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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-39495699
This is just awful. I can't imagine what the family must be going through.
Reported to be a one year old girl fighting for her life after being mauled in a playground. The dog it seems was a pit bull cross. It's never a spaniel or a border collie is it. Why anyone needs to own such an animal is beyond me.
I think that the UK should make a stand and neuter/muzzle any dogs with genes of fighting/baiting dogs. Staffies were bred to kill and attack bulls in a frenzied way. Most other domestic dogs were originally bred to protect livestock/the home or for hunting game under human supervision. We should just have dogs from the last two categories and permanently erase the others.
It's not like we'd be destroying those breeds as they would still be extant in the rest of the world. People who want fighting dogs could either move abroad or open a zoo and keep pitbulls etc in a secure environment.
Some are fine and really nice dogs, but most are horrible little feckers. What's worse is they sell for under £200 usually so breeders can get rid of them instantly
If you're referring to pit bulls most aren't horrible little feckers but most are owned by horrible little feckers and are raised wrongly and are then lethalQuote:
Originally Posted by Zenith
Yes exactly, should have been made clearer I meant "bred" into horrible bastards. It's the owners who should be put down, not the dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
I would propose a ban on anyone living with young children in the same house owning these fighting dogs. If such people own dogs then the dog is removed. Repeat offenders should have the young children placed in a better environment.
I would propose that all fighting dogs are muzzled when out in public.
Any person seen with an unmuzzled fighting dog will immediately have the dog removed from their care. A fine of £2000 as well as a ban from owning any dog for 5 years.
The return of the dog license for any dogs of "fighting" stock.
Maybe all this is draconian, but I'm not sure that seeing kids getting maimed and killed is a price worth paying.
Its becoming an issue because a) the dogs are extremely fashionable, and b) everyone thinks that their dog is lovely and wouldn't hurt anyone.
Im seeing more and more of these big powerful dogs off leads wandering around, and the owners shouting its ok, he's a daft friendly dog, the issue is with these dogs is that once they turn (and any dog can turn). Then the result is catastrophic.
I've got what you'd probably describe as a big powerful dog (Dogue de Bordeaux) but there is no need to put her on a lead when she is out or muzzle her.Quote:
Originally Posted by qccfc
What I see are people over reacting a bit like you just did above because they see a big dog approaching. An owner is telling you that because they can see your irrational fear of their dog
The problem lies with irresponsible dog owners and the way the dog is raised
People can be scared of a big dog, its not irrational. Dogs should be on a lead in public. You have no idea how that dog will react in any given situation. A responsible dog owner would have his dog on a lead in public.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
Irrational fear? Many fears are irrational. However your dog should be on a lead in a public place. Your dog could be lovely, but how would it react if a child smacked it or poked it on the eye?Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
If your child was to smack my dog or poke it in the eye maybe they should be on a lead or muzzled but for the record I bought a mastiff because of their passive nature and you've clearly demonstrated it is an irrational fear.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kris
The law states I can let my dog off the lead and yet you believe otherwise. That's irrational based on your own fears
I used to own a Staffie.
He was daft as a brush, soft as shit, scared of his own shadow and never showed any signs of aggression.
However I never left him alone with little kids and always put a lead on him outside because you never know what could potentially happen.
Also I might know that he's a big baby who just wants to be fussed but other people just see a mean looking dog bounding towards them.
Everyone thinks their dog is placid. The people who have dogs that are attacking and killing people do not think their dog is dangerous they think it is nice and placid. If i was in a park with my kids and a mastiff came bounding up i would be a little apprehensive, i wouldnt know how it would react to my behavior and neither would you. With it being off the lead you are not in control of that dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
The law states you must be in control of your dog. However some people believe they are in control until something happens that proves they were not.
That's the best way to be with them though, that seems perfectly sensible.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Lecter
I got bitten on the arse by a German Shepherd once, he apologised later, and even introduced me to his dog.
