Staffy's And Rotties Most Dangerous

[A_Nomad]

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=660837

Staffordshire terriers and rottweilers are the two most common dog breeds associated with attacks on people in NSW, with 69 attacks reported across the state last financial year.

Fifty-one of the victims were hospitalised, while 18 of the attacks resulted in court action.

NSW Local Government Minister Barbara Perry said Sydney's western suburbs experienced the highest number of incidents compared to other regions, with 18 of the attacks occurring in the Greater Western region.

"All dogs can be unpredictable and have the potential to bite," Ms Perry said.

To raise awareness among schoolchildren in kindergarten and years one and two, accredited animal experts are giving demonstrations in NSW primary schools on how to behave around dogs, and what to do if they are attacked.

They aim to educate 250,000 students by next June.

Ms Perry said dog owners found to be acting irresponsibly faced fines of up to $55,000 and/or two years in prison.

"Owners of dangerous dogs must desex the dog, ensure it is kept in an enclosure that meets set safety standards, and display a clearly visible dangerous dog sign on the property," she said.

[Clyde]

Ouch!

I wish these breeds didn't attract such unsavoury types.

[Kowai]

Sounds more to me that its people in Sydney's West that are more dangerous... Educate them first on responsible dog handling rather than blame the dogs!!

[Jsk]

The only thing my staffy is a danger too, is our trampoline! The little $hit chewed a hole in the netting that encloses it!

[poodlefan]

They're probably also two of the most common breeds, period.

Those sorts of stats don't help much unless you know absolute numbers.

I can pretty much guarantee, for example, that an Italian Pointing Dog won't be on the NSW stats.. because there aren't any IN NSW.

[Bartok]

My Rotti is a big lump. Not a mean bone in him.

It just doesn't help when people already have a bad perception of the breed.

My BIL and SIL wont let my niece play with my Rotti as they are scared of him.

My niece who is 3.5yrs loves him and thinks he is "cute". They have no problem with

her touching my Lab - who is the one I watch and can be a little snippy.

No matter how many times we try to get it through their think heads they just don't get it.

[Pawprints]

Thats explains why when my mum and I walk our staffy and rottie along the beach, no one will come near us!

[GotAnyBlacker]

My sister used to have two rotties, (before one passed from bloat, poor boy) and I used to help her walk them and people would cross over and give us a wide berth! They are/were big sooks!

[Pawprints]

My sister used to have two rotties, (before one passed from bloat, poor boy) and I used to help her walk them and people would cross over and give us a wide berth! They are/were big sooks!

Yeah we get that. They cross the road or stand still as I pass looking scared stiff. My mums staffy and my rottie are two of th most pathetic sooks you'll ever come across

The difference when I take my beagle out on his own is amazing. People smile at him, stop to pat and snuggle him. When I take Tealc out on his own, no one does that! lol. Although alot of people do say he's gorgeous but they always follow it up with "is he friendly?"

[luvabull]

They're probably also two of the most common breeds, period.

Those sorts of stats don't help much unless you know absolute numbers.

I can pretty much guarantee, for example, that an Italian Pointing Dog won't be on the NSW stats.. because there aren't any IN NSW.

I agree.

Good to see they're putting the time in to educate the young ones

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

The two rotties behind us tore a hole through the colourbond fence to try and get at my poultry! The owner has boarded up the hole. Those dogs are also notorious barkers. I suspect they're acting out from boredom. They're one of those breeds that need a little extra attention and probably why some become troublesome.

I think eduacationg children is the best hope we have of making people dog savvy.

[Pawprints]

The two rotties behind us tore a hole through the colourbond fence to try and get at my poultry! The owner has boarded up the hole. Those dogs are also notorious barkers. I suspect they're acting out from boredom. They're one of those breeds that need a little extra attention and probably why some become troublesome.

I think eduacationg children is the best hope we have of making people dog savvy.

Sorry have to disagree with you there. Rotties are not notorious barkers. Rotties are known for being calm, quiet but assertive.

Saying that though ALL bored dogs bark.

[Sea Siren]

Great!!!

of my two dogs one is a PB and the other one rotty, one already has a very restricted life, im hoping the media wont start on rotty's as the next PB and have them put on the restricted breed list as well

Funnily enough the only people that dont cross the road when im taking one of my dogs for a walk are the ones you would least expect - the elderly and little kids, one time a couple with small children (who talked to me about their old PB girl). My PB absolutely loves people, if people pat her even once she is absolutely delighted!

[vk2mpj]

The two rotties behind us tore a hole through the colourbond fence to try and get at my poultry! The owner has boarded up the hole. Those dogs are also notorious barkers. I suspect they're acting out from boredom. They're one of those breeds that need a little extra attention and probably why some become troublesome.

I think eduacationg children is the best hope we have of making people dog savvy.

Sorry have to disagree with you there. Rotties are not notorious barkers. Rotties are known for being calm, quiet but assertive.

Saying that though ALL bored dogs bark.

I think they were referring to their neighbours dogs, not Rottys in general. I now have my second Rotty, and neither Him or Zac were much for barking. This was a good thing, it kept the neighbors happy, plus when they did you knew it was worth investigating.

