doctorjoel

Hmmm wonder what hairspray would do!? She hasn't seen the dog before the attack and is not 100% sure he came from the flats so I doubt the pound would have much luck finding his owners anyway. No she doesn't drive, the daily walks were the only thing that got her out of the house everyday and kept her mentally and physically in shape, that's why i'm so desperate to find something that will make her a bit more confident. TBH i think she should move to another area, but thats another story altogether.

@ poodlefan Yep, she never has him off lead, she is very nervous and carefull these days. What is the spray that people are allowed to keep in their handbags? Her grandaughter is a federal police officer so she might be able to help there The stick idea might work but I am scared that she might get attacked if she tried to use violence. Unfortunately isolation is a problem for her too so finding a walking partner might not be so easy, she doesn't own a computer or anything. Thanks for the suggestions. I told her to report it too but she doesn't like to cause trouble, she thinks the dog came from some government flats at the end of her street, even when her dog was killed she didn't want to press charges or anything, strange i know but she's from another time i guess. I wasn't there so not sure if i could report it and it happened about two weeks ago.

My grandmother had her dog mauled to death in front of her eyes a couple of years ago. It took her a long time to recover and she eventually adopted a rescue corgi. She no longer walks down to the oval where the attack happened but just does short walk around her street, well DID untill her new dog was attacked again just the other day, grabbed by the throat just like last time (similar type of dog too but lets not go into that) The corgi managed to escape and run home and she managed to grab the other dog by the collar and shoo him away (very brave for an 80 yr old!) The problem now is that after recovering from post traumatic stress from the first attack she has fallen back into it a bit and is too frightened to even walk her dog around the street! I am going to get a thick studded collar for her dog, and was thinking something like pepper spray MIGHT give her some more confidence but i'm not sure if this works on dogs and if it did it might just make the dog angrier? Does anyone know of anything to suggest? A sonic alarm was another idea but might hurt or scare her dog too? thanks

I am currently fostering the perfect dog for you! Unfortunately I'm in canberra :D Sally (http://www.petrescue.com.au/view/84698) is however around the size you want (listed as large, but really about as big as a staffy with longer legs) Lovely short easy care coat, GREAT with kids, playful yet extremely relaxed for a pup her age, gets on well with other dogs and has no desire to escape (I know this because when my resident dogs escaped Sally stayed home). I realise that distance probably rules Sal out, but given the age of the dog you are looking for I cannot reccomend a rescue dog enough. Rescue dogs usually live in foster care until their forever home comes along so the fosterer will be able to know if their dog has all of the qualities that you are looking for. They come with all vet work done and usually some basic training. Petrescue is a great place to start looking!

Well my big boy certainly takes his job as family guardian very seriously, he has been raised with kids but never had a newborn in the house before. Was worried he might be a bit excited and bouncy, but was instantly on guard duty and gentle as can be. For those who might be wondering, constant close supervision is always practiced

My Mastiff is the most whingey dog i have ever encountered, as well as being one of the biggest and scariest looking! We have never responded when he whinges, whines and moans at the door to come in, but he will still do it for what seems like hours and he's three now! He is an inside dog but due to his size has to be put out at dinnertime and when visitors come etc.

I bet if Mr Linke owned a mastiff instead of a pitbull there would have been no mention Mastiff's in relation to this incident. I would have a much easier time believing someone mistook a bullmastiff x for a pitbull... at least there is some bully in there!

Yep, in this case, the identity of the breed seems to have been very hastily determined, it just makes my blood boil when someone in Mr Linke's position states that a mastiff could easily be misidentified as a pitbull. I have owned a rescue pitbull and would trust her with a baby but not other dogs.. ever... BTW poodlefan, it was a horrible incident and took grandma a long time to recover but she is well on the way now and thanks to DOL and albury dog rescue has a beautiful rescue corgi "Ben" to keep her company... i'm sure reading the article in todays paper brought up some painfull memories for her though

I'd say both dog and owner are lucky to be in as good a shape as they are - two dogs hell bent on destruction could do far more damage than appears to have been done here. Well that is for certain, If the attackers were pitbulls, a maltese would have stood little chance. My partners grandmother had her golden retreiver killed by three dogs, my partner went to the pound to see the dogs herself as she was told one was a mastiff. In reality one was a rednose pitbull type, one was a staffy type and the "mastiff" was a small/medium black crossbreed.. to this day grandma is afraid of our mastiff simply because of this mislabeling.

But isn't that the whole point? Your average member of the public probably couldn't differentiate between these breeds if their lives depended on it. Shark attack witnesses usually get the size of the shark wrong (massive overestimation) and routinely describe them as "white pointers". Given the trauma associated with this dog attack, I'd say the witness may have done something similar. Purebred pitbulls aren't common around here. Surely even the least dog knowledgeable people can tell the difference between a giant dog as opposed to a medium sized dog? Not sure where you are, but i'd be willing to put money on there being more pure pitbulls than mastiffs! I can understand the misidentifying of a staffy cross as a pitbull but in no way can i understand the constant lumping in of mastiffs to pitbull types

Mastiffs are no where near close in appearance to a pit bull terrier or a stafford! There is no way that if these dogs were described as being of similar size to a pit bull that they could have been mastiff's. A mastiff is a GIANT breed (one of the heaviest in the world in fact) They are also a guardian breed and not a fighting breed. Why would anyone bring mastiffs into this?? I have seen on this forum people telling how they registered their pitbulls as mastiffs to avoid BSL, maybe this is where the confusion comes from, of course any ranger who is fooled by this is incompetent and should not have dogs lives in their hands. Of course Mr Linke would stick up for pitbulls, he owns one.

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I've thought the same thing myself actually, the pound had him listed as whippet/collie but he is a bit short. regardless hes markings and colours are really pretty. I thought the same thing Danois. Doesn't look terrlbly whippety to me either. Looks kind of kelpie x to me from that pic. Maybe it's just that photo I think he might be a Sheltie/Whippet mix. Hope he finds a home soon! edit for spelling.

Yep, not the best pics i know, but he is certainly at least half whippet when you see him in person. He is fine when left with another dog, so not too much trouble for a multi dog household. He just can't get enough love poor baby Thanks for the kind advice Tez and others, i'm sure his forever home will come along soon. Keep him in mind for anyone looking for a sighthoundy type doggy that is great with cats.

Hmmm not sure why that link isn't working.... http://www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au/CPR_...ium.html#Arthur

I've been fostering a lovely dog for CPR that has had suprisingly little Interest as yet. Why this is, is beyond me, he is a great size, extremely smoochy, great with kids (including very small children) cats and other dogs. Arthur has had a rough start, is very submissive and is so desperate to bond with and please someone that he can come across a little too strong at times. He also suffers from seperation anxiety so will need a doggy companion or someone home most of the time. With some security in his life and some more training (which he responds excellently to) this little man will be a dream dog for a lucky family. If any rescurers have had enquiries for a dog fitting this description, please refer them to Arthur at CPR. http://www.canberrapoochrescue.org.au/CPR_...ium.html#Arthur