This weeks poll.....dangerous dogs

[hammerman]

Just like to mention that i wouldn't trust any dog, especially around kids.......so what are we classing as dangerous dogs ?

Should we also stop keeping other dangerous pets.....poisonous snakes and fish, spiders, scorpions etc

Discuss

[lankeela]

I have complained strongly about the wording of this poll.
If they mean certain breeds of dog, why don't they say? The government has defined four breeds of dog as being on the dangerous dogs list. Rottweilers are not on it. Of course no dog should be allowed to be dangerous, and owners should be prosecuted if they keep a dog that is dangerous no matter what the breed.

Rottweilers if bred and owned by sensible people who will rear and train them correctly can be the most intelligent and placid dogs. The dogs involved in this tragedy were I am sure totally untrained, just allowed/encouraged to be aggressive to deter intruders.

[saxy_jag]

I've never met a rotty yet that wasn't as daft as a brush, but then I don't court the company of people who would have untrained dogs in order to make a statement.

Unfortunately, like mastiffs, staffies, dobies and GSDs, there's a breed of owner that keeps them because it's supposed to show the rest of us how tough the owner is. The owner effectively allows the dog to give in to its wilder instincts, which aren't that far below the surface for any dog. These are the people who fail to understand how much more intimidating the presence of a dog can be when it's lying quietly beside you, waiting for your command.

Whilst walking my own dog (a border collie cross), we regularly meet a large, very boisterous young dobermann out with his 'dad', or sometimes 'grandad'. He's adorable, well-trained and not a danger to anyone, simply because his owner has taken the time and effort to care for his dog properly and understand its needs.

[hammerman]

Totally agree with all the above.....i love all the big dogs (my father was a dog handler with Sussex police) and agree with the soppy dobies and rotties. I have found that collies can be pretty tempremental due to their constant need for mental stimulation (i still love them though).

I have a 3 year old springer and he loves kids.....but there are certain times i would keep my daughter away (like if he has just nicked something out of the bin and becomes very possive over it)

[Toureman]

The question writer has obviously been prompted by sensationalized writing in the papers.

As lankeela says Rottweilers are not on the list.

Labradors have bitten more people than any other breed so they should be on the dangerous dogs list.

I have had three Rotties over the years, all rescue dogs and they are the best gentle pets you can get.

[lankeela]

The Queen has been bitten by her Corgis several times as have people who work for her - shall we tell her to get rid of her dangerous dogs?

[morbidstorm]

Toureman,

Isn't the instances of labradors biting people higher than other breeds because Labs are a more popularly owned breed???

If there was ten mastiffs in the country, and 70 labradors, surley there would be a higher number of labradors biting - doesn't make them dangerous though....

[andy-hughes]

I replied at length when this tragic subject was first raised - I think most people class as 'dangerous', breeds that are in some cases, specifically bred for aggression - Rotweilers, Mastiffs, and so on.

As I have already said, all dogs are potentially dangerous, but some dogs have both the equipment - locking jaws - and the temprement in some cases, to go beyond a bite in defence, to actual serious aggression, which can lead to human fatality, and it is these which I think fall under the generic term 'dangerous'.

[wolf63]

In a thousand years time we will still be debating this issue.

All dogs are potentially dangerous. I know that what happened to the baby was horrific, but it was due to human stupidity and humans manipulating the canine breed to serve a purpose - guarding.

All cars can go fast, not all cars 'will go' fast.

Don't ban these breeds, try and breed out the negative qualities and make attacks less likely. Use our heads and not our hearts on this issue.

My bullmastiff/GSD cross got attacked by a jack russell once and he cried and ran away, blood pouring down his face - which one was the dangerous dog?

[eyeshade]

Wolf, that's right, we will be debating this for a long time. Most of the messages above are good common sense, unfortunately I don't think you will stop the morons of this world having dogs for the "attack" aspect, or for the "look at me, I have a large dangerous dog" look. Life has to go on however I do think it drawers peoples attention to the fact that to have a dog you need to be responsible and people need to know what that means. Maybe more information about leaving dogs unattended and young children with dogs. Children clammer all over dogs and sometimes, just sometimes the dog maybe hot, bad tempered or just plain fed up with the kids pulling tails and sticking things in its mouth, and one day it will snap, whether it is a poodle or a Rotty. Too many people get dogs without thinking of the consequences for them or the dog.

