I find it difficult to predict what apparently rational people will do under any given circumstance.

To suggest that you 'know' how a dog will behave is akin to 'knowing' that God exists – it's probably comforting for you but non-believers tend to be a bit more sceptical.

don simon – Member
Let your kids come near the nice doggy woggy, or even letting your kids run unsupervised in a restaurant or shop will earn them a slap from me, an unprovoked attack from you on my dog will earn you a visit to hospital, big man.

So you publically admit to thinking it justifiable to assault a small defenceless child for no reason but think it un just for a Father to protect his children from an uncontrolled dog. (Yes, an unleashed dog who appoaches small children or any person is not under control)
I think your mixing up who the "Big Man" is, although my assumption about who a complete cock is is probably correct

To suggest that you 'know' how a dog will behave is akin to 'knowing' that God exists

What complete rubbish. I have lived mith my dog for 6 years, we have shared our lives together and you are trying to tell me that any prediction of his behaviour is akin to an act of faith? Have you ever had a dog?

I have never met a dog I didn't like, owners on the otherhand are a problem.

Besides, why should all dogs be targetted because of a few morons with dangerous dogs? It is a sad state to be in when a few law breakers lead to restrictive laws being put in place for the law abiding majority and peaceful dogs are made to suffer.

Amen to that.

dogs are dangerous, they do attack people, all i'm suggesting is a muzzle.

People also attack people. Perhaps the police should hand out muzzles to chavs in town centres on Friday and Saturday nights by your reasoning?

muzzles are fair, cheap and easy to police.

No, my point is muzzles aren't fair and can inflict a certain amount of suffering on well behaved dogs which would lead to behaviour problems. It also wouldn't be easy to police as there are millions of dog owners in this country and the cost of policing such a policy effectively would run into millions. Besides, any council worked in a cheap uniform trying to force me to put a muzzle on my dog will end up with it shoved somewhere it wasn't intended to go.

i was 6, it was a very big dog, these are very deep scars.

Perhaps you should man up. You aren't six anymore. Unless you are some sort of dwarf I suspect you'll be bigger than any 'big' dogs you are likely to come across.

Yes, an unleashed dog who appoaches small children or any person is not under control

Again, sounds like it is coming from people who do not know dogs. There are some dogs that fall into this category, but it is not a rule by any stretch of the imagination. Dogs and kids have cohabited for generations and generations.

Any doubters are invited to come for a walk with me and my dog, he would be controlled, friendly, assertive if neccesary but not vicious and always looking to me for approval in whatever he did. Saying dogs are all unpredictable is tantamount to racism.

…and what's going to be done about the huge piles of dog shite everywhere. It's **** sickening!

Perhaps you should man up

almost certainly – but i've never bitten a dog.

but i've never bitten a dog

You probably shouldn't. The forum would be full of dog owners calling for you to be muzzled…

Do people on here never sleep?

http://news.stv.tv/uk/118368-farmers-issue-warning-after-fatal-cow-attacks/

18 cow deaths in the last 8 years

Interesting link – so 18 people have been killed by by cows in 8 years, and the main cause according to the article is provocation by dogs. In this particular case I'd say the problems are firstly the owners, then the dogs, and only finally the cows which are protecting their offspring.

c.f. 5 children killed in the last 5 years by dogs according to a pro-dog web site that seems to have some very sensible views on dog control.

I have lived mith my dog for 6 years, we have shared our lives together and you are trying to tell me that any prediction of his behaviour is akin to an act of faith? Have you ever had a dog?

Had several dogs in the family when I was a kid. The nicest one got it's leg trapped in a chain link fence when we were kids and then bit my Mum when she tried to get it out. It was never aggresive before that or after but at that moment it behaved like an animal in pain and lashed out at what it perceived as a threat.

None of us know how we or our pets will act in extremis to suggest you do is deluded.

My boy is petrified of dogs because of the number of time that we have encountered out of control "pets" while out and about.

Not surprised as it it seems his dad is too. Without wishing to get in a slanging match and I agree dogs shouldnt run up to kids but its kind of a fact of life in most parks and the vast majority of dogs will be perfectly fine when they run up to you or your kid. I think spending sometime with some well behaved dogs would do your kid the world of good and yourself and may give you the ability to read dogs.

