Another dog attack.

[Grogshla]

Poor girl I feel so sorry for her and what she had to go through.

Dog mauls owner, puppy on beach - The West Australian

 

[Stuart]

I feel for the both the owner of the Bull Terrier and the Girl and her dog as its a terrible situation. Its a very controversial topic as some folks would like to say that all Bull Terriers (and other "dangerous breeds") are like that and others would say its the owners negligence and some would call it a freak occurance. My personal opinion is that no matter how much you trust your animals or how long you have had them, you never let your guard down in unfamiliar circumstances (Walks with other dogs, new people etc) as things change in a heartbeat much like they did here.

Heres hoping all parties involved in this are OK.

 

[euphorion]

No point selecting individual breeds to be controlled/muzzled or otherwise. We just need more restrictions placed on the training both potential owners and young dogs receive before they are let loose in public. Doesn't matter what the breed is, where it came from, how old it is, whether it's desexed or not. Just comes down to how that animal is handled and presented. I lvoe my local dog parks, i go to a few different ones, mostly for the social side of things. But i leave quick-smart when i see an animal/owner enter that i don't trust. Some people are down-right looney and poorly misinformed dog handlers. If i had my way i would have all dogs muzzled in public until they are trained and assessed as safe. Having said that, if i had my way i would legalise the carrying of items of protection such as tazers, pepper spray and bite sticks. You don't realise how vulnerable you are until you find yourself on top of an attacking dog and they redirect onto you. Been there, done that... stupid, stupid me.

 

[Tristan]

http://www.dogsballs.com.au/images/photo_album/lay-ball.jpg

that's what you need to carry with you, its a rope ball with a rope lead, its a toy for easy throwing with your own dog, and best of all its a hard as F ball on the end and if you swing that mother it hurts like all buggery.

granted you should not be put in a position in that you should be feeling the need to have such an item with you when walking your dog, but unfortunately its more a case that you are doing the right thing with your dog an a lead and some ahole letting their dog run around doing what ever, i see so many irresponsible pet owners i wonder sometimes if all people should be forced to have licensing on all animals with adequate training on care etc before being allowed to own one.

people cry and complain about reptiles being dangerous, whats the bet there are more dog bites on record than snake bites. and i bet a dog bite is a bit more damaging than a python bite

 

[disintegratus]

Sorry Tristan, I couldn't help but chuckle over your bites comment. If everyone reported it every time a hatchy bit them, they'd be living on the phone

I hate idiot dog owners, which is where 99.99% of problems like this come from. One of my dogs is fear-aggressive. I don't muzzle him, I don't think it's necessary as it removes his ability to defend himself which puts him on edge which makes his issues worse. That said, I always have 100% control over my dog. If someone else's dog is not under their control and invades our space, I can't be held responsible. I know his history, I know his body language, I can read him like a book, but no matter how well-adjusted he may yet become, I will NEVER trust him off lead in a public place.
I have also come to hate dog parks/beaches etc because of all the "it's okay, he's friendly" idiots that frequent them. Your dog might be friendly, but mine's terrified of life and will lash out violently if he feels threatened, you know, by a strange dog running at him full pelt and barging into his safe zone.

 

[saintanger]

i hate these things, i have 3 amstaffs 1 border collie cross and a chihuahua and my amstaffs get regulaly mistaken for pitbulls. some people wen walkimg past react badly. e.g an old woman walking past my 5 year old amstaff decides to scream as she walks past him "thats a pitbull its gonna bite me" i corrected her that he was an amstaff and that screaming and waving her arms around was one good way to scare a dog and get it to bite.

haven't heard the bull terriors owners side of this, maybe her pup ran up and started the fight? many times wen i am out with my dogs i have had other dogs, who are not classed as visious run up and try and start a fight with one of my dogs classics are maltese terriors, jack russels, chihuahuas, foxies, labradors ect. they attack or bite my dog and wen mine turns around and defends themselves the owner tries to blame my dog as its a big visious looking dog.

i agree owners should do a handling course with their new dog before being in public with them.

i would never muzzle my dogs unless they were really visious. i made a big mistake once, i needed to go to the shop and since the only person with me was my 8 year old brother i muzzled my chihuahua who is not agressive to other dogs just strangers, she barks and growls but people think its cute and touch her then she bites. and asked him to hold her lead and ran in and bought him and ice cream, wen i got out i took her lead and since i was 10 min from home i did not take her muzzle off 2 min later 2 maltese terriors escaped from there front garden as the owners walked out and attacked my dog, she had a muzzle on so could not fight back. as soon as i pulled one dog off the othere would rip into her. the owners stood there watching till i screamed at them, they were to scared to stop their own dogs. mind you my brother was in tears absolutly histerical as he is mildly autistic. after that incident i will never muzzle one of my dogs.

