Finally someone wrote it as it is

Parsimonia

Excellent Mirror article - only bit I disagreed with was the bit about neutering male dogs as a matter of course - I think it depends on the individual dog.

It's heartbreaking to see how the personalities of certain breeds (staffies spring to mind!) are being ruined by poor breeding and poor owners. A well-bred, well-owned, well-trained and well-exercised staffie is usually a joy to behold, but I've met some horrid ones lately, and the common denominator in each case was an idiot of an owner, that was actively trying to provoke aggression in the dog.

Poor dogs don't have many ways to express their fear, frustration, rage, confusion....

I've owned dogs all my life, but I wouldn't leave even the sloppiest labrador alone with a pre-schooler....let alone a new born infant.

Tashatutuw

Parsimonia wrote: »

It's heartbreaking to see how the personalities of certain breeds (staffies spring to mind!) are being ruined by poor breeding and poor owners. A well-bred, well-owned, well-trained and well-exercised staffie is usually a joy to behold, but I've met some horrid ones lately, and the common denominator in each case was an idiot of an owner, that was actively trying to provoke aggression in the dog.

As I mentioned previously, I have a Rottweiler and we experience this (as do many of my Rottweiler owning friends) ona regular basis. For example, unless I block the door when someone knocks, my girls will go outside when the door is opened - the amount of people who leap back, instantly assuming they are about to become tonights dinner astounds me, then she lops her tongue about, sniffs their leg and nuzzles in for a cuddle and they're all over her.

I shut them in the front room or back garden when people with children come so they can be slowly introduced one by one and again, I would never ever leave them alone with a child. We are fairly lucky to live in an area where there aren't many children and so we don't usually encounter the 'stroking a strange dog' aspect of things...