LizT

Sadly it does. Look at my profile picture, of a totally goofed out happy dobe. I showed this photo to a girl at work she was petrified My husbands poor workmate is terrified of our lovely German Shepherd. His pesonal experience and explanation....the Police use them in Croatia. Sometimes we have to put ourselves in other peoples shoes as it becomes difficult to understand the logic of their fears if we look at things from out perspective only.

I heard it on Channel Nines 6.30 pm news. It was a non biased report about a poor 77 year old lady who was attacked in her yard by a pair of German Shepherds and was "driven back into her home and received bites to her ankles". Whilst I am not trying to make light of this poor womans experience. It is true that it would not have made the media two weeks ago. It probably would not have even been reported to the media but been delt with on a local level. My ex's Grandmother received similar injuries when the familys Rodesian Ridgeback Puppy decided to be too playful and was snapping at her ankles. She had scratches everywhere before a family member was able to intervene as the old lady was unable to stop the dog. Without knowing the full story behind this particular dog attack it can easily become fodder for the media. The frail tissue thin skin of the elderly and the sharp teeth of a puppy are not a good conbination. Again, it comes down to someone not tending to their animals properly.

Maybe now he'll get the point! It's about containment, training/control and responsible ownership....not breeds. Poor lady...very scary stuff indeed.

No Matthew, the point is that pitbulls have been banned and eradicated in various jurisdictions over the last 20 years or more. As best as we can determine, not a single bite has been prevented using this strategy. What do you say to that? The breed needs to be eradicated until it ceases to exist. Simple. It can't attack/kill you if it's extinct. Then what do we do with every other breed or cross that attacks someone ? Continue to blame the breed or cross untill there are none left ? No - Labradors, Beagles, etc aren't bred as fighting dogs. Is that such a hard concept for the people in this forum to grasp? Beagles were bred to hunt in packs and run down small prey. Not something they are permitted to do despite the fact that if trained to do so they would relish the opportunity. A number of years ago a pack of domestic dogs attacked my uncles sheep. They were all local pets that had got together and "had some fun". A Labrador, JRT and a few assorted mixed breed SWF's. All loving family pets that got out at night and managed to kill a number of sheep! When the pound rounded them up the owners were in disbelief that their beloved Fidos had been involved.

Unfortunately, it IS the breed. They have been bred to fight over many, many years. It is imprinted into their genetics in the same way Retrievers were bred to fetch their masters' ducks, etc when hunting. No one, and I don't care how much of an expert they claim to be, but no one can control these dogs and stop them from attacking when they want to. Matthew B So you think because a breed was bred for a specific purpose they can't make wonderful family pets, if that was the case I shouldn't have a Rottie as I don't have cattle or a cart. I don't have sheep so I shouldn't own a GSD,you see how stupid your comments are. Selective breeding over a number of generations can alter character traits in any breed, eg the divergence between show line and working line GSDs. The dog that killed the child was reportedly not a purebred but a cross breed of the type often used pig hunters etc. Such dogs at least need to have a desire to stand up to and defend themselves against, if not attack, an aggressive quarry. I daresay out of a litter of such dogs 3 or 4 might go to hunting homes while the cast offs end up in the general community. If hunting with dogs was banned then there would be no need for such dogs but I don't think a government would have the political will to stand up to the hunting lobby. The owner of the dog has been branded as irresponsible for allowing his dog to escape, apparently for the first time. Well, the DOL Lost & Found forum is replete with cases of dogs that have escaped from their owners premises - yet these DOLers seem to get sympathy rather than condemnation. I heard the other day of a case where 4 sibes escaped from a backyard because a delivery man opened the gate. Was the sibe's owner irresponsible for not padlocking her gate? I have a 1.8 m back fence, yet I have had a cattle dog actually jump from the rear laneway into my yard (and get roughed up by my 2 gsds). Maybe I am irresponsible for not topping my fence with broken glass and razor wire to deter trespassers, like the railways do with their train yards. In the case of the Melbourne attack, I think the police and coroner should be allowed to complete their investigations before kneejerk condemnations are made, including by politicians. It never ceases to amaze me the Ignorance of some people here on DOL these days, are you related to Matthew B as you both have the same backwoods mentality. So you think the dog was defending itself against a small defenseless child as you have stated above, are you kidding. As for your comments about the DOL Lost and Found forum, how many of the dogs lost by Dolers have attacked and killed a small child or injured anyone for that matter there's a big difference only you can't see it. Indeed. The dog went into a house and attacked a 4 year old child that had been watching television, and then proceeded to kill the child while she klung to her mother. What you are seeing is a "reaction" not a "Knee jerk reaction'.

