'Aggressive' Genes In Dogs Removed

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A program is being implemented in Holland after a Rottweiler killed a woman, suggests that aggression can be bred out of dogs as reported by Daily Telegraph.

The scheme aims to prevent the badly behaving dogs from reproducing and appears to be changing the animals to become more easy-going, thus giving a boost to the nature side of the debate.

"The dogs born into this program are much better behaved. There is a strong genetic element to aggression and it is possible that this is being bred out," said Joanne van der Borg, who researched the program at Wageningen University.

The scheme ensures that the pedigree rottweilers pass 'dolicity' test that measures how quickly the dog turns nasty. The dog that fails are refused the Pedigree certification and owners are asked not to breed from them.

For the study, 800 rottweiler owners were questioned about their pet's behavior, the results revealed that 16 per cent of the non-pedigree dogs were aggressive to strangers while just 7per cent of the pedigree group were.

The positive results within eight years thus, prove that it is possible to reduce aggression in dogs. Proponents of the system claim it has created two distinct rottweiler populations in Holland, with 7000 dogs that have passed the test and a similar number that have failed.

The biggest influence on a ottweiler's behaviour was its environment, as declared by Ian McLean, president of the Queensland Rottweiler Association. "There's a lot of rubbish spoken about rottweilers. They're not born aggressive, but they are stubborn and headstrong," he said.

"If I take my dogs to a park or a beach or anywhere in public, the public is absolutely safe. But it's a different story in my backyard. In most cases when people get bitten, it's more about the dog protecting property than being aggressive," he added. AGENCIES