I've watched one or two videos about these 'Bullys'. Many owners feed them on raw meat. It's not just them as a woman I know has, or had till one died the other month three Shih Tzus. She feeds her's 'raw' as they call it. Her dogs are quite aggressive and will charge at even very big dogs in the local park. Maybe feeding dogs raw meat means they get a taste for uncooked flesh and see other dogs and cats and humans as food?
As far as 'raw' diets go, the soppiest carnivores I have ever kept were a pair of raw-fed ferrets, retired from hunting. When they came to me, I maintained their raw diet but added kibble for convenience and so that if I went away my neighbour would be happy to care for them for me. Bite a human? I don't think they actually knew how to.
Raw or otherwise hasn't got anything to do with the temperament of a dog, as long as it keeps them appropriately nourished - it's the owner's attitude and understanding, the animal's correct socialisation and its training and management during its lifetime, which is the pivotal point of behavioural difference. Obviously there are general differences in temperament, abilities and intelligence between individuals, between different breeds and particular strains/lines of breeds, too, but that is more of a tendency and ability rather than a fixed characteristic.
There are also various 'conditions' - for want of a more accurately-descriptive word - both congenital and otherwise, which can lead to 'unexpected' and even uncontrollable bouts of aggression, and it's clear that certain breeds and types have, in some of their 'strains' at least, been taken into risky directions by some breeders (inadvertently, in most cases) but in some cases in some breeds, I believe the wrong, often dangerous, tendencies and abilities have been
deliberately bred for and encouraged.
People who
legitimately need dogs which can be 'weaponised' eg police, armed forces etc do not go for these 'bully' breeds. They need dogs which have the sort of energy, intelligence and mental stability which can be trained and channelled into
appropriate and
controlled aggression
- and switched off, too.
That 'off' switch is more important than any other, and is one of the main things that seems to be, for whatever reason, lacking in the types of dogs now so fashionable among certain sections of the community. I would also question the neurological and psychiatric health and stability of many of those dogs. With a 'doubtful' or at least 'untested' label hanging over them, and questions about the presence or otherwise of a working 'off' switch, I wouldn't want one in my house.
A few acquaintances of mine - usually ones with a dog or cat already - have acquired street dogs from rescues in Greece or Spain, rather than risk a bull-type breed of unknown background from a UK dog rescue, which is the most commonly-available at least round here. Although they have had issues with house training, adjustment of diet, separation anxiety, shyness with strangers, scavenging, recall, escaping and/or walking on the lead, not one of them has had any concerns about the actual temperament of the dogs which have been without fail sociable with other dogs, tolerant or even fond of cats and, basically, enthusiastic about enjoying life in general.
