Adnil444

Good on you - yes certainly say something to these completely ignorant, stupid owners. Imagine if your dog was to display the same behaviour - these little dog owners would be up in arms, but for some reason it is ok for their dogs to do this. Go for it, let them know what could happen if the reverse situation applied. I had an incident yesterday where an older lady with an aggressive jrt kept running up and growling at my dogs - thankfully they didn't go back at the dog, I did suggest to the lady that perhaps she should keep it on a lead because if your dog did this behaviour to the wrong dog in the park, your dog may be attacked. She was shocked!!! At the time of this incident, both my dogs had tennis balls in their mouths, she also stated, your dogs can't do much damage as they have balls in their mouths????!!! What is wrong with people. It would take a split second, if my dogs wanted to, to drop the ball and have a go back at her dog. Ignorant and Stupid, that's what I say. Good luck.

Well what would you call it when a dog runs and squeals, certainly no confident, well socialised dogs - this is fear to me - yes the ones that roll over in submission have no problems at all. I don't let my dog join in the pack and I'm always trying to avoid this situation. What I'm saying is just as it is my responsibility to ensure and do the best to make sure my dog doesn't get involved with this pack mentality, the owners of these small dogs also have to ensure that their dogs won't invite the incident in the first place The small dogs that roll over and allow themselves to be sniffed and investigated (as my large dog will do) have no problems. The small dogs that won't let another dog approach them that just immediately run and squeal - this is a big problem for many owners (both large and small) at the park. These squealers certainly are not confident, some nervous and frightened dogs will do this. Fearful/nervous dogs should never be brought into a dog park, until this behaviour has been addressed. Those that bring these types of dogs into dog parks are just inviting trouble.

Hi, I'm sure you are doing all the right things and you certainly seem to know how to tackle them. Having met Riddick, I can see that he is a wonderful young puppy and he is great with dogs - Rosie just loves him!! I'll make sure I give him some treats next time I see you, however I'm sure Rover will want his fair share too!!

Hi Danois, I agree with you here. In this situation, I would nicely explain to the owner that if the SWF wants to join in, please note that it may be injured because of the general nature of the size imbalance. If she is injured, it is not the larger dogs' fault and if you don't want your dog to be injured, to keep it away from the larger dogs playing. If they refuse or don't take any notice, then they have been warned and if their dog is injured, they really have no one else to blame but themselves. I wouldn't allow my mini-schnauzer to play with larger unknown dogs (she doesn't play with my larger other two) because I am aware of the risks and I am not willing to allow it, however I don't want the larger dogs to have to stop playing and socialising because the owners of the SWFs don't understand/realise/care etc to keep them away.

Yes, it's good that the Brisbane Council has provided some divided dog parks, for small & bigger. It's not just a case of fault-finding, it's the imbalance in size among strange dogs, even in the the most reasonable of play. My small tibbies were brought up with large dogs....a Tibetan Mastiff, a German Shepherd...& actually prefer them to small, more twittery dogs. And they play/interact happily & safely with the greyhound next door. BUT they're better off being in a dog park with strange dogs of around their own size, so there's no problem even from the most innocent of big dog 'force'. It even applies in the human world. One of the top rugby-playing private schools in Brisbane has jacked up because some of the rival school rugby teams are offering sport scholarships to giants of lads outside the normal age-size range. So they're arguing for a more even distribution of weight & size among schoolboy teams. Without that, even the usual collisions & tackles can become lethal. The dissenting school has said it will refuse to field a rugby team, if this problem isn't addressed. I'm really pleased that some councils do offer this. And I totally agree with you. There are plenty of small dogs that have large dog "relatives" and there is no problem, however you are correct in stating, "strange" dogs as this is where the problem occurs. Even general play can cause damage/injury to a small dog. I have 3 dogs, one being a older mini-schnauzer and even though she is perfectly fine with my other 2 (dobexkelpie and dobexrottie), I would not take her to the dog park because of the other dogs that may injure her either through general play or because she may run and squeal (not likely with her) but it could happen. If the park had a small dog area, then yes, she would be taken to the park. My son also plays rugby and we haven't had that issue pop up yet - probably only a matter of time.

