I heard the story in the news this week about the dog attack in a park in Chingford, London where a girl was bitten by a dog. Its yet another sad story giving dogs a bad name.
I've always been a believer of nurture rather than nature, i.e. its how you bring the dog up that effects whether its likely to bite or not. But is this always the case?

I've been on the receiving end of a very irate walker a couple of months ago. I was walking my 6 month old brown doberman, off the lead, in a very quiet and rural area when we came up behind a couple of walkers. As we got closer the gentleman walker, who was carrying a walking stick, turned round to me and said 'if your f***ing dog comes near me I'm going to cane his head in!'. I was really shocked by this outburst and a little shaken, we passed them without saying much.

The more I thought about the guys reaction the more I understood why he had reacted like this. He was obviously frightened of dogs and rather than cower away he just got angry, For then on I have always put Luca on a lead if we come across walkers, which actually makes him look more dangerous. But he's not at all dangerous, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He's just got a really intense stare. I'm sure if he was fluffyer this wouldn't be a problem.

Anyone elses thoughts and experiences on the subject?

__________________

I had the same sort experience a few years ago when I had a gorgeous soft-as-a-brush 8 stone Rottie.. it was at the time when there was all the bad publicity about the breed. How to clear a ridiculously long queue at a campsite phone box in 2 seconds flat... stand in line with your dog! Worse case scenario all the campers on the site would have been licked to death!

__________________
Taking a Walk on the Wild Side ..........
Wild Extreme
www.wild-extreme.co.uk

I personally know the dog and owner of this recent attack in Chingford. The papers have gone to town on him, but its a complete lie. Gary is the most lovely gentle man in the world. he rescued his staffy from an awful home where it was kept in a cage and never given love or walked. He had the dog not even a year. my son played with it in the summer, it was a lovely happy dog after Gary had nurtured and cared for it. the papers have made out is was in a park that the attack happened. it was not, it was in a forest where many dog walkers let their dogs off their leads for a run about. the father of the child is quoted as saying the dog circled his child then attacked like a shark & gary shouted cant you keep your child under control. I know that never in a million years would Gary say something like that. He loves kids & is a gentle & caring man. Another side of the story is that the dad punched the dog before it attacked (not that you will ever hear that) & the dog retaliated. Im sorry but why would you just not pick your kid up if she was scared of dogs? Gary has been absolutely distraught since Saturday, he cannt sleep, he is crying constantly, being sick & racked with guilt. He had to have his dog put down on Monday and now faces at least 6 months in prison. This is so wrong! He does not deserve this! I dont know what to do to help him. All he is guilty of is helping an abused dog, giving it a loving home and trusting it enough to let it have a run around the forest. He handed himself into the police straight away and has to live with what has happened to this little girl.

I read a lot of these 'oh my dog wouldn't hurt a fly' posts. I was walking on the local hills, which are a national park, this weekend. It had snowed and there were lots of people out skiing, sledging and watching their dogs hurtling around in the snow...perfect! Then it happened. A Land Rover Defender pulled up and a family got out, swearing and shouting at each other. They opened the back of the vehicle and a bull terrier leapt out, no lead, no harness, no muzzle. It barked two or three times as its owners shouted encouragement 'go on Daisy!'. It then ran straight at a young cocker spaniel and clamped its jaws around the poor creatures neck. The spaniel cried out in pain and fear but the beast had it on the floor and wasn't letting go. The poor dogs owners were horrified and tried to part the dogs but the bull terriers jaws were locked shut. It was a horrible sight as the spaniel struggled for its life. One bloke was trying to prise its jaws open while the spaniels owner screamed at someone to 'get it off her'.

I couldn't watch any more but after about 5 minutes I saw the spaniel being carried back to the owners car. It looked dead to me. As the poor owner asked if the terriers owners had a licence for the beast he was just ignored. The last thing I heard was a woman from the Land Rover shouting in a strident voice full of indignation ' he wouldn't hurt a fly, he sleeps with our kids'.

