Aggressive dogs sure get a lot of attention. The media covers them. Bloggers write about them. Television shows attempt to teach you how to fix them. I tend to hear two prevailing schools of thought when it comes to dog aggression:
1- Certain breeds of dogs are just aggressive. If you have a Pit Bull or a Rottweiler or a Doberman you have your work cut out because they are genetically fierce and vicious.
2- Only bad owners have aggressive dogs. Dogs like Pit Bulls and Rottweilers only become aggressive if they are the product of neglectful or abusive owners or owners who train them to fight.

Who is right? If this were a competition it would be tough to determine who was more wrong. Let me debunk both of these schools of thought.

1- Myth number one, certain breeds are aggressive.  This just isn’t true.  Breeds such as Pit Bulls often get a bad wrap.  Pit Bulls, as one example, have a reputation in the dog world for being one of the most patient and loving dog breeds.  In generations past they were referred to as ‘Nanny Dogs’ for their tender ability with kids.  They are legendary for being tolerant of kids and adults alike. 

Do Pit Bulls, along with Rottweilers, Dobermans, and other breeds attack humans at times?  Absolutely.  As do Poodles, Labradors, Jack Russell Terriers, and Golden Retrievers.  The media loves to report when certain breeds attack but is this indicative of bite propensity?  I think not.  In my Salt Lake City dog training business I get several people a week calling me with aggressive dogs.  How many of them are owners of Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, and Dobermans?  Some, but very few.  For every aggressive Pit Bull client I get three aggressive Labrador clients.  For every Rottweiler that has bitten I get four Chihuahuas that are chronic attackers.  Does that mean that I’m about to declare a state of emergency against Labradors and Chihuahuas?  Nope.  It does speak volumes, however, to breed based stereotypes.

2- Myth number two, dogs are aggressive when they are abused or trained to fight.  This is ridiculous.  That’s like saying that the only kids getting into fights in the school yard are the ones who get beat at home.  Even good parents get kids who do wrong things.

The same is true for dog owners.  As I mentioned before I deal with a lot of aggressive dogs.  Probably three or four a week.  Never once have I come across an owner who needed to fix an aggressive dog because they trained him to be aggressive.  Not even one time have I been called by an owner who is neglectful and abusive.  Those types of people aren’t going to be paying a dog trainer.  These are all dogs that come from owners who have done their best.  Their owners really have tried to raise a well adjusted dog.  Saying that aggressive dogs only come from abusive owners is an ignorant comment and insulting to thousands of dog owners across the nation who are doing their best.

So is it the breed or the owner that causes an aggressive dog?  The answer may lie partially in both areas or neither.  An aggressive dog is simply a dog that needs more training.