Hello lovemesideways, I'd give your vet a call as they often either run classes or know who does. Also try Pet-O at Brookvale as they run classes and I'm pretty sure that they take older pups. BTW I'm Rosie & Rocky's mum from the park. You are doing a great job with him and I'm sure he will end up being just as wonderful as Rover.

I agree with you. I've seen the most placid, gentlest golden retriever join in with the pack when another dog has squealed and run - this is what dogs do, they will attack the weakest. No one likes it but it does happen. My dogs sound like yours, and they are perfectly fine, until a dog runs and squeals, then they join in with the others. Dog classes are a great way of socialising and getting all dogs used to each other, but the dog park is again a different place, where lots of dogs running, and mingling and having the scared ones just don't always mix. Too many people think a dog park is for them, when clearly a dog park is not for them (I've seen time and time again, terrified dogs at the park but their owners are ignorant and cannot see it). It's these dogs that will end up being rumbled by the others or as I saw tonight, an owner of a little dog, smiling while her dog rushed up to other dogs (all sizes) growling and barking. I did approach her and suggested that this behaviour may get her dog attacked if another dog takes offence at what her dog is doing. She had no idea and quickly got her dog and restrained it. It astounds me that people are like this and no doubt she would be the first to scream and appoint blame if her dog was attacked. I would never in a million years let my dogs to that to any other dog, person or animal. This is why I would like segregated areas at dog parks - the little dogs possibly wouldn't have to take on the small dog syndrome if they were only around dogs of their own size and hopefully enjoy playing and socialising with dogs of their own size. The same would apply to the timid ones - there would be no need to run and squeal because another dog approached you.

Who says they're not allowed to react? They shouldn't have to tolerate aggression from any dog. However, when was the last time you saw a large breed dog confronted by another dog that weighed more than 10 times what it did? No dog should be forced to defend itself but the frequency that larger breeds feel the need to may be less than for small dogs. I personally believe that if every dog owner took responsibity for the control and safety of their dogs, we'd have a lot fewer of the "small dog vs big dog" threads we see here. They're all dogs and sometimes people need to remember that. I think PF has hit the nail on the head. Sometimes a simple thing like a playful wayward paw from a big dog can really hurt a small dog. Big dog owners (and small dog owners too) quite often can't understand this, and the fact that 'he's just playing' doesn't really make any difference. However, it is up tot he small dog owner to protect their dog from situations like this too, which is why my dog only plays with dogs I know, because he already has fear issues mainly resulting from being hurt by big dogs playing with him (thank you puppy school). That said I do think small dogs get away with a lot more and I don't necessarily think they should. All dogs should have manners. Exactly. I was at the park with my two mini schnauzers when a fellow with a very large boxer cross came walking up behind me. I allow my dogs to socialize with others in the park, and definately do not pamper them in any way. This large boxer started to paw at my boy who weighs around 8kg. The boxer cross at a guess was around 40kg. He was a big boy. The owner stated he was a friendly dog and wouldn't hurt my boy. I explained that I understood it would not be deliberate, but just the sheer size of the other dog could harm my boy. He took offence and said I was babying my dogs. I've been on both sides of the scale in dog ownership. I have had Great Danes before the schnauzers, and the big boy was attacked by a staffy cross. My dane had the staffy's head in his mouth and if he wanted, could have killed him, but guess who had the vet bills? The staffy came away without a scratch and we had a ripped ear and ripped open leg. I totally agree with you. Big dogs don't deliberately want to hurt the smaller ones by pawing at them, they are playing and inviting the other dog to play too - however they don't understand that a paw from a 40kg dog hitting a 5kg dog may cause pain and damage. I too have had Great Danes (all through my growing up to my mid ages - wonderful dogs) and I also have a mini schnauzer as well as two rescue crossbreeds - 1 dobermanxkelpie, 1 rottiexdoberman, both of which are wonderful dog and people friendly dogs. That is why I would like to see dog parks segregated into two areas - large and small areas. The small dog owners would be more than welcome to bring their dogs into the large dog area if they are confident and not going to run and squeal. I think this set up would be a great win win for owners of both small and larger dogs. I speak to lots of owners at my dog park and we all agree, it would be great to have separate areas, that way everyone can relax and enjoy their time at the park.