I find it funny, when I walk my GSD, people give her a bit of a worried look at first, but generally they come up to say hello and comment on her. Rosie the rat certainly knows how to milk it for all it is worth too..

But like the rest of you, when I walk Gilly (the Rotty) I get a wide berth. Those who do come up are usually the ones who know what they are really like. He loves the attention too...

My biggest concern now, is that un educated number fudging morons are going to make the lives, of quite possibly one of the best breeds in the world, very restrictive and try to ban the breed.

[Nekhbet]

yup I seem to have a turd rotty ... he plays this game where he woofs at the back door then scurries off. If I look out the window he does a massive smile and rotty wiggle like 'ahhh made you look'

two of the most common breeds. Anything black and tan is immediately a rotty cross, anything else is a staffy. THe number of pure rotties/staffies involved is probably miniscule

but hey, lets not let facts get in the way of a good story shall we

[Pailin]

yup I seem to have a turd rotty ... he plays this game where he woofs at the back door then scurries off. If I look out the window he does a massive smile and rotty wiggle like 'ahhh made you look'

two of the most common breeds. Anything black and tan is immediately a rotty cross, anything else is a staffy. THe number of pure rotties/staffies involved is probably miniscule

but hey, lets not let facts get in the way of a good story shall we

Agree completely. Anything with a remotely blocky head is a staffy or amstaff, any dog with a red nose is a pitbull and anything largish and black and tan is a rottie. Stoopid.

Statistics should ONLY be made with actual purebreeds. Anything that is not purebred should be listed as a crossbred, mixed breed or mutt and then they would see from the stats that majority of the statistics would land in the mixed breed section and they should then be trying to decrease the amount of X breds out there by putting stricter laws into play with regards to backyard breeders, desexing and puppy farmers. THEn the bloody idiots may actually see a decline in the dog attacks statistics. Mandatory course on dog ownership wouldn't go astray either.

[fuzzy_dragonfly]

The two rotties behind us tore a hole through the colourbond fence to try and get at my poultry! The owner has boarded up the hole. Those dogs are also notorious barkers. I suspect they're acting out from boredom. They're one of those breeds that need a little extra attention and probably why some become troublesome.

I think eduacationg children is the best hope we have of making people dog savvy.

Sorry have to disagree with you there. Rotties are not notorious barkers. Rotties are known for being calm, quiet but assertive.

Saying that though ALL bored dogs bark.

I think they were referring to their neighbours dogs, not Rottys in general. I now have my second Rotty, and neither Him or Zac were much for barking. This was a good thing, it kept the neighbors happy, plus when they did you knew it was worth investigating.

I find it funny, when I walk my GSD, people give her a bit of a worried look at first, but generally they come up to say hello and comment on her. Rosie the rat certainly knows how to milk it for all it is worth too..

But like the rest of you, when I walk Gilly (the Rotty) I get a wide berth. Those who do come up are usually the ones who know what they are really like. He loves the attention too...

My biggest concern now, is that un educated number fudging morons are going to make the lives, of quite possibly one of the best breeds in the world, very restrictive and try to ban the breed.

Thanks, I was only talking about the neighbours dogs. They don't get out much so boredom leads to behavioural problems like barking and trying to eat my chooks.

My auntie also owned a rotti "Rambo" great guard dog, wouldn't even let us go in without my uncles permission . He wasn't so bad, like a really big teddy bear .

[tarope]

Don't we just love pollies who think they're dog experts I doubt Barbara Perry even knows what a Rottie looks like.

Blame the breeds and Sydney's west and throw in a few stats too, but don't let the facts get in the way. 69 attacts out of how many staffys and Rotties in NSW, what a bloody joke Pollies and BSL is.

Edited November 17, 2008 by tarope

[Crest_Fallen]

The problem is, as someone has already mentioned, many of the crossbreeds are considered purebred for the sake of the media. I haven't met too many rotties but the ones I have met were lovely well mannered dogs (because the owners no doubt put the time into training them too).

I use to own a staffy and my then partner a British Bulldog and we use to have people cross to the opposite side of the road when we walked them at night. It was so funny because they were the dopiest dogs ever and would probably have licked them to death but not much more.

I have no problem letting my dogs socialise with PB or rotties or any other breed for that matter. My son's Chinese Crested recently had a play with a 11 month old PB which he thoroughly enjoyed and so did the PB. Obviously both owners had to supervise to ensure puppy didn't get squashed accidentally.

[RexAppeal]

hey all,

have to agree with everyone here when it comes to the media, & BSL etc ---- total BS if you ask me!

Anything looking remotely black is a rotty or dobermann.

I have two dobies and i'd have to say that probably half the people I walk past

on the street cross the road to avoid us, especially people with small dogs.

My dogs have have been harassed by many hostile dogs, & naturally they defend

themselves ------people instantly think that my dogs initiated it "cos they're dobermanns"

It's uneducated idiots that have that perception, and if more people were educated

about how to care for dogs & be responsible pet owners, be it pedigree or not,

then there wouldn't be half as many dog attacks.

Staffies & rotties have to be the softest sweetest dogs I know.

It's the irresponsible owners (of any breed) that we have to look out for.