As for banned breeds the pit bull is a fine example of how it hasnt worked, where I live their are loads of pitbull x staffies. Once the breed was banned the breeders went underground. A pit bull is a fighting breed any dog showing signs of aggression towards people got a swift lead injection to the head, same with staffies which were fighting bred just longer ago. Staffies are very good with kids and people but can be a nightmare with other dogs. Once pit bulls were banned a lot of poor dogs were bred by people not knowing what they were doing so dogs that were fear aggressive to people were bred and in the UK they are common and are now status dogs for idiots. I was watching some shit dog police stop type programme and the police went into a house tooled up to grab a pitbull, once the dog got over its fear of the door being knocked down by armed police all they had to do was pick up its lead and it toddled off with them fine. A working bred guarding breed wouldn't.

roach, it is sickening to responsible dog owners too!

Torminalis – Member

Yes, an unleashed dog who appoaches small children or any person is not under control

Again, sounds like it is coming from people who do not know dogs. There are some dogs that fall into this category, but it is not a rule by any stretch of the imagination. Dogs and kids have cohabited for generations and generations.

Actually I have been a dog owner for many years but I'm also Father of two small children so can see it from both sides. Children can be easily scared by a big bounding dog. If a dog comes up and gets close enough to sniff a face of a child its too close. You may think your in control but if its already in my childs personal space and scaring them I don't care if you think your in control or not. A controlled dog should not approach people, a dog running up to people and then being called back is not contolled. Unless you the owner think that you should control every situaion and decide when my child has had enough of being scared / terrorised.
I'm not saying that all dogs are bad, far from it; And yes it mostly the owners to blame. But in that split second when an unknown dog approaches my child I am not going to gamble on the safety of my family on the basis that you and he MAY be friendly.

Not surprised as it it seems his dad is too. Without wishing to get in a slanging match and I agree dogs shouldnt run up to kids but its kind of a fact of life in most parks and the vast majority of dogs will be perfectly fine when they run up to you or your kid. I think spending sometime with some well behaved dogs would do your kid the world of good and yourself and may give you the ability to read dogs.

Certainly not petrified of dogs myself, but I do find them and their mess a great nuisance while out and about cycling and running.

anagallis_arvensis – Member

My boy is petrified of dogs because of the number of time that we have encountered out of control "pets" while out and about.

Not surprised as it it seems his dad is too. Without wishing to get in a slanging match and I agree dogs shouldnt run up to kids but its kind of a fact of life in most parks and the vast majority of dogs will be perfectly fine when they run up to you or your kid.

Again, would you like me to gamble on whether the dog jumping up at my child is in the majority or not?

By the way. I am a dog lover and extremly comfortable with them, but i also respect what they can do

Saying dogs are all unpredictable is tantamount to racism

Genius.

Dogs are animals [u]not[/u][/b] little people. When pushed they will not show restraint but will act on instinct.

Dogs under proper control I have not got a problem with. I like dogs. However some don't and have a right not to be slobbered all over by a dog that the owner clearly has not got under control and excuses every action with the phrase "Oh, don't mind him, he's only playing."

None of us know how we or our pets will act in extremis to suggest you do is deluded.

I doubt most of the folk on here (myself included) know how they would behave in extreme circumstances but that is no reason to muzzle or ban them. My dog bit me once, when I was trying to towel dry him against his will as a puppy. He wasn't trying to hurt me, he was just confused and trying to make a point. I got a little nip, he was in the serious dog house for a few days and we have never had a repeat incident.

I may be stupid for trusting my dog, but if I didn't, the quality of life that we would both have would suffer greatly and he would not be the great companion that he is today. If man can't build trusting relationships with his 'best friend' then we have reached the end of an era of co-evolution and dependency which I think will be a loss to man on the whole.

I tend to try and take my daughters viewpoint;

If a dog ran up to me and its head, when standing on all four legs, was level with or above mine would I feel nervous?

It was never aggresive before that or after but at that moment it behaved like an animal in pain and lashed out at what it perceived as a threat.

None of us know how we or our pets will act in extremis to suggest you do is deluded

Our Bingo was a changed dog from the day after his run in with a Staff. He became unpredictable. A different dog.

Luckily for the Staff and its owner I've never seen them in that park since otherwise the owner would be grieving the thing (I'd have let it swim in the canal 1/2mile away).

Again, would you like me to gamble on whether the dog jumping up at my child is in the majority or not?

no not at all, just have a reasonable ability to assess the situation and take firm control at the right times and do the right thing. Running in kicking dogs seems like a good way of causing someone to get bitten. Giving your child the tools to deal with dogs will be a benefit throughout its life. I know of a very small kid who can deal with the vast majority of stupid family pets very well by a simple command and hand out. Not all kids will be like her but a few simple things can make a difference. It also gives you the ability to take the matter up with the owner who is at fault. Having witnessed adults run in terror from my dog when she was 14 weeks old I think its very sad how little knowledge some people have and thing they would lead much less worried lives if they did a few simple things.