Oh, and as a small dog owner, I've really appreciated being able to expose Saxon to dogs of all sizes at the dog park. It's helped him be confident and calm around large dogs when he comes across them, learn to behave differently with different dogs, and learn that at times he needs to show submission for his own safety. He definitely doesn't run and squeal, but I do agree that not all dogs should be brought to a dog park and the behaviour of some can cause problems. Hi, you sound like you are doing a great job with Saxon - as I do with mine and are constantly working with them. Mine are great with little dogs (I have a mini schnauzer as well and other members of my extended family have little dogs and we all go away together with no problems whatsoever). It's only when a dog runs and squeals which sets of this pack mentality from most of the other dogs at the park (and I'm sure if my dogs ran and squealed, they also would be a target). Lots of dog owners don't understand anything about dogs and don't do what you are doing and ensuring that they are properly socialised and it is constant work. Saxon sounds like a great boy and mine would love to play and mingle with him, as they do with all the other dogs. In fact one of mine is renowned for being very gentle and playing very gently with the timid dogs, which is a win win for everyone. The timid dog gets more confidence, mine plays nicely with the other and both owners are happy. Let's hope our dogs continue to be the great dogs that they are.

I don't take any joy in the prediction SBT, but it is like a great big spotlight beaming down. I think you're right as well. It's the deed not the breed is always brought up whenever there is an attack. However when attacks happen, councils, police etc end up having no option but to ban breeds. Pubic opinion is that they want to see something being done, anything, even if it doesn't work - I wish this wasn't the case, but they can't ban people which is the issue. We all know that in most cases, it is the owners of these dogs, not necessarily the breed, but how can you ban people, how to you control/police who can have a dog or who can have a dog of a certain breed??? I don't know the answer - more education yes, but look at drivers in society - there are plenty on the roads every day that could kill themselves and/or any one of us, but they keep posing problems for everyone - look at the laws regarding driving and those that continually break the law, it will always be a problem. Just like with dogs that have owners that have no idea and the eventual outcome is an attack. There will always be dog attacks unfortunately. It goes without saying that more and more people are having dogs as pets and therefore statistically there will be more attacks. Both my dogs are not dog or people aggressive, though I could never say 100% that they wouldn't attack, I'm pretty sure they won't, but I don't think anyone can say that their dog will never attack. Personally if a law was brought in that all dogs in public (not dog parks) had to wear a muzzle, I really don't have an issue with this. Yes it goes against the grain and I wouldn't like it, but if this step stops any child/person from being attacked, then why not??? What inconvenience would it be to anyone to ensure that their dog wore a muzzle apart from maybe a bruised ego. We all have to wear a seat belt in a car (and now with coaches). But I suppose again it will be the responsible owners that did apply the muzzle and not the irresponsible ones which is where the problem begins with. I wish I knew the answer to this horrible situation. These are just my opinions.

