Will,

Sorry if this gets long. I'll be as concise as I know how to be...

Small dogs can do damage. You'll get no disagreement from me there. My point about the size is that is is controllable by an average adult if handled properly. That is a very different thing than having a dominant, highly aggressive Rotty or American Bulldog.

Given the choice between a stupid owner that will not take proper precautions and end up with a disfigured child, or a stupid, irresponsible owner who just puts the dog to sleep, the option of euthanizing should be a no brainer. However, I personally think people need to hold themselves to a higher standard and take their responsibility seriously. Crating a dog is both easy to do and good for the dog. So with a dog like this with obvious problems, crating the dog anytime children are around should be a no brainer.

As for my 100% success rate with aggressive dogs, I'm speaking specifically about family/friends that I've helped and in these cases, I've been able to spend time on a regular basis with the dog over an extended period of time. Also, I'm only referring to the cases where the source of the problem was a pack-rank issue... the dog has a dominant personality mixed with an owner that doesn't have a clue about pack behavior. Fearful, sharp nerve-bags are a whole different story, and to this point, I've had limited success with that type of dog.

The issue of crating dogs 100% of the time kids are around... once again, not talking about clients, just personal experience. I personally don't have a problem leaving a dog in a crate for 20 hours a day until he has made the progress necessary to be given the privilege of spending more time in the house. Remember, I'm talking about 100% crating during the rehab process, not for the life of the dog. If an owner can't get that crating the dog is best for everyone for a little while, it's my opinion that the owner shouldn't have a dog (or kids) in the first place.


Having said all that, I see your point. I may be a little more optimistic than I should be but I just can't help but think that most people should be smart enough to manage a quirky dog before they have kids.

Crating a dog 24/7 does not fix the problem, it removes the problem. There is a difference. Inappropriate biting/snapping is a temperament problem, and more than likely a genetic problem.

I never said crating a dog 24/7 solves anything... it removes the possibility of a child being bitten while the dog is in the crate. What I DID say is that it's not so bad for a dog to live in a crate during the rehab process. To clarify, what I mean is that if a dog in my care has that serious of a problem, it's either working on solving the problem, or it's in it's crate. The dog will get little to no "free time" of it's own. The dog comes out of the crate to do it's business, get some heavy duty exercise (for physical and psychological health benefits), and then gets to go through a number of exercises designed to teach the dog where the boundaries are and how to mind his manners. After the exercises are complete, the dog gets put back in his crate (hopefully on a high note). Ideally, this would be done 3-4 times a day with 15-20 minutes of biking/running, and 5-10 minutes of "lessons" and a couple minutes of praise and affection to build the bond.

What I got from Sammy's post: He is saying the dogs tendency to bite is likely genetic and crating will not remove the genetic component therefore you may remove the problem by crating but you will not solve the root of the problem. Whether or not I understood Sammy I agree with what I just wrote.