[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

If a group of kids come into your garden to retreive a ball or... heck... even to vandalise your pot plants on a dare and your dog mauls them - your dog will be killed and you will be at risk of a prison sentence. I assume you already know that though.

Also just athought but if your own kids go messing around in a neighbours garden and get mauled or killed by their dog I would expect that you'd be round there to put it in the ground yourself with your bare hands ... I can't imagine for a second that you'd say "Oh well, poor pup, my kids shouldn't have been trespassing so fair do's".

Yes, I do already know that... and I haven't got any neighbours. My dog is a family dog first and foremost but he is also very well trained. He is protective of the children and sleeps on the landing between their rooms. If I was having strangers round I would introduce them to the dog and he's fine. But if someone came to break in, well... bad luck for them.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Livia

Yes, I do already know that... and I haven't got any neighbours. My dog is a family dog first and foremost but he is also very well trained. He is protective of the children and sleeps on the landing between their rooms. If I was having strangers round I would introduce them to the dog and he's fine. But if someone came to break in, well... bad luck for them.

A genuine question though; what if one of your kids has a friend round, they have a falling out, and the friend punches your child in the face? You say the dog is protective of your children but in that scenario there's very real potential for a horrific outcome. No matter how well trained or intelligent a dog is, they can't be expected to understand the nuance that there's a difference between two teenage boys going a few rounds after a falling out, and someone being genuinely attacked.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

A genuine question though; what if one of your kids has a friend round, they have a falling out, and the friend punches your child in the face? You say the dog is protective of your children but in that scenario there's very real potential for a horrific outcome. No matter how well trained or intelligent a dog is, they can't be expected to understand the nuance that there's a difference between two teenage boys going a few rounds after a falling out, and someone being genuinely attacked.

My children are small, one and two years. Once they're older then I'll have to think about the dog in relationship to the children... I'm not an idiot.

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by GoldHeart

I know what you're saying and I agree it is a slippery slope,but what if the burglar had the intent to hurt the homeowner ? .

There's been some horrible crimes where a family or person is quietly at home, and next thing they're being threatened and beaten. Some have been killed just for being in their own homes.

So we'll never know if this intruder was just robbing the place , which is bad enough or whether they were going to cause physical harm.

Exactly, we’ll never know, so using a whole load of what ifs to justify somebody being mauled to death for a crime that would have gotten them a couple years in prison by law, to me, is backwards, how do we congratulate a dog for killing an intruder but expect the same dog to tell the difference between a genuine threat and an innocent one, dogs don’t discriminate when it comes to unknown threats to their territory, whether it be a burglar in their 20’s or 30’s, or a child retrieving a flyaway ball as TS alluded to, to a dog, a threat is a threat, if you’re okay with it killing one of them, you have to acknowledge that there’s a clear possibility that they’ll take it upon themselves to kill the other, and that’s a very dangerous precedent to set.

[Livia]

If you don't break into other people's houses, you will not be killed by their dogs.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Livia

If you don't break into other people's houses, you will not be killed by their dogs.

The number of children who have been mauled/killed by dogs simply proves that this statement is objectively not true.

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Liam-

Exactly, we’ll never know, so using a whole load of what ifs to justify somebody being mauled to death for a crime that would have gotten them a couple years in prison by law, to me, is backwards, how do we congratulate a dog for killing an intruder but expect the same dog to tell the difference between a genuine threat and an innocent one, dogs don’t discriminate when it comes to unknown threats to their territory, whether it be a burglar in their 20’s or 30’s, or a child retrieving a flyaway ball as TS alluded to, to a dog, a threat is a threat, if you’re okay with it killing one of them, you have to acknowledge that there’s a clear possibility that they’ll take it upon themselves to kill the other, and that’s a very dangerous precedent to set.

Yeah, it's wilfull ignorance of the facts and an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude IMO.

Until the dog attacks them or one of their kids.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by Marsh.

Yeah, it's wilfull ignorance of the facts and an "I'm alright, Jack" attitude IMO.

Until the dog attacks them or one of their kids.

I actually knew a kid when I was about 10 whose dog randomly lunged at his mum because she was going bat**** crazy shouting at him and had him backed into a corner... kid looked terrified (but was not actually in physical danger)... dog reacted and took a chunk out of the mum's arm. Was put down . I have no doubt that it thought it was doing the right thing, I felt extremely sorry for the dog at the time and I still do, but it's just not the point.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Liam-

Guard dogs are wonderful things, I grew up with Rottweilers and they were natural deterrents without having to be aggressive, they were all soft as brushes and cuddly to a sometimes annoying degree, but when they needed to be they were loud as possible to claim their territory, guard dogs should be trained to attack to protect, not to kill.

Dogs that aren’t trained to be guard dogs, but attack to kill naturally is another thing completely, once a dog gets a taste for blood, I think it would be a very unattainable ideal that they would never do it again in other circumstances.