I agree that no dog of any size should show aggression to humans and I would add to other dogs as well. However, from my experience, I personally believe it would be better if the dog parks had two sections - a larger section for the large dogs and a smaller section for the small dogs. My dogs are approx 30kgs each, however if they have another large dog come bounding up to them from the other side of the park, they don't run and squeal, (which automatically provokes nearly all other dogs in the park - small, medium and large, to chase it and rumble it). They stand their ground with these other dogs and once they have sniffed each other are off playing and having a great time. I see far too often small dogs that are terrified being in a dog park (and I might add other sizes as well) that should not be in a dog park. Dog parks are for confident, well socialised dogs - if your small dog is going to run and squeal, then don't bring it in. In dog language, a dog that won't be sniffed etc is just rude - like a human refusing to shake hands with another when introduced - from the years of experience I have seen, the dogs that won't let another dog sniff it, the dogs that run and squeal when approached by another dog have 9 times out of 10 been little dogs and should not be in a dog park. I'm all for petitioning councils etc to have dog parks segregated into different areas and would happily do what it takes to see this happen. This situation is common in the US and other parts of the world and should be adopted here. As a medium/large dog owner, my times at the dog park would be so much better if I knew that a small dog wasn't going to set the other dogs off because it hasn't been socialised properly. And I'm certain the small dog owners would be much happier too knowing that their dogs are safer in their own exercise area.

Hi, I agree that all dogs should behave the same (most of the time anyway). What gets me is that many owners of SWF take them to the dog park, just because they have a dog and there is a dog park, when the dog is not happy. I can't tell you the amount of these small dogs that are terrified being in a dog park, and the owners have no idea. Dog parks in my opinion are for confident, well socialised dogs. Lots of these SWF run and squeal when a bigger dog approaches them (only to sniff them and investigate them), but these SWF things run and squeal, which unfortunately sets off the pack mentality of lots of other dogs (small, medium and large) in the park. In a dog's world, they will go for the weaker of the pack, so a squealing running dog is a target. The owners of these dogs cannot see it and then get totally annoyed/upset (naturally) because their dog has been a target. Tonight I had a lady tell me to "f**k off" because I nicely approached her and suggested that she keep her SWF on a lead until it got more confidence with the other dogs, or bring it when there are only a small number of dogs around (gradual introductions) - her SWF was running and starting to squeal and you could see the other dogs getting excited!! Her dog was not happy at all and the silly thing is, at my dog park, which is a large round showground, fully fenced, is there is a great track that runs the outside of the park, which is perfect for getting the new dogs used to being around the other dogs, but they will be safe. Most of these SWF don't socialise with the other dogs in the park at all, as they seem to be so timid and scared that the stick right by the owners legs - which if it was my dog, I would walk on the outside of the fence. Does anyone else have this problem - owners that cannot see that their dogs are terrified and why bring them to a dog park?

Hi Kissindra, I'm not sure, but we had all our danes desexed prior to maturing and that certainly didn't have any effect on their growth or development. Stormie, you are probably right, perhaps these dogs have been bred by non-registered breeders and you're right about looking odd - they all seem to be shallow in the front as well. The legs are strange, they don't seem to be able to run properly or move correctly as the legs are too long.

Hi, our vet at the time was Kersti Seksel, who is one of Australia's top dog behaviourists. She firmly believed that we socialise our dogs even before all shots had been administered as the time of 8-16 weeks is critical for a dog. It's personality and temperament are "created" - for want of a better word, in that time. She did state that you don't let the puppy near dog poo and that you take the puppy to the dog park when it is quieter and introduce a small amount of dogs to your puppy. We also took our pups (Great Danes) to the local shopping centre - there they will meet all sorts of noise, trolleys, cars, kids (screaming and not screaming), possibly other dogs on leads, etc etc. They will also get patted by lots of people which is vital as well. We did this for all of our Danes and they all had wonderful temperaments and were both dog and people friendly (we also purchased our puppies from a very reputable registered breeder who bred for great temperaments). I firmly believe in getting them out and about at an early age certainly reduces any problems - the more they see and experience in those early weeks will enable them to cope with almost anything when mature. She also stated that it would be rare to come across a dog that wasn't vaccinated, but also had to be a carrier of a particular disease as well. So depending on what area you are in, I would be taking a puppy out. Hope this helps

Hi, from what you state, that sounds like an awful lot for a lab - labs do have a very slow metabolism and they will always look hungry no matter how much you feed them. Labs generally will also eat anything. Meaty raw bones (brisket bones are good and would replace a meal). I feed mine chicken necks, carcasses etc, but cut down on the dinner if they have had bones in the morning. General rule is, if can feel the ribs and not see them, you should be ok. I would suggest speaking to a registered lab breeder and/or your vet. An overweight dog ends up suffering, so best to keep on the slim side.

