Three years ago, when I first moved to Spokane from Seattle, where Lou and Greta lived from the time they were puppies, I tried to find a good veterinarian. I had references from several obedience training schools, roommates, friends, family, several well-known veterinary specialists, along with CGC certificates. A veterinarian was recommended to me. I called to make an appointment. At the end of the call the veterinary assistant asked the breed of dog. When I told her she said, "Oh. We don't treat rottweilers." I answered, "Not even with a ton of references?" She answered, "No. Our veterinarian does not trust them."
My dogs are all wonderful when they go to the veterinarian. I, too, receive a myriad of compliments regarding their friendly dispositions. I was never turned away by a veterinarian before. I think there are good and bad dog owners everywhere, but when I lived in Seattle I found most people we encountered were responsible, i.e. cleaned up after their pets, kept them on a leash, etc. Here in Spokane I see a lot of strange rottweilers, but mostly pit bulls dragging teenaged boys down the road. I also see a lot of big dogs running loose and dogs running out of their yards to harass people who walk by. There are not a lot of active people here and many just stop at a park and talk on a cell phone while their dogs run loose, crapping all over. They can't put signs up, because people vandalize them.
I think the breeds labeled "aggressive" are not only popular and often times kept for the wrong reasons by ignoramuses who are macho or just simply lacking in IQ and an understanding of canine behavior. In addition, many of these dogs have large brain cavities and I theorize that they are too smart for some idiots to handle, unless they understand the dog's behavior. Likewise, many were bred for activities such as bull-baiting, which requires a very strong jaw muscle, hence the term "pit bull". If the dog is encouraged to treat running, shrieking children and neighborhood cats as "prey", then it is likely that eventually something will happen.
Sometimes I think that people should undergo a background check and pay a large sum of money in order to have a license to even own certain dogs - perhaps any warm-blooded pet. I heard that a few years back in a European country the licensing fee was around 2K and people had to undergo background checks to own rottweilers, because the government was becoming concerned with the way the dogs were being raised and their intended purpose.
I don't mind. I will pay a special permit fee just to protect these great members of my family.
