SE7EN

The poor family have faced a terrible situation that no one should ever have to go through. Those terrified children will probably have fears their entire lives. When will they license pet ownership? When will they stop the puppy farms and pet stores handing over animals to just anyone? This is the cause of the problem. The wrong people owning the wrong animal. Absolutely zero accountability to anyone but themselves. Now the calls will ring afresh to ban "dangerous" dogs. I had my face mauled by a little mixed breed terrier as a boy. I still have the scars on my lower lip and forehead. IMO it doesn't matter what breed it is, its the owners responsibility to create a stable animal in ALL situations. Maybe a psych evaluation for anyone who wishes to own a "dangerous" breed of dog, to prove you have the required knowledge to own such a breed. Not walk into some place and purchase a penitential killing machine, just because you like the look of it. But they will most likely punish us all for the mistakes of the few ....

I wish it was simple ignorance they suffered from. But deep down they would know they are using an animals pain and suffering as entertainment. If I wrote what I'm truly feeling right now, I'd be banned. Some people do not deserve to share this beautiful planet with the animals. If I had my way, they wouldn't.

LOL council ranger come knocking on the door .... "We have a report you have a tiger in your backyard!" "No that's just Tibby our golden retriever"

I enjoy walking my dog in the rain more than walking when its not raining. Thunderstorms are my favourite things in the world. I find the whole experience refreshing and energising. Once a weather report says storm on the way, its jump in the car and head off to the coast to the great ocean road. The more terrible the storm the more I like it. I was worried that my weird obsession with thunder and lightning would make it difficult finding a dog who wasn't frightened. But no problems there, he is happy to be with me in the thick of it, and even the loudest ground shaking blasts don't bother him in the slightest. Nothing beats coming home after a cold wet day/night in the great outdoors to a warm home and a hot meal

Wouldn't touch it with a 50 foot barge pole.

I had a Boxer for 12 years. He ended up with epilepsy, which was later found to be a brain tumor After he passed away I didn't get another dog for 7 years. I guess some people get over it relatively quickly, for me the whole time from his first fit, to the day he passed away was horrible. I never wanted to go through that again. When I started entertaining the thought of another dog (with much subtle hinting from the missus) one of my main criteria was health. I wanted a robust dog, something that could handle a bit of rough house play, weekends away and a couch potato on the side. Amazingly after much research online, I found the American Staffordshire Terrier. Exactly what I was looking for. My family has asked why I never got another Boxer. To be honest no dog could ever replace my boy, and it wouldn't be fair on the new dog to compare or expect him to be the same. The past is the past and I'll always cherish the memories of my Boxer. The Amstaff is harder to train. Not by a lot, but can be more stubborn. As far as health goes, comparing to other dogs who fit my criteria, they win hands down. Not a lot to worry about health wise, and making sure they are bred well from a registered breeder is certainly the way to go. Ticking all the boxes .... Its taken seven long years, but I've finally found a new best mate. He is with me 24/7 (I'm lucky my job allows me this pleasure) and he is known as my shadow. A dog is for life, and I had to choose wisely. I must admit I was a little iffy about this type of breed (bad press and all that) but I'm so glad I chose an Amstaff. A very robust dog who lives to please. Great with kids and family pets. Excellent watch dog. Has made "couch potato" an art form. Always happy, very alert, fears nothing and loves his tucker. My best friend

Thankfully now he doesn't destroy anything, but when he was younger we left him at home for a few hours. Came home, and of all the things he could have destroyed, he chose to eat my $1200 Grado GS1000 headphones and the TV remote. Guess which two things I use that take my attention away from him? Listening to music and watching TV. How smart/evil is that!

HAHA what an enjoyable thread My dog is anything but a Ninja. More like a Sumo wrestler

That is fantastic news. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

Maybe it would help if someone with the writing skills made a document that people could simply put their name to and send? I know I would send MANY of them, to as many as possible.

I'm sorry to read this. I truly hope your dog makes a complete recovery. Last week I took my dog to the local oval for a run. I have an Amstaff, he is big and strong. When we got to the park there was a woman with a dog (off lead) and it was running around enjoying itself. I bobbed down with my boy between my knee's, calmly talking to him, as we both watched her dog shoot around the oval. Less than a minute past when she looked directly at me and my dog. I was then thinking it's only a matter of time now, she will call her dog, now that she is obviously not alone in the park, and put it on a leash. How wrong I was. She not only didn't call it back, she turned her back on us completely to look the other way. A minute later her dog sees my dog and comes running over at speed. My boy is fine with other dogs. He's never had a fight. He's been attacked, but he didn't fight back, and it was over before he could luckily. But this woman didn't know that ... But it gets worse. Her dog runs straight at my boy and I'm doing my best to hold onto him tight. I don't know what to expect. The last thing I want is her dog attacking my dog, and my dog attacks back and seriously hurts her dog. Her dog is female, at least that's good news. She isn't a fighter, even better. The woman notices her dog and starts screaming. She's running at us now screaming? I yell back its OK my dog won't attack. But she's going hysterical ... Next thing my boy lunges I look down and he's trying to mount her dog. I put a quick stop to that as the woman approaches. "Shes on heat" she cries out. Who in their right mind takes a dog ON HEAT to a public park and lets it off leash? No wait, who does that, and then SEES another person with a dog, and doesn't call their dog back? Unbelievable. I'd like to say the story ends well, but the truth is, when I mentioned to her, its not the best idea to have a female on heat running loose in the park, I was met with a mouthful of abuse. And then told if my dog had of hurt hers, she would have had my dog put down. /shakes head in disbelief ...

OK then I'll delete mine ...