Hi, I have a question about the danes that I see nowadays. I grew up with Great Danes - from Raatu Kennels in Sydney. Margaret Hearse was a wonderful breeder and a lovely gentle person and this was something that was passed onto her dogs. The danes I see now, seem to have these awkward long legs that don't bend as a dogs legs should. They seem to be on stilts rather than legs that can bend. The danes we had were all in proportion and they were certainly able to bend their legs. I was wondering if this is a fault, or is something that is now liked in the dane community. I agree with you that they are a fantastic breed and we have found the easiest (after having other breeds since). Our dogs were well loved and had a wonderful life - living in Sydney during the week and travelling to our farm on the weekends and holidays. I certainly hope to have another one (or two) in the years to come.

Yes, but not all parents are like you Jeanne Some will lets there kids run around screaming (which might frighten or trigger prey drive in certain dogs), others bring food in there, others yet will be too focussed on the kid to watch the dog or vice versa... Some parents will abuse you if your dog barks at their kid, or knocks them down. Some parents will let their children behave in a completely unacceptable manner towards the dogs (eg, let them stare or bark or pull faces) and laugh and think it's 'cute'. I wouldn't allow my dog to bark and run and carry on inside a fenced childrens playground and I think most parents would be offended to see that happen, so why is it okay to let kids do that in a dogs playground? (not directed at you Jeanne, just saying that some parents wouldn't give a hoot.) Personally I think that the only way to fix the problem is simply not to have kids under a certain age in fenced dog parks You can have the most well behaved dog savvy children but all you need is for one irresponsible dog owner to come along with an aggressive or hyperactive dog and it's all over. If everyone had perfect dogs and perfect kids it wouldn't be a problem - but we all KNOW that's never going to happen Surely the parents can organise a play date for their kids when they want to take the dogs to the park? Why not set that up with another dog owner with young children and take it in turns? It's really not that hard. And on the days when you cant go to the park there are plenty of other things that you can do with your dog. The park is not the be all and end all. My dog doesn't go to dog parks and he is absolutely fine. Agree - it depends on the parents. There are lots of kids that come to my regular off-leash park and they are mostly fine, which is great as some of the dogs don't have kids living with them, so they get to mix with kids - if I see kids acting inappropriately, I nicely suggest to the parents that the behaviour may cause some dogs to chase, or their prey drive may kick in etc and I generally think alot of parents have no idea - they usually are thankful that I have suggested that the child/ren don't squeal or make sudden movements and always ask to pat a dog - I personally would not take a small child into a dog park unless I knew I could totally supervise my child - not other dogs. I do think it is unfair that dogs have to be put on leashes because of children in dog parks. Just as I believe some dogs should not be in dog parks, some children also shouldn't be there. (I can't tell you the amount of timid, shy little dogs that come into the dog park which run and squeal and the owners wonder why lots of the dogs are chasing it!) Dog parks are for confident, well socialised dogs and for confident, well dog-socialised children in my opinion.

Hi, what a horrible situation to be in. Yes keep rining, emailing, writing to the council and the police. Eventually something will be done - we had a similar situation with a dog in our street - roaming, pooing in everyone's yards, growling at people walking along the street etc, the owners didn't have proper fencing. After quite a few calls from myself and others in the street, the house now has dog-proof fencing and we never see that dog again. The owner sounds like a moron and should not be allowed to have a dog. Good luck.

