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I find it interesting that Cocker Spaniels are not on the list. I believe they were high years ago. I personally think Dobermans make good family dogs if raised properly and children are taught not to lay on dogs and pull ears, etc. My son was raised with Dobermans from the age of 8 or 9 and never had an issue. Out of the 7 Dobermans I have owned, only one had a bite issue and that was due to a medical condition.

I also have coworkers who own Pitties and they are the sweetest dogs. I guess it's all in how they are raised barring any medical problems.

 

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I have the same fear.
We're already pretty overrun with Mals and Dutchies up here :-(

Mals are a handful even for an experienced Mal owner. The gentleman that started our local training center scent work program has one but he is a true working dog. They work with the Harrisburg PD for drug and bomb sniffing. They are beautiful but I personally would not want to own one.

 

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We have trained with many Mals in agility and scent work, and my niece is a Mal (although very atypical of the breed). They are amazingly smart and incredible workers, but I don't think I'd ever live with one.

I'm in awe of what they are capable of. So fun to watch them work.

 

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I've been nailed by more ****su's by three times the number of Chihuahuas--7 SheTus's to 2 Chi's--but all of them were when I was managing a boarding kennel--household pets are much more often to have rotten temperaments than dogs I met at shows--a handler one shoved an adult male Shi Tsu Special into my arms yelling "Stay right there..." to me--that dog spent the whole time his handler was gone licking my thumb (evidently the liver I had been holding for my handler had rubbed off that thumb.)

The most recent Chihahua bite that I got was at a show and I was wearing Levi's and he left a tooth in the hem on one side (I chose not to mention it to the woman who had the little ankle biter on leash.

And as far as Chow Chow's a friend who used to have Dobes started breeding Chow's many years later--and her dogs were very sweet but on the other hand I got introductions to them before they decided I was the enemy.

But now you have a point on cats, js4fnn, I've had cats most of my life--and have been bitten, scratched (as well as having been walked on and practically been shoved out of my bed by a cat taking up more than it's share of space.) And the second to the worst bite ever had from any allegedly domestic animal was by one of my cats who took offense at being flea dipped (long, long before really good flea controls)--and as I was rinsing off the dip (with a hose and cold water--I could hardly blame the cat) he grabbed me with a full mouth bite at the base of my thumb and I could NOT get him to let go. I popped him several times on the top of his head and he swquinched his eyes shut and clamped his jaw even harder--my husband finally ran water from the hose over his head--and rather than drown the cat let go. He stomped off to the end of the drive way--I washed my bloody hand off with the hose and went inside to bandage it.

Man--did that thing hurt...but by a miracle it at least did not get infected.

dobebug

Sorry off topic but your cat story reminds me of the time my breeding season male iguana nailed me. Only let go when hubby brought a banana over lol.

 

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Agree with Kansa. All of my Dobes have been friendly around people and children. Occasionally, they will be extremely aloof with a person and that’s when I become leery. I trust my dogs.