I've come to the conclusion I come a long way down the list of priorities with dog owners. Their pet is more important than other people. It's interesting how many people on this thread mention a dog possibly attacking and killing another dog as being the most worrying thing too...
With you totally @rowlandscastle444 and @McRazz re your posts on the previous page, especially your three 'statements' @McRazz .
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Yes Pansyface. But at what cost, possibly. Far too many children have been killed, mauled or badly injured in recent years, also far too many dogs badly injured through no fault of their own other than not being able to defend themselves against an attack.
Not so long ago, I was walking my dog on a woodland path around the perimetre of the Village Green when I felt as if I was being watched. I looked behind me and the 3 roaming lurchers were standing in a line, looking at me. I turned and faced them, didn't speak or move, just watched, non confrontationally I hoped. Eventually they turned and walked away. My dog had totally ignored them. I found it really un nerving as if they had decided to go for me or my dog there was nothing I could have done against 3 of them. Really scary.
I'd prefer all dogs in all public places to be on leads
So would I. I have had a fear of dogs my entire life (not a phobia though).Even though we had a dog when I was young I was never comfortable with it. I don't hate dogs and like to see well behaved ones as long as I am not expected to touch them! Often see dogs running free in the park but am very conscious that their owners are quite often on their mobile and I often have to take a quite long detour to avoid them. Many people seem to think that everyone likes dogs,we don't!
“Every day is ordinary, until it isn't.” - Bernard Cornwell-Death of Kings
@McRazz That is because there are so many people who are alone in their lives and the dog they own gives them a reason to carry on living, the dog gives them a purpose in life without asking for anything in return, other than food and love. Unlike humans, many of whom show care or interest conditionally, on what they can get out of the person and are judgemental. I suppose a lot of the problem would be dealt with if lonely people or potential dog owners were put down, less dogs needed for companionship.
I don't dispute that @Joyce Goldenlily, but - they should understand the impact on other people around them. Having an animal of any kind comes with a responsibility. No one's suggesting anything so ridiculous as putting people down.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
@McRazz That is because there are so many people who are alone in their lives and the dog they own gives them a reason to carry on living, the dog gives them a purpose in life without asking for anything in return, other than food and love. Unlike humans, many of whom show care or interest conditionally, on what they can get out of the person and are judgemental. I suppose a lot of the problem would be dealt with if lonely people or potential dog owners were put down, less dogs needed for companionship.
Even more reason to take more responsibility for your companion. Believe me, along with the OH my dog is my best friend by a long shot but i do well for him by ensuring he's well trained, controlled and kept out of danger...including the 0.01% chance he may cause danger to others.
Not a good idea to have an extending lead on a greyhound. By the time they reach the end of it they can be at nearly 40mph and if you even manage to keep a grip, a 30Kg dog at that speed exceeds the breaking strain of the doobrey. So either they run off with the handle bouncing behind them or they run off leaving you with the handle.
I understand why people think a dog that attacks other dogs might attack a child, but in reality there's not much connection. Very often, the attacks on children happen when children are left alone with the dog. Often it's indoors or in an enclosed space. A dog randomly running up to and attacking a child in a park or on a beach could happen, but is a lot less likely than dogs attacking other dogs in that situation. If you have dogs, you know that dog to dog aggression is much more of a day to day problem than dog to human aggression. Jumping up is a problem (especially with joggers who try to run close by the dog) but it's not usually aggression. It can escalate though and I quite understand why it would worry people. With ours being on a lead all the time, we don't usually have the issue unless someone actually stops to talk to the dog (especially without asking first so we're not braced).
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I don't think it's been mentioned yet but alot of these "attacks" as I read them are just dog social interactions. They are pack animals and can often have a snap at each other but I only really count attacks as when it gets more than a nip. The odd nip is instantly forgotten normally. I've had dogs all my life and met probably thousands in that time when out and about with mine and it's only a handful of times when there has been a problem and it's usually been the same dogs. We have had the odd nip when playing gets a bit rough (but generally dogs know how to play because they want it to continue, that's why adults temper their play with puppies) but only been savaged a few times. The vast majority of dogs are very well tempered and it's just a few that let down the family. The ones most annoyed by this are proper dog owners, the same ones who would love the idiots that hang poo bags in trees, or let their dogs foul everywhere be punished. I'm most annoyed that everywhere there is sheep, and horrible imagery of what dogs can do to them on fences, people still seem to let their dogs off. Ours has never shown any aggression to any animal at all and we've trained her to heel when needed but I still wouldn't trust her training to overrun her natural instinct if something ran off.
Our vet says that she has been bit mostly by labradors simply because you think they are nice and reliable.