What has that to do with the topic? It's about her pup being attacked, not vaccination. Why are you hassling the OP with emails? Thank you! Please, if you want to talk about vaccination, start another thread. I love my dog very very much. My boyfriend is still yelling at me for grabbing him when the dog was trying to attack him, because he thought I could be attacked, but I just didn't even give it any thought at the time. I don't consider myself ignorant of the risks, but there are more risks than things like parvo when you own a breed like a doberman, and the vet and breeder have told me it is more risky to keep him inside until after he is 4 months old, which would be when his vaccinations would be complete. My vet told me in his 30 years, he has heard of one case of parvo in the eastern suburbs and in that case, the dog had been in Blacktown the day before. He said the risk was extremely low to nil. On the other hand, he told me he might get Kennel Cough, but that the effects of that would not compare to the effects of keeping him isolated at this crucial period in his development. All about minimizing risk I guess, and I think you would have to agree that reasonable minds could reach different conclusions on the matter. But please don't mention it anymore in this particular thread, it is OT. I was nowhere near a road, I was nowhere near anything but a pond and grass. Like I've already said, my puppy was on my feet at the time, which is where he sits whether he's on the lead or not. I believe I have good recall with him, given that even when people offer him food at their picnics (because he is the cutest damn pup you've ever seen) he will not go further than about 2m away from me, and I have to approach other people first before he will. When he is scared, he tries to climb up me. I don't know, you guys may have a very valid point about how I should have him on the lead at all times, but, it's still not relevant to this particular incident, because the issue was not that he was too far away for me to help, it was that the dog that was aggressive was not controlled. You guys can spend all day trying to determine my agenda if you don't want to take me on face value. I do not post often on these forums because I have seen what can happen to people. The whole point of my post was to firstly vent off some of the lasting anxiety I had from the attack, but then also, on reflection, I felt like after all these years, I could potentially understand why some people actually wanted BSL, and why people will make the distinction between different breeds. I do think an owner would have trouble getting a large breed off another dog, but, I do think the dog itself would have better luck with a huge, slow newf over a pittbull. I was thinking about it more today, and thinking about all the dogs who have tried to attack my puppy so far. There were a few small things, which we all just ignored, there was the labrador yesterday at lunch which wouldn't stop barking at him but who knows how far it would have taken it, and then about a week ago, there were 2 large staffy type dogs. They were on a lead, but pulling out in front, lunging at my dog. I say large because I thought staffies were only meant to be about 20kg, and these ones were definitely larger than that. There are a couple of gsds in my area, all very well behaved. There is a rottie who is also well-behaved. I don't know. In my area at least, all the incompetent owners seem to own the small fluffy things, and the bully breeds. Looking out the window this morning, another large staffy looking thing, pulling out in front of its owner on the walk. The bully breeds and crosses are often considered small-medium sized dogs, and hence owned out of convenience by people who would not want a large dog. But they are not comparable to the other small breeds in terms of power. I am going to try and report the lady today, I remember some of the members of her pack, the male steel grey bully thing at the front, a border collie cross, a brindle large female something, a small tan and white maltese looking thing and a few other small-med sized things. You know it's interesting isn't it? All in the same pack, all with the same crap owner, but only one of them attacked my puppy, no questions asked, and that one just happened to be the bully breed. Hi, our vet (and others) have said similar things - also Sydney top Dog Behaviourist - Kersti Seksel - it is better to get your puppy out and socialising, than worrying about the very very small risk of picking up a disease. But then again I suppose it would depend on what areas of Sydney you live in - we grew up in Mosman and the chances of coming across a dog that wasn't vaccinated, that also had to be carrying the disease, is so remote - we always took our great danes out to socialise before the completed vaccination time - the critical time for socialisation is between 8-16 weeks - we were advised by the vets to not let them smell/come into contact with other dogs poo - and we always did that and our dogs were the totally dog friendly, people friendly etc. I would suggest to still take your pup out - getting him socialised with other dogs, people, noises, traffic, shopping centres, etc is vitally important. One of the best ways of socialising, is to take them to your kids sports games - mine go every week to my son's cricket games and rugby union games - lots of people, noise, toddlers, other dogs, screams and shouting etc. They love going.

