A plea and reminder to parents of dogs

hoogervaaner

wilykit wrote: »

its just common sense really

You've hit the nail on the head, if only everyone could employ a bit of common sense, consideration and respect for others

Tropez

zaksmum wrote: »

I think some posters are being unfair on the OP here. Dogs need some off lead time and if you know your dog is non aggressive I can't see the problem.

OP, I hope your dog will soon recover.

It is a difficult issue though, and one that isn't easily answered.

My dogs are friendly, playful and perhaps a little wimpy (except for Milly, but I actually think she's just doesn't recognise threats) but I cannot know that the dog bounding up to mine is friendly. Nor can I be wholly sure that my dogs, if I let them off the lead, wouldn't be a bit too eager with another dog. Milly, in particular, is a clumsy oaf and without meaning to could harm a smaller dog - I don't expect her to but I don't want to take that chance anyway.

I also don't want to deal with other people's "friendly" dogs coming up to mine because I don't know what that person accepts to be friendly. Someone I know thinks they have the best behaved dog in the world, yet this is a dog that still mouths, equates growling to playing and likes to chew up people's shoes while they're being worn - from my perspective, that isn't a well behaved dog and if that dog came up to mine and growled, whether it thought it was playing or not, or tried to mouth one of mine, then I'd be very angry, and moreover, no matter how wimpy my dogs are, I'd expect a reaction from them because they equate growling with aggression.

I'm sure that the OP did not expect any issues. Personally, I'm particularly wary of Staffies because where I used to live they had unfortunately become the chav-dog-of-choice and I sadly know of a poor whippet that was mauled to death by some sod's staffie, but I also appreciate that it is the owners and not the dogs that are fault, but even so, it makes me untrusting.

The truth is, when your dog goes up to a strange dog, even if yours is the most pleasant, loving little !!!!!! in the world, you cannot know how that other dog is going to react, how well it has been trained (or even if it has been trained!) and I think that on a forum of pet lovers, perhaps there is a subconcious feeling that the OP should be more careful because none of us would want to login one day and find the OP's dog has been killed. We're all on the OPs side when it comes to her dogs, because I am sure they're as precious to her as ours are to us, but at the same time it is sometimes easier from a neutral point of view to see how something could have been avoided.

wilykit

Tropez wrote: »

Personally, I'm particularly wary of Staffies because where I used to live they had unfortunately become the chav-dog-of-choice and I sadly know of a poor whippet that was mauled to death by some sod's staffie, but I also appreciate that it is the owners and not the dogs that are fault, but even so, it makes me untrusting.

i feel sorry for staffies - my friend had one and he was the daftest things in the world...scared of his own shadow but still a loving cuddly dog.

i hate how chavs turn them into status dogs and more of an accessory than a beloved pet,

i was in the park with my EBT a few months ago and this drunken chav was talking to me about him and saying he was gorgeous but i needed to 'bulk him up' and 'get him on a treadmill or get him to pull you on a bike and hold the breaks so it bulks him up' i was appalled and told him he is a pet and not a status dog to make myself look 'hard'.

he then offered to buy him for £300 cash there and then! i gave him a few words that i won't repeat on here!

sums up chavs and what they think of these type of dogs!!!

Tropez

wilykit wrote: »

i feel sorry for staffies - my friend had one and he was the daftest things in the world...scared of his own shadow but still a loving cuddly dog.

i hate how chavs turn them into status dogs and more of an accessory than a beloved pet,

i was in the park with my EBT a few months ago and this drunken chav was talking to me about him and saying he was gorgeous but i needed to 'bulk him up' and 'get him on a treadmill or get him to pull you on a bike and hold the breaks so it bulks him up' i was appalled and told him he is a pet and not a status dog to make myself look 'hard'.

he then offered to buy him for £300 cash there and then! i gave him a few words that i won't repeat on here!

sums up chavs and what they think of these type of dogs!!!

Yeah, it is disgusting and it makes it worse for the rest of us dog owners in a way, irrespective of what breed we have.

When I walk mine, particularly in winter, I'll often wear a hoody to keep walm and so many people must think I'm some sort of hoodlum. Even in the member's only park (which isn't exclusively for dog walkers) I'll get people beckoning their kids away from me as if I have a pack of rabid wolves at my disposal.

But staffies really are getting the dirty end of the stick now, and I admit I'm somewhat guilty in being suspicious of them and their owners at times, but I have a duty to protect my dogs and until this sad little fad passes and staffies are back to being just normal, family pets I have to think like that.

Worryingly I've heard of a trend of chavs now getting hold of husky's because of their wolf like appearance. I've never met an ill tempered husky but I dread to think what could happen in the hands of these parasites.

