Are We Talking Soft or What ????.

"Softweilers".

Menacing rottweilers are being turned into docile softies by selective breeding,a study reveal´s.

The dogs have been dubbed ´devil dogs´ after cases where they have killed or savaged children.

But research carried out in Holland found the breed could be tamed by only allowing dogs with an easy going nature to breed.

The study stemmed from a controversial selective breeding scheme run by the Dutch Kennel Club.
It revealed that just seven per cent of ´docile-bred´ dogs showed signs of aggression compared to sixteen per cent of regular Rottweilers.

Spokeswoman ´Joanne van der Borg´ said: "The dogs born into this programme are much better behaved.There is a strong genetic element to aggression and it is possible that this is being bred out".

Under the scheme,dogs that fail a ´docility´ test don´t get Pedigree status and owners are warned not to let them breed.

But breeder´s argue that dogs which attack humans only do it because they are badly trained.

Dog handler ´Karen Harvey´ said: "I´m not sure if the dogs coming out of this scheme are really Rottweilers"!.

(courtesy of The Sun).

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Well I´ve heard it all now (LOL).......and I know that I am far from being a fan of any of the Tabloid´s but just felt compelled to write this short story up on here,so share with you,the irony of this article.

Firstly.....this quote [the dogs have been dubbed ´devil dogs´]......well who dubbed them this ??...the Media and mainly the Tabloid press themselves,so that´s a laugh in the first instance.

Then this quote [by only allowing dogs with an easy-going nature to breed].....isn´t that what responsible and reputable breeder´s do now all over the world anyway ??????????..or at least they should be doing so!.

The third quote I like is this one ["Under the scheme dogs that fail a ´docility´ test don´t get a Pedigree status and owners are warned not to let them breed].......Ummmmm...isn´t a pedigree dog a pedigree regardless of it´s temperament if it´s a Pedigree ???.......AND,why not enforce the no breeding from these unstable animals by making sure they are either spayed or neutered ???.

And finally.....the last quote that ring´s very true [Breeders argue that dogs which attack humans only do it because they are badly trained].......absolutely and because they have not been well and properly socialised with humans and other animals from a very young age and basically have very irresponsible owners.

We should remember that Rottweilers are a working breed and have natural guarding tendencies and instincts,just as Border Collies have for rounding up sheep and Gundog breeds for retrieving,etc......if we start messing around with the basic genetics of a breed so that it stop´s it from becoming aggressive,defensive and unable to do it´s job properly..then we are inaffect creating a manufactured equivalent of the Rottweiler and where will this research end ????......what other breed will be next ??..and will it ever backfire ??? (MOST probably).

The answer for helping prevent and preferably stop further attacks from dogs on people,is simple enough.....buy from a reputable breeder,train and socialise the pup from day one and be in control of your dog at all time´s.............basically be a RESPONSIBLE OWNER!.