Her Majesty Dogmad

Let's hope this doesn't happen here, I don't believe anyone should be entering my property without my permission when I'm not there: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2347232/Dog-owners-face-prosecution-pet-scares-child-collecting-ball-garden.html Dog owners face prosecution if their pet frightens a child retrieving a football from their garden. A crackdown on dangerous dogs aims to protect workers like postmen from being attacked while doing their job. But the threat of court action against someone whose dog ‘nips, bites or barks’ someone means home owners could be charged if a child is started by a pet. Campaigners warn dogs cannot distinguish between a genuine intruder and a child collecting a ball, and warned innocent owners could be prosecuted as a result. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs insists police and the Crown Prosecution Service will be free to decide whether prosecution is in the public interest. But the government has confirmed that a legal action could be ordered if a dog scares a child. David Heath, the agriculture minister, said: ‘We certainly want to deal with the issue of the postman or the political canvasser who gets bitten by a dog out in the yard or garden, where they have perfectly legitimate business. ‘But we also do not want to penalise the householder whose dog is doing its job of protecting property against an intruder. ‘Getting that balance right is critical. When someone is within a house, it can reasonably be assumed that unless they have been invited in, they must give a strong argument for why they have legitimate business in the house.’ Speaking to the Commons last month Mr Heath added: ‘It is different for a garden, or sometimes even a shed. A child going to pick up a football that has been kicked into a garden should not be set upon by a dangerous dog. ‘They may be an intruder, but they are nevertheless not a burglar or anyone with malicious intent. A public–interest test must be satisfied before a prosecution can be brought. I hope that the guidance to the prosecuting authority will make that distinction clear,' The Daily Telegraph reported. Warning: Farming minister David Heath said a child going to pick up a football that has been kicked into a garden should not be set upon by a dangerous dog Warning: Farming minister David Heath said a child going to pick up a football that has been kicked into a garden should not be set upon by a dangerous dog Tougher rules on dogs were ordered earlier this year after 14-year-old Jade Anderson was killed by five dogs in a house in Wigan. Every year the NHS spends £3million treating dog attack injuries while more than 200,000 people a are thought to be bitten every annually. Trevor Cooper, a dog law specialist for Dogs Trust, said: ‘The difficulty for dog owners is in how they can anticipate a child coming in to their garden. ‘What can a dog owner do to prevent it? Put the dog in a cage in the garden or build large fences? That would be unacceptable for us. ‘The Government is going to have to work out a way of not criminalising dog owners if they have done nothing wrong. ‘It's quite difficult for a dog to distinguish between a lawful and unlawful visitor. I would hope that common sense will prevail. ‘Dogs Trust has long campaigned not only for a complete overhaul of the Dangerous Dogs Act, but a thorough consolidation of dog legislation to provide better protection for dogs, their owners, and the general public. ‘Greater clarity on the proposed changes is also needed in order to aid dog owners’ understanding of the changes in the law.’

If Mia has not got a green collar/not wearing a muzzle and you are struggling to walk them both, you do need to think what would happen if you dropped one of the leads or both. Noone has any control over a greyhound if they have seen something that sets their prey drive into gear and Roo will join. You could definitely end up in lots of trouble. Greyhounds should also not be let off leash in dog parks and def. not one without a green collar. A couple of years ago a little dog and its owner were mauled in a dog park round here by 2 black greyhounds. Not sure if Council ever found the stupid owners but the dog nearly died, it's owner managed to grab it and threw it over the fence which is high and set about clambering over as well but had a chunk taken out of his leg by one of the greys who were in hunting mode. I love greyhounds much more than the average person but like any dog, they must be properly managed. I'm pretty sure that the rescue you have gotten Mia from has not given you the proper amount of information to work with.

When people aren't familiar with the Italian Greyhound, indigirl and I always suggest that they go to some dog shows and have a good look at the breed, chat to the breeders and have a good long hard think about it. Iggies (like every breed), aren't for everyone. It's about getting the right dog at the start and having that lifelong commitment to it because it was the right dog for you. SOme people can make the lifetime commitment even if the dog isn't quite right but that just makes things harder than they should be ...

Yes, I was threatened by an owner on Christmas Day when I politely asked him to please put his dog's lead on. Dog was huge and had charged me and my little dogs with no attempt from the owner to control it - it was terrifying at the time.

