Just edited to note- I do NOT understand why any dog owner thinks it's ok for a dog to kill ANYthing- whether it is a bird, cat, rabbit.... they get the taste of blood, and think that it's ok to kill things and dogs dont know where to draw the line- period. They dont know it's ok to kill the chicken or kitty, but then not ok to kill the pony or neighbor's calf!!! And I can't tell you how many people I know or have heard of that think 'Isn't that cute- the dog just loves to 'play' with the horses (or goats, or....)". This is the first stage of 'stalking' and going after other animals and should NEVER be allowed.
I disagree whole heartedly with this statement. There are dog breeds specifically bred to kill predators while being extremely gentle with children and humans. I have one - a Maremma. The breed is designed to protect families and livestock and to KILL wolves and other predators. My Maremma patrols our property, checks our livestock, and is so gentle with the other dogs, cats and my daughter. (Please note, I would NEVER let my child be around ANY dog unsupervised, she is only outside when she's with me.) We had a downer cow this spring and that dog, just a pup at the time, would spend much of the day lying beside the cow, protecting it. Her "killer" instinct isn't to kill easy prey like a downed cow - she easily could have if she had been so inclined - it's to kill predators.
I plan to get a second Maremma when one of our other dogs passes from old age, so that the two Maremmas can take down coyotes together - Anna won't go after them alone, right now she just defends the property with her presence.
We also have cocker spaniels, two of whom in their younger years killed a chicken or two if one got out of the coop and flapped excitedly. I don't blame them for that - it's a dog's nature to become excited about easy prey. These same two dogs are INCREDIBLE with children. Kids can literally do anything to them and they'll just lie there and take it. The highlight of those dogs' lives is when my daughter and I go outside to play and they get their daily hug and kiss from her. They have never so much as lifted a lip to a human, despite unpleasant experiences like having porcupine quills pulled out without sedative, home haircuts, daily injections and pills for illness ... they're just GOOD DOGS.
When I was a kid, we had a hoity-toity pedigreed yorkshire terrier who loved to hunt rabbits when we were out at my grandpa's farm. She was never so happy as when she brought home her kill to show us. We also had a terri-poo who was a better mouser than most cats. Those two dogs were doing the jobs they were originally bred to do - take out vermin. My brother and I spent a good portion of our lives around these "killer" dogs, doing all the things that kids do with animals, and neither one of us ever got even a nip.
Many breeds are bred to "stalk" other animals - border collies, australian shepherds, heelers, etc ... I use my Aussie's "stalking" skills to easily move cattle and horses. Two of my cocker spaniels are also de facto cattle dogs when I need them to be. My Aussie LOVES to "stalk" the cats. He LIVES for the times they'll play along and "run away" from him. What does he do when he catches them? Nothing. It's no fun when they stop running and he loses interest. Those cats sleep with the dogs, rub all over them, and on cold days, those d@mn cats sleep ON the dogs. The Aussie is 14 years old and has never harmed a cat.
My aunt rescued an abused greyhound who, before she was rescued, would take down deer when she got hungry because her previous owners didn't feed her. My aunt has two kids and that dog is as gentle as can be with them. She's an absolute treasure of a dog, and I don't like greyhounds as a rule.
So, the point and moral of the stories is this: dogs can be BOTH. They can fulfill their natural "killer" instincts AND be trustworthy family dogs. You CANNOT make blanket statements like "I do NOT understand why any dog owner thinks it's ok for a dog to kill ANYthing- whether it is a bird, cat, rabbit.... they get the taste of blood, and think that it's ok to kill things and dogs dont know where to draw the line- period." That's just plain ignorant when there are millions and millions of families who will tell you otherwise.
Problems arise between people and dogs when people forget what dogs are FOR. Most of them weren't originally bred to be house pets. Chihuahuas are meant to be rat killers in Mexico. Jack Russel Terriers were created to dig out badgers and other rodents. Cocker spaniels are hunting dogs, so are labrador and golden retreivers. It's going to take a LOT longer to breed those "killer" instincts out of those breeds because people spent hundreds of years breeding those instincts INTO the breeds in the first place. Dogs NEED to have jobs, or else have daily play that replicates their jobs.
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