brightonrock

I just like dogs, don't have a disliked breed at all. I just don't classify them that way.

A vet I tried not so long ago!!!!! Seriously... He was recommended to me by a friend (I should have known better, she doesn't have much dog knowledge). I took my boy there for his vacc. as I thought I'd give the guy a try.. Took my SBT into the surgery and the guy proceeded to grab Alf either side of his head and started rubbing his face around the dogs face - I was like 'woah bud what are you doing????'. He was saying oh he's so lovely, my reply was - you don't even KNOW the dog and you're doing that to him???? Needless to say I stopped the appointment there and then and went back to my normal vet. This is a supposedly qualified, 'sensible' person???? sheesh This has happened to me too TWICE - unbelievable, once at the surgery and once at a dog event where the vet got the dog so silly she caused the dog to do a sort of back flip and land heavily when she was cuddling the dog and roughing up its head while carrying it. The bloody woman has had all sorts of trouble with her dogs, no wonder !

We have brought up our family in both city & country locations, and the kids are adults now. As parents we always read of any news that involved kids' safety and I am positive there are more serious dog attacks now than in the last twenty years. I think people are often buying or getting dogs for the wrong reasons, maybe as protection or for the look of it with no idea how to train it. Breeders of powerful breeds have got to start taking a lot more notice of where their pups go, or those breeds will be in a lot of trouble.

interesting article, thanks for posting

What's hot : people who are willing to go out of their comfort zone to visit eg a long drive away, after hours on a weekday, at short notice people who have patience to wait for a pup people who don't mind getting down to floor level to play with the litter people who listen to you and are able to understand the importance of a long term committment What's not : people who come to you on a recommendation from a friend but you instinctively feel wary of people who will not not travel a long distance andwill buy the puppy sight unseen people who expect a guaranteed world class winner or top brood bitch people who don't display an active nature, who look for a chair as soon as they arrive people who ask for a discounted puppy or one without papers or one you "want to get rid of" people who want to get into your breed but can't tell you why I have sold pups to people that don't fit the mold eg full time workers, very young families, elderly people and these owners have in many ways been better owners than classic ones that tick all the boxes at the start, because they have a good history of owning dogs and understand and provide for the needs of their dogs as part of their routine. Sadly, people's circumstances sometimes change and we can't predict the future. I'd go on my instinct and experience is something that just comes with time. Personally I would never sell a puppy to someone unless they collect it after a good introduction and I would never be influenced by the fact that I know them or of them before they ask for a puppy.

Goodness, yes. My parents had a houdini. He was a border collie x spaniel rescue and a lovely dog, but he had huge separation anxiety issues and would roam if he was left alone. He went over fences, so they got new ones. Higher ones with no cross pieces, so he couldn't climb them. He went under the fences so they buried chicken wire a meter under the ground around all the fences. He went through the wooden fences (totally shredding his feet in the process). The neighbours didn't want colourbond fences, so my parents extended the chicken wire half way up the fences. Then he started climbing and going over them again. He wound up tethered on a long line and one time he even went over the fence while attached to the tether. Fortunately, he slipped his collar or he would have strangled to death. On one memorable occaison he had been shut up in an enclosed first floor verandah for the night but, as it was hot, the windows had been left open for ventilation. He went straight through the flyscreens, out the window and over the fence. My sister found him on the front verandah in the morning absolutely saturated from playing in the creek and delighted with himself. Using a crate inside or a covered run on concrete would work. There are many Breeders who don't take chances and keep their dogs secure this way.

Why is it so hard for some people to keep their dogs confined either in backyards, runs or inside ? If Breeders can do it with multiple dogs as a way of life why can't others do it with one or two dogs ?

Dogs Victoria???? Oh they post an image of a muzzled Rottweiler under the topic dangerous dogs in the last gazette! They don't even stick up for their own!!! As you can see I am quite angry about it Quick to take our money though.......

Where's Dogs Victoria when we need them to speak up for pure breeds and responsible breeding and training ? If ever there was a need for the promotion of pure breeds and their Registered Breeders to speak up for them it's now ! PS I love Rotties, multiple NO votes placed !

This is an excerpt from ABC News online "Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh says owners of restricted dogs will have until the end of next month to register their animals. "After that time, if people have not registered their restricted breed dogs, have not had them desexed, do not keep them in a secure enclosure or have them micro-chipped, the councils will have the power to seize them and destroy them," he said. Mr Walsh says dog owners must be held responsible for their pets." I think it is wise to look at the detail and avoid hysterics.

By licensing owners, by enforcing EXISTING registration and desexing laws and by educating people about how to buy and raise dogs. And by tossing the book hard at the head of anyone who fails to act responsibly as a dog owner. Starting now. That will never happen.

We can also make a step to stop the wrong kind of people having any dog. Frankly I think that would be far more effective, don't you? ha ha so funny. We'll agree to disagree I think.

I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and say that video's bloody terrible. To anyone who knows and loves dogs, that video will give you shivers and you'll be impressed and amazed. To Joe Bloggs Public who don't understand dogs, that's in excess of three minutes of pitbulls grabbing and shaking things savagely, coupled with some pretty astounding jumps that make you think the dog could literally get up and over ANYTHING in order to grab and shake you - and oo, look there, there's the dog grabbing and shaking a bloke who's hitting him with a STICK, and all to the backdrop of a blaring heavy metal tune the main distinguishable lyric of which is 'Don't turn your back on me'. Yeah, um, don't think I'll be sharing that one in my keyboard warrior efforts to calm the hysteria and promote the breed... o_O I agree. It is bloody terrible.

