Does Disney allow all dog breeds at campground?

[HeatherPage]

Just curious, I just saw a post that someone was going to bring a certain breed down (I won't name it because I don't want to start an argument) but at any rate, with a lot of insurance companies not giving HO insurance if you own a certain breed, does Disney allow all breeds in their pet loops?

Just curious and thanks in advance!

[inaminute]

Why wouldn't they? "Mean" dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds. It's not limited to just one or two.

With the stories I've read about "mean" people at Disney, I'd worry more about them than I would the dogs!

[2goofycampers]

I have never heard of any restrictions of breeds. Just a side note my neighbors had the biggest Rottweiller you ever seen, I was scared to death at first. A short time later we were best pals, he was the biggest teddybear, I cried for weeks when he died. His name was TANK. I'm still scared of their 5lb Chihuaua tho.

[RF536]

I don't know of any restrictions at Disney, but I do know several campgrounds have been forced for insurance reasons to ban certain breeds that are seen as agressive. Specifically, German Shepards, Rottwillers,Pit Bulls are the most common breeds that are banned.

Since our dog is mutt, 50% Shepard and 50% Dalmation our vet orinally put shepard mix on her paperwork, which caused us a lot of problems when camping since she always goes with us. We had to request that he change her to a dalmation mix now we have no problems.

[RvUsa]

I can't believe that people can put dogs into stereotypes. I have seen labs that were mean as all get out, and I have seen pit bulls that were as gentle as lambs. I have owned german shepherds for a long time, and My mille who just died, was so gentle, and loving, you could NEVER find a nicer dog. It makes me sad the insurance companies can dictate what dog, or should I say family member, you can take camping with you, and which one you can't.

:(

[becky1960]

I have seen some of the campgrounds on the way to WDW that have signs saying No Pitbulls, Rottwilders Etc. posted, But I have never seen anything at Disney, just make sure all your shot records are up to date although they hardly ever ask, only at the Kennels.

[Rhonda]

I agree completely. Down here in Florida, there are many communities that have associations that have to "approve" you before you can move in. Most of them have strict rules about dogs -- and almost all of them tell you what types of dogs are not allowed in the community. It's always Pitbulls, Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans.

[ntsammy5]

It's always Pitbulls, Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans.

My daughter has a mixed breed rottweiler & shepherd -- she's being trained as a therapy dog and she is one of the most gentle dogs I've ever met.

Sweet but goofy looking

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x95/*******IMG_0568.jpg

[Catrinabeach]

Most of the campgrounds we are looking at to stay in the US has restrictions on breeds. But I didn't find anything on the Fort.

I've even seen them list Chows.

I've had chows, Rotties, Pit Bulls, labs, shepards. And we never had any issues. It's in how they are raised.

We foster pit bulls. We just had one we wanted to keep she was so sweet. But since we plan to spend a yr touring the states and most campgrounds say no pit bulls we had to let her go to another family.

[auntie]

My daughter has a mixed breed rottweiler & shepherd -- she's being trained as a therapy dog and she is one of the most gentle dogs I've ever met.

Sweet but goofy looking

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x95/*******IMG_0568.jpg




I think she's adorable ...very sweet looking!:lovestruc

[tim5055]

Most of the campgrounds we are looking at to stay in the US has restrictions on breeds. But I didn't find anything on the Fort.

I've even seen them list Chows.

I've had chows, Rotties, Pit Bulls, labs, shepards. And we never had any issues. It's in how they are raised.

We foster pit bulls. We just had one we wanted to keep she was so sweet. But since we plan to spend a yr touring the states and most campgrounds say no pit bulls we had to let her go to another family.I would say look a little harder for campgrounds. When you find one with the "breed specific" rules let them know that you choose to spend your money at locations that accept your entire "family".

I would never think of camping without Natasha

Now for my little rant:
[soapbox on]Folks, (several of you) the correct name is German Shepherd Dog (GSD) They were bread to herd, please don't forget the "H" in the name.[/soapbox off]

[RvUsa]

I spelled it right, ;) I loved my millie! I feel the same way, if you don't want my whole family, you don't get my money!

