[Diablo]

children shouldn't be left alone with dogs.. I think owners are responsible, good owners tend to have good controllable animals..

the problem is that chavs use dogs for fighting so train them to be very aggresive and pump them full of steroids..

[Tanser_Man]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
I think that every dog has the potential to be dangerous at the end of they are pack animals by nature.

I have 2 dogs and trully believe that it is the way they are trained from being very young that determines the way they will be. Kind of like the nature/nuture debate really. My 2 are the softest dogs and I would trust them to take food from anyones mouth (YUK) they are so gentle.

If people interact with their dogs and show them love they will generally be very loving, loyal animals no matter what their size or breed. I used to have a rottweiler who was the softest tart known to man, she was called cuddles and lived up to her name in every way. Again that was down to love and cuddles and a very firm training which was necessary because she was a big dog.

Well, as you've probably seen, even the most dangerous animals in the world can be brought up to be the most timid and fun thing known to man. Tigers, Bears for example. It's all about, as you said, how they are nutured from a very young age.

I also just read the paper while laying in the bath, as you do and i came across an article about all these people who have been arrested from what looks like an illegal dog fighting web in the midlands. Like 12 dogs or something seized, believed to have been used and trained to do just one thing. Fight. These people in my opinion should have the book thrown at them, for not only bringing pain and suffering to animals but also for putting so many people at risk from there stupidity.

[Ruth]

I couldn't agree more Tanser. I agree with Sunny also - it's definitely how the dogs are raised that makes their character what it is. We have a two year old Labrador, who is completely soft. You can take anything out of his mouth, and if you give him a treat, he always takes it very gently. He is quite a timid dog, especially with other dogs (but he has a few doggy friends who he loves to play with).

[~Kizwiz~]

Its up to the owners to be responsible. These sort of American Pitbull type are bred to be aggressive. In my opinion its wrong.

My family have always had Boxer dogs which have a lovely nature. When our last one died my dad decided that rather than have a puppy boxer he would rehome one from the Boxer protection league. As he has great experience with these types of dogs he was asked if he could rehome a particularly mistreated one. Max had had two owners, the first was a elderly lady who could only let him out on her balcony and the local lads used to offer to walk him. It was later found out that these lads had been kicking him and violently abusing him. Max then moved to a new home where he spend most of his time chained up. Now Max has never been aggressive towards humans (expect the postman) but if he is in the company of another dog he goes mad.... straight for the throat. Which is why he is never allowed out the house without a mussel.

When my dad realised how aggressive Max was he spent a lot of time and money in trying to find a way of helping him calm down. He even took him to a dog psychologist... mad I know but it wasn’t to recondition Max it was all about the way you treat him. Now my dad know how to control him he is the most friendly gentle dog I have ever met. He truly has changed and become a wonderful family pet. This instance it wasn’t the animal that was in the wrong but the previous owners that had treated him so badly that he had been conditioned to be aggressive.

If a dog is breed purely for aggressiveness or fighting then the owners must be held responsible. Its the crossed mixed breeds that are highly dangerous and should you have an aggressive dog then it must be musseled.

[Sunny_01]

I think the whole idea of dog fighting is reprehensible to be honest Tanser and agree with what you say about having the book thrown at them. They are knowingly causing pain and suffering to animals as well as ensuring that given the opportunity these dogs will bite a person!

Kiz it is wonderful to hear that your dad has been able to help a poor dog from ending up being a "dangerous dog" and helping him become more like a wanna be lap dog lol.

Like I said I would trust my 2 dogs with any person especially small children who they become all ga ga over

I have to say I do love the lion cuddling the person that has been in the news - what a perfect example of what nurturing can do

[Tanser_Man]

Yet another dog attacking a small child today near Birmingham, Stafford to be exact. Three rotweillers attacked a youngster and bit him/her twelve times, now the kid will more then likely need plastic surgery. One of the dogs has been put down and the police are looking into it.

Now at the same time feeling devestated for the child, i'm also feeling sorry for the sog who was put down. Yes the dog bit the girl and scared her for life, but i'm still thinking the owner should have been punished and the dog worked with to make him safe and luvable.

[~Kizwiz~]

Originally posted by Tanser_Man

Now at the same time feeling devestated for the child, i'm also feeling sorry for the sog who was put down. Yes the dog bit the girl and scared her for life, but i'm still thinking the owner should have been punished and the dog worked with to make him safe and luvable.

Exactly! Why arent the owners being investigated??? The dog may have been conditioned to be aggressive. And thats just wrong!

[Tanser_Man]

Originally posted by kizwiz

Exactly! Why arent the owners being investigated??? The dog may have been conditioned to be aggressive. And thats just wrong!

The thing with the police, they react straight away without thinking about the situation. Sometimes there supposed to do that and it's needed, but for this instance, why?!

It's almost as if they've done it to appease the public, which is silly really.

[Sunny_01]

To have a dog destroyed straight away it is the choice of the owners - police would have to cart it off to doggy death row and get a court order before they could destroy it. So the poor dog was put to sleep by an owner who is feeling pretty guilty about now.

I hope the little girl is ok though

My dogs are currently chewing a squeeky thing each ARGHHHHH

[Tanser_Man]

Bump.

The other thread kinda promtped me to bring this one back from the dead.