Aggressive dog story in NYT

Speaking purely from my own experience, as I stated.

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I wasn’t. I still think it’s a weird thing to say.

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I have never asserted that I wasn’t “weird”.

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My experience as well. White GSD are very bite prone.
Cockers have actually gotten much better in their demeaner in the last decade. Maybe because we have better ear medicines.

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Another vet :wink::point_up:

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It does seem to be that when dog becomes super popular we see a rise in bite and other bad behavior. Cockers, Dalmations, Old English Sheepdogs (in the UK) definitely had this issue. Some of this is obviously owner initiated problems but it does seem that there is another component to bad behavior when a breed becomes the IN thing.

Bernie-doodles are currently my bane.

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Remember though, that the NYT is a New York news paper and people in NYC are probably very interested in the story.

That’s one of the many things we love about you. :kissing_heart:

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Bite prone I understand - I think all shepherds should be treated cautiously. To characterize every one with actual bite issues seems unfair. Maybe it’s just semantics and I’m reading too much into it.

You are taking something that says - of all the GSDs, the white are more prone to biting - and making it say - All GSDs bite.

It is not uncommon for color lines to breed other characteristics so some traits are more common in those lines.

All that is happening here is two people are saying that in their experience, the white GSD is more bite prone.

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You are.
I merely pointed out that the subset of white GSDs I have had dealings with were prone to bite.
I’m sure there are some lovely ones out there.

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No. She said

which I read as confirmed bite history. To be bite prone means they are more likely to be reactive [to me] which I think is a totally fair assement of a white GSD.

I find white shepherds to be generally inconsistent. I still don’t think it’s fair to slap a bite history on every single one that walks through the door. That said, I think it was the way I interpretted her words one way when she meant them differently.

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bite issues =/= bite history?

Bite issues does not mean the dog has a confirmed bite history. That’s exactly where you’re reading things into this that are not there.

Let’s say I’m a vet, and I notice Cockers tend to be fear biters and very snappish when examined, particularly around the ears, since they’re prone to infection. I’ve never been bitten, because I have good vet techs and am quick to muzzle a snappish dog, but I do take note of the tendency.

I could say, correctly and fairly “I see a lot of Cockers with bite issues in my practice.” I’m not going from specific to general by saying “All Cockers” or even “A lot of Cockers.”

NOT a weird thing to say. An accurate report of my experience. Not generalizing, not demonizing the whole breed.

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Has Ghazu met every single white GSD?

I don’t read it that she is slapping a bite history on anyone or anything. She is saying that every white GSD she has met has had bite issues (likely while being worked on at the vet).

Darn, why do you want to make it into something that is not there.

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I’m also going to say that I think your average small animal vet sees a larger sample size of dogs of all breeds than your average dog owner.

So when Ghazzu or roseymare make an observation based on dogs they see in their practices, I tend to think those observations are statistically more valid than mine, based on sample size.

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I’m terribly sorry that I failed to keep a spreadsheet so that I could provide you with specific numbers of white GSDs that actually bit vs. those the were “bite prone”.
Going forward, may I ask if it counts as “actual” if the dog tries but is prevented from biting by a tech with awesome restraint skills?
Can I count the one that I referred to a colleague who tried and failed to bite me, but bit at least one member of his staff while hospitalized?

I’d prefer that you simply cease attempting to tell me what my experience is.

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Add to the facts, that white is not in breed standard. Breeders selecting for white are probably byb, with no regard to temperment or trainability.

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OTOH if a vet practices in one area for years and there are several generations of one line of white GSDs in that area then the sample size might not be accurately representative. Or there were multiple generations of one line of black Cocker Spaniels …

I believe white is in the breed standard in some other countries. If so, and one mating pair was imported and bred and their descendents have multiplied in one area …

UKC in the US recognizes white GSDs as their own breed.

I believe a white GSD may be registered by AKC, but it is a disqualification in the show ring.

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