[tim5055]

I spelled it right, ;) I loved my millie! I feel the same way, if you don't want my whole family, you don't get my money!This is how things work, vote with your feet. If you don't like the rules, camp somewhere else.

Back to the original question, Disney does not have breed specific rules. If they ever create a breed specific rule that will be the last time I camp there.

An interesting read for everyone is A community approach to dog bite prevention American Veterinary Medical Association Task Force on Canine Aggression and Human-Canine Interactions (http://www.avma.org/public_health/dogbite/dogbite.pdf).

A couple of quotes from the report:

Which dogs bite?
An often-asked question is what breed or breeds of dogs are most dangerous”? This inquiry can be prompted by a serious attack by a specific dog, or it may be the result of media-driven portrayals of a specific breed as “dangerous.” Although this is a common concern, singling out 1 or 2 breeds for control can result in a false sense of accomplishment. Doing so ignores the true scope of the problem and will not result in a responsible approach to protecting a community’s citizens.

Breed or type bans
Concerns about “dangerous” dogs have caused many local governments to consider supplementing existing animal control laws with ordinances directed toward control of specific breeds or types of dogs. Members of the Task Force believe such ordinances are inappropriate and ineffective. Statistics on fatalities and injuries caused by dogs cannot be responsibly used to document the “dangerousness” of a particular breed, relative to other breeds, for several reasons. First, a dog’s tendency to bite
depends on at least 5 interacting factors: heredity, early experience, later socialization and training, health (medical and behavioral), and victim behavior. Second, there is no reliable way to identify the number of dogs of a particular breed in the canine population at any given time (eg, 10 attacks by Doberman Pinschers relative to a total population of 10 dogs implies a different risk than 10 attacks by Labrador Retrievers relative to a population of 1,000 dogs). Third, statistics may be skewed, because often they do not consider multiple incidents caused by a single animal. Fourth, breed is often identified by individuals who are not familiar with breed characteristics and who commonly identify dogs of mixed ancestry as if they were purebreds. Fifth, the popularity of breeds changes over time, making comparison of breed-specific bite rates unreliable.

[Donna]

I can't believe that people can put dogs into stereotypes. I have seen labs that were mean as all get out, and I have seen pit bulls that were as gentle as lambs. I have owned german shepherds for a long time, and My mille who just died, was so gentle, and loving, you could NEVER find a nicer dog. It makes me sad the insurance companies can dictate what dog, or should I say family member, you can take camping with you, and which one you can't.

:(

i wholeheartedly agree with this. I have worked at Petsmart grooming and have worked on pretty much every breed. I have had more aggression problems with labs than pit bulls any day. It's the owner and their lack of training that is usually the problem. Sometimes it's bad breeding but usually these things can be corrected if the owner cares enough to get the proper training.
i just feel so bad for these "bad rap" breeds who are frowned upon before they even get a chance to give you their paw.

[hsmamato2]

My sis owns a pitbull,the sweetest moose of a pup I've ever known..... my little 10 pound chi mix,now SHE'S scary! I don't bring her camping to spare other people!:rotfl:
I admit,the first time I met sis' dog,I was afraid,but I was wrong. too bad there are bad people in this world who create such situations.

[Boomer1]

I agree with what other posters have said. It comes down to responsible pet owners. I have a wonderful soon to be 8 year old lab, who is kind and gentle; however, I would have him on a leash in public areas so he would be under my control at all times. Dogs can be unpredictable when exposed to other dogs, people or unfamiliar territory. As an aside our local station is rebroadcasting the Oprah Winfrey/ Lisa Ling program on puppy mills. We have always purchased our dogs from local breeders and have visited the kennel several times before choosing our puppy. I would encourage all dog lovers to watch this program and again vote with your feet and refuse to buy puppies that may have come from puppy mills. Also place pressure on your politicians and local authorites to stop this cruel and unusual abuse of dogs.:worried:

[Donna]

