Americans sound off: Training, not breed, makes dangerous dogs
A new Associated Press survey finds almost three-quarters of Americans blame training for dog-bite culprits, not the dog breed.
The ancient argument over nature vs. nurture is alive and well in American cities. Dog-breed bans fall on the side of nature, with some Americans pointing at certain breeds as dangerous city residents bred over the centuries for fighting and aggression. However, the results of a new poll by the Associated Press and Petside.com reveal that most Americans judge a dog by its upbringing, not its breed.
Seventy-one percent of respondents said dogs of all breeds are safe as long as they're properly trained, and 60 percent said all breeds should be allowed in resident communities.
However, 38 percent thought breed-specific bans were appropriate. In some cases, the call for breed bans broke down along age and demographic lines.
Click to the next page for data on exactly who's calling for a ban on one of the most controversial dog breeds: the pit bull.
Source: Associated Press, Petside.com
Click to the next page to see the survey's dog-ban supporters' breeds of choice.
* Respondents—who said some breeds should be banned—chose all that applied.
Source: Associated Press, Petside.com
