Animal behaviorist and author Alexandra Semyonova1 provides safety guidelines for owners of normal dogs and dangerous breeds in two different guides. Each contains 10 rules of thumb.
Dog Ownership Guide for Normal Dogs
The dog ownership guide for normal dogs covers dog breeds and types that have never been used for aggressive purposes -- the companion breeds. These are breeds and types that do not show up disproportionately in serious and fatal dog attack statistics.
The number one rule with normal dogs is: Build on trust, not on coercion or violence. A dog that fully trusts humans is the dog that is least likely to bite...
Dog Ownership Guide for Dangerous Breeds
The dog ownership guide for dangerous breeds covers dog breeds and types that have been developed and used for war, dogfighting, animal baiting, and/or guarding purposes -- the dangerous breeds. These are breeds and types that are disproportionately represented in serious and fatal dog attack statistics.
The number one rule with these dogs is: Always have a break stick handy wherever the dog is present. This means indoors and outdoors. A break stick can keep you or police from having to kill your dog to make it release if it grips someone...
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