Dangerous Dogs

print I think if I was living rough I'd want a big furry friend for comfort, warmth and protection too.

What I can't understand is how what appear to be really poor families seem to go in for the quite large dogs. I don't begrudge them a pet, not at all, we all need something to love and care for, but why the big animals, and what about those people who sit and beg with one or two dogs curled up alongside them on a nice warm blanket. Again, they obviously need something to love, but are they able to care for them, and how do they feed them if they have to beg for a living - sorry going off on a tangent here, but I feel quite strongly about this - people living on benefit and keeping large expensive to feed animals.

Quite right Nfk and that's why we need a sensible licensing system for them too. I don't deal in negatives number you're argument doesn't hold water, might as well say no point in having road tax or car insurance as some people wouldn't pay it.

We had a Beware of the Dog sign on our gate so non doggy visitors would know there was a soppy springer on the other side who may well lick them to pieces.
Said springer was soppy only because we had a pony at the time so he got enough exercise charging around the countryside with pony. The breeder had only let us have the dog because we could give him the exercise he would need. Irresponsible breeders have a lot to answer for too.

A friend of mine's sister was walking on a beach in N.W.Wales last year with her pup when a van pulled up 5 large dogs - three of which were Rottwiellers and the other two of a similar size bounded across to her and savaged her puppy which later had to be destroyed. The owner ran and called the dogs off, ushered them into the van and left the young woman and her dying puppy on the beach. It was reported on BBC Wales and other stations but I don't know if the owner was ever caught. Just another example of irresponsible owners with too many dogs to control.

And the people who didn`t pay their dog license before still won`t pay it. I don`t think that bringing back the dog license would make a haporth of difference.

Sorry, it wasn't 'p' it was old pence!

I agree Orca. And not 7/6p either!

Bring back the dog licence. Make chipping compulsory. Anyone wanting more than one dog to be vetted.

We all know that dogs have evolved. They are still pack animals but as when says, their co-existence with humans is mutually beneficial. Genuine dog lovers are not going against nature when they either buy or rescue a dog because in the right environment, dog 'heaven' is to live and work alongside man.

Dogs who are likely to be unpredictable and vicious nearly always end up in the wrong hands so tighter controls must be put in place to protect the public from these stupid irresponsible owners.

Yes Absent I have a Newfoundland called Bear.

Mishap the owner was not a 'sick bloke' but a woman, the mother of Jade's friend.

Yes, this dog handler knows what he's talking about. Many damaged dogs can be rehabilitated, but why are irresponsible people able to damage them in the first place. People should not be allowed to breed dogs without a licence, and I would require all dogs to be sterilised routinely if they are bought as a pet. This owner appears to have acquired her dogs for breeding purposes - a way of making a few hundred pounds from sellng puppies. Senseless!

I would not leave my dog alone with my grandchildren as children could do things like poke them and he could retaliate.
That said people say Andie sounds a lot bigger than he is with his bark.
He is ok with family members but he does lick them and expects some fuss.

Frank

A good article

All dogs are just wolves in different shapes and sizes and, no matter what size they are we have to be pack leader/alpha male or female. If they no loger feel subordinate in some way there lies the potential for attack.

I'm not sure that having a dog living with us goes against nature mishap. They have co-existed with humans for their mutual benefit since time immemorial. I think the danger is in attributing human characteristics to dogs and believing them. We all joke about what our dogs do (or point blank refuse to do), but really dogs learn how to behave in a way that brings rewards for them, and in exchange they will be incredibly loyal.

I can't imagine my life without being round dogs, and feel so sad about these dogs being brought into the world to do harm. This girl must have been confident about dogs in general, for her to leave the house and return on her own with food. I'd like to know if they were chipped, regularly exercised and trained. I bet they weren't!

Herein lies the problem. Dogs do of course behave like dogs - and their actions are indeed perfectly logical from the point of view of the dog.

The problem lies in the fact that we are asking them to share the homes and lifestyles of non-dogs (i.e.humans) and to adopt our behaviour patterns. It simply cannot be done without problems arising.

I always hear the phrase "There are no bad dogs, only bad owners" - but how do you define bad? Are bad dogs those that have been less "humanized" by their training? - and what right do we have to do this to animals anyway?

