A plea and reminder to parents of dogs

Gingham_Ribbon

gettingready wrote: »

Not sure how you got that from the post:

It's perfectly obvious. I already explained why.

I wouldn't let a 'dog aggressive' dog anywhere near a child of mine. Aggression is aggression and just because a dog hasn't attacked a human doesn't mean it won't.

gettingready

No , it is not "perfectly obvious"...

No, dog agression is not the same as agression towards people....

Sigh....

threemuttleys

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

It's perfectly obvious. I already explained why.

I wouldn't let a 'dog aggressive' dog anywhere near a child of mine. Aggression is aggression and just because a dog hasn't attacked a human doesn't mean it won't.

could say that of any dog!

lostinrates

EmptyPockets wrote: »

It can be an utter nightmare for those of us with dogs who have problems, whether they be mental or physical problems.

And for those of us who have dogs who may, for instance, have been badly socialised or had bad experiences - how would we ever help them get over these issues if we just walked them in secluded areas and cut them off from all other contact with anybody else? They need to see other people and other dogs, but the owner has the responsibility to their dog to make sure it feels safe and unthreatened wherever possible. This is seriously difficult for us to do when other dog owners with 'normal' (I say very lucky) dogs who do not have any problems do not respect the boundaries we try to set around our own dogs.

I'm not trying to be difficult or just disagree for the sake of disagreeing. I'm just trying to make the point that there seems to be very little consideration out there for those of us who DO need to set boundaries around our dogs, whilst still trying to help them overcome problems that are already difficult enough to deal with. It's a long road for us, and the slightest 'incident' with a dog and owner who have not shown that consideration can put us back months, which is heartbreaking for us to see in our dogs.

Now this is something I really can agree with.

Problems that can be overcome with socialising are well worth trying to solve IMO,and I wish you all luck.

The sad thing is, happy well balanced social dogs do seem to get a great deal of pleasure fro a play with others, and this happens less and less because people like me ARE being considerate and no longer waking my dogs for their off lead exercise in public places...we are lucky we have land and more than one dog,so ours can have free play here, but I do not feel it meets their total social requirements.

But the socialisation problem seems to be getting worse and worse,more and more prevalent, and it really worries me for the future happiness of the canine population..not just those with dog aggression issues, but those that don't.

IMO a dog that runs right up to another is also probably poorly socialised. Many will run up to a distance and wait to see a reaction. I agree a muzzle can conceal this reaction.

Also a good dog handler with a dog on the lead using good body language and appropriate pitch of voice can send a WELL socialised dog away often ,without knowing that dogs own commands: I've managed with dogs on leads because of age or whatever..recovering or ill dogs I've not taken in to open public areas...as only had those in the days when it was ok to let dogs socialise and commons etc would have got the dog hopeful for a free run!.

A nervous or worried owner squealing or making excited noises might confuse a dog though.

Up until five years or so ago I never had any problems walking dogs, in London, the suburbs or rural areas. But it DOES feel like a minefield now. I'mreally saddened by those who feel children shouldn't be able to walk dogs (obviously that they can in normal circumstances control.) I had many hours of safe walking alone from about 11 onwards in UK, getting good exercise and working on skills I used as a junior handler at shows. But then, I regret a lot that children can't do now, and some of my childhood was spent in places where I had much greater freedom and safety than walking my dog.

I had a trawl around the net yesterday and cant find a dog walking group in my area, and I called the vet this morning and they don't know of anyone.

I'm going to call our insurers after the festive season to see whether forming a group to have a run in one of our fields would cause an insurance issue and see if anyone local is interested. Perhaps some people with dogs on the path to socialisation but whose owners don't want to risk off lead in public with unruly dogs might be interested in persevering under less hostile and risky circumstances too.

Gingham_Ribbon

gettingready wrote: »

No , it is not "perfectly obvious"...

No, dog agression is not the same as agression towards people....

Sigh....

You didn't read my post very accurately, perhaps? I said that I had never heard the expression 'dog aggressive' and thought that she meant 'aggressive dog' and given the way there was a Big Warning attached to what might happen if some poor mutt dared to sniff near it, that seems perfectly obvious to me.

Dog aggression may not be the same as aggression towards people, but I wouldn't let MY children anywhere near an animal that can attack ANY other animal.

Gingham_Ribbon

This thread has been quite an eye-opener to me.

A sensible woman observes that her dog was attacked by another dog that may have been on a lead but was certainly not under control, held by a child without the capability to deal with the aggression it showed. The boy didn't request that she called her dog away and it was simply being friendly.

She asks, politely, that people remember to avoid allowing children to walk dogs they can't control.

What happens? She gets flamed from lots of outraged people who blame HER for having an out of control dog!

Baffling.

lostinrates

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

Dog aggression may not be the same as aggression towards people, but I wouldn't let MY children anywhere near an animal that can attack ANY other animal.

TBH I think that you'll find it hard. Not just dogs, and I think ANY dog is a risk given the right circumstance....doesn't mean I didn't grow up with dogs and would want a child too. But humans are the most dangerous animal and commit travesty against children in their own families, and circle of friends most often. Risk management is not the same as total risk avoidance....whether you have dogs or children or both!

puppy999

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

It's perfectly obvious. I already explained why.

I wouldn't let a 'dog aggressive' dog anywhere near a child of mine. Aggression is aggression and just because a dog hasn't attacked a human doesn't mean it won't.

Can I ask how long you have owned dogs....???

gettingready

Gingham_Ribbon wrote: »

You didn't read my post very accurately, perhaps? I said that I had never heard the expression 'dog aggressive' and thought that she meant 'aggressive dog'

I have. You have not read the post you quoted , it clearly states that it refers to dog agression not just with the fraze that you did not understand but also in explanation...


*********************

Lost, you are in London? Where about? If you do nto mind me asking....

I am in East London, right in between wanstead Park and Wanstead Flats, absolute paradise for off lead dog walks....

Gingham_Ribbon

puppy999 wrote: »

Can I ask how long you have owned dogs....???

14 years and if my dog attacked another animal I would have had it put to sleep.