I don't know if it's because dogs are seen as more of a threat but no one seems to mention cat attacks. I've been swiped by more cats than anything and they are constantly attacking one another in our local neighbourhood, yet everyone seems to except it. Our neighbours are constantly up the vets because of cat fights.
The lack of responsibility taken by anyone to record and investigate these dog attacks is very worrying. So if anyone finds an authority that will listen please name them because it is a real problem and seemingly everyone is on their own at the moment.
My neighbour has a pit bull, and always used to jump up and hit our fence, every time I went in the garden. The fence was only 4ft high, and I was convinced he might come over some day. My neighbour told me he was only being friendly (standard phrase), and that if I put my hand over, all he'd do is lick it!! A male pit bull? I had no intention of testing it out. He looked and sounded fierce. Then one day when I was painting the fence, the dog was suddenly there. HE LICKED MY HAND!! Almost broke the fence though.
I count as an attack when a dog is pinned down. blood has been drawn or the aggressive dog is snarling. There is a clear difference between "play bowing" and chasing with no threatening behaviour and snarling and grabbing a mouthful.
Posts
It's interesting how many people on this thread mention a dog possibly attacking and killing another dog as being the most worrying thing too...
With you totally @rowlandscastle444 and @McRazz re your posts on the previous page, especially your three 'statements' @McRazz .
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
But at what cost, possibly.
Far too many children have been killed, mauled or badly injured in recent years, also far too many dogs badly injured through no fault of their own other than not being able to defend themselves against an attack.
Not so long ago, I was walking my dog on a woodland path around the perimetre of the Village Green when I felt as if I was being watched. I looked behind me and the 3 roaming lurchers were standing in a line, looking at me. I turned and faced them, didn't speak or move, just watched, non confrontationally I hoped. Eventually they turned and walked away. My dog had totally ignored them. I found it really un nerving as if they had decided to go for me or my dog there was nothing I could have done against 3 of them.
Really scary.
I have had a fear of dogs my entire life (not a phobia though).Even though we had a dog when I was young I was never comfortable with it. I don't hate dogs and like to see well behaved ones as long as I am not expected to touch them!
Often see dogs running free in the park but am very conscious that their owners are quite often on their mobile and I often have to take a quite long detour to avoid them.
Many people seem to think that everyone likes dogs,we don't!
No one's suggesting anything so ridiculous as putting people down.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I understand why people think a dog that attacks other dogs might attack a child, but in reality there's not much connection. Very often, the attacks on children happen when children are left alone with the dog. Often it's indoors or in an enclosed space. A dog randomly running up to and attacking a child in a park or on a beach could happen, but is a lot less likely than dogs attacking other dogs in that situation. If you have dogs, you know that dog to dog aggression is much more of a day to day problem than dog to human aggression. Jumping up is a problem (especially with joggers who try to run close by the dog) but it's not usually aggression. It can escalate though and I quite understand why it would worry people. With ours being on a lead all the time, we don't usually have the issue unless someone actually stops to talk to the dog (especially without asking first so we're not braced).
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I've had dogs all my life and met probably thousands in that time when out and about with mine and it's only a handful of times when there has been a problem and it's usually been the same dogs. We have had the odd nip when playing gets a bit rough (but generally dogs know how to play because they want it to continue, that's why adults temper their play with puppies) but only been savaged a few times. The vast majority of dogs are very well tempered and it's just a few that let down the family. The ones most annoyed by this are proper dog owners, the same ones who would love the idiots that hang poo bags in trees, or let their dogs foul everywhere be punished. I'm most annoyed that everywhere there is sheep, and horrible imagery of what dogs can do to them on fences, people still seem to let their dogs off. Ours has never shown any aggression to any animal at all and we've trained her to heel when needed but I still wouldn't trust her training to overrun her natural instinct if something ran off.
Our vet says that she has been bit mostly by labradors simply because you think they are nice and reliable.
I don't know if it's because dogs are seen as more of a threat but no one seems to mention cat attacks. I've been swiped by more cats than anything and they are constantly attacking one another in our local neighbourhood, yet everyone seems to except it. Our neighbours are constantly up the vets because of cat fights.
The lack of responsibility taken by anyone to record and investigate these dog attacks is very worrying. So if anyone finds an authority that will listen please name them because it is a real problem and seemingly everyone is on their own at the moment.
My neighbour told me he was only being friendly (standard phrase), and that if I put my hand over, all he'd do is lick it!!
A male pit bull? I had no intention of testing it out. He looked and sounded fierce.
Then one day when I was painting the fence, the dog was suddenly there.
HE LICKED MY HAND!! Almost broke the fence though.
There is a clear difference between "play bowing" and chasing with no threatening behaviour and snarling and grabbing a mouthful.