You can have no sympathy for the burglar, but to think that it’s normal for a couple of dogs to maul someone to death for being in their territory is completely illogical, all it takes is for one kid to wander away from their parents and try and go play with the cute doggies and the ‘they were protecting their home’ argument wouldn’t count for ****

I doubt guard dogs would be wondering loosely ,they were probably contained within the owners garden, and as someone said are most probably fine with people they know or are invited in, guard dogs are there for a reason its all in the name, the dogs may now suffer because some scumbag decided to break in.Thats what some humans do,an animal gets the better of them so they kill it

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I actually knew a kid when I was about 10 whose dog randomly lunged at his mum because she was going bat**** crazy shouting at him and had him backed into a corner... kid looked terrified (but was not actually in physical danger)... dog reacted and took a chunk out of the mum's arm. Was put down . I have no doubt that it thought it was doing the right thing, I felt extremely sorry for the dog at the time and I still do, but it's just not the point.

Yeah, exactly. Same happened to a friend of mine with his brother's dog when we were kids. Went for him on Halloween night when they were scrapping over their loot at the end of the night.

He needed stitches and a tetanus jab. Which we all found hilarious as kids (:/) but obviously looking back that could have been so much worse.

[GoldHeart]

Yeah unfortunately random people DO get bitten by dogs for no reason , some owners can't control them . And they don't always bother to keep them on a lead,which is wrong.

Like i said certain breeds are known to be more aggressive.I stay clear of pitbulls, rottweilers,dobermans etc.

[Ashley.]

I think the owners should just be counting themselves lucky that it was somebody threatening harm, and not a close friend or a neighbour on their porch.

Also, for those supportive of not bothering to train their dogs - if you want to protect yourself, then protect yourself. Don't expect an animal who cannot discriminate between good and bad intent to do your protecting for you, only to be put down as a result of your irresponsibility.

[joeysteele]

Do we know if the owner had a sign saying beware of the dogs.

If he had, and it was still attempted to break in, then that's a major risk.

Of course if these dogs were OFF their property and territory, then attacked people not controlled by their owner , of course that would be a different scenario.

How about, if the break in had been successful, the dogs more subdued, then the owner killed if he just came to explore their barking.

Because that's another risk as to breaking into another's home.

[Alf]

If a dog attacks then stand your ground at let them know who's the boss.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Alf

If a dog attacks then stand your ground at let them know who's the boss.

2 Pit Bulls work as a Deadly Team
He should not have tried to break in.


The Dogs were protecting the owners.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by arista

2 Pit Bulls work as a Deadly Team
He should not have tried to break in.


The Dogs were protecting the owners.

I'd have just said "down boy, who's a good doggie"

[arista]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

Do we know if the owner had a sign saying beware of the dogs.

If he had, and it was still attempted to break in, then that's a major risk.

Of course if these dogs were OFF their property and territory, then attacked people not controlled by their owner , of course that would be a different scenario.

How about, if the break in had been successful, the dogs more subdued, then the owner killed if he just came to explore their barking.

Because that's another risk as to breaking into another's home.

He may have
or maybe not.

He made the Tragic error of picking the most Deadly Home

[arista]

Originally Posted by Alf

I'd have just said "down boy, who's a good doggie"

They can Smell a Criminal.

[Tom4784]

Deleted Post

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by Alf

I'd have just said "down boy, who's a good doggie"

It's 2 pitbulls ,not 2 baby poodles.

[Toy Soldier]

Originally Posted by GoldHeart

It's 2 pitbulls ,not 2 baby poodles.

To be fair, if a dog is about to attack and you've got nowhere to quickly escape to (should be your first option) then you do actually stand a better chance by being assertive than by trying to run (they will outrun you).

Although it's not likely to work if there's more than one dog. They're pack animals so they'll back down much more easily if they're on their own than if they have backup.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by arista

He may have
or maybe not.

He made the Tragic error of picking the most Deadly Home

I just feel if he had a warning sign up then really there was a pre warning, yet the major risk was still, by choice, taken to enter to commit crime anyhow in spite of that.

[GoldHeart]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

To be fair, if a dog is about to attack and you've got nowhere to quickly escape to (should be your first option) then you do actually stand a better chance by being assertive than by trying to run (they will outrun you).

Although it's not likely to work if there's more than one dog. They're pack animals so they'll back down much more easily if they're on their own than if they have backup.

I'd rather take my chances getting away ,than trying to calm down 2 ANGRY PITBULLS . Unless you have a bag of raw meat to distract them , they'll still likely jump at you.

[Alf]

Originally Posted by GoldHeart

It's 2 pitbulls ,not 2 baby poodles.

I've watched many episodes of "The dog whisperer"

I'd soon show those two who the master is.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

I hoped reading the article it would give more details and answer my doubts to this story

But it doesn’t and his family have un answered questions to.

One is why the owner didn’t hear anything why these dogs were killing someone in his house or on his porch

Mmm, I agree with this. It's sounds a bit "off". They didn't hear the dogs killing a guy, there would have been noise surely? What about neighbours....surely someone would have heard a guy screaming as he's getting mauled by pitbulls?