I agree with what other posters have said. It comes down to responsible pet owners. I have a wonderful soon to be 8 year old lab, who is kind and gentle; however, I would have him on a leash in public areas so he would be under my control at all times. Dogs can be unpredictable when exposed to other dogs, people or unfamiliar territory. As an aside our local station is rebroadcasting the Oprah Winfrey/ Lisa Ling program on puppy mills. We have always purchased our dogs from local breeders and have visited the kennel several times before choosing our puppy. I would encourage all dog lovers to watch this program and again vote with your feet and refuse to buy puppies that may have come from puppy mills. Also place pressure on your politicians and local authorites to stop this cruel and unusual abuse of dogs.:worried:


i watched it the first time and just cannot bring myself to watch it again. my eyes were swollen for two days from cryng. it was a good show for exposure of the situation though.
i agree about any dog being on a leash. this somewhat concerns me at the dog park at the Fort. i have a golden, gentle as can be but how do i know how she will react to someone else's dog or vice versa when in the dog park.

[auntie]

i watched it the first time and just cannot bring myself to watch it again. my eyes were swollen for two days from cryng. it was a good show for exposure of the situation though.
i agree about any dog being on a leash. this somewhat concerns me at the dog park at the Fort. i have a golden, gentle as can be but how do i know how she will react to someone else's dog or vice versa when in the dog park.

Just to follow up on the puppy mills.
My son once worked for a chain of stores tht sold puppies. They market the dogs as if they DO come from breeders. People off the streets, especially those that have never had a dog, BELIEVE the store owners when they're told(or should I say lied to) about their dogs coming frm breeders. I was in several times, without their knowing who I was. I would ask where the dog came from, and they would bring out the "papers" and tell me about the breeder in Missouri....we're from NY. They have a routine they spit out and it's all to convince innocent people who don't know any better that these dogs are not from mills. Some people buy into it..they feel like they asked if it was from a puppy mill and the store said "no". They aren't aware that NO breeder of pups would place them in a pet stores. People fall in love with the puppy they have in their arms, and go ahead and buy anyway. Sometimes knowing what kind of "breeder" the dog really came from, and many times not. Just knowing that they want the pup that's right in their arms regardless. Sometimes, it works out fine. Other times(and there are lots of them)...these poor people are at the vet a few weeks later with a dog that develop a serious condition. Their only recourse is that the store will take the dog back...and give them another. Only that one is from the same type of "breeder" the first one came from. The store owners know that likely the person is so attached to the puppy by this point, that they simply keep the dog and wind up paying for thousands of dollars worth of vet bills, if they're lucky. If they're not..they have a dead dog. Many times, my son would come into work in the morning and find dead puppies in the cages. They have rooms in all of these "pet stores" where they keep sick and dying animals out of public sight. It's very common practice. I won't even repeat here what they look like. My son was only 16 at the time, and this was his first job. He didn't want to tell us what really went on there. I guess he didn't want us to think he was quitting his first job. He worked there for quite a while, and I did see a change in his demeaner and character. He finally did quit. He gets annoyed if he knows we've even visited the puppies at the store. He's 27 now, and we get the lecture of how we are putting money in the hands of people who abuse animals...and by even entering the store we are enabling them to continue to do so. I also didn't realize until our vet told us, that if you already have a dog at home, you are endangering them when you visit these puppy stores. So many of these pups are sick..and when you touch them you are bringing home and exposing your pets to these same diseases.
Okay..off the soap box now. Sorry I know it wasn't the intention of the original post, but figured with the Oprah show on today regarding the mills..I'd chime in with our experience regarding these places.

[2goofycampers]

our dogs have either been strays we took in, our we got them from the pound.

