(Dog training - Aggression In Depth - John Rogerson, 2011. [user generated content Youtube] Tawzer Dog. 18th June 2011. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u53F7HogGvs [Accessed 29th November 2014].)
(Aggression - In Depth Seminar, 2010. [DVD]. John Rogerson. 827 S. Bridgeway Pl. Ste 100 Eagle, ID. Tawzer Dog LLC Videos. [Accessed 29th November 2014].)
KEY QUOTATIONS FROM THE VIDEO CLIP:
1.20 - 1.46:
" It depends on the interpretation of the word 'aggression' ... Aggression - the intention to do harm ... however, there is also something called the display of aggression ... don't want to do you any harm at all. That's an aggressive display. "
1.47 - 1.57:
" Often, especially pet owners, completely misdiagnose the word aggression and apply it when the dog doesn't want to do anyone any harm at all. "
2.24 - 3.52:
" So, we'll start right at the beginning, when we start looking at what's happened around the world ... aggression is getting worse worldwide. In some countries, its rapidly getting worse, more so than some other countries ... around the world, up until probably three years ago it was generally recognised by people who travel that in the USA, you had the worst aggression problem with your dogs than any other country in the world ... I think in the UK, we've just over-taken you over the last three years ... We've seen exactly the same happen it the UK, but we haven't seen it in other countries. "
3.53 - 4.50:
" If you go to a country like Belgium, dog to dog and dog to people agression has not got worse. It has remained static, probably over the last twenty years. Go to Italy, go to a lot of European countries and behaviour with dogs is not getting worse. So, what is it ... what used to make America the leading country for aggression in their dogs ... Again, the difficult thing sometimes to recognise is the behaviour of children and dogs in any culture anywhere in the world is mirrored. Any culture where you see child behaviour ... children that have little respect for their parents, little respect for eldery people, little respect for property, if you look at all the cultures where you see an increase in that you'll see an increase in exactly the same problem with dogs. "
EVALUATIVE THOUGHTS
This clip from John Rogerson's "Aggression in Depth" seminar sets a very interesting notion. He begins to describe the unrecognised influence humans have in misdiagnosing and even causing dog aggression. Whereas my hypothesis is looking to prove whether the kennel environment draws out barrier / fear aggression, Rogerson depicts the root of how this aggression may start - reflection of our societies values and way of life will be "mirrored" through dog behaviour. This theory strongly links back to my previous investigation into the current issues we have in the UK regarding irresponsible owners using status dogs.
- 'Britain: A nation of dog killers' - 'Thousands of healthy dogs put down because of rise in dangerous strays'
In cases like this, like Rogerson states, it is a reflection of irresponsible human behaviour and perceptions of which has caused this issue to ignire further. Whereas my hypothesis links to saving the lives of dogs where the human damage has already been done, Rogerson expresses we need to take influence from other areas of the world, like many "European countries" and observe what we as a society are doing wrong.