[Catso]

I don't disagree with the basic question raised above IE 'what exactly IS a dangerous dog' but all the other dnagerous animals the OP mentions are normally kept in secure or controlled environments where they can't harm people. You would come across anyone taking their pet scorpion for a walk, on or off a lead. Well, I never have.

With dogs this isn't so; they are on our streets and parks, in a next-door's garden. They mix and interact with people on a daily basis, and in (sometimes) uncontrolled situations. This is the BIG difference.

So, no, I wouldn't seek to ban or further control the 'exotic' pets mentioned above.

Incidentally, the BBC news this morning mentioned that there are approximately 3000 reported injuries caused by dogs in the UK annually.

[kita1]

Catos, no I have never seen anyone taking a scorpion for a walk, BUT what about the people who buy exotic pets and then abandon them in the 'wild'. I have read reports of snapping turtles, crocodiles and alligators being 'set free' in this country, and many people have snakes that have either escaped or they have got tired of. There have been a number of reports of hooded cobras being seen in this country.

I would rather deal with a dog any day than a cobra!

[Toureman]

Just to bring this thread into perspective look here...........

http://www.ukwolf.org/uk-wolf/about/visits-wal ks.php

What do you consider the most dangerous dogs? Wild Wolves?

I and my wife have stroked and walked with these wolves in the British countryside, visit the site to find out about them.

Some dogs will always be out of control, depends on owners, training and temprament.

[Tha-Flash]

Most if not all kinds of dogs can be dangerous. It's the ones that are mainly dangerous that need dealing with. Many of these dogs nowadays are just a fashion accessory for people so that's why I believe only trained people should be able to own dogs. If they take the time to train then it shows that they care and have patience.

I personally believe people should have to take tests (I'm sure something clever could be done like stress tests to see how people react in certain situations) and have a license to own dogs.

We don't just buy get cars and learn as we go along, do we? No. Only people who pass the tests are allowed a car because it can be dangerous... Like a dog.

I also think this should be done (COMPULSORY TEMPORARY STERALISATION) on people so we don't get babies raising babies but I guess we have to deal with one problem at a time. :)

Tests/licenses filter out the OWNERS (controllers) who are UNFIT to look after a dog.

[lankeela]

I have to disagree with andy-hughes who says that some dogs are bred for aggression - the Kennel Club breed standard for Rottweilers says:

'Temperament
Good natured, not nervous, aggressive or vicious; courageous, biddable, with natural guarding instincts'

They are not bred for aggression (well not by responsible breeders anyway). This was never the purpose of the breed.

[Catso]

Well, kita, I think you're rather distorting the original question, and my answer, by suggesting the other exotic animals mentioned in the Q are running wild in the UK countryside.

By the same logic, you could say that if anyone went for a walk in the amazon jungle, you'd be more at risk from snakes, spiders etc than dogs. Which would be true.

Anyway, even allowing for all the dangerous animals you alledge are released into the wild in this country, dogs cause far, far more injuries than the hooded cobras, or big cats or whatever put together.

[andy-hughes]

lankeela, I didn't say that "... some dogs are bred for agression .." which infers that some people breed certain species of dog tbecause the species is aggresive per se, what I said was, "... breeds that are, in some cases, specifically bred for aggression ..." which states that some people breed some species of dog because that species lends itself to aggresive animals, and I think that is an important distinction, which I was careful to make.

[lankeela]

andy-hughes you should be a politician! I can see what you were saying, but I still think that most people reading your post would assume you were talking about those breeds you mentioned in general.

Thanks for pointing out that you were only referring to some breeds that are in some cases bred for aggression.
Something that truly grieves me, for the majority of these breeds with 'natural guarding instincts' will do just that - guard you naturally without any encouragement or training to be aggressive with it. This is the sign of an intelligent, loyal breed - they know when to do their job and how far they need to go to do it.