[loveDmouse]

It is just so sad. :( :sad2: :sad1: :sad:


I hate what happens to these poor innocent animals. It isn't right! Any type of abuse is wrong. They should make laws tougher. This shouldn't be allowed. :furious:

[Donna]

Just to follow up on the puppy mills.
My son once worked for a chain of stores tht sold puppies. They market the dogs as if they DO come from breeders. People off the streets, especially those that have never had a dog, BELIEVE the store owners when they're told(or should I say lied to) about their dogs coming frm breeders. I was in several times, without their knowing who I was. I would ask where the dog came from, and they would bring out the "papers" and tell me about the breeder in Missouri....we're from NY. They have a routine they spit out and it's all to convince innocent people who don't know any better that these dogs are not from mills. Some people buy into it..they feel like they asked if it was from a puppy mill and the store said "no". They aren't aware that NO breeder of pups would place them in a pet stores. People fall in love with the puppy they have in their arms, and go ahead and buy anyway. Sometimes knowing what kind of "breeder" the dog really came from, and many times not. Just knowing that they want the pup that's right in their arms regardless. Sometimes, it works out fine. Other times(and there are lots of them)...these poor people are at the vet a few weeks later with a dog that develop a serious condition. Their only recourse is that the store will take the dog back...and give them another. Only that one is from the same type of "breeder" the first one came from. The store owners know that likely the person is so attached to the puppy by this point, that they simply keep the dog and wind up paying for thousands of dollars worth of vet bills, if they're lucky. If they're not..they have a dead dog. Many times, my son would come into work in the morning and find dead puppies in the cages. They have rooms in all of these "pet stores" where they keep sick and dying animals out of public sight. It's very common practice. I won't even repeat here what they look like. My son was only 16 at the time, and this was his first job. He didn't want to tell us what really went on there. I guess he didn't want us to think he was quitting his first job. He worked there for quite a while, and I did see a change in his demeaner and character. He finally did quit. He gets annoyed if he knows we've even visited the puppies at the store. He's 27 now, and we get the lecture of how we are putting money in the hands of people who abuse animals...and by even entering the store we are enabling them to continue to do so. I also didn't realize until our vet told us, that if you already have a dog at home, you are endangering them when you visit these puppy stores. So many of these pups are sick..and when you touch them you are bringing home and exposing your pets to these same diseases.
Okay..off the soap box now. Sorry I know it wasn't the intention of the original post, but figured with the Oprah show on today regarding the mills..I'd chime in with our experience regarding these places.

After seeing that oprah show, i will not even enter the store. It sickens me to know what is happening.
however, before i knew any better, i did buy a couple dogs from pet stores. i must have been lucky. they were very healthy and lived to be 17 and 14 (both cocker spaniels). they were never really sick or anything. Knowing what i know now, i won't go back but i thank God i got two good healthy ones when i didn't know what i was doing.

[Tent Camping Mom]

All our animals are rescued animals. Our last dog was a Rottweiler. DH got a domestic violence call in a trailer park where this beautiful rottie (9 months old) was tied to a tree on a 5 foot chain. The woman was mad because the dog was scratching and ruining her door so they kept it tied there for days on end. He suggested to her that she needs to get rid of the dog and he knew someone who would take good care of her. Well, 5 minutes later he was on the phone calling me to come get the dog. Here I was, scared to death because I knew the reputation of rotties and I had a 6-month old son and I didn't want the dog around him. Long story short, the rottie (Tasha) turned out to be the sweetest, most loving dog I have ever owned. She was very protective of our son and I trusted her more with him than I did our Malemute.

[loveDmouse]

After seeing that oprah show, i will not even enter the store. It sickens me to know what is happening.
however, before i knew any better, i did buy a couple dogs from pet stores. i must have been lucky. they were very healthy and lived to be 17 and 14 (both cocker spaniels). they were never really sick or anything. Knowing what i know now, i won't go back but i thank God i got two good healthy ones when i didn't know what i was doing.

Don't feel bad. We did the same thing. Our yellow lab came from a pet store. She has some issues but mainly lab things. Although she was really sick when we got her but the pet store had an arrangement with a local animal hospital (which is a wonderful place) that if I took her there for her initial visit if anything was wrong they would pay for it. Well they did. They didn't make any money off of her that is for sure.
I feel so bad for all the puppies in pet stores. (all the animals honestly) I had no idea back then that all the puppies in the stores were from puppy mills. Breaks my heart.
I also got a kitty from a pet store one time but he has had no problems (knock on wood). He just turned 15 this month and is like a kitten most of the time. Our others have been strays. I will never buy another animal from a pet store.