Hi, this experience is always horrible and I certainly feel for you. I always take my mobile with me now on walks (there was an incident where a man came off his bicycle and I was the only one around and had to call an ambulance), but I mainly take it so if I needed to call someone (police, rangers etc) that I can quickly. Does your phone have a camera? If it does, take some photos and advise the owner that the dogs are being reported to the council along with the photos - if she wants to walk them off lead, take them to a dog park, if they are not socialised, then I'm sorry but she has to walk them on leads at all times. Everyone has a right to feel safe regardless of if you have dogs or not, and this type of behaviour from members of the dog community only puts ammunition into the hands of the non-dog community. Report her!!

Lisa, sorry about what happened to your pup, hope there are no long lasting effects on his temperament, but as others have mentioned I really think it is taking a big risk having an 11 week old pup off leash, regardless of previous good behaviour he's still not 'proven'. There is no way you could anticipate the reaction of an 11 week old pup should an unexpected incident occur. If you hadn't happened to pick him up he might have sped off in fear straight under the wheels of a car. Too damn risky in my opinion. I'm also curious about his vaccination status. I agree. I wouldn't want it on my head the next time he attacks, and he almost certainly will, as his owner is clearly doing nothing to prevent it. I don't usually play 'name the breed' but in the interests of showing the diversity of attacking dog breeds, may I add: jack russell rottweiler ACD another BC another lab various mixed breeds and a pair of saint bernards acting in tandem Lisa, stubborn and muscular this dog may have been, but imagine trying to move a pair of 80 kilo saint bernards - physically impossible due to the fact that they weigh more than your average woman. One of them thankfully responded to a commanding tone of voice, the other completely ignored me and all I could do was release my dog's leash to give him half a chance to defend himself without me or the leash getting in the way. Thankfully my boy somehow managed to 'hold' the other dog and I stepped between, at which stage the irresponsible owner finally decided to come over. If BSL is taken to its ultimate conclusion, nobody will be allowed to own any dogs of a certain build, history or over a certain size. Say goodbye to staffords, bernese mountain dogs, great danes, newfs, malamutes, dobermanns, rottweilers, GSDs, pointers, most of the sighthounds, pretty much anything from the mastiff group, rhodesian ridgebacks, weimeranas etc etc I'm sorry but I just don't warm to little lap dogs the way I do to large silly oafs and I really hope there never comes a day when we go to choose a dog and are asked which of the only twenty or so breeds remaining we would like...all of them under knee height. Oh and if you like your dobermanns, better think twice about supporting BSL because the dobes will be a casualty as soon as they've got rid of the bull breeds. They also said they just picked the puppy up, if it was that strong & vicious, surely it wouldn't have let go of the puppy. Sorry, but I smell a rat. Good point. When my girls had a fight, I picked up Ebony ('cos she was smaller) and her teeth were still embedded in Ella's face - there was no way she was letting go willingly. Even picking up the attacking dog can't make them let go if they're really determined. Longcoat, if bull breeds are banned, the undesirable owners (studded collar brigade) will simply move on to rotties, dobes and GSDs and that will blow your theory of the owners of these dogs being more responsible out of the water. BTW, Kuges has studs on his collar. A single row of small ones though - it's his 'bling'. :D Hi, I'm not sure this is correct - that if they ban bully breeds they will move onto another breed - dobes, GSDs, Rotties have had their turn at bad press etc - the fact is they aren't as prevalent as the bully breeds - a smaller bully breed is easier and cheaper to feed, vet etc than a larger rottie, dobe or gsd etc. The owners now of rottie, dobes etc that I have come across, and I've come across many, seem to be very responsible dog owners and they have purchased from reputable breeders and have also done the hard yards of socialising, training etc etc. In fact I have yet to come across a "bad" one of these breeds (I have a rottiexdobe and a dobexkelpie and both were rescues and both are extremely people and dog friendly, if they weren't I would not have rescued them). It has been stated many times before, all dogs can bite and become aggressive, but the bully breeds by far seem to do more damage than any other breeds that are reported. I don't support BSL, but I support responsible dog ownership which is where the problem lies and unfortunately I don't see it ever ceasing, unless maybe huge lawsuits are thrown at people who have these dogs that do cause problems (in fact any breed of dog). Maybe hitting them hard in the hip pocket will make people seriously think twice about owning these dogs - some countries have much higher insurance premiums if you have certain breeds - a responsible dog owner would pay it as the chances of their dogs turning out aggressive etc are minimal as they put the hard yards in. A slap on the wrist, having your dog ceased and a small fine in my opinion is not a deterrent to owning certain breeds if they cause problems - a jail term, a choice that the victim can sue the owner for everything and a ban from ever owning any breed of dog again could possibly work.