The thing that bothers me the most is who in their right mind is selling all these staffies to these chavs? When I purchased my first two whippets (from the same litter) the breeder gave me more than the once over - visited my property, enquired about my history with dogs, asked me various questions about how I'd train them and everything, and only then did he agree to sell me the two dogs. I later asked him, when buying a third dog from him (that he actually offered to me) why he let me have two from the same litter given its considered a bad idea (didn't realise that at the time, I realise it now!), and he said it was because I'd shown him I'd look after them.

Too many irresponsible breeders methinks.

wilykit

totally agree Tropez.

i have had teenage girls getting all screamy and running away from Bully, but then a toddler who was no bigger than he is come up to him and fuss him and make the teenagers looks silly. IF my dog was aggressive in any way i wouldn't take him to a park in the summer and queue up for an ice cream with lots of people around would i!! he would have a muzzle on!!

people give him a wide berth in the street too - when actually he would love a fuss and isn't the slightest bit interested in chewing on their ankles!!!

i agree that the people selling the puppies have a responsibility too - but they might be chavs themselves!!

i have an ABD and if i was contemplating breeding her at some point in the future but i would ALWAYS do homechecks as i couldn't just let somebody come in and take them and then that be it!!

threemuttleys

I have to say that this is a big pet hate of mine. I have three dogs, one stays on her lead in most areas, because she is dog aggressive. Yet I still have people allowing their dogs to gallop up to her, and "call your dog back, she doesnt like other dogs" is so often met with "its ok s/he is friendly" "well she bloody isnt, unless you want your dog to get hurt hurry up"

Even if a dog is off lead, it still drives me mad, that people wont ask before allowing theirs to approach. Off lead may equal friendly, but the dog could still be ill/infirm etc.

Just wish people would think!

Tropez

wilykit wrote: »

totally agree Tropez.

i have had teenage girls getting all screamy and running away from Bully, but then a toddler who was no bigger than he is come up to him and fuss him and make the teenagers looks silly. IF my dog was aggressive in any way i wouldn't take him to a park in the summer and queue up for an ice cream with lots of people around would i!! he would have a muzzle on!!

people give him a wide berth in the street too - when actually he would love a fuss and isn't the slightest bit interested in chewing on their ankles!!!

i agree that the people selling the puppies have a responsibility too - but they might be chavs themselves!!

i had an ABD and was contemplating breeding her at some point in the future but i would ALWAYS do homechecks as i couldn't just let somebody come in and take them and then that be it!!

I think one of the problems with EBT is too many people think they're pit bulls. Sounds daft, but I've seen several media articles about American Pit Bull attacks and yet the image they've used is an EBT - clearly not a pit bull to those in the know but someone who doesn't know breeds won't pick up on that.

I think it actually upsets my dogs when people run away from them. They love people, all people, and always have so they don't understand why someone would be afraid of them but it is one of those things - they'll always have me

I don't trust breeders myself who don't do their homework on prospective buyers. Before I bought Milly and Zoe I visited another breeder's home, and even though the dog was only 7 weeks old they would have been happy for me to pony up the cash and take it there and then. I wasn't going to do that. I didn't expect quite the thorough investigation the breeder who sold me M & Z went to but I felt better because of it, because as well as giving them piece of mind, it told me that they wanted their dogs to go to good, forever homes and it made me feel that these dogs would have already been very well treated.

EmptyPockets

Tropez wrote: »

Too many irresponsible breeders methinks.

Sadly, with a lot of them I don't think it is even about being responsible or not - it's about education, and the fact is, a lot of them are just plain ignorant and clueless when it comes to breeding and rehoming pups. Learning about a breed and being responsible for the litter you produce is far too boring and time-consuming - the easy money is all that concerns them and as far as they are concerned they think it is their 'right' to breed from a b!tch over and over again just because 'it' belongs to them...

wilykit

it's the same when i'm with my friend who is a bit wary of dogs and doesn't feel comfortable with strange dogs coming up to her and the owners are like 'ohh don't worry my dog's daft as a brush, he won't hurt you!'....maybe not...but some people aren't dog lovers!!!

personally i don't mind friendly dogs coming up to me because i love dogs, but i understand that some people do not feel comfy round dogs!

wilykit

Tropez wrote: »

I think one of the problems with EBT is too many people think they're pit bulls. Sounds daft, but I've seen several media articles about American Pit Bull attacks and yet the image they've used is an EBT - clearly not a pit bull to those in the know but someone who doesn't know breeds won't pick up on that.

i had a lad come up to me once saying "you've got an illegal dog!! did you know that it's illegal!! you should take it home before somebody else sees it!"

haha. i was like no dear, he is an EBT not a pitbull...do your homework because they look NOTHING alike!!!!