[auntie]

I had no idea that the puppies and pets from these places were from puppy mills. Had my son not worked there..I'd never would have realized. Like I said..they TELL you they are from breeders. They are so cute and adorable, you figure..well the dog is there NOW..why not take it. It's so tempting. Our neighbor got her pup from the same store my son worked at ..the dog was fine and lived 12 yeas. Only I have actually sat next to people at the vet who got a dog from the very same place and it was a nightmare for them. They were so attached to the pup(who could blame them), they weren't about to give it back, and yet the pet store wasn't refunding them any money..just a replacement dog..which they didn't want.(pet store also "gets rid of" the returned pet) They wanted the vet bills paid for..and that wasn't going to happen. The pet store wanted them to use "their" vet. What a surprise:rolleyes1

[loveDmouse]

They gave me papers for her with her family line and where the breeder was and I had her registered with the AKC.

I guess I was lucky with the vet because it is an excellent facility that I still take her to this day. I believe they were suppose to be taking care of the animals at this pet store but I think the store just wasn't taking care of their end of things.

It should be illegal to do things like this. Or is it and no one enforces anything?

I haven't seen the special that Oprah did. I bet it is hard to watch.

I feel so sorry for these animals. It isn't fair that they have to go thru this. All animals deserve to be loved and taken care of. They don't ask for much and give so much in return.

[LarryJ]

They gave me papers for her with her family line and where the breeder was and I had her registered with the AKC.

I guess I was lucky with the vet because it is an excellent facility that I still take her to this day. I believe they were suppose to be taking care of the animals at this pet store but I think the store just wasn't taking care of their end of things.

It should be illegal to do things like this. Or is it and no one enforces anything?

I haven't seen the special that Oprah did. I bet it is hard to watch.

I feel so sorry for these animals. It isn't fair that they have to go thru this. All animals deserve to be loved and taken care of. They don't ask for much and give so much in return.

Most people that want a specific breed can't afford what a legitimate private breeder has to charge. A lot of these puppy mills IIRC are breeders and can produce papers for AKC registration. Whether they are legit is the question. Our first dog, a Peekapoo, bought back in 1971 was from a local pet store and might have been from a puppy mill, but all Peekapoos IIRC had to be delivered by C-section due to birth canal problems in the female and one female could only produce like two litters so not a good candidate for "puppy mill" use. Our second two sets of dogs all sisters, two Shih-tzus in 1985 and two Yorkies in 2002 were from local private breeders where we visited the breeder and met the mother and father, so we know from whence and the conditions they came from. We were extremely lucky with the Yorkies since ours are pet quality even tho the father is an AKC champion. The breeder had a female very large Yorkie that was a family pet and could produce large litters something Yorkies that meed the standard and the tiny ones only come from a litter as small as two and usually no more than three. Ours were from a litter of 5. We only paid $500 each back in 2002 for our Yorkies and the breeder who does breed and sell show quality dogs wouldn't even consider selling us the show quality dogs even if we had been willing to cough up the $2,000 to $5,000 these type dogs cost. Funny, but our current Yorkie's dad even has his DNA on file somewhere.

Don't buy a pet from a pet store unless it a fish, or hamster. If you want a puppy go to a local breeder that you can actually visit and tour their facilities. If you can live with a larger dog I would highly recommend the pounds. Any pet you buy always take it immediately to your trusted Vet even before bringing it home for a full check up.

Larry

[big kahuna1]

This thread needs a little humor at this time so here it is. The last puppy I purchased from a puppy mill now looks like this:

http://fatdaddy.smugmug.com/photos/30876560_6J5Ah-S.jpg

We call im Doofus. He turned out okay, mostly.