That's awful for the family and the poor child - the suffering that she must be going through too. I remember being a child in the park and would be petrified if I saw a dog of any size zooming towards me. The trouble is from a dogs perspective if they hear a child screaming shouting and running around, they will get very excited from this and many dogs would want to chase and think it's a game. If that dog was on the lead - it would have been prevented - simple. I'm a dog owner and I'm a big believer that all dogs should be kept on the lead in public places (apart from areas where it is obvious that there is noone else there/or the owner has done the best they can do to avoid other people - for example an empty beach or empty field - but that is as long as the dog is under control and will come to demand even if they see someone else enter the field. My dog gets scared very easily of other dogs and it really annoys me when other owners just let there dog wonder around and come up to my dog - it's like go away! I don't want your dog sniffing my dog etc etc. As for people that just let there dog out of the garden to roam the streets willy hilly - well that's just so irresponsible - the dog could get run over, eat poison or something they shouldn't, be stolen (there's a big rise in dog theft these days - not just for the breed but to be used as bait in big dog fighting) get into a fight and end up with big bite wounds, attack a person or child etc. Sometimes I bump into some pet walkers (which I think is a great thing don't get me wrong) but they have 3/6 dogs all at once off the lead in the park with not a lot of control over them! I don't want to sound like a moaning old grumpy git but I take measures to ensure the safety of my dog and other people around them and so should every dog owner!
It is not coincidental that these attacks become more prominent, as the temperature rises. Are these animals (the dogs, not the owners), more frustrated in the heat. ?
Quite clearly you are incapable of considering a scenario where your dog turns nasty.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
If you know someone who has a fear of balloons, do you go behind them and pop a balloon because you've interpreted their fear as irrational?
The thing is, someone could be in a park with you one day and see your mutt bounding towards their kids. That person is well within their rights to claim that you were acting irresponsibly and that your dog was out of control.
Exactly.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Lecter
[QUOTE=Kris;4731435]Exactly.[/QUOT
Biggest problem l see speaking for somebody who's been bitten on over half a dozen times lol is owners keep dogs without ever realising the importance of exercise followed by discipline to often they keep the animal locked up all day every day never allowing it to burn off all that pent up energy then they wonder why the dog is aggressive when someone enters its territory no such thing as a bad dog only irresponsible owners
And adults.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kris
Spot on Dr L. :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Lecter
:hehe: Remind me to show you my arm when I see you next! :yikes:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
They can claim what they want but they would be wrong. As long as my dog is not out of control I am legally within my rights hence why I say your idea that all dog should be on a lead and / or muzzled is irrational. Every dog does not need this clearly or the problem would be addressed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kris
For what its worth btw if I am near a children's park she does go on the lead, purely because she will want to go and see them or anybody else she meets and I'm aware that she can appear intimidating to some. On the flip side I've often had the kids all run over to say "hello" to her and pet her. No problems.
A dog however needs to run so she goes off the lead up the Wenallt, Cefn Onn,at the beach etc and like the 4 Dogues I've had before her not a moments problems because she's been well socialised and cared for
Bull mastiff I assume?Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve R
The exception to the mastiff breed which I wouldn't consider as an option.
I've got an American bulldog (not to be confused with and American pitbull) he's the most docile sod you'll ever meet, you can Chuck a toddler on his back and he won't even bat an eyelid. He's been brought up as part of the family, great with other dogs....If someone broke into my house, he would probably stroll up to the burglar and wait for a smooth, although the size of him woul be enough to scare most off. Like a previous poster said. It's how you treat them and look after them that makes the difference. Any dog, no matter what breed will attack if it's been mistreated
" Hard " dogs are for chav people with little cocks.
They are compensating for their personal inadequacies.
French Bullmastiff. Not that I spoke to him much. :angry:Quote:
Originally Posted by Rhiw-Blue
I totally agree, my dog (my daughter's, really) is always on a lead when out and he's only a Bichon Frise.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kris
But the dog I had as a kid was a border collie cross, and the local kids used to dress it up, complete with sunhat and sunglasses!!, one toddler even pulled the dog's whiskers - the dog simply walked away when 'freed' by the little terror.
As said before, 90% of a dog's temperament is due to it's upbringing.
There have been six dogs living in my house over the past forty five years, four of them I've been happy to let off the lead when I take them for walks and two I would never do that with - nothing to do with their breed, it's their temperament that makes the decision for me. My current dog is a Staffy who I inherited at the age of six and she's now almost twelve, based on what I've seen during those half a dozen years, I've no problems with taking her for a walk off her lead.
There I was thinking I was the only irresponsible owner!Quote:
Originally Posted by the other bob wilson
I used to have a German Shepard who I muzzled when out too