Dogs are animals not little people. When pushed they will not show restraint but will act on instinct.

Agreed, and the instinct of a dog is usually to protect people, not to hurt them. I think that the vast majority of dogs would only actively attack a person if they felt they were in serious danger (and believe me, they will spot the dagner, correctly, long before most people). A lot of others can appear aggresive to people who do not understand dogs. I often have to calm my missus down when the dog is playing with other dogs because to some it might look like he is being aggresive. It is all just a question of knowing dogs and your dog in particular.

Dogs under proper control I have not got a problem with. I like dogs. However some don't and have a right not to be slobbered all over by a dog that the owner clearly has not got under control and excuses every action with the phrase "Oh, don't mind him, he's only playing."

I tell off more dogs and owners than most, so I completely agree.

You aren't six anymore. Unless you are some sort of dwarf I suspect you'll be bigger than any 'big' dogs you are likely to come across.

I weigh about 70kgs and stand about 6' tall that makes me significantly bigger than a 40kg male guarding breed.
However im not dumb enough to think that it couldnt outrun, out jump and out fight me ultimately kill me.

and as for a small child…. continued ownership of these heavy killing polluting machines is just crazy. someone needs to do something.

c.f. 5 children killed in the last 5 years by dogs according to a pro-dog web site that seems to have some very sensible views on dog control.

Good article, it has convinced me even more about banning and destroying the dangerous breeds. People are never going to be responsible enough to look after them. Why does anyone need to own a rottweiler?

Good article, it has convinced me even more about banning and destroying the dangerous breeds.

you sure you read it? I think the message was that ALL breeds are dangerous.

Why does anyone need to own a rottweiler?

cos if i batter the **** thats nicking my bike, i get sent down
if i set my rotty on em, i get a fine
simple economics. so long as i have one dog/death incident during the life of the dog its a better return than house insurance.

Why does anyone need to own a rottweiler?

Probably for far better reasons than you need to own that bike / those bikes you have. Ours is a rescue – he is alive now (and trained, and loved, and adored by all the children who meet him, and praised for being well behaved) because my wife took him on. If you base everything on need, you're a liar.

Of course I don't base everything on need, but I don't have a rottweiler for the same reasons that I don't have a tiger or a lion. I don't need/want them and they are potentially dangerous to me and other people

you sure you read it? I think the message was that ALL breeds are dangerous.

Sure, did you miss the bit about where he mentioned the breeds that killed children. rottweiler /___bull

no not at all, just have a reasonable ability to assess the situation and take firm control at the right times and do the right thing.

Pretty much what I do. If a dog approaches I ensure i'm in between them and my child and if they push the matter i'll put my leg in between and push them away. I wouldn't kick a dog unless they acted aggresivly at which point I don't care what the owners think.

I know of a very small kid who can deal with the vast majority of stupid family pets very well by a simple command and hand out.

Notice you like the word majority… what happens when she meets a dog that won't take commands? Probably the same dog with a bad owner who let them run up in the 1st place.

I agree with you that some children and people could deal with dogs better when approached by a dog off the lead but should it really be their responsibility? If its your dog you conrol it, don't expect me or a 6 year old child to know how to deal with your dog.

i was charged at by a badger last night it didnt appear to know even basic commands, had little respect for my authoritah and probably carrys aids.
who is responsible for this outrage?

smash it over the head with a shovel

Sure, did you miss the bit about where he mentioned the breeds that killed children. rottweiler /___bull

and Jack Russel and the worst dog he ever met was a collie

Pretty much what I do. If a dog approaches I ensure i'm in between them and my child and if they push the matter i'll put my leg in between and push them away.

no point pushing a dog away, it'll be much more agile than you, a damn good shout of down will stop most dogs in their tracks.

Notice you like the word majority… what happens when she meets a dog that won't take commands?

you see its not about the dog being trained to lie down on command its about body language, posture, the way you act that'll make dogs think twice. I dont want to go on as I think you are right to be pissed off with these dogs owners but how many of these problems dogs in your park have done any physical harm to your daughter? Even in the shit hole where I live the dogs off the lead in our local park are all friendly enough.

