chopboy

i own 2 dogs one cattle kelpie cross and a cattle staffy. the staffy cross is shorter than most staffies. (my brother has a pure stafford shire bull terrier.) the two dogs once bailed a pair of religious "visitors" up on our front veranda. didn't bite them, but wouldn't let them out. we weren't home at the time and our "visitors" escaped with the aid of some of there friends who distracted our dogs.
my point i guess is that dogs don't bite without reason. generally speaking.
we have had dogs all my life, including a vicous one (she hated gumboots too) but have never had an incident with one biting anyone

chopboy

Godless Dave

In defense of small dogs:

Southernhybrid has two tiny drop-kick dogs and they were perfectly behaved when I met them. One tried to hump my foot but he obeyed when I shooed him off, and neither so much as showed me their teeth. Like any other dogs, small dogs are well-behaved as long as they are well-trained and well-treated.

brighid

We did that with our Chinese Sharpei. At the time we were renting. We wanted a dog but realized we couldn't have a big dog until we had a home and fenced in yard of our own. It is unfair (IMO) to keep a big, active dog cooped up in a house all the time. We knew what sort of temperment we were looking for and we wanted a small/medium sized dog that did not have the small dog mentality. We didn't want a dog that was a barker! We wanted intelligence, loyalty, and a rather low maintenance animal (as well as other things I can't remember at this moment from lack of sleep.) My husband had always like the Sharpeis and after much deliberation we decided to go with that breed.

We researched a number of different breeds to see what sort of characteristics and temperments were typical in the breed standard. We researched and visited breeders because we were all to aware of the dangers of buying a dog at a pet store, or from a disreputable breeder. We found a breeder we liked, visited her facilities, met the parents and grand parents and chose a pup from the litter created by the parents with the temperment we liked best: friendly, well behaved, but laid back. That is EXACTLY what Xena is like.

We will always have dogs and if we ever acquire more land and a bigger house I don't doubt we will have three or four at a time. I would use a breeder again. I would also rescue a dog again and hopefully we will get the opportunity to train a rescue/service dog. I am sure we will do all three more then once in this lifetime.

Dogs are great. The years that I couldn't own one ... well I really missed my dogs. My sweet, intelligent, loving, wonderful dobies. Growing up with those dogs was great and I am glad my son has the opportunity to grow up with two dogs that absolutely love and adore him. They moan and wait by the door when he is gone and sleep in his room at night. If he didn't have a bunk bed I am quite sure the would hop right up to be near him. Every night he reads a story and Xena trots right upstairs when she knows it's story time. It's just too darn cute!

Brighid

RevDahlia

If you're in the market for a purebred dog, try looking into rescue organizations for that breed, rather than breeders.

brighid

Rescue organizations are great and more people should support them through adoption, volunteerism and donations. They provide a great service to the community.

I know we were initially weary of adopting an older dog because a lack of knowledge about abuse, etc. After a lot of research, visiting organizations and finally a meet-and-greet we took home our now lovely, Ares.

I think, for those who desire more control and knowledge of the history of their dog, a reputable breeder is a good choice.

Brighid

RevDahlia

Rescued dogs are not for everyone, certainly. It just seems like a damn shame to make more dogs when there are already so many who need homes.

brighid

You are right, but reputable breeders limit their liters and aren't puppy factories like those that often sell to pet stores. Often times there is a sufficient waiting list to warrant another liter. You are also more likely to purchase healthy animals that are far less likely to have some of the bad tendencies mentioned by others. Not all breeders are reputable or care about the quality and health of their animals. It's sad and as a dog lover it really pisses me off.

I would adopt an older dog in a heart beat. It was scary at first, but after a period of adjustment I can't imagine not having Ares. We do have a sad spot in that we missed him as a puppy, especially knowing what we do about his neglect ... I honestly do not understand how any person could be so cruel ... ughhhhhh ...

Brighid

Josie

I was beginning to think that I was the only one with this problem. Only my 50 pd mutt wants to sit on top of my head whenever he hears thunder, or worse, fireworks.

Ramen

Out here in Portland, Oregon, it would be a good idea to muzzle dogs (I accidentally typed gods by mistake and had to backspace ) cause some wacko human placed sausage laced with poison in a park that allows dogs to run off leash. If the dogs were muzzled when in public, it would both the dog and some would be bite victim.

For you staunch who have the "dogs aren't at any fault" mentality, let's face facts here. Dogs are predatory animals and have certain instincts that are a norm for dog/predator behavior, such as an instinct to attack an animal/person who is running. I was out running in a park and a woman had to hold back her German Shepard to keep him/her from going after me. If the woman didn't have the strength to hold her dog back, who knows what would've happened to me.

And how about this startling info

There's also a big risk for people who deliver mail.

The car analogy doesn't hold, since I can also contain my car within a fence or garage and never take it off of my premises for a drive. The car won't drive off on its own and run someone over.

lisarea

I don't think I'd characterize it as "dogs aren't at any fault." There are some crazy dogs out there, to be certain, who can't be trained or effectively restrained. I do believe it's our responsibility as humans to humanely put those dogs to sleep and not breed them.

Second, I don't buy into that dogs=wolves thing, either. Dogs are not wolves. Canis familiaris doesn't exist in a feral state in any significant way. The species itself has apparently evolved alongside, and often at the direction of, humans. The dog sitting on the couch in my house is no more a wolf than I am a lowland gorilla. (Which I'm not. Serious. I just haven't shaved my legs in a few days. Really. SHUT UP.)

I don't think it's calling for the complete absolution of dogs to say that a dog's human caretakers are responsible for the dog's actions. The dogs still pay the final price, but it is the responsibility of the humans who own those dogs to keep them appropriately restrained, through whatever combination of training and physical barriers necessary for the unique situation.

As far as designated off-leash dog parks, it was my understanding that the dog poisonings were not happening in a sanctioned off-leash area, but in an area where people allowing their dogs off leash was common but not legal. (It's still a horrific, repulsive, disgusting thing to do, regardless of the specifics.)

But I can't understand the beef with off-leash dogs in designated off-leash areas. By going into an off-leash area, you assume some risk, of course. Who are these hapless victims innocently entering off-leash dog parks only to be horrified and offended by dogs running around off leash? In my experience, most off-leash parks are double-gated and clearly posted, so it's not as though you'd just stumble upon them. (I have also witnessed a couple of people in those parks expressing horror at having a wet dog shaking mud on them and the like, much to the amusement of others present.)