Now everyone wipe those tears and smile.:thumbsup2

[ntsammy5]

And his brother Dingo


http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/interactive/us/0706/gallery.ugly.dogs/09.sam.dogexplorer.jpg

[auntie]

Both times that we purchased our pups we did so from breeders. They were actually less money than the pet store. The pet store is adding in their cut. Maybe this is just in NY..and the pet stores elsewhere sell for less than the breeders. Granted we did have to travel to get our last dog..and you figure the cost of the overnight hotel and travel to get there into the price of the dog. Still it was $700.00 for the dog...yet the pet store near our home wanted over $1000. for the same breed of dog. There is a bit more work involved going to a breeder and researching one..but for us that was part of the fun.
Don't let pet shops that they have "papers" fool you. They are still puppy mill. If you watched the Oprah special..those dogs had papers also. It actually allowed them to trace the pup to the mill it came out of. They look adorable in the pet shop..and their poor mothers have lived their entire lives in cages, never to set foot on solid ground. Then when they are sick and not able to produce any longer they kill them...or they just die long horrible deaths.

[jimlin]

You can say what you want about the bigger breed of dogs and how they can be very good and safe to have but I'd much rather have a tiny foo foo dog running at me instead of our 100 pound german shepherd. Big dogs, big bites, little dogs, many little nips.

Jim

[auntie]

Flame suit on...Okay...I have what would be considered a medium sized dog. He is a Sheltie..Shetland Sheepdog. I did grow up with a German Shepherd. He was the sweetest thing that ever walked the face of this earth. That being said..I kind of agree..I mean I can understand when it comes to campgrounds and the liability issues, that they are going to take into consideration the size of a dog..and more importantly the damage that can be done by a dog of a certain size or breed with their jaw. My neighbor up the street has a Pit Bull..also a sweetie pie. Only, honestly..if for ANY reason her dog were to bite someone..and my dog were to bite someone, hers would do more damage to that that person. Just by the natural design of the animal. It has a very powerful jaw. Campgrounds or resorts look at these things from an economical ...liability standpoint. Guess you really can't blame them..they know they are going to be held liable should a dog of a certain breed do harm...where as a dog of a smaller breed just isn't physically able to adminster the same type of damage. While most of these larger breed dogs are big mushes..and the most lovable mooches...there are some that aren't. Just like there are nippy little "foo-foo's"..only the nippy foo-foo even if it bites you..probably wouldn't be able to kill you. While a pit bull could.

[Donna]

Flame suit on...Okay...I have what would be considered a medium sized dog. He is a Sheltie..Shetland Sheepdog. I did grow up with a German Shepherd. He was the sweetest thing that ever walked the face of this earth. That being said..I kind of agree..I mean I can understand when it comes to campgrounds and the liability issues, that they are going to take into consideration the size of a dog..and more importantly the damage that can be done by a dog of a certain size or breed with their jaw. My neighbor up the street has a Pit Bull..also a sweetie pie. Only, honestly..if for ANY reason her dog were to bite someone..and my dog were to bite someone, hers would do more damage to that that person. Just by the natural design of the animal. It has a very powerful jaw. Campgrounds or resorts look at these things from an economical ...liability standpoint. Guess you really can't blame them..they know they are going to be held liable should a dog of a certain breed do harm...where as a dog of a smaller breed just isn't physically able to adminster the same type of damage. While most of these larger breed dogs are big mushes..and the most lovable mooches...there are some that aren't. Just like there are nippy little "foo-foo's"..only the nippy foo-foo even if it bites you..probably wouldn't be able to kill you. While a pit bull could.

You are exactly right, Phyllis. Their insurance carrier forces them to put restrictions on breeds. They probably wouldn't cover any incident with a breed on the list. i just feel bad for the poor dogs of those breeds, it's just not their fault at all.

