poodlefan

[quote name='oakway' timestamp='1313623565' post='5454331'I was trying to be polite and not enrage the owners of the breed and start another us verses them discussion over Pit Bulls. If you want it in cold hard words here it is. Always remember you are dealing with the Australian Public not the Dog World. {/quote] If something is not done to curtail this type of event ever happening again, I can see in the near future a TOTAL ban Australia wide on the breed. I believe it could include total eradication. This ban may never come from me or you (dog people in general) but will come from the Australian public. Please remember I have not denegrated the breed in any way what so ever. I am only relaying what the average Australian is saying. I think the Australian Public deserves to know that these kinds of incidents are largely predictable and largely preventable. Their best interests are not served by suggesting that certain kinds of dogs are inherently dangerous because the corollory to that is the suggestion that certain breeds of dogs are inherently "safe". And if we cannot rely on journo's to report factually and to talk to experts in this area (and we can't) then its up to "dog people" to at least try to inject some facts into this hysteria. Like it or not statistically the greatest risk to any child comes from the dog they live with. This is a terrible and tragic incident but statistically it is uncommon and when you write it off to "that dreadful breed" you put thousands of kids in harms way. Educate, educate, educate. And throw the book at any dog owner that fails to raise or manage a dog to prevent it becoming a danger to society. Anyone who doubts that is can work should Google "Calgary" and "pitbull"... the results speak for themselves.

And some lose their cars if they break the law. If you tell me this dog was unknown to council, I'll be surprised. But when we write off the attack due to breed, what's to stop this owner from getting another dog. And how did the fact the breed was already banned stop this from happening. It didn't. It probably just ensured that this dog didn't get the kind of socialisation that well raised family pets do. Bring on licensing for owners, not dogs.

The call has already been made. The dogs are banned in most States and all that's done is make them attractive to the kind of knobs who think owning a dog most people are frightened off is "fully sic mate". Profle the owners and the way they raise their dogs folks.... you'll find the owners have far more in common than the breeds of dogs involved in fatal attacks of this kind. I'm not oblivious to the fact that powerful dogs with low triggers to aggression and low bite inhibition present more of a risk to the community than some others. But that alone does not equal a child killer. You have to look at the combination of genetics, socialisation and experience to find out what makes a killer dog.

Rep, I will lay you odds this dog was young, male, intact, poorly trained, not well socialised, possibly aquired for status or 'protection' purposes and with a history of aggression. If you told me it was kept chained I'd be unsurprised. But "pitbull" is a lot more attractive to journo's. It's the "great white shark" factor of the name that will be guaranteed to set pulses racing and sell advertising on TV and in newspapers. Hysteria makes ratings and sells column inches folks. Your average journo has a vested interest in fanning the flames. Lets hear about the OWNER of the dog shall we? Lets hear how it was acquired raised and cared for. And let's wait for the owner to lie his or her arse off to protect themselves. I can hear it now "he'd never done anything like this before". The dog was probably the terror of the street.

Yes, I think it wrong that society is ascribing responsibility for the dog's behaviour to the wrong end of the leash. Not every individual in any breed "needs" to be kept in such a manner Ceilidh. I would urge anyone who has pro breed ban views about dogs to read Karen Delise's excellent book Fatal Dog Attacks. Even a cursory browse will educate you that dangerous dogs are MADE, not born and that failure to train, failure to socialise and failure to manage are at the root of each and every one of these tragedies. Failure to supervise children is another very common factor but not in this case it seems.

As the breed is actually three breeds ranging in size from about 9 inches to 28 inches at the shoulder, you'll need to be a bit specific. Toy, Miniature or Standard Poodle?

Please, pretty please won't someone TELL US ABOUT THE BACKGROUND OF THE DOG WHY can't journo's and others realise that ascribing attacks to "pitbulls" is about as useful as ascribing assaults to "male white caucasians". Such dogs have a profile. Learn the profile, learn the warning signs and these utter tragedies can be prevented. Please DOLers lets not see this thread degenerate into another "pro v anti ABPT debacle". All you do is fuel the myth that breed alone can explain why these things may or may not happen.

