Landlords Insurance And Dog Breed Restrictions
- Landlords, Insurance and Dog Breed Restrictions
Landlords must carry insurance on any property they own, and it is meant to take care of things like liability and personal injuries for tenants and guests on the premises. Attacks from dogs are just one of many things that can happen that causes landlords to file an insurance claim.According to the website DogsBite.org, there are approximately 1,000 people in the United States that suffer from dog bites, per day. The website reports that 81% of dog attacks are on children. It also states that only about 9 percent of all dog breeds that exist today are responsible for the majority of attacks.As a result, more and more insurance companies are coming up with lists of dog breeds that are banned from coverage. In other words, the insurance coverage will not extend to incidents involving that dog. Weve got a comprehensive list of these breeds coming up, but first, what should landlords know about why insurance companies even care about dog breeds?
Was Your Pet Food Recalled
Abuse, neglect and poor training also play a large role in how any dog of any breed responds to their environment. Any dog can become aggressive under the right conditions.
When were choosing a dog to adopt, history is as important as the dogs breed:
- Dogs who were allowed to exhibit poor behavior because of their small size often become aggressive, as they see themselves as the alpha.
- Dogs who were abused become aggressive out of fear.
- Dogs who were starved often become food aggressive.
- Dogs who were not properly socialized often become aggressive to other animals.
- Lastly, people often push their dog into aggression without realizing it.
Child parenting around dogs is critical. Dont let your child hit, punch, pull tails, ride the dog or in any way harm or make your dog uncomfortable.
It may make for a cute Facebook video when your child is face-to-face with your dog, but dogs see direct eye contact and full-front facing as a challenge. The dog will be very uncomfortable with a child getting right in their face.
If you constantly let your children treat your dog as their personal jungle gym, dont be surprised when your dog suddenly snaps and bites back. Chances are your dog had been telling you all along with their body language that they were uncomfortable, afraid and unhappy.
We have the ability and the responsibility to teach our dogs appropriate behavior and response starting in puppyhood, and this can make all the difference. We can promote nurture over nature.
Practical Advice For The Dog Owner
Some insurers ban certain dog breeds, while others provide wiggle room for pets already in the home, and still others will simply ignore the issue for rich clients who bring good business, according to the dog advocate groups. Others, like State Farm, allow all dogs provided theres no bite history.
The APCIAs Collins advises you to contact your home insurance company before bringing a dog home. If you face a loss of coverage because of your dog choice, You can shop around for a different insurer or consider a different breed, she suggests.
Both homeowners and renters insurance policies generally cover dog-bite legal expenses, with typical liability coverage ranging from $100,000 to $300,000, according to the Worters at the Insurance Information Institute. In addition to that, she recommends purchasing a personal umbrella insurance policy, which in todays litigious society is an important thing to have. These policies provide an extra $1 million and up of protection.
PetPlace provides a state-by-state list of banned species laws. Some states do not allow insurers to ban breeds. For example, Vermont does not allow the exclusion of entire canine breeds. Many other states have introduced similar legislation and home insurers are required to obey each states laws.
Passing the Canine Good Citizen test from the American Kennel Club could also help your effort to keep you properly insured.
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How To Prevent A German Shepherd From Being Aggressive
If you do get a German Shepherd, below are some things you can do to prevent your GSD from becoming aggressive.
Train it from an early age
As mentioned above, it is important to ensure that you train your German Shepherd from an early age. By doing so, you will be able to get it to learn to behave the way you want it to and to make it much less likely to become aggressive as an adult.
I would recommend using positive reinforcement training and following the tips in;this book.
Also, when training your GSD, it would help to start by training it in an environment without too many distractions and then to build up to training it in an environment where there are lots of things going on that could distract the GSD.
Avoid negative reinforcement
Negative reinforcement is where undesirable behaviors are inadvertently encouraged by giving the dog rewards when it displays them. If you give the GSD things such as treats, toys or extra attention when it misbehaves then it will likely do it more in order to get more rewards.
Instead of using rewards as a means of stopping undesirable behavior, it would be better to try to redirect its focus before it starts misbehaving and to use positive reinforcement training to get it to change its behavior.
Enroll it in dog training classes
It would also help to take it to dog training classes in your area so that you can see how to train it in person.