My daughter got bitten by a friends dog in Spain last year, it has taken her a long time not to freak out whenever a dog came near her. I have freinds with dogs who themselves have little ones so "safe" however I would NEVER leave my young children unattended with a dog. My grandmother had a lovely retreiver, I loved her but once she bit me as I fell on her when we were playing, natural reaction on her part and it didn't stop my relationshjip with her.
http://www.k9obedience.co.uk/dogbreed/japaneseakita.html
to the idiot who say's Akita's have a decent temperamant.
Torminalis I know your dog and I would trust him with my kids. (but only if I was there)
Some dogs are bad, some owners are bad, that is life. Some dogs are good but if you fall on them or catch them by suprise they may still bite as a reaction

and Jack Russel

I've been bitten by one of them before too, unprovoked riding down a country lane, about 12. it ran out of a farm and clamped onto my foot

Destroy them all IMO

Jack Russel is the only dog thats ever bitten me, when I was about 4 two bloody horrible things lived next door, spent 95%of their lives chained up.

roach – Member

Let your kids come near the nice doggy woggy, or even letting your kids run unsupervised in a restaurant or shop will earn them a slap from me, an unprovoked attack from you on my dog will earn you a visit to hospital, big man.

****t

I've had to have a tetanus jab a few years ago for a bite when a doberman bounded out of the grounds of a building as I was riding past and bit my leg. I shudder to think what would have happened if I was riding with my 3 year old boy

My boy is petrified of dogs because of the number of time that we have encountered out of control "pets" while out and about.

****t… now that is adult, why the insult? 🙄

gravitysucks – Member

don simon – Member
Let your kids come near the nice doggy woggy, or even letting your kids run unsupervised in a restaurant or shop will earn them a slap from me, an unprovoked attack from you on my dog will earn you a visit to hospital, big man.

So you publically admit to thinking it justifiable to assault a small defenceless child for no reason but think it un just for a Father to protect his children from an uncontrolled dog. (Yes, an unleashed dog who appoaches small children or any person is not under control)
I think your mixing up who the "Big Man" is, although my assumption about who a complete cock is is probably correct

Aaw! Bless, another one who can't control the name calling, thanks for misinterpreting what I said. I think it is justifiable to control a child in place of a parent when said parent can't control their child, I was using an example and language that surrounded by zulus would understand.
Thanks for changing my words to fit your retort, unjerk your knees, learn how to think and lay off the name calling if you don't mind.

Dom Simon. As I read it you threaten to physically attack people's children if they run around in a public place yet hospitalise anyone who may attack your dog in the same situation, then get upset when people call you names?? If I have misunderstood your post please go ahead and explain as based on your initial post I tend to agree with the others!

My sister went to an animal rescue to get a new dog, and stunned us all by coming home with a rottweiller (improbably named Annabelle). To our amazement, she has turned out to be the most placid, laidback dog I've ever met. Loving, not terribly bright.

That said, she is never left alone with children. No point in being stupid. And is always on a lead outdoors.

Don't think she deserves shooting because some macho hard-nuts turn their dogs bad.

nacho – Member

Dom Simon. As I read it you threaten to physically attack people's children if they run around in a public place yet hospitalise anyone who may attack your dog in the same situation, then get upset when people call you names?? If I have misunderstood your post please go ahead and explain as based on your initial post I tend to agree with the others!

Argue against what I have said, but don't call names, it's simple. At which point did I say I would physically attack people's children, a slap is not a physical attack. I know you have laws which say teachers can not hit children, parents can not hit children and you wonder why there are social problems. 🙄

Zulu hater said that he would happily kick a dog, I said that I would happily step in and do the liberal parents' job for them. If you want to twist my words into some sort of sensationalist child murdering attack, do it, I really don't care. If you consider name calling and adult way to discuss, then your opinion ain't worth 5hit either. I have had enough of unruley children running around beer gardens, knocking over glasses and drinks, screaming in restaurants (noise pollution), droping ice cream on park benches and generally smelling and the parents not controlling them.
FYI my dog is always kept on her lead when we are in public spaces, she is considered a dangerous dog yet stupid parents allow their children to come and play with her inspite of my warnings. If my dog is under control and your out of control child pokes her in the eye and my dog bites,tough f****** 5hit!!

Argue against what I have said, but don't call names, it's simple. At which point did I say I would physically attack people's children, a slap is not a physical attack. I know you have laws which say teachers can not hit children, parents can not hit children and you wonder why there are social problems.

Zulu hater said that he would happily kick a dog, I said that I would happily step in and do the liberal parents' job for them. If you want to twist my words into some sort of sensationalist child murdering attack, do it, I really don't care. If you consider name calling and adult way to discuss, then your opinion ain't worth 5hit either. I have had enough of unruley children running around beer gardens, knocking over glasses and drinks, screaming in restaurants (noise pollution), droping ice cream on park benches and generally smelling and the parents not controlling them.
FYI my dog is always kept on her lead when we are in public spaces, she is considered a dangerous dog yet stupid parents allow their children to come and play with her inspite of my warnings. If my dog is under control and your out of control child pokes her in the eye and my dog bites,tough f****** 5hit!! How bizarre 😮