[2goofycampers]

We can get one of these http://i282.photobucket.com/albums/kk276/CampnDenise/cat6.jpg

[medic9016]

Flame suit on...Okay...I have what would be considered a medium sized dog. He is a Sheltie..Shetland Sheepdog. I did grow up with a German Shepherd. He was the sweetest thing that ever walked the face of this earth. That being said..I kind of agree..I mean I can understand when it comes to campgrounds and the liability issues, that they are going to take into consideration the size of a dog..and more importantly the damage that can be done by a dog of a certain size or breed with their jaw. My neighbor up the street has a Pit Bull..also a sweetie pie. Only, honestly..if for ANY reason her dog were to bite someone..and my dog were to bite someone, hers would do more damage to that that person. Just by the natural design of the animal. It has a very powerful jaw. Campgrounds or resorts look at these things from an economical ...liability standpoint. Guess you really can't blame them..they know they are going to be held liable should a dog of a certain breed do harm...where as a dog of a smaller breed just isn't physically able to adminster the same type of damage. While most of these larger breed dogs are big mushes..and the most lovable mooches...there are some that aren't. Just like there are nippy little "foo-foo's"..only the nippy foo-foo even if it bites you..probably wouldn't be able to kill you. While a pit bull could.

I'll disagree. My parents breed and raised AKC registered Pitt bulls while me and my sister grew up. Only incident is when a guy jumped our fence to break into our house. Now I have a beagle 25 Lbs. and a 75Lbs German Shepherd Urban Search and Rescue trained working dog. A few months ago my DW was playing rough with our beagle, he got a little excited and accidentally bit her hand, 3 hours in the ER. I really don't think size or breed has alot to do with it, It is the owner and training. The most reported dig bite for 2007 was the Lab. A little of subject, the worst animal bite I have ever responded to in 12 years was a pet bird.

[LarryJ]

You are exactly right, Phyllis. Their insurance carrier forces them to put restrictions on breeds. They probably wouldn't cover any incident with a breed on the list. i just feel bad for the poor dogs of those breeds, it's just not their fault at all.

Yep, just try and make ressies at a KOA and tell them you have 2 pit bulls and a doberman ... GOOD LUCK! dIf you are staying at a PRIVATE CG, they can make whatever rules they want and enforce them. Maybe not fair, but that's the way it is.

Larry

[3gr8kids]

In my experience as a vet tech at an animal hospital, we encountered more bites from the smaller breed dogs that have the "napolean complex". As cute as the small breeds are, I'll take a large, mixed-breed, pound dog/rescue anyday over small breeds.

Also, as far as "nurture vs. nature", although it is true that early and consistent socialization is KEY, with so much inbreeding going on within the purebreds, the line has become somewhat fuzzy. When puppy mills or negligent breeders are breeding females to sibling brothers EVERY heat, and then breeding the offspring of those brothers/sisters to each other, and so on, eventually your going to start to have genetic personality and physical abnormalities that, sadly, no amount of "nurture" will repair. Case in point ~ client at animal hospital bought two puppies from the same litter, from a not-so-favorable breeder. The two puppies were raised EXACTLY the same way, same socialization, same discipline and training classes, same everything. One puppy is a complete love, the other is VERY aggressive and bit two different family members. Now, of course you would have to take into account that every animal has it's unique personality, but, after having the same "controls" being raised (socialization, training, etc.), genetically speaking, you would have to consider the "nature" side.
JMHO :)

[loveDmouse]

If we didn't live in such a "sue happy" world then this wouldn't be such a big problem. Most of the time someone is doing something they shouldn't be doing to get bit. You shouldn't be suing someone for that.

Any dog regardless of size can bite, as long as they have teeth.

JMHO I will put my flame suit on now, just in case. ;)

[ftwildernessguy]

Since biting is a dog's natural defense, loveDmouse is correct. Despite Mickey the Wonder Beagle's benign disposition, he has bitten me, the hand that feeds him, twice. Of course that is also the hand that was trying to get him out of his kennel where he was seeking refuge once after misbehaving, and the hand that was trying to look at his paw after he stepped on a bee.

[ntsammy5]

Of course that is also the hand that was trying to get him out of his kennel where he was seeking refuge once after misbehaving

People have learned the hard way not to try to get me out of my kennel after I've done something bad.......