Be calm with it
Allow it to be a part of the family
Neuter or spay it
Follow a training plan
History And Origin Of Black German Shepherds
The best way to understand the history and origin of the black German Shepherd would be to learn about German Shepherds in general since they belong to the same breed.;
GSDs could be traced back as early as the 1800s. Back then, German cavalry officer Captain Max von Stephanitz, along with other breeders, wanted to create the ideal German herder dog.
In 1899, the captain attended a dog show and was impressed by a dog named Hektor Linksrhein. The canine was a product of selective breeding and carried similar traits to the modern standard German Shepherd.;
He ended up co-founding the worlds first German Shepherd club and spent 35 years refining the breed. Both regular and black German Shepherds have become popular in the United States by the early 1900s.
Since the GSDs and black shepherds were initially raised as herding dogs, their canine occupation shifted with the rise of modern livestock management.
Von Stephanitz then started to promote German Shepherds as police and military unit dogs.
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The Takeaway: No Breed Is Inherently Vicious
I compiled the information in this article from a variety of sources and personal experience. Just because a certain breed has landed on this list does not mean it would not make a good family pet given the right owners and training.
Because training and how a dog was previously treated can make a huge difference in its personality, doing some type of background check on an animal before adopting it is always a good idea.
Single Coat Vs Double Coat Whats The Difference
The German Shepherd dogs are primarily seen in 2 variation or types of coats: a single or short coat and a double or long coat. Double coat or long coat breeds will have a second coated coat. This is often referred to as a guard coat, which is primarily useful for the dog to protect itself from dirt and water.
The puppy could lose his fur after the 1st month, and the puppy looks like a standard single coat, but the fur will return after the 5th month.
The fur of the second coat in the guard coat is usually foamy and soft and can prevent contact with dirt and water off the dogs skin, preventing itching. This is helpful because it helps to prevents mud on the dogs skin or unnecessary bacterial infections.
Double coats with a protecting coat can provide double performance in different seasons of the year. In the winter season, dogs will be able to retain the heat generated naturally close to the skin. During the summer, the foamy coat will be able to reflect sunlight, which will help the dog from overheating.
Dogs with a double coat also have an undercoat as well. This undercoat acts as an excellent insulating coat in the winter; the undercoat we call Guard Coat is thicker and more durable. This, along with the second coat, makes the double-coated dog suitable for all types of weather.
So it is better to adopt a German Shepherd with a double coat or long coat in colder places.
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How Often Should You Bathe Your Dogs
Bathing your German Shepherd can or may remove 20% more hair. If you only brush when your dog is slightly damp, it will help remove more hair. Dont usually bathe your dog too often, as this will remove the natural oils, making your coat duller and less shiny. It is best not to bathe your German Shepherd every 4-5 months.
German Shepherds that do not have an undercoat require less care during the spring and fall months, but this does not make any big difference in appearance.
Remember That Training Addresses Aggression
While all of the above are typically considered aggressive dog breeds, it is important to remember that a significant amount of canine behavior comes down to behavior. With the right training, many of the breeds on this list can be non-aggressive and peaceful. Many on the list will also not be aggressive to their family members but show aggression to strangers. Training is the key in most cases.
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Skeletal Health And Supplementation
Musculoskeletal disorders are debilitating conditions that are often associated with genetic makeup, malnutrition, and stress-related events. Some breeds like the German shepherd, are predisposed to a variety of different skeletal disorders, including but not limited to: canine hip dysplasia, Cauda equina syndrome, and osteoarthritis. These conditions can be a result of poor breeding or induced by intense exercise and poor diet.
Canine hip dysplasia is an orthopedic condition resulting from abnormal development of the hip joint and surrounding tissue causing the instability and partial dislocation of the hip joint, resulting in pain, inflammation, lameness, and potentially osteoarthritis of the joint. German shepherds are genetically predisposed to CHD and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Germany found its prevalence estimated to be approximately 35% of veterinary cases associated with the disorder.
Osteoarthritis is one of the main contributors of musculoskeletal pain and disabilities that commonly affect German shepherds. Mechanical stress, oxidative damage and inflammatory mediators combine to induce the gradual degeneration of the articular cartilage in the joint, resulting in reduced muscle mass, pain, and locomotion.