They are a restricted breed . . . and it is prohibited to breed them or import them into the country. ....and yet probably as common and as young as many a drink driver. Actually with the whole "Public Education" situation being talked about I do see alot of parallels within the two issues...responsible dog ownership and drink driving. IMO education does not seem to have the desired impact on a certain demographic of the general Public in either case. When I did pre natal classes 22 years ago the midwife talked about the family dog and the introduction of a baby and interaction with toddlers was discussed at "New mum" classes, and dogs and pre-schoolers was a topic in which "Experts' were brought in to talk to mums and dads at kinders. So it's not like the education is not happening, but who is "listening in class" and who has "deaf ears"???

The attacks do appear to be becoming more frequent. And not all get the media coverage we think they do. Earlier this month a 6 months pregnant Californian (USA)woman was apparently mauled to death by the couples two year old intact male Pit Bull Terrier. Her poor husband found her collapsed when he came home. The couple also owned a 6 year old female who appears not to have been involved in the attack. I only read of this on DOL and heard nothing in the media, which actually surprised me as I thought the media were proned to jumping on the "Another Pit Bull attack" band wagon. So, yes, it does appear these attacks are becoming more prevalent.

It's very difficult for Mr. Average John Citizen to admit he actually knows very little about dogs and their behaviour. "I've had dogs all my life, we bred gundogs and we trained them etc. etc." will be an example of some of the logic used. "So, why then do I need to do anything further to enhance my already extensive canine knowlege". Especially as these types of course would have to start with the very, very basics of dog care and most people would feel they are wasting their time starting out at ground level. And then you will have the huge differences in opinion on dog training. Who decides which is the correct approach/technique for a public directed course? The RSPCA? Local councils? Who polices it and ensures people go?

With regard to these lovely touchy feely UTUBE videos of children and babies playing with the familys sleeping Pit bulls and sitting on them etc. whilst a very demonstrative way of showing that these animals are not savage (at that particular moment) I personally would not let my babies, children or any child for that matter do that to ANY breed of dog, not poodle not CKCS and not my GSD. I have a lovely photo of my elsest daughter when aged 3 laying by the fireside curled up next to our GSD, both sleeping. But I would not let a baby or toddler wack, smack and expore or sit on any sleeping dog. It is not what I would call RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP.

An interesting thing happened to me yesterday morning when I went out to feed my horses. As I was walking along and thinking about the ramifications and horror of this recent dog attack that had resulted in the death of a young child, suddenly out of nowhere a dog came rushing at me, on my own property, I can genuinely say I was startled out of my reflective mood with a shock. As the animal jumped up at me, leaving very muddy marks on my pants I saw that it was a solid but small dog, with a wide head and big white teeth (the dog was grinning but to the uninitiated one would only focus on the teeth, which were white and large!) The dog was dark and brindled in colour. The dog was clearly an entire. It was our neighbours 8 months old Staffordshire Bull Terrier, "Buddy", who had gone through the fence, spotted me and decided to say "Good Morning". "You're a Buddy nuisence" I said to the pup who had dirtied my pants, which I would now have to go in and change as I had an appointment after I dropped my daughter off to school. Buddy looked very pleased with himself and followed me up the laneway back to the direction of his home where his young owner was calling him. I thought about how on edge I had been and then began to think of how frightening this harmless little dog may be to someoneone who didn't know him or who wasn't comforable around dogs might be. Particulary after the recent event. Also today at work I overheard some men saying that they expected to hear the sound of gunshots this weekend in the area (semi rural)they lived in as some of the "local boguns" (their words) did away with a few of their dogs??? Regardless of what people think is the root cause or what is to blame or what would best serve this situation...I believe their will be some ramifications of the most unsort kind.

Yes a tragic event for a family that has seen far more than it's share of pain and anguish. Let's also not forget their is a traumatised 5 year old in hosptial that probably will be scarred for life on so many levels. Let's not make this about BSL. It should be about responsible pet ownership.