Doesn't Mia walk well on the lead? Greyhounds are usually the very easiest to walk as they have normally been ex racers. As they are both girls, it could be helpful to get a dual lead - one that splits in 2 directions and attaches to their collars. Best to walk on harnesses too I imagine?

depends if Roo and the goldie were brought up together or were adults etc. You can't get much more laid back then a calm greyhound though. I'd be sending Mia home if there is anymore snapping, not fair to her at all. And even the most laid back dog can respond if pushed too far. I'd agree with this and greyhounds have very thin skin so easily hurt. Is there any reason why you didn't want a male? Males to females are usually a better option although Roo may not accept a male either, she may be extremely territorial ...

I recently helped an owner rehome her tiny dog that had nipped her child. It wasn't a terrible bite, more a nip, the dog was 13 yrs of age and in great health - vet checks had been done etc. There hadn't been any history of the dog biting anyone else in all her years. Taking everything into consideration, the dog would be OK to be rehomed but to only a minority of situations that had been assessed really thoroughly. The owner had the dog from puppyhood until she was 12 and then she unexpectedly had a baby. She had hoped the dog (which was a Chi mix) would accept the baby but it wasn't to be. I had an elderly gentleman on a waiting list (no family but with plenty of support from neighbours and other people all without children) wanting a new companion (but an old dog). There were never going to be any children visiting or exposed to the dog. The deal is that if anything happens to him, she will come to me and again, she will never be exposed to children here. If my neighbour's kids come around, like some of the other dogs I've owned, she would be locked away. I would have taken her on but she has proved to be the ideal companion for him. I don't always believe a dog should die because they have bitten a child, the whole circumstances and history have to be considered.

Dogs do prefer routine - especially with walks. I recommend sticking to the time - I understand why you are going at different times but it hasn't stopped his behaviour. He needs to learn "sit" and "stay" etc by the sounds of it. Obedience training goes a long way. A crate is also a wonderful invention, not cruel at all, gives the dog somewhere to call his own. Mine go into them at times other than bedtime although only one has to sleep in a crate at night, they all love them.

Good luck - don't forget to reintroduce the two dogs on neutral territory - don't just collect Mia and walk her into your home - even if she and Jelly got on at an initial meeting, doing this could cause an issue. Get someone to help you - walk both dogs down the road for a hundred metres or two and then turn round and providing there were no signs of any issues, walk them both back into your house, straight through and into the garden and let them off the lead. Best of luck! Greys are the best!

Sighthounds are prone to separation anxiety. I wouldn't put a working breed there either. You need something laid back and able to cope on their own, as you say. How far is Nowra from Canberra? ARF in Canberra have a form that you can lodge when you are looking for a dog.

That sounds OK. Does he have the dog inside at all? Has he thought about the coat? Short coat? Are there ticks in that area?

So very sad for you, nothing you could ever expect in one so young. Poor little chap, taken from this world far to soon. RIP Raiden. Hugs to you Lhok.

They need to cover retirement villages as well. So many won't allow pets. I went to one on Sunday and rehomed one of my rescued dogs there, it was brilliant - place was full of little rescue dogs and very safe and secure. I will be seeing if I can place some more!! I've just had a message from the new owner tonight to say how much she loves the dog I left on Sunday and is now so very happy. It makes all the difference to someone's life to have a little friend they can love and take for walks.

Probably going to be a long day for a young dog to be on its own. Lonely dogs can bark and dig!

The OP has indicated it is an Australian Shepherd that she means by aussie, not the terrier. Right, in that case it's a whole different ball game. I don't have such a great concern that this dog is in great danger.

You also need to take into account the size of the dog, Australian Terriers might be fearless like most of the terriers but they are small dogs.

My friend's tip is to have somewhere secure (dog proof) for the cat litter tray - her dogs will tuck in at the first opportunity!! Don't leave your cat's food lying around - dogs will eat and it can given them diarrhoea. My friend feeds hers in high places! You need to give your cats a place to escape too. A Labrador may not have been the best choice - size and strength wise. They are a boisterous breed. I would always ensure you keep them separate when you aren't home, one bounce could easily harm a smaller animal and he's not going to stop for some years ...