Vitamins such as A and D also have crucial roles in bone development and maintenance by regulating bone and calcium metabolism. Adequate levels should be incorporated into a German shepherd diet to promote a healthy musculoskeletal system.
Restricted Dog Breeds List
It’s important to know whether landlords are likely to consider your four-legged family member to be a restricted breed during your apartment search. Keep in mind, even dogs that are mixed with a restricted breed can be banned.
Breed restrictions can vary from one place to another. However, these breeds are the most common on restricted breeds lists:
- Pit bulls
- German Shepherds
- Great Danes
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What Places Typically Have Dog Breed R Estrictions
Notlong ago, I was making plans for a short trip and Allie needed a place to stay.Because Allie is so lovable , a friend offered todoggy-sit.
Fortunately,I was aware of breed restrictions and told her to double check that herapartment manager didnt have a restriction against German Shepherd.
Sureenough, after checking her lease, my friend discovered that German Shepherdsare a restricted breed at her complex.
Whilebreed restrictions at apartments are common, thats not the only place you mayencounter breed restrictions. Check out this list for other places where yourGerman Shepherd may not be allowed.
- Condos
- Great Danes
- Wolf Hybrids
Its also important to note that your homeowners insurance may have dog breed restrictions with a similar list of aggressive breeds. This means your insurance premium may increase if you own a dog on this list. Or the company may not cover any damage caused by an aggressive dog, period.
Why Is My German Shepherd Getting Aggressive
If it becomes overly possessive German Shepherds are extremely overly protective when it comes to their family and owners. Thats why a GSD becomes aggressive, starts barking and charging at the person. This is a common behavior problem of a GSD as it is a loyal dog and cannot see its family in danger.
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Avoid Reinforcing Bad Behavior
The most important thing to remember is that your dog is smart, and they are learning from you. So, if you do not want them to bark or growl in a certain situation, then avoid reinforcing the behavior by giving them attention when they start barking or growling. Of course, this may take some time for you to learn something new because you may be used to giving your dog lots of attention when they bark or growl. So, you must also learn how to ignore this behavior when it occurs.
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Can You Shave A German Shepherd
The German Shepherd dogs undercoat is an excellent insulator, and youll probably feel it keeps them warm during the colder months. But the fur layers keep them cool in the summer and insulate them from the hot air.
It is, therefore, a bad practice to shave a German Shepherd in a double layer.
If you have one of these puppies or plan to adopt one, it makes sense that you want to do everything possible or in your power to keep his coat healthy and shiny. Proper nutrition and grooming habits are great ways to make sure your dog is happy and looks good!
What Is The Rarest Color Of German Shepherds
A panda German Shepherd is one of the rarest variations of the breed and may cost up to five times as much as traditional black and tan GSD variations.
On other dogs, the panda pattern is more commonly accepted and is also referred to as piebald.;
This variety features a 30 to 40 percent white coat coverage with black patterns over a GSDs average tan and black coat.
In addition, panda German Shepherds are relatively shorter than other varieties. They also only come in short to medium thick coats.
Panda German Shepherds are the result of piebald coloring occurring in a single bloodline and a spontaneous mutation, which are unrelated to GSDs.
This is why most established kennel clubs do not acknowledge them as purebred.
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The Solution To German Shepherd Aggression
German Shepherds are the best dogs in terms of their loyalty and lovetowards their owners. Their heroic nature and an intelligent brain is a greatcombination that is hardly found in any other dog breeds in the world.
But their aggressiveness can be a pain for owners.
Lets get down to the solutions. I think other than abandoning your dog there are 2 solutions.
Efficient Behavior Training at an Early Age
The secret of developing a good obedient German Shepherd dog is adoptingappropriate behavior training when they are still puppies.
In the puppy stage, your dog has limited capabilities and small size. Thatsthe best time to teach him the right things. Enroll yourself in a GSD trainingprogram or surround yourself with knowledgeable dog owners.
If you see aggressive nature in your GSD in later stages of your life, dont force him. Instead, use a positive reinforcement strategy to treat his condition.
Socialization at an early stage of their life
If you socialize your GSD from their early life, there is lesschance of him showing overprotection.
Try to expose him to friends, family, and people you have in your life. Yourdog will develop a sense of understanding of the world and recognize whatsthreat and what is not.