I had five pups in my last litter. The first went the day she turn 8 weeks as the buyer was local and ready to take her the moment she saw her but came back the next day for her. Others went during that 8 week and one stayed with us until 11 weeks because the daughter had uni exams and wanted to have them out of the way before devoting all her time to the new puppy. I was happy to keep her for this extra time and she was lovely to have around. The question of charging extra was never an issue with me and under those circumstances I was more than happy to keep her a few weeks more. My sister looked into a breeder keeping a Cavalier Puppy in London until it was 12 weeks old as she she was waiting to take her annual leave and the breeder was going to charge 100 pounds a week! So she would have paid an extra 400 pounds for the puppy. She ended up getting a Miniature Poodle Puppy at eight weeks a year or so later as her Partner works from home now and it was easier circumstances by then.

Why don't you charge more for your puppies then? Because you can ASK all you want for the pups...but the average buyer will go to those unpapered ones advertised in the paper, without breeder back up or health testing, simply because they are cheaper...after all.."we only want a pet" Charging more, doesn't mean you get it...unless you add 'oodle' to the end of the breed of course. So true, I charged a bit under the average for my last litter and despite just making it over the line finacially after deducting health tests, vet costs (standard stuff no emergencies or such), stud fee etc. I had exactly just enough for the next breeding stud fee and kept a bitch to go on with. This is as it should be but even so some people still thought it was alot for a pet. I guess the amount a buyer is willing to pay depends alot on what their personal experience is with the pets they have obtained in the past, their current financial situation and the availability of the dog they want at the time they are looking.

We have that exact scenario with the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the "Mixed breeds situation" is quite similar too!

An interesting concept and it certainly would be of great benefit to a stressed child but I can also see "the can of worms" and a potential bias issue. Although not ALL jurers would be dog lovers so the impact would be divided I guess. One would need to take this into account when selecting a jury. I thought children didn't have to testify in a courtroom situation because of the undue stress and could be hooked up via a video testimony?????

Good Luck everyone! ;)

Thanks. I took some snaps of Crystal with my phone

It appears to be, you could check the wesite to be sure. You have until the 19th. August.

Yeah....899 to go!

Who me?? I've given myself a WHOLE thread heheheh But yes, my girl got the Bitch Challenge and gained her final points (101) to get over the line as a NEW AUSTRALIAN CHAMPION! WoooHooo

Thanks everyone.....think I will have to get a "little bit" drunk tonight!

Today at Ladies Kennel Association Inc.Show my beautiful Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Blenheim Girl, Innesveil Classic Crystal won the Bitch Challenge, gaining her 15 point, and enabling her to get over the line with a total of 101 points!!! The past year has been an exciting one in which she gained her points in Metropolitan Shows against an extremely competative field! I thought it was just a "pipe dream" in which we were destined to spend our time at "base camp" but once the climb began it looked like becoming a reality, even though at times the fog came in and made the summit unseeable. But today we too have climbed Everest and put our flag in it peak!! A big thank you to all those who encouraged us on this journey.

Going back to the days before crates and harnesses and screens for station wagons. The days when we didn't have seat belts and kids and dogs were piled in the back of station wagons, and every other car had a small dog on the drivers lap or back parcel shelf etc. etc. (yeah yeah last centuary) I was told by my obedience dog trainer that the safest place in a car for a dog is on the passenger side floor. This is something I often still apply today, especially in other peoples cars.

Oh I'm so glad my Cavalier girls all get on so wonderfully (luckily a very social and easy to get along with breed). That said I did have to wait years to get my first Cavalier until my Border Collie X bitch passed away as she wouldn't tolerate another bitch and I could only keep large breed (German Shepherd) desexed males with her!! She was very dominant and there were a few "Barneys" even so, fortunately nothing so serious as to cause injury but they did put an outdoor chair through some fibro cement sheeting in a scuffle once. Your friend has my sympathy. Are the STD Poodles both desexed??

No doubt I would have met you out the back when toileting her if she was not using the pen, she can take anything from 15 - 30 mins to toilet her on lead or she will get it done within minutes in the pen. Other pug owners use it too - I'm surprised that you haven't seen at least one pug in it I plan on giving her a couple of months off from the ring but when we go back you will see the next pen padlocked around a tree . I'm lucky that my girls "Pee" very "quickly" on command, which is nice for me. I haven't been using that area much lately as it's been a bit too wet for the Cavaliers and so have taken them either out front or to the door next to the Hounds Ring which has a concrete path there. (hint hint KCC Park!) The annoying part is not knowing who the pen belonged to means that anyone could casually walk off with it without looking at all suspicious!