If they want to make rules like that, they should include all breeds of dog from Chihuahuas to Newfoundlands-and maybe cats, as well-loose or poorly confined dogs are a menace. They should also consider raising the loose dog fine, like the county we live in did a few years ago-it has been very effective.
Our Husky is never, ever let out of the house without someone out there with her because there is the slim possibility that she could find a way out-they are good escape artists-and there are wild animals out here that love to kill and eat domestic dogs and cats (like coyotes and cougars). We are about to electrify our fences to make our property less attractive to them just to be on the safe side-cougars can ambush humans, too. I've owned two of the dogs on the Hound of the Baskervilles list-two German Shepherds and a Chow. No, you didn't want to come into the yard or house unescorted, and yes, they lived in the house and were used to people. Never had a problem with any of them, even when our kids were young.
Why anyone would get a pet and just toss it out into a yard, kennel, or on a chain is beyond me-all that does is make them hostile and aggressive, whatever the breed-it is totally irresponsible, not to mention that purebred dogs are expensive. If the animal is unsocialized, it thinks everyone is a dangerous enemy. I have a neighbor who has a very social Pit Bull, and another with two pussycat Rotties-these dogs are treated as part of their family, though. I also have a neighbor with a wretchedly nasty Lab who is out in a kennel all the time, and the few times he has escaped he was snarling at and chasing kids on bicycles and people walking down the road.
My huskies have the sweetest personalities in any dog I have ever known. The puppy is still working on it, but Princess only goes after bugs so far as I know.
My parents Newfie is also like that. He's 180 lbs and an inside dog to boot :)
I have never heard the cry come up for an all-out ban on toy breeds and mini terriers. Wait, they're the cute harmless little itty bitty dogs... everyone knows they're never dangerous and/or aggressive. I guess when they do it, it's the particular dog and not the entire breed. Funny how that doesn't apply to rotts, pitts, etc.
My daughter is now two, and her best friend, our 80 lb rottie, has never shown any aggression towards her. But Ursa sure has shown aggression towards the mini-schnauzer (who runs around the neighbor hood off-leash and menaces dogs and neighbors alike). Oh, and the black bear that came onto our porch one night. Apparently, my rott doesn't like black bears either.
A couple we are friends with has a Newfie who is a house dog-every time you go into their house and sit on the sofa, he jumps up and sits on you-it is a riot.
Our Husky gets a real kick out of squashing bugs, too-that is if she can get to them before the cat does-he swats moths right out of the air. The black vultures sometimes use our balcony as a lookout platform to swoop down and catch lizards and snakes on the cliff below-the dog loves to chase them until they fly away.