A horrible story but totally true and an incident I am trying to forget but can't. Why in Gods name to people want to own these killing machines? They are bred for one thing only and enjoy doing it. The argument about no bad dogs, only bad owners is rubbish. These dogs should be illegal and all exisiting ones destroyed. Anyone who wants to own one of these appalling breeds should be automatically banned from dog ownwrship for life.

I am sure that I will now get the backlash from owners who have one of these dreadful creatures who 'is like part of the family and wouldn't hurt anyone'. Go and tell that to the family who took their puppy home with its neck broken.

Hello,

this is a terrible story and i'm feeling so sorry for the spaniel and its owner.

but I don't agree with you! There isn't any dogbreed on the world that should be banned. I think there are only bad owners!!!

as you've wrote, the terrieres familiy get of the car, shoutend. if someone shout and then let out the dog, i don't know what this poor dog has got a for bad live. i hope it gets away from this family.

so, i hope you understand what I try to say,

Reiterin

__________________
English isn't my native language, so please don't wounder about all my faults.

Dogs are animals - they are not people. ANY dog of ANY breed is capable of attacking,biting, maiming and in the worst case scenario killing be it another animal or a human.

IMO most of these situations occur because of "operator error" i.e the human owner is an irresponsible knobhead - BUT - there are poorly bred dogs, nervy dogs & dogs that are not wired up quite right who can and do just snap in second & ultimately thats all it takes.

__________________

HOW DARE YOU! that is extreamly unfair! yes if they are not controlled (as with most dogs) they can be dangerous but you have no right saying that! as most dog owner are extreamly carfull and keep there dogs well inline! why punish everyone who is responsable because of afew alfull people! punish them not us!!!!!!!!!

Dogs have teeth. You never hear of "Dangerous tubby tabby scratched and attacked small child." But honestly, I know and have met far more aggressive cats than dogs. However, recently today I met a man with a staffy, sweet, lovely dog...heavy mouther however...could easily nip a child. The staffy disliked other dogs and the owner informed me it had attacked a lab a few months back. Said owner however did not have a muzzle and refused to have his dog muzzled. This is why I do believe where possible when getting a dog..know the history, know the parents and know what you are doing. I love staffy's but too many get them as trophy dogs. However, if I had a staffy personally, I would not walk it with out a muzzle due to wariness of it being too boisterous...they are strong little dogs and I am only small.

Sorry, but I don't believe a word of your post. I feel more sympathy for the child who was savaged than your alleged friend. He should have had his dog on a lead. The father had every right to punch your friend's dog if he was attacking his child.

My son was almost killed by a dog when he was seven years old as we walked home from his school. I was holding his hand on a public footpath, talking about his day when a staff came out of nowhere, jumped on my son, knocked him to the ground and shook him by the throat like a rag doll. The cowardly owner grabbed him, put his lead on and ran off with the dog without even so much as an apology. My son had to have hospital treatment and is now terrified of dogs, something of which I'm trying to help him over come.

In no way was the dog provoked by either myself or my son. We had our backs turned to the animal and the first I became aware of the dog was when my son went flying to the ground.

I know that not all dog owners are irresponsible or place their dogs over the safety of children, but some of you do - and not only that, some of you even try to shove the blame onto the child who has been attacked or their parent. Which, to be perfectly frank, is disgusting. We all love our pets, but children come first. Dogs should be kept on their leads.

Hi There,

My point is that these breeds are naturally aggressive and have been bred for incredibly strong jaws and bite pressure. You very seldom hear of a lab or a goldie savaging someone, why is this.....media bias? Why would the media bother to target a specific breed? Of course there are bad owners, but bad owners plus yorkie equals a yappy nuisance, bad owners plus bull terrier equals potential killer. You have to ask why these dogs are favoured by the sort of people who want to make a statement about their own ferocity and aggressive nature? You carry a gun because you want to have, and be seen to have, the potential to kill. These dogs are dangerous weapons, at the very least licence them and confiscate/destroy if they are illegally owned.