Dangerous Dogs

Let me know about the dogs!

I'm going there in June!

Are there no dogs there? - lead me to it!!!

You could always go and live in Reykjavík Mishap.

Yes, agree with you there Mishap. Dogs should be restricted to certain areas and/or times on beaches, and remain on a lead when there are children around, same as in a park. My dog is not allowed to approach strangers, and I appreciate them not descending on my dog.

As someone said, you either love 'em or hate 'em! Clearly the gene that makes people love dogs passed me by!

Dogs on beaches is my pet hate, especially if there are children around. I once watched a dog piss up an unsuspecting woman's back as she sat innocently reading her book on the beach!

And the serious difficulty for the likes of me is that dog lovers do not understand how we feel and let their animals make a nuisance of themselves to us. That is not really very fair I think.

Bit like PE teachers who fail to understand that some people simply cannot do these things!

Mishap It's a doddle to scoop up poo, if you have a properly fed dog. It's not messy - not like the contents of my grandchildren's nappies that occasionally plaster their backs. I accept you won't see it like that. Dogs have enriched my life, so the minor tasks associated with being a responsible owner are no trouble to me

Mishap poo bags to you!

Poo bags - I have no words to describe how I feel when I see people scooping up their dogs' poop! I am gobsmacked as to why anyone would choose to keep a creature for which this is necessary. Yuk and double yuk!!

Doing all these things for our children is a totally different kettle of fish - they are the same species and our future.

You'll never make Mishap understand.

When they got rid of the predators at Yellowstone [ie the wolves] the flora and fauna eventually suffered and they have been reintroduced. Therefore big cats provide a role in the grand scheme of things [if we don't continue to upset the balance].

I quite agree with you about our inconsistent attitudes to animals Mishap I find it very strange as well

Can't agree about dogs though, most of them are far more civilised than many of the people I know

Mishap we do all those cleaning up tasks for our children, and cleaning/grooming/training dogs is so much easier. I hoover up dog hair, use poo bags, use preventative treatments to avoid fleas and worms, and my dog and I rub along together in happy companionship.

Compared with the messy, miserable husband I endured for longer than I wanted to, life with a happy, friendly dog who causes no-one any bother, is just lovely.

But why would you want to do all the grooming, picking up crap and training when you could just have a clean peaceful life surrounded by civilized human beings?

The description of mealtimes chez whenim leaves me speechless!!

Let's hope no-one gives me a puppy for Easter!!!

Our relationship with animals is so ambiguous. On the one hand we hold our hands up in horror at the idea of eating horse; then happily slaughter the little lambs that are at this very moment skipping about outside our window. We idolise dogs and kill foxes. We spend millions on preserving big cats so that they can kill and eat other species - why are we not saving those other species? It's all very confused.

Mishap - don't agree with you, at least none of the dogs I've had suffered from fleas, worms, fighting, irritating neighbours, 'crashing about' or menstruating on the carpet! Regular grooming, picking up faeces and general training in 'good manners' is obviously what every dog owner should practice. Some don't, a lot do.

Can't ague with the fart factor though

Whippets don't do any of the above [well, not many of them].

Ahh...mishap if you haven't been slobbered by a loving basset hound, you're missing somehing special! It's a daily occurence chez moi - I keep a pack of baby wipes handy, and I notice my visitors checking where they are on arrival. My drooling dog saves her slobber for when she sees us eating, then she'll have a quick shake and I have to be deft at removing the offending drool from where it's landed before anyone protests 'enough!' It's a dog thing - you either love 'em or you don't.

We had a friend who had a huge dog - can't remember what make - that was as big as our pond. We know that as he once leapt in it and had to be rescued - I'd have left him there!

The slobber came in thick wodges and was grey - he used to shake his head and spray it everywhere. And as for his huge evil farts, they would creep about her house like nerve gas! And his excretory offerings would have done credit to an elephant.

Why keep this ghastly thing in your house I ask myself? - answer comes there none.

Dogs smell, shed their coat everywhere, fart, growl, bark, scratch the furniture, irritate the neighbours, get fleas, crash about the place, fight with other dogs, jump up and cover you in mud, shake water off their coats all over you, menstruate on the carpet, cover your garden in worm-laden poo (risking the health of children), foul parks and beaches, lick their genitals, sniff poo in the street then lick your face.......I could go on! Why oh why!?

Yes, the dog slobber is another problem, if people are not cat people when they visit me I will put the cat out, if they don't mind the cat wandering over them then I let it be. Its a good thing cats don't slobber!

my BF has two lovely Black Labs. One now gone to live with her son because it if effectively his. They are lovely dogs, very friendly.

It is quite beyond my comnprehension why someone would want to keep an animal that roams about the garden growling at the fence and is generally a darned nuisence to all and sundry. What is this about?

How many times have I visited people and they have said about their dog "Oh he's just being friendly" as I emerge covered in dog slobber, clothes damaged etc. - yuk!!

I have no idea why people keep these horrible creatures.

I may be wrong but I think people on benefits can get free treatment for their pets at PDSA/RSPCA [?] places [I'm thinking back to the Rolf Harris series]. anno; can't think of any cases where a labrador has hurt anyone. Golden cocker spaniels were very nasty at one time due to inbreeding to get the colour [doesn't apply now as far as I know].

My wonderful neighbour has four black labs in her smallish terraced house. She has bred from a couple of them in the past. They are the quietest dogs ever and the friendliest. One is from her first litter but has gone blind and she took him back from her ex husband. She is out with them at 7am every day and again late afternoon, getting a lot of exercise.

Orca, I could not agree more, but how do they afford these big cuddly animals? I dog is for life, and needs to be cared for, of course animals give comfort, and I am sure they know when they are much loved, but they still need care and if we truly care for them, then they too need warmth and food, which must be difficult to provide if one is living on the bread-line. Again, I say, I do not begrudge anyone an animal, I am just concerned for their welfare if someone has to beg for money to live on.

My next -door-neighbours have two Dobermann, a Norfolk Terrier and a Miniture Schnauzter (think that how its spelt). The two Dobermann spend their time outside - especially if we are in the garden - snapping, snarling and growling through the fence. They are never taken out for a walk, the garden smells of excrement which the teenage daughter cleans up every weekend. With four dogs you can imagine the smell. My son put a 6ft fence up last year and had to use their garden to work, his boots were absolutely covered in the stuff.

It is no pleasure in the summer months in my garden as these dogs bark at any movement at all. They spend a lot of time indoors but when in their garden it is a nightmare. I really do not understand why these people even want dogs. They are not poor by any means and the dogs must have cost a fortune.

Another neighbour (moved now thank goodness) used to breed pit bull type dogs. One would often gnaw through our fence and stand glaring at me through our french windows. So glad she moved. I think a licence is a brilliant idea and should be enforced for all dogs