Totally unacceptable to send such a message - but sadly that seems to be the form for some forum members. And once again, an inappropriate over reaction to a situation. Two 'wrongs' don't make a right.

If you have issues with people being rude, why do you think a very rude response is OK? Sorry but I think you're over reacting. They are concerned about your puppy, even if you think they should mind their own business.

Are you serious... In terms of disease risk, I agree with RSG.

damn I wish I had read this before I got my new pup . Maybe it's true My 2 pretty colored dogs have been much easier to live with than my 5 common colored dogs. No wonder people charge and pay more for pretty colours!!! And all this time I have judged people for it. You have a new pup??? Woi wasnt' I told??

Ummm - over reaction? Why don't you just answer "yes, he is, thanks for your concern"?

Personally I think he's paying service to the old "locking jaw" myth.

If the dog has to be physical to "sort out" the pups, I'd argue its alpha status. True alphas can usually control pups with a look or some body language. My old poodle boy can usually accomplish this with no more than a frosty stare at even large pups that think he looks like a greying squeaky toy. A dog that has to growl and deck more than once probably doesn't have what it takes in the alpha department.

On the other hand, killing them because they are far too high drive for your average pet home is OK? :rolleyes: These dogs have been surrendered because families can't cope.. what other options are there. I think the RSPCA is seriously out of step on this one. Lets see them shut down puppy farms and the live sheep and cattle trades - now THOSE are real animal welfare issue.

Choose a breed or dog you want to live with. If (as has happened to me) the dog cannot do the sports you wish to do, you'll still be happy with your choice. Given all of that, some dog will make better agility prospects than others. Any breeds interest you more than others?

Howie doesn't like ceiling fans... Ted my oldest boy has developed a fear of my sewing box (yeah, old dogs are "special") For both I'm doing slow desensitisation and not making a fuss.

Glad things are going well. Be extra vigilant as they approach sexual maturity - if you're going to see issues, odds are it's then that they'll start. Will probably get the boys desexed at 6 months. We are keeping out a vigilant eye on them in this area. They wrestle and mouth each other when playing but there has been no signs of any aggression so far. Six months is pretty young for a large gundog.

Does your dog have ANKC Main Register papers as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier? If not, you won't be able to show him. If he does, his breeder is a good starting point for information and there is also a thread in this forum with lots of information for new exhibitors.

Statistically, yes. But that factor needs to be weighed in with a whole bunch of others. I've posted the following before: I've posted this before but here's the science on what makes dogs dangerous: Some questions to ponder. 1. Was this a "family" dog or a "resident" dog? Quote from the USAs National Canine Research Council: 2. How many factors of this attack fit those identified by Karen Delise in her book Fatal Dog Attacks?

Glad things are going well. Be extra vigilant as they approach sexual maturity - if you're going to see issues, odds are it's then that they'll start.

I'm talking about learning from this incident and educating people about any identifiable indicators that this could potentially happen. And I'm willing to bet they were there. RSG's identified two - young dog, reaching maturity and male. There's a whole list of others. I'd want to know about the wife's relationship with this dog in detail.

I genuinely hope a researcher talks to the husband about his dog, his wife and what happened. These things don't generally come out of nowhere. The dynamics of that pack deserve further study. A second tragedy will occur if no one learns from this one.

I wonder when it will occur to folk that if dogs are responsibly bred, placed in the right homes and socialised and trained right, there won't be any dogs IN rescue. If people want pups, and not adult dogs, responsible purebred breeders are IMO a better source than rescue.

Lopolla, what does your partner want to do with this dog? Does he want an easily trained dog? Will it do a lot of off lead walking? How much exercise will it get? What's his personality like? Is he a calm, unflappable kind of guy or will a dog that doesn't respond immediately to his cues make him frustrated or angry?