[Britster]

Originally Posted by Maximo

All dog breeds were bred for a reason and we have to remember that the reasons were often related to killing and aggression: for hunting and for protecting herds and more. While these breeds have become family pets and are ideally bred to have "good temperaments," and we train them, they still have instincts. Our Yorkies have instincts that have not been bred out of them.

I believe it does a great disservice to any dog breed to portray them as harmless and perfectly sweet in the right hands. If this were true, then we would also have to believe that people choose a doberman over a shih tzu based only on looks. There are differences.

I'm not sure how to adequately convey what I am saying. People need to be held responsible for their pets, and respecting the inherent traits of these pets is vital to instilling that sense of responsibility. My family had an 85-pound airedale, well bred, professionally trained, excellent temperament, a big goof ball. However, we respected the fact that she was capable of "aggression" because that was part of her breed. We wouldn't let her run up to someone and sit back and laugh while saying, "oh, she's harmless!"

Originally Posted by Maximo

So many dogs are in the "wrong hands" and therein lies the problem. Something needs to be done.

Very true.