Do you think these dogs which are classed as " dangerous " be put down ?. All dogs can be dangerous, is it the dogs fault or the way they been treated/trained etc...?
dogs
- Thread starter markie
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I don't think that the dogs should be put down because, as you imply, it's not their fault.
The breeders and the owners are the usual influences on how a dog turns out. For example, a rotweiller is a 'working dog' - initially used for cattle herding, therefore it needs much exercise. If the dog doesn't get enough exercise, then it gets frustrated and this is when problems occur - so the dog can't be blamed for that.
Perhaps there needs to be a more effective 'vetting system' in place to ensure that so-called 'dangerous dogs' (large ones that can do a lot of damage if not handled correctly) are appropriately placed with suitable owners who know about their needs, temprament, etc.
The breeders and the owners are the usual influences on how a dog turns out. For example, a rotweiller is a 'working dog' - initially used for cattle herding, therefore it needs much exercise. If the dog doesn't get enough exercise, then it gets frustrated and this is when problems occur - so the dog can't be blamed for that.
Perhaps there needs to be a more effective 'vetting system' in place to ensure that so-called 'dangerous dogs' (large ones that can do a lot of damage if not handled correctly) are appropriately placed with suitable owners who know about their needs, temprament, etc.
I know for a fact that different breeds of dog have different kinds of temperament, and I always thought that the pitbull/rotweiller type of dog were more prone to violence; but I read an article the other day saying that this is not true and that it is due to the type of people who buy these dogs and do not exercise them enough that the attacks occur.
Whatever the case, when you do hear of an attack then it is nearly always these types of dogs and as their jaws are so powerful the results can be terrible. Personally I would ban ownership of these types of dogs, although I'm sure that the real reason for bad-tempered dogs is that they are not treated correctly and that largely means not getting enough exercise.
I think that anyone with a medium or large-sized dog should spend at least 1 hour a day walking them.
Whatever the case, when you do hear of an attack then it is nearly always these types of dogs and as their jaws are so powerful the results can be terrible. Personally I would ban ownership of these types of dogs, although I'm sure that the real reason for bad-tempered dogs is that they are not treated correctly and that largely means not getting enough exercise.
I think that anyone with a medium or large-sized dog should spend at least 1 hour a day walking them.
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With some dogs it comes down to breeding, though training is what I think the biggest problem is. However saying this.. in the recent cases am I correct in thinking that the families of the children who have been attacked ( and it is absolutly terrible) were not the dogs owners, therefore did they have the understanding of how they should act around such creatures, or have the children been left unattended ( i mean no disrespect to anyone) and unfortunately the most horrendous things have happened???????
kendonot said:
you should not have to act like anything around dogs.
Maybe not, but I would question whether people should be allowed to have dogs that are through temperament, or training, or care, or any combination of those, so hazardous that others need to have any special understanding of how to behave around them.kendonot said:
Different breeds of dogs do have different temperaments, and have been bred to have temperaments and characteristics that make them particularly suited to tasks such as hunting, retrieving, sheep-herding etc.
If you live in suburbia, and you want a dog for companionship, or to give you the impetus to get out and exercise, or for the family to play with and throw sticks and balls etc, would you choose a pitbull terrier?
Would anybody?
There is no point ignoring the fact that however well trained and cared for, some dogs are more dangerous than others - even if the odds of an attack are identical, if a child is set upon by a rottweiler or a pitbull, it is going to be more seriously hurt, or more likely to be killed, than if set upon by a chihuahua.
Does that mean that a pitbull is more likely to attack someone than a chihuahua is? I don't know, but if through a combination of unsuitable temperament, or inexpert handling, or inappropriate care, a dog is going to pose a risk to life, it would seem reasonable to impose controls to prevent that combination from arising.
Oh undoubtedly, and also AFAICT there are no reliable official statistics on dog attacks.
But then as Part P, the Dangerous Dogs Act, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, the proposed ID card scheme etc etc show, lack of reliable or corroborating statistics has never been a bar to legislation...
But then as Part P, the Dangerous Dogs Act, the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997, the proposed ID card scheme etc etc show, lack of reliable or corroborating statistics has never been a bar to legislation...
There is a specific way to act around all animals as there is around people, dogs are very teritorial and do have a built in instinct for survival. If a person does something to a dog which takes it by surprise or intimidates it the dog will react as if it was in the wild. Training or not a dog is a dog and this is something that no one should forget. They are not toys, or teddys and were not always a pet. This is just something man has done over time as they found dogs very useful. I have spent my whole life around dogs and there were things when I was young that I was and wasn't allowed to do as any dog large or small can turn if they want to.
difficult one, im not a great dog lover, but since weve had our little daughter ive become a lot more protective with dogs around her. We were walking through the park yesterday when a women had her bulldog type thing running about. As she walked back to the cars with it i overheard her say, oh hes been a nightm,are today, wont do anything hes told. Carried on walking up the hill, must have been about 50 metres away from them, when i stopped the pram to get a biscuit out of my pocket and i gave it to my daughter in her pram. Next thing i know this lolloping great thing runs around the pram from behind me and went to stick its face into the pram to get the biscuit. Luckily it had a harness on and i just managed to grab it and yank it away. It frightened the life out of my little girl. Needless to say the owner got a mouthful. I think you just have to accept that there are certain dogs that are just not suited to the urban environment because of their size and temprement. Unfortunatley with some people its just a fashion statement.
I am a dog owner and we have a very well behaved dog This is down to both good training and keeping the dog well exercised and mentally stimulated. But, no matter how well a dog is trained, under certain circumstances as mentioned earlier, its survival instict will kick in.
We had en event the other day. We were out walking, two teenage boys came running towards us, shoutung and waving sticks. To you and I it was apparent that this was some sort of 'soldier' type game, to the dog it was an attack, so she reacts accordingly. When this behaviour occurs though, the dog needs to be controlled, likewise a word of education on how to behave in front of dogs is also required for the boys.
We had en event the other day. We were out walking, two teenage boys came running towards us, shoutung and waving sticks. To you and I it was apparent that this was some sort of 'soldier' type game, to the dog it was an attack, so she reacts accordingly. When this behaviour occurs though, the dog needs to be controlled, likewise a word of education on how to behave in front of dogs is also required for the boys.
nstreet said:
It is a good point, and I agree that people must also be taught how to react when they meet dogs,etc - because, after all, not every dog will be in the presence of its owner. However, I wonder if it could also be seen as dismissing the fact that if a person has a pet, it is their responsibility to ensure that it is always kept under control?
If we look at the example of highly trained Police dogs - they are often confronted by unruly mobs, yet they have learned how to stay under control until required to 'do their duty'.
I fully agree that all animals, and humans for that matter, have a 'fight or flight' instinct and can often perceive and act to threats wrongly. However, appropriate training can reduce the likelihood of misinterprating events, and teach people/animals how to respond appropriately. As we don't really know very much about an animals ability to learn, then we must take control of the situation by minimising all risks that could lead to misinterpretation. Being able to assess such risks needs experience and training for ourselves as owners of pets.
I trust you would not have minded if, had you lost control of your dog and she had "reacted accordingly", the boys had "reacted accordingly", and used their sticks on her to defend themselves?nstreet said:
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