Dogs are pack animals - they do not exist to feed our egos. Every time we buy a dog we are going against nature.

The sort of vicious dogs who killed this poor girl are simply being dogs - and the owners who keep those sorts of dog do so because they identify with their vicious behaviour.

The sad thing is that people don't think "dog". Dogs' actions are perfectly logical from the point of view of the dog. I remember a dog handler telling me never give a dog a squeaky toy to play with because it can easily mistake the sound of a very small child for the sound of a squeaky toy.

I also remember having a fairly brisk disagreement with a slightly squiffy man who stepped directly on top of my peacefully asleep dog lying beside my pub table. Dog promptly leapt up and snapped at the person standing on him. He insisted that my dog had bitten him and threatened to report me to the police for having a "dangerous, out-of-control dog", even offering to take down his trousers to show me his "severe injury". I pointed out that my dog had snapped irritably but had not bitten – his teeth could go straight through a beef shinbone – so I requested that he should keep his "family jewels"inside his trousers. Maximum Dog, being in large part a Doberman, sat there with an idiotic grin on his face throughout the whole encounter.

Orca Do you have a Newfoundland?

Vicious dogs are just that - vicious dogs. Vicious people are attracted to them as it fits their image of themselves.

The dangerous dogs legislation goes some way to alleviating the dangers, but people find ways around this. They are a blight on many estates. I do not know what the answer is, but never shed a tear when they are shot.

That poor girl - sacrificed for some sick bloke's ego-boosting pets. Makes me see red!

My dog goes to a doggie daycare/training place twice a week, for a full day (she's there today). She has been going for nearly 3 years, since being 5 months old. She plays with rottweilers, german shepherds, staffies, mastiff, ridgebacks, bull dogs, spaniels....you name it, mongrels, too. They assess the dogs (and owners) first and will not allow any aggression. Puppies are kept separate at first and socialised with well-mannered dogs. The staff are qualified dog behaviourists (or studying for the qualification) and they receive ongoing training. You wouldn't know there were 30 or 40 dogs there most of the time, as the dogs learn the 'no barking' rule. All you hear is the voices of the staff giving instructions and praise.

There are usually at least 4 staff on duty and they structure the day with training/obedience, agility, games, rest, learning the odd trick, manners with food (honestly!) and playing with all the equipment and toys. There's never been an incident of aggression, and the dogs behave like one large happy family. They have birthday parties when it's a dog's birthday - for a reason - to train the dogs to wait for food in the presence of other dogs, and not to react if it is removed when they're eating.

For all their expertise and control over dog behaviour, they would never leave one or more dogs unsupervised with a child of any age, especially if the child had food. My dog has really benefited from going there and is wonderful with children, but I wouldn't leave her unsupervised with my grandchildren, especially when they are eating.

Good point * Flickety*. What a terrible story of a dog being so badly treated it had to be put down.

Keeping overlarge dogs in small houses is a recipe for disaster. 30 years ago a close friend bought an old English sheepdog. Mainly because she and her husband were enthusiastic walkers and thought nothing at weekends of driving an hour or more to have a good 10 mile or more walk.

The trouble is they lived in a small house with a reasonable garden but my friend didn't really like the dog and kept it in the utility room most of the time. Her DH worked long hours so didn't have time to exercise it mid-week. So the dog got snappy and nippy and barked non-stop so that the neighbours complained so, before it was two years old, it was put down because it was becoming dangerous with the children.

Some schools broke up for Easter last Friday, so this poor lass was probably on holiday, not skipping school.
I think Tegan is correct. I have a huge dog, but he's of a breed that was bred to rescue. The chances of him ever going into attack mode is extremely remote. But no dog is 100% safe, but certain breeds can 'turn' more easily than others. Also certain breeds are bred to 'lock on' such as Staffordshire Bull Terriers, which I believe two of the dogs were. Add to that irresponsible owners and you have a recipe for disaster.

A friend of mine has always owned Akitas; she lives alone and feels safer owning one, but she knows the breed inside out and understands how to control them. They were quite fashionable a few years ago; think they're even more dangerous in pairs. Of course, they were bred a fighting dogs, I believe.