 

[euphorion]

One of my dogs is fear-aggressive. I don't muzzle him, I don't think it's necessary as it removes his ability to defend himself which puts him on edge which makes his issues worse. That said, I always have 100% control over my dog. If someone else's dog is not under their control and invades our space, I can't be held responsible. I know his history, I know his body language, I can read him like a book, but no matter how well-adjusted he may yet become, I will NEVER trust him off lead in a public place.

It's such a complicated issue Just like people, all dogs have a point at which they will snap. Muzzling them only makes them more anxious, as you said, because it removes their ability to defend themselves. Just as you said, you can read your dogs' body language like he's a book you wrote yourself, and you know the point he will snap. I know one of mine is just the same, she is not anti-social nor fear-aggressive but she sure as heck hates other dogs getting in her face, jumping on her, licking her face and she sure sounds vicious when she snarls a warning at them. Her warnings are just that though, warnings, but i don't know when the time will come that another takes it the wrong way and she gets hurt just for wanting her space respected. I carry one of those sticks used for throwing tennis balls, i can't count the number of times that it has (shamefully, with regret and much second-guessing myself) connected solidly with another dog when one of my own has been in danger. I shouldn't have to be afraid when i take my dogs out for a walk. I shouldn't have to HURT another dog in order to protect my own. I shouldn't be able to recount the number of times my dogs have been attacked, nor recall the scars i have received in defending them.

 

[Tsubakai]

Why muzzle when the overwhelming majority of problems wouldn't occur if all owners were responsible and had complete control over their dogs in public?

 

[FAY]

Why muzzle when the overwhelming majority of problems wouldn't occur if all owners were responsible and had complete control over their dogs in public?

that is your 'perfect world'. As you know that will never happen.

 

[cathy1986]

can say the same thing about parents with their children. letting them go out underage drinking at parties, trashing peoples property or bashing up people for no reason and leaving them in hospital.

its all about being responsible for whats in your care.
Cathy

 

[thals]

 

[mungus]

My previous border collie was attacked as a pup by 2 dogs !!
The owner stood back and watched with a smirk on his face as I tried to seperate her from them..........
End result for me was a few bite wounds on on my scared stiff pup :cry:
End Result for him was 1 dog having to be put down and the other one was stiff and sore for a while....
The owner was a very lucky individual ( my wife was with me at the time )

 

[cathy1986]

My previous border collie was attacked as a pup by 2 dogs !!
The owner stood back and watched with a smirk on his face as I tried to seperate her from them..........
End result for me was a few bite wounds on on my scared stiff pup :cry:
End Result for him was 1 dog having to be put down and the other one was stiff and sore for a while....
The owner was a very lucky individual ( my wife was with me at the time )

i love border collies i have 2 girls mother and daughter

Cathy

 

[mungus]

There beautiful !!
love the black/white one.

 

[cathy1986]

shes my top dog my daughter tells people its her big sister because i say she was my first baby lol its just a pitty she got into the rock chewing and grownd down some of her front teeth silly dog but she is so in tune with me and picks up whenever im feeling upset and comes and just rests her head on me ohhh i could go on and on they are the best breed of dog ive ever known

Cathy

 

[Stuart]

i hate these things, i have 3 amstaffs 1 border collie cross and a chihuahua and my amstaffs get regulaly mistaken for pitbulls. some people wen walkimg past react badly. e.g an old woman walking past my 5 year old amstaff decides to scream as she walks past him "thats a pitbull its gonna bite me" i corrected her that he was an amstaff and that screaming and waving her arms around was one good way to scare a dog and get it to bite. .

Strangely enough, I have the same issue with my GSDs when I'm out walking them. My boy is not small by any standards and I can see why he would be intimidating but I can just about guarantee that every time I take them for a walk someone will comment on how dangerous it is to have him out without a muzzle. Considering my boy has earned the nick name Teddy Bear usually it's me that gets aggressive then as not once have my dogs ever behaved in a way that was threatening to anyone and will even ignore other dogs as we walk past them.
The only exception to this is if another dog comes running up to them off a lead in an aggressive manner which tends to upset them a bit as it would you and I if someone ever did the same to us. But I am lucky enough to know in these situations that unless the other dog goes for my mine, they will sit next to me or walk next to me while doing their best to ignore the other one.

It didn't take me long to train my two to behave that way, just a bit of time and effort and it boggles the mind as to why other owners don't do the same.

 

[ubermensch]

My Cocker Spaniel is a real b-word on the streets if other dogs come up to her...she's getting old and grumpy and she can't stand younger engergetic yippy dogs (can't say I blame her).
She's had some puppies off leads try to "play" in the past and it hasn't ended too well... The same dog that after 8 years of living in my house still walks into our glass door. The dog who is afraid of the vacuum cleaner and the cat.
I don't think it's got ANYTHING to do with breed - if you're in an unfamiliar and public place DON'T let your dog off the lead because you have no idea how other dogs will react!

 

[Justdragons]

like any animal they should never be fully trusted with children on their own but i think its mostly derro owners who want a big scary dog but dont want to give it love and time.. i have a staffy x ridgeback and she is very strong and i give her so much love and care but i also respect her as an animal and a potential killer..