BSL (Breed Specific Legislation) and “Anti-working dog” legislation
At SRSC we love to train our dogs and currently all of our members work with dogs classified as the “Working Group” or the “Herding Group” by the AKC (American Kennel Club) of America. Incidentally the “Herding Group” used to be part of the “Working Group”. All of these breeds were developed to serve mankind as utilitarian working animals and they were selectively bred through generations of dedicated breed enthusiasts to promote the physical build and mental capabilities of an active, intelligent, courageous canine.
As such, “working dogs” can make excellent canine companions and can be successfully integrated into an active pet home as well as in a traditional occupational venue. However, working dogs require socialization, training, and leadership from their human guardians throughout their lives. They can be dominant, mischievous, territorial, strong animals and they are not the right type of dog for every family’s living situation. To those of us who know the breeds and understand their needs, we could not imagine our lives without them. We channel their high energy and high drive into productive activity and in doing so not only provide them a natural outlet but also build a strong and fast bond unlike a common pet owner might never experience.
Unfortunately, some dog breeds have been slapped with denigrating labels by a misinformed public. Isolated incidents can turn a community against an entire breed, and well-intentioned but misguided laws can wipe out the civil rights of a respectful and responsible dog owner just as quickly as that of a miscreant.
At SRSC we hold fast to the belief that there are no “bad dog breeds” and we acknowledge that any dog of any breed and any size can bite and cause serious harm. We refuse to categorically condemn entire dog breeds as “vicious”, “dangerous”, or “unmanageable”. We will defend our legal right to own the dog breed of our choice, and we accept our responsibility to be a conscientious dog handler, always providing our canine companions training, socialization, and the best of care.
When injuries occur, the problem is usually at the human end of the leash!
We also take a stand to defend our privilege of participating in a dog sport involving protection work. Our dogs are safe and stable canine companions and we exercise personal responsibility in dog ownership, maintaining control of our dogs at all times. We hope that as a group we can dispel some of the egregious myths about protection sports and working dogs. We challenge anyone with a negative perception to come meet us and our dogs and get the facts about who we are and what we are all about. Our dogs are some of the happiest critters on earth – they enjoy working with us and we enjoy working with them.
To find out more information on our dog sport, click on the “What is Schutzhund?” page.
To find out more information about our club, click on the “Code of Conduct” page.
To alert us for legislative action, click on the “Contact Us” page.
Yvette Woodward
BSL Liason, SRSC
Legal resident and active voter, Wood County, State of West Virginia