Great post Chrisjc - After being a believer in BSL, I'm really starting to see the other side and that banning something - be it dogs, drugs etc doesn't stop the ones that really want that product to get it. Perhaps if BSL was scrapped, the people that should least have a pitbull would stop - can't be cool or whatever if everyone can get them, no longer illegal to have one. I don't know the answer to this. I truly believe education can help, but the morons of society will always do as they please and won't listen. To me, everyone on these posts has a definite interest in their chosen breed and for all dogs in general - we wouldn't be on these sites if we didn't love our dogs and want to do the best for and by them. We are (I hope I'm correct) responsible dog owners who do the hard yards - training, socialising, researching before purchasing (or rescuing) etc to ensure that our dogs are safe, happy members of the community. No one should get a dog without doing and continue to do the right things by them. But of course we all know that there are thousands of dogs out there, locked up, chained up etc, no socialising with other dogs and/or humans, mistreated, etc and this will ever be and unfortunately some of these dogs will be involved in an attack - child wanders into yard, family member approaches chained up dog etc etc. Rotties have had their bad press time (as have dobes, gsd and others). I have yet to come across a "bad" rottie, so there is hope that eventually the APBT will get it's rightful place in society, as you say, with people that understand the breed, are watchful and in control, that way the dog has a great life, you the owner have a great dog and attacks are no longer an issue. But how do you stop the morons and the bybs - that is going to be one major challenge - like how do you stop the drug trade? I worked once for a retired high court judge who dealt with this side of the law for many years. He was a total convert for legalising heroin - you take out the black market, the drug dealers etc and therefore crime will come down. Many doctors, lawyers, police etc were also in favour of this, however it is against our nature to let something in legally where in the wrong hands it has the potential to be fatal or at least maim. Just my thoughts anyway.

Hi, I'm with Bow Wow and have found them to be really good. I made my first claim last week and like PuddleDuck, received an sms to say my claim had been received and would be processed within the next 3 weeks. I'm happy with their service - always have been polite and helpful and both my dogs lost their name tags and with Bow Wow you get a replacement name tag (once per year) if your dog loses it or you change address. Bow Wow was recommended to me by my dog instructor (who also happens to be a vet). I chose the accident plan only for my 2 dogs (1 female Rotty/Doberman and 1 male Doberman/Kelpie). I have a $100 excess for each. Whatever plan you choose, remember that there is no perfect plan, just like human health insurance. But there are plans that are better suited to you and your lifestyle (and dogs). Hope this helps.

Hi, have now started using the talc and I can honestly say that it does work and the house does smell much fresher. I'm mopping the floors on the weekend (my house has floorboards all the way through and I have a couple of very large rugs). I'll be adding it to the bucket. I also tried VJB's trick of putting some on a cotton wool ball and sucking it into the vacuum cleaner - what a nice fragrance coming out of the vacuum!! I've been spraying the rugs and generally spraying around the place in the air and I'm certainly happy with it.

Great news - I'd love to hear what you think of the vanilla (I'm a vanilla nut). I got mine today in the talc and can't wait to start spraying, mopping, washing, etc etc with it. Thanks again for letting us all know about this. Word of mouth (and the internet) is a very powerful tool. :D