I would totally agree that Staffies are real people dogs. We have numerous on our books and I have yet to discover of one that was people aggressive. I personally love the breed, but they can and do extreme damage. There have been cases where Bull breeds have been shot and still remained locked on to their target.

I would never advocate any dog being put to sleep unless it was proved to be dangerous. Indeed, I have worked with dogs on death row helping in their rehabilitation.

Yes, it is stupid to intervene in a dog fight, but lets please be honest here. If you saw your dog being torn to shreds, instinct would kick in, and you would try to do something. At least I would, and have.

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I don't think anyone's sayin git is stupid to intervene in a dog fight, or that we wouldn't do it ourselves (I know I would if my girls were attacked) just that getting bitten should be expected. I have every sympathy for the posters husband and dog, and the incident simply shouldn't have happened.

Also, and I know you're not the only one to have mentioned it, I thought dogs 'locking on' was a myth, and it was simply due to strength and bite pressue?

Hello everyone, i have been round to the road where the incident happened and spoke to a lovely lady that helped my husband, she took care of him untill i got to her house, she sat him down and wrapped his hand up. She said she heard my husband shouting so went out to see what was happening she said she saw the dog hanging off my husbands hand, and the owner of the dogs was screaming. She said she did not know the lady or where she lived but pointed us in the direction of where it could live because she knew they owned a brindle staf, not sure if its this dog though ,but its worth letting the police know , if its not the right lady or dog then maybe she will know of the other staf. We feel something has to be done we can't just assume it will never happen again. My husband will be off work for the next two weeks and has to go back to the hospital on friday to have the dressing changed, it is his left hand but unfortunately he is left handed, and he is a welder on the railways, so it has caused alot of problems, but his boss said no hurry and he will be paid, although its flat rate, but never mind we will manage. Samson is fine you wouldn't know it had happened where he is concerned, just a few scrapes, he is driving us a little mad though cause he hasn't been out since because my husband can't manage it and i would be irresponsible if i took him out, he is so strong. The police are coming round at 5 oclock so we will take it from there. carol v

Oh no terriers definately do lock on and they dont let go until their quarry is dead!!! I had one lock onto a dog of mine at a show and the only way to get it to let go was to cover over its nostrils and make sure whoever was holding the leads were quick enough to get the dogs away from one another!

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Dogs including terriers do not and can not lock there jaws,they simply hold on through sheer grit and determination combined with the pressure of the bite.
link Punish the Deed, not the Breed!

The following quote was sent to me from Dr. Howard Evans, Professor Emeritus, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, Ithaca New York. We were colleagues in the veterinary college for four years. He is the author of the textbook, ANATOMY OF THE DOG, (the world's definitive work on the anatomy of the dog). His statement was in a letter addressed to me on March 26. 2002. His quote was: "I have spoken with [Dr.] Sandy deLahunta (the foremost dog neurologist in the country) and [DR.] Katherine Houpt (a leading dog behaviorist) about a jaw locking mechanism in pit bulls or any other dog and they both say, as do I, that there is NO SUCH THING AS "JAW LOCKING IN ANY BREED.

We all agree that the power of the bite is proportional to the size of the jaws and the jaw muscles. There is no anatomical structure that could be a locking mechanism in any dog." As a Professor Emeritus from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Michigan State University, I agree completely with their conclusion.

Ok perhaps the 'lock on' is a term used in hunting circles and although anatomiacally there is no mechanism they certainly do go in for the kill and will hold the quarry in the jaws until dead!!

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Hi Carol - how is your husband and dog today? hope they are alright

Thanks for asking tootsiemum, they are both doing well, we took samson and millie out today for the first time since saturday, we didn't go far and we took them in the rain so we could be more certain we wouldn't bump into any unwanted attention. Samson didm't want to go at first thats why we took millie, it was difficult with both of them cause chris is left handed and he had to hold samsons lead in his right. Millie our jack russell gives him confidence even though she is so small he definately looks at her for reassurencee,I have to take chris back to the hospital on friday to get his dressing changed hopefully all will be well. Thanks again carol v

When necessary I always intervene, it isn't something I am conscious of its just a natural re-action. The easiest method I have found is to lift him up. Trying to keep two dogs apart using my body between them, hand and verbal commands is almost impossible if both dogs are determined to engage.

There is a high risk of being bitten, not just from the offending dog but from your own. I have been extremely lucky I have't been bitten yet.

I am finding it difficult to know what to say to you Carol, a dog attack is very traumatic. I only hope you can trace the other owner and that your husband and dog make a good recovery.

Sue

hope tour husband gets well soon and i hope something is done by the police