TD, the fact the society fears something doesn't mean that fear has any basis in fact. I wish folk could see that their belief is being manipulated by politicians and the media for their own agendas and for the most part with no real reason for that fear. I get that people are worried about large powerful dogs and their potential to kill. I share that concern. I wish folk would read past the headlines and hysteria and actually educate themselves about what makes a killer dog. The research is out there, the books are out there and the fact that most people with real knowledge of dogs and dog aggression don't support BSL should be telling you that something's smelly about the BSL solution. Which part of are people failing to grasp??? I know what you're saying. Not every Pitbull, Am Staff, Pitbull crossed with something else to avoid the label etc is a bad dog. Too many of them have been encouraged to be actively violent, and it is in the breeding. They are time bomb dogs. The community fear is being fueled by this very real,recent news item. I know that "banning dogs breeds doesn't stop dog attacks". Stopping dog attacks is a huge issue and you can't fix it in one step but you can make a step to stop people keeping the wrong type of dog. If the 30 year old male didn't have the dog, the little girl would be alive today. I am against BSL in theory, but I think when dogs start killing kids it is crisis time.

Certain humans have no place In society either, shall we exterminate them too! treating this with the contempt it deserves

PitBulls have a very bad reputation in society. Just imagine trying to sell your house and telling the prospective buyers that your next door neighbour has one or two Pitbulls. They are one of the most feared type of dog in modern society. Now a pitbull type has slaughtered a small child, someone's baby. What good is a having a dog that has to be confined for fear of it attacking an animal or human ? My opinion is this type of dog has no place in society. Do the dogs suffer because they have bad owners that don't know what to do ? Yes. Do we need these dogs ? No.

Mathew, it would be nice if you actually checked the facts before making such assertions. Here, let me help. OMG - a Beagle was responsible for a fatal attack.. and retriever mixes.. ban them!!!! I'd hardly call this the responsibility of the Beagle: Beagle: The fatality was a strangulation caused by tugging on a leash which was around a child's neck. and the retrievers: Golden retriever: One dog responsible for an attack was rabid. Another accidentally strangled Kaitlyn Hassard, 6, of Manorville, Long Island, on 1/24/06, by tugging at her scarf. Might be a good idea for everyone to read the fine print. Great Reply. Beagles and Golden Retrievers are NOT the same as Pit Bulls

Clearly. It's a pity that your focus can't be on what makes a dangerous dog because the answer than that is a hell of a lot more complex than "breed". Hey, avoid the personal attacks and bullying please. I've given my opinion and time, have a nice day.

OMG How horrible

Mathew, it would be nice if you actually checked the facts before making such assertions. Here, let me help. OMG - a Beagle was responsible for a fatal attack.. and retriever mixes.. ban them!!!! OMG look at the stats for the Pit Bulls Pit bull TYPES... and lets face it, if its over 20kg, not readily identifiable as another breed, and powerfully built, its a pitbull. All dog attack researchers are very wary of breed attribution and all note that it isn't helpful in understanding what makes a dangerous dog. Its a message few anti pitbull crusaders seem capable of grasping. 131 deaths attributed to the Pit Bull Terrier and 6 deaths attributed to the Pit Bull mixes or possibly types. 131 is by far the majority of fatalities. I think with those statistics and Cesar Milan's popularity the Pit Bull is probably more easily identifiable in USA and Canada than many other breeds. My focus in this forum topic is the Pitbull.

Nearly always, in the case of horrific dog attacks the dog/s are known or feared in their community. Neighbours cross the street when they pass the house or don't check the mail when the dogs are out. They note the dogs are not walked or spend a lot of time barking or are kept under the house etc. I'd speak to the neigbour if you can, and complain about the dog to the council if you can't. You have the right to enjoy your property too.

Mathew, it would be nice if you actually checked the facts before making such assertions. Here, let me help. OMG - a Beagle was responsible for a fatal attack.. and retriever mixes.. ban them!!!! OMG look at the stats for the Pit Bulls

A dog that attacks a person is vicious, full stop. I have groomed tiny dogs that are wholly vicious and I believe allowed to get away with it because they are small and cute looking. To focus on the news item and give respect to the death of a child is the point here. Pit Bull Terriers are large powerful dogs that have no place living in a crowded ( read suburban ) area.

Look accidents happen. Gates get left open. But the overwhelming majority of loose dogs do NOT go on to savage and kill. Lets focus on what process made that dog what it was and not how it happened to be in that place at that time. Its the only thing that can help prevent another one of these disasters. I think that's the point. Gates sometimes are off the latch and the dog gets out. Why on earth would you want a dog that then goes out to attack at the first opportunity ? I remember one of our dogs going for a stroll around the neighbourhood because someone thought they had shut the gate. After a very worried search for her she appeared, trotting back home. We were worried she would get run over but never, ever in our wildest dreams did we worry she might attack someone. I don't think the answer is only in training. Breeding is a huge percentage of the problem.

That is really sick. I agree!!!! That is a really disturbing statement What part of this incident is NOT disturbing? I thought I made it quite clear that your comment is sick. Just look at the facts, a dog has strayed into a private property AND home and then proceeded to kill one human being and attacked 2 others causing serious physical damage. Do you have children, if not can you even begin to understand how this family is feeling ?