T - I couldn't agree more. This debate will go round in circles. My original post was nothing to do with the bull breed debate. If the breed had been ANYTHING but a bull breed, this thread would not have degenerated into a debate on bull breeds. Right from the start the personal attacks began simply because I had related a story that included the words "Am Staff" which a DOL member was even able to correlate - no I hadn't made it up. Initially the thread had responses that actually related to the story in my first post. It was interesting and potentially useful to anyone thinking about adopting siblings OF ANY BREED or people who might be thinking they wouldn't need to put any effort into training etc. It was an indictment on poor breeding/rehoming practices. Now it is not. No doubt we will continue to see threads degenerate into the future because I will not be bullied or harassed into no longer posting anything on this forum because the bull breed brigade won't like it. I hope that no other DOL members will feel unable to post and mention a bull breed if it is involved. This IS a public forum. Those members who have turned this thread into the debate are NOT the DOL police. They are NOT moderators. The attitudes they display don't help their cause.

I agree with both comments. Please understand however that unlike many, I do not let the dog run amok as soon as we reach the park and that every off lead experience is assessed - possibly too much. Dog parks have their place for most dogs - just not every/all the time. And we (and our dogs) ony improve through challenges and experiences. :) EDIT: Although I concede I failed this time I disagree. I've owned many dogs and fostered a ton more. Putting them into situations where they are aggressive or are attacked is not going to help them - it is not "challenges and experiences" it is dangerous. I'm guessing you were bitten when you tried to put the lead on. This indicates to me that the dog was highly agitated and things could have been much worse. An Aussie terrier is not a big dog. What happens when something much larger and stronger takes him up on his aggression? You are probably going to be in a very unsafe situation. Do you even know how to break up a dog fight? Most people don't.

So the statistics and data being quoted is "incomplete" and/or "unreliable? Why would looking at statistics and data that are incomplete or unreliable be any more realistic than any other source of information? Even if the statistics weren't incomplete or unreliable, statistics can still give a false representation of a situation. As an example, the Government provides us with statistics that show there is low unemployment. These statistics don't cover people working part time when they want/need full time employment so they are flawed. I do agree that responsible dog ownership is the answer. If rescue groups are rehoming ANY breed - that has a propensity to escape and/or commonly has aggression issues with other animals, then they should be taking extreme care and doing homechecks to ensure that the fencing provided is adequate and ensuring the owners are responsible and aware. Far too often I've been told that there is 6ft secure fencing all the way around to find, upon inspection of the home, that this is not the case. I know for a fact that there are some rescue groups that do not do home inspections or take sufficient care when placing. I often wonder how many of their rehomed dogs get out and end up in the pound again.

I don't think he sounds like the dog park is a good place to take him. One day he'll come off worse, they are not safe places and other dogs are unpredictable.

I love the "Knit your own dog" idea, beautiful!!

Perhaps at his age, there could be other issues happening such as dementia, Cushings or a brain tumour. This can lead to aggression - sudden an unexpected. I had to euthanase one of my own dogs at 7. He'd bitten me 3 times for no apparent reason. There were other strange behaviours and incidents all happening around the same time. Maybe there are some subtle signs that you have missed as you are busy? The last thing with my dog was urinary incontinence and a bite during the night that just missed my eye. Last year I rescued another dog of around 7 or 8. She also bit me several times and showed phenomenal aggression to my neighbour's children when they knocked at the door. SHe'd attacked another foster dog and shown some strange behaviours as well which were getting worse. I put her to sleep as well, she was not rehomable and I couldn't keep her. I wouldn't automatically put a dog to sleep without having carefully reviewed the whole situation but you definitely can't keep the dog around children. It would be almost impossible to rehome in your case too so you aren't left with too many choices.

And nor was I but I'm not going to be bullied (pardon the pun) and nor should anyone else. This is a public forum, it's for posting issues, stories, news articles and so on. I'm heavily involved in rescue, have been for many years so it's not as if I've owned just a couple of dogs in my life and it's been quite sheltered. For the last fortnight I've been assisting a person who is rehoming their 2 little dogs, they feel they are no longer safe to walk them around. Their words to me were "how come there are so many dangerous dogs around" They are from Europe and have moved here in 2011. I said what sort of dogs are you talking about? The answer was "Staffies". They have retrieved one of their dogs out of a Staffy's mouth in one dog park and had to constantly pick their dogs up just walking around the area due to many loose dogs with idiot owners. They've stopped going to dog parks but still can't walk down the road. And this is just the tip of the iceberg of the calls I get week in, week out from owners having issues with Staffy type dogs. Yes, another "anecdote" but it is still true. And not all the owners have small dogs. Another owner that called to apply for one of my dogs recently has a Ridgeback. He said they are constantly bothered by off leash Staffies. At least they are not going to consume a Ridgeback I guess. All this in the inner part of Sydney ...

So why mention the breed then? We both know why. Get a grip Mantis.