What is Breed Specific Legislation?

BSL are letters you may have seen around, but what do they stand for and what does it mean? BSL stands for Breed Specific Legislation. Which simply means passing laws or limitations against certain breeds of dogs. There are strong opinions on both sides of this, but coming from a Behavior Consultant point of view I'd like to offer up a few points to think about before you make up your mind as to whether BSL should be enforced in your area.

Likely the first breed you all thought of was the Pit Bull. The Pit Bull is this eras villain replacing the German Shepherd and Rottweiler in decades past. While BSL does often target Pit Bulls it is not limited to them.

Whatever your opinion on a particular breed of dog I think we put ourselves in jeopardy by assuming BSL will solve aggression problems in our society. My fear is that BSL gives people a false sense of security about who the "bad guy" is. If for instance you live in an area that bans a certain type of dog you might feel you and your children are safer and that neighborhood pets are not a threat.

The truth is that extensive testing has been done on all breeds of dogs and the tests all show one thing very clearly... ALL DOGS CAN BITE. In fact, the highest bite rate in dogs was Cocker Spaniels. It is so important that we as a society educate ourselves and our children, not on which breeds to avoid, but what actions and body language to avoid.

For example, if you saw a man walking a pit bull down the street at a nice calm pace, his dog at a heel, and on the other side of the road a Border Collie. Let's say the Border Collie is pulling on the end of the leash and ignoring his owners corrections. Which dog would you ask to pet? I tell my kids NEVER to ask to pet a dog that is not walking at a heel and responding properly to his owner...no matter the breed or size of the dog. In this case, I would feel comfortable letting my kids approach the Pit Bull as long as the owner agreed.

Dogs are always dogs before they are a specific breed. We are in danger of bites if we allow ourselves to believe that BSL makes the streets safe of aggressive dogs. Rather than watching out for a breed to avoid, watch for behavior. It is much more accurate, and the only real way to keep you and your family safe.

Avoid dogs of any breed who are

• jumping


• barking


• pulling on a leash


• not responding to owners voice


• fearful


• on a chain


• loose without an owner


• in a confined area

This way you can enjoy, and feel safe around the vast number of breeds that surround us on the street, at the park or in your neighborhood.