By: Thomas A. Beitz

“There are no bad dogs.” I have sometimes wondered what kind of thinking would produce such a statement. Perhaps it is rooted in a humanistic view of man influenced by a theory of evolution, that man is basically good so it must apply to dogs as well. Then there is the opposing and competing view of the creationist that views man as innately evil needing to be restored. Certainly the creationist would be the first to proclaim that man was created in the image of God so there must be some goodness in man. However, that image was marred when man rebelled against God requiring the necessity of restoration. Our theology and philosophy of life plays a significant role in how we view everything around us whether we understand it in these terms or not.

I receive calls on a daily basis from pet owners who are not calling me because they have well behaved, obedient dogs. They are calling me because they have a problem. One of the most serious problems any dog could have is that of aggression. What I mean by aggression is a dog that bites people or other dogs inflicting injury requiring medical attention. There are many different forms of aggression and there are many different reasons why a dog may bite. The purpose of this article is to challenge the notion that “there are no bad dogs.” A dog that bites and injures someone IS a bad dog. In many cases restoration is not hopeless, while in other situations it is.

I know there may be some thinking that Cesar Millan the “Dog Whisperer” seemingly is able to convert the nastiest dog into a friendly companion as if the dog had a religious experience during the training process. If you are a follower of Cesar’s show, please take note that almost without exception, the dogs on his show are exhibiting aggression toward other dogs and not humans. With that in mind, I would like to share a phone call I received this week. Calls like this one are becoming increasingly more prevalent with each passing year I am in business.

The caller, in a trembling voice obvious very upset told me that her five year old cocker spaniel mix had just bitten her daughter. After inquiring about the dog’s history I discovered the dog had been biting people over a 2 to a 3 year period. In fact, the dog has bitten over 10 people.

The caller had come to the place where the dog was isolated to a remote place in the house (usually the basement) when visitors arrived. But this last aggressive incident moved this dog owner to call in the specialist. The victim was an 18 month old little girl. The woman had just returned from the emergency room after her daughter received five stitches resulting from this dog’s aggression. Are there no bad dogs? 

Some would defend the dog and condemn the mother for being irresponsible. I suppose in condemning the mother I could make a case for the creationist’s position that man is innately evil needing restoration, but are dogs better than men?

The subject of euthanasia never makes for a pleasant discussion. After a dog owner has enjoyed many months or even years of fond memories with their dog, the thought of having an aggressive dog euthanized is very saddening if not crushing. It is not uncommon for most people to think that they will be able to find another home where the environment is better suited for the dog. Perhaps the initial avoidance of facing the decision is normal, but the decision to euthanize an aggressive dog is the dog owner’s responsibility which needs to be made by the owner without deflecting it onto someone else.

Surrendering the dog to the Humane Society is one means of resolving the problem. However, most Humane Societies will ask if the dog has bitten anyone. If you are honest with them or any other rescue group, you will most likely be informed that by surrendering your dog, it will be euthanized. It is very interesting that an organization such as the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (SPCA) will euthanize a dog that has bitten. This fact alone should speak volumes to the pet owner of an aggressive dog.

In most cases a younger dog with a short history of aggressive behavior can be managed or controlled. There are some dogs however which are older who have demonstrated aggression unpredictably over a long period of time and have bitten vulnerable family members that can never be trusted. The dog in this story is such a dog. Whether the dog’s aggression is a genetic predisposition, a learned behavior or even the result of an irresponsible dog owner; the problem needs to be dealt with decisively before anyone else is seriously injured or worse.

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Contact Information

Tom Beitz is the owner of the Academy for Puppies and Dogs and is an authorized dealer for Pet STOP Hidden Dog Fences. Tom can be reached at (716) 628-0651 to answer your questions or he can be found on the web at www.smartdogtrainer.com . E-Mail: Tom@Smartdogtrainer.com

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