Rottweilers, a breed of dog with an undeserved reputation for aggression have been subject to a breeding experiment overseen by the Dutch Kennel Club.

The breed was the focal point of a breeding scheme designed to measure the effects of genetics on temperament.

The Kennel Club of the Netherlands set up a system to try and ensure dogs with poor temperaments could not be bred from in a scheme which has caused some controversy.

Joanne van der Borg ofWageningen University carried out the scheme: “The dogs born into this programme are much better behaved. There is a strong genetic element to aggression and it is possible that this is being bred out.”

The scheme was introduced 7 years ago following a high profile death caused by a Rottweiler in the Netherlands.

Unlike the UK, the Netherlands has recently overturned its breed specific legislation – which makes certain dogs ‘illegal’ but is widely recognised as a flawed ideology – in favour of owner education initiatives and other alternative schemes.

Via this breeding programmer, Rottweilers are required to pass a temperament test before they allowed to be used in a breeding programme.

Any dogs that fail the test are refused registration papers and the offspring may not be registered with the Dutch Kennel Club.

The programme has created a dual population of Rottweilers in Holland, with the 7,000 dogs who succesfully passed the temperament test and a similar number which failed.

The study quizzed over 800 owners of Rottweilers about their dogs’ behavioural characteristics with results showing that 16% of the ‘non registered’ Rottweilers (the ones who were refused Dutch KC status) displayed aggression to strangers as opposed to just 7% from the registered dogs who had passed the temperament test.

With such changes happening in under a decade, it gives promise that KC driven breeding initiatives can have dramatic effects in a relatively short space of time when that Kennel Club happens to work to exclude undesirable traits from its registry rather than simply registering all dogs who’s breeders pay the registration fee.

In the Journal of Veterinary Behaviour, Borg writes: “It is concluded there is a positive effect on the prevalence of fear and aggression in the Dutch population of pedigree Rottweilers.”

Highly Recommended: What dog owner wouldn’t want a piece of THIS action? – Get FREE dog food!

Related posts:

1. Animal Shelters and Rescues ‘to blame’ for Rottweiler Attacks – Sensational Claim
2. 7 Questions For Dog Breeders and The Kennel Club
3. Chair of Kennel Club & Dog Trust’s Independent Breeding Review is Announced
4. Kennel Club Hits Out at Cavalier Club; Supports Margaret Carter
5. The Kennel Club Accredited Breeder Scheme – Has it Failed Already?