to be blamed, it should be the backyard breeders those people who breed their dogs' litter after litter, selling them to anyone willing to pay a high price, not caring if the dogs go to a bad person, not thinking about the dogs' health or rights. When will the humans start getting the blame? Because humans will always be the ones to blame!
Now, I get it not everyone is a dog person. In my experience, most people who are scared of dogs are usually the ones who don't have dogs. My boyfriend has never had dogs or any desire to have a dog in the future. But when we got together, he opened up to the idea. So, I thought I would get his point of view on misunderstood breeds. I asked him what his thoughts were, and this is what he had to say: “As a child, I had a bad experience with a dog where I was chased on my bike, and all I can remember was pedalling as fast as I could, trying to get away from this Golden Retriever. Ever since that day, I have never really been fond of dogs. Since being with Alex and staying at her home with the six dogs, most of which are classified as "dangerous", don't get me wrong, I was intimidated at first when I met them because I didn't know them, and they didn't know me. After getting to know them and them knowing that I wasn't a threat to the family, they all gave me all the love in the world. I can say that I have developed a soft spot for them and know that I have won over their affection. I would honestly say that I would not be afraid to get one of these breeds in my own home.”
I also have two nephews and a niece, all under the age of 13, and I'm sure some of you reading this right now are saying, "Oh no, you shouldn't have dogs with children." Blah, blah, blah. My dogs love my niece and nephews as if they were their own. They protect them, love them, and always make the kids smile.
Let me introduce you to my pack. We have our oldest dog, Reggie. He is a Rhodesian Ridgeback, 6 years old, and one of the best dog breeds ever! He's a good boy, well-behaved, fun, sweet, and respectful. He's also super smart in the way he interacts and communicates with us daily, and he loves a tennis ball. Then there is Bailie, the German Shepherd. He is 2 1/2 years old, loyal, protective, and very expressive with his love. He always wants to be with his family and enjoys receiving belly scratches and cuddles. He's also a very intelligent breed but can be a bit of a fruitcake at times but in the best of ways.
Gabriel and Kaiser are the Rottweiler twins. They are both 2 1/2 years old. Although they are full brothers from the same litter, they have such different personalities. Gabriel is a food-loving, most of the time chilled out, lovable bear who likes to observe all that goes on. Kaiser is the type of dog that has to be involved in everything, likes to play, especially with water, and always needs to be the centre of attention. But both of the boys are loving, sweet, cuddly dogs that think they are the size of chihuahuas and never fail to make me laugh.
Finally, our newest additions, Dexter and Rilie, are our cream-coated, blue-eyed Dobermans. They are full brothers from the same litter as well and are currently 10 months old. We have never had Dobermans before, so we weren't sure what to expect from this breed. And I can say this with all the love in the world: they are mentally and physically exhausting. They want to be given constant attention and need lots of activity, as they get bored easily. And when they're bored, they can get destructive. However, they are very adorable dogs. They love to be loved and love to love. They enjoy a routine, lots of snuggles, and are a very athletic and intelligent breed. They are fast thinkers and I can't speak for all Dobermans, but my two are very fast runners and can jump very high. They can also be quite vocal when they want to be. But they are my boys, and I love them so much, no matter how tired and grey they make me.
Yes, you counted right: six dogs. And yes, to answer your question, me and my family are crazy. But these dogs, and all our dogs that have passed away, have been an amazing part of my family's life. They have loved us, protected us, and brought us so many joyful memories. Yes, on rare occasions, there have been some challenges. Not everything is black and white, but that's to be expected if you have more than one dog. However, with the correct training and the love you give them, they will easily watch over you, love you, and protect you with their lives.
A human shouldn't be labeled, and neither should a dog.
