By T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

When Kellie Dillner of Andover scooped up Marri, the pit bull, showed only tenderness cradled in her owner's arms.

Tenderness might not be the behavior expected from a breed of dog proposed to be banned from Minnesota.

Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul, wants to outlaw five dog breeds from the state — Pit Bulls, Akitas, Rottweilers, Chow Chows, and wolf hybrids.

Lesch presented his proposal last summer in response to a rash of dog attacks in recent months.

"You never hear stories about roving packs of Golden Retrievers attacking children," said Lesch, speaking last summer.

Appearing with Lesch at that time was Kristina Eide, whose 5-year-old daughter Brianna Senn had been recently bitten by a pit bull in St. Paul.

"My daughter has to worry when she walks outside her house that there are other dogs that could get out and attack her," said Eide.

Lesch is intent on pursuing his legislation, he recently said.

More than 100 jurisdictions across the country already have bans in affect for some dog breeds, said Lesch, an attorney.

But support for breed-ban proposal is hardly universal.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is inclined to let local communities handle dog-related issues rather than favor a statewide approach, he recently explained.

"What happens in a densely populated area of an urban center may be different than if you have a three thousand acre farm," said Pawlenty this month.

"It's probably an issue that's best addressed by local units of government," he said.

Animal control officers, too, see problems with a breed ban.

The Minnesota Animal Control Association rejected Lesch's breed ban proposal, said Bill Forbes, an association official and an animal control officer with the Bloomington Police Department.

Dog bite statistics, Forbes argues, reflect the popularity of dog breeds.

He points to dog owners themselves as a major factor in the dog bite equation.

"The breeds have changed, but the people (problem owners) are still the same," Forbes said.

Troublesome dogs tend to belong to certain types of owners, Forbes argues.

These owners tend to have personal histories of violence, substance abuse, run in with the law, he explained.

"It's mostly men — it's kind of a hormonal thing," said Forbes.

It's not a racial. It's not a cultural.

These problem owners are found across the socioeconomic spectrum, said Forbes.

Enforcing a statewide breed ban would be expensive and dangerous, he argued.

Animal control officers could be asking for SWAT team backup to confiscate banned breeds from defiant dog owners, he speculated.

"They're family members," Forbes said of the bond between dog owners and their dogs.

Dr. Margaret M. Duxbury, a veterinary behaviorist at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Medical Center, doesn't view certain dog breeds as inherently more dangerous than any other.

"Do I support the idea of outlawing certain dog breeds? No," she said.

"The issue is way too complicated to be solved that way," said Duxbury.

"We see dogs every week for many kinds of aggressions. And many, many, many of them are not pit bulls," she said.

Several factors influence dog behavior, explained Duxbury.

Genetic temperament is one, but it strongly depends on a particular dog's own direct relatives, she explained.

Within breeds, individuals differ, she explained.

Duxbury also points to socialization as a primary influence on dog behavior.

"That starts really early — like three to twelve weeks," she said.

"It's important what environment the puppies are in at the breeders. If they're isolated — in a barn or a room and they don't hear many people — they aren't handled very much, that puts them at a great disadvantage," she said.

"By the time a puppy is three months, you like to see they've had good experience with multiple versions of whatever they're going to experience as an adult," she said.

Dillner, Volunteer Education Coordinator for A Rotta Love Plus, an advocacy and pet adoption group focusing on rottweilers, pit bulls, and other breeds, sees many problems with the proposed dog ban legislation.

In just a practical sense, how it is possible even to identify specific breeds without genetic testing — one breed of dog often looks like anther, group members argue.

And where should thousands of displaced pit bulls, rottweilers and other the breeds or types be sent if outlawed — Wisconsin? one group member quipped.

A Rotta Love Plus advocates stricter enforcement of existing dog laws.

They also call for additional dog enforcement funding.

Through education its possible to prevent people from being bitten, Dillner argues.

"Absolutely — one hundred percent," she said

A Rotta Love Plus members have been canvassing lawmakers and believe little support exists for Lesch's breed ban legislation.

"Not as it is," said Dillner.

But Lesch believes the testimony of dog bite victims will be powerful and compelling.

"I think they're (A Rotta Love Plus) going to have to take their chances with that one," Lesch of the idea of his bill lacking legs.

The Minnesota Animal Control Association is currently working on ways to give courts more ways of dealing with problem dogs.

Lesch is open to new ideas, he said.

The legislative session begins Feb. 12.

Comment from Rita Raeker, 12/20/07

It is a shame that certain dogs are included because of a few bad owners. The proposed legislation will also eliminate many "working dogs" who are being used as Arson Detection, Search and Rescue, and Registered Therapy Dogs. We know of Rottweilers in Minnesota in all of the above categories. We have a Registered Therapy Rottweiler. This is cerainly a testimonial to their temperment. We believe in getting tough with irresponsible dog owners.

Comment from Lee O'Reilly, 12/20/07

"You never hear stories about roving packs of Golden Retrievers attacking children," Rep. John Lesch.
Typical response when rational thought based on authoritative research is thrown to the winds of media hysteria.Maurading retrievers never grab the same headlines as the maligned breeds but this is not to infer that they,as a dog do not pose a safety risk when owned by negligent owners.Instead of passing redundant ineffective laws against a dog breed,one should focus monies and effort in enforcing the leash laws that would prevent many of the bites and deaths by dogs.In spite of the past decade of municpalities tripping over themselves legislating public feel good anti breed laws,the bite and death rates has not changed.No responsible dog owner wants to lose thier rights to responsibly own the breed of their choice becuase of breed popluarity for nefarious reasons.What we are asking for are laws which are applied to ALL DOGS ,which are equally enforced,that understand and implement the research which is valid pertaining to dangerous dogs and their dangerous owners.

Comment from Karla Clinch, 12/21/07

I am a dog trainer who used to live in Champlin. I have raised/owned/rescued Rotties for about 25 yrs now.
I am currently accompanied by a service dog, who is trained to mitigate my disability, MS, by retrieving, doing guide work,and bracing/balancing for me. She is an AKC registered Rottie.
While there is some truth to the adage that it is the dog, for the most part, it is the humans that have created that dog, whether by poor breeding practices or improper/lack of training.
If we are going to ban certain breeds, then we should ban certain people. If we are going to kill certain breeds, then maybe we should kill all criminals too, regardless of their crime.
If the government wants to look at restrictions, then I would suggest looking toward a vicious dog law, and possibly, and note, I say POSSIBLY look at a good ordinance which requires the following:
1) Registering certain breeds
2) Proof of insurance
3) Proof of lack of criminal activity on the part of the owner(within 10 yrs or so)(People can and do change)
4) Proof that the owner is not a mental case
5) Proof that the owner is physically capable of handling the dog.
6) Proof that the dog has been temperment tested/professionally trained
7) Proof that the dog is current on all vaccines or titers on vaccines.
8) Must be 18 yrs of age.
I hang out in Majorca Spain sometimes, and the laws there include just those things.

Here are the breeds and SIZES of dogs that it includes:
1)Any dogs weighing more than 44lbs
2) And dogs with a chest circumference of more than 60 cm
3) Height at shoulders of more than 50cm
4) Blocky headed dogs

The breeds:
Pits, Staffs, Dogos, Tosa, Akitas, Rotties and all their crosses.

If you would like to see pictures of a well trained rottie, and why certain breeds shouldn't be banned, then check out my website:
WWW.AGoodDog.net
Largo is testament to what a good Rottie can do. I have family in Minn., if you ban the breed, I cannot nor will I visit family, or spend my money there.....