A dog you can trust or a dog that will kill?

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  • SlimSumday
    SlimSumday Posts: 379 Member
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    No breed is a bad breed when trained correctly.
    This.
  • JenSD6
    JenSD6 Posts: 454 Member
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    I don't trust pit bulls.

    I don't understand the obsession in the US with breeding pit bulls. Most of the intact male dogs that I see at the dog park are pit bulls. It makes no sense to me.

    It's not just the US. And yes, they're definitely the in breed right now for anyone wanting to look tough and cool.

    I grew up with German Shepards and Dobermans, and my neighbour has the sweetest Rottie possible. These dogs have all been the bad guys at one time or another, yet I would happily own any of them (I have a Keeshond currently). But something about the "pit bull" does put me off. Maybe it's because the gang-banger wannabes and grow-ops that have gravitated towards them. The media also does a good job of painting them all as ticking time bombs and telling me I should be afraid of them.

    Banning the breed is certainly not the answer, though. That just punishes the good owners and the dogs that truly do have the best of temperments.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Don't blame the breed, blame the owners. ANY dog can be turned into a killer through abuse and poor training.
  • lesleypajles
    lesleypajles Posts: 16
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  • lynn413
    lynn413 Posts: 40
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    I have a staffordshire terrier and she is one of the calmest most gentlest dogs I have ever owned BUT I would never leave her alone around young kids and thats not because I don't trust her. Anything can happen! And it wouldn't matter what type of dog I had I would never leave them unattended around kids.

    I have 4 grandchildren and my dog Jackie loves to play with them. When my youngest granddaughter is playing with her dolls, my dog takes one of her own toys and uses it as a baby. She will even cover it up with her dog blanket (copying what my granddaughter is doing).

    Breeds I don't trust are poodles, cocker spaniels and chihuahua's.
  • OspreyVista
    OspreyVista Posts: 464 Member
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    No breed is a bad breed when trained correctly.

    ^This. It's all about the training the dogs receive. It doesn't matter what breed it is, if it was trained aggressively, then that dog is going to respond aggressively.
  • k8eekins
    k8eekins Posts: 2,264 Member
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    Yesterday in the newspaper in the UK was an article about a 14 yo girl that was killed by 4 dogs (although there were 5 dogs in this small house.

    The dogs that killed the girl were 2 staffies and 2 bull mastiffs. The 5th dog was in another room. the police shot the 4 dogs that mauled the poor girl.

    Here is a link to the secondary article http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300234/Jade-Lomas-Anderson-death-Jobless-single-mum-Bev-Concannon-dogs-mauled-girl-goes-hiding.html

    On the radio there was a debate from 2 respected people in the `dog world` one of these people said that staffies are classed as `nursing dogs` and are recommended for people with small children?

    Also during the debate was the fact that it had never been recorded that a poodle had bitten or attacked a child?

    I have a little toy `teddy bear` poodle who is the sweetest thing but I am sure some of you have staffies and bull mastiffs?

    What are your opinions as to the safety of dogs around children is there a breed of dog that you would not trust?

    No. Dogs are reactive, learned creatures. With matters like these, the fault is always ours (irresponsibility and neglect).

    Reactively, I'm seriously considering an Akita + a Turkish Kangal which'll suit me well for my outdoor runs, etc for I'm in bear and mountain lion country and I'm sometimes having to commute long distances.
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,375 Member
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    I lost track of Lennox's story. I had no idea they went through with it. :cry:

    Yep, they did :'( absolutely disgusting that they did, they had no grounds to. There was so much wrong about Belfast council, and to be honest, I'd never go there after what they done. It still sickens me to this day. If it was my dog, I'd be so heartbroken and I'd never get over it.

    I agree, I would never go either. I really thought he had so much support that they would let him live. I cried at my desk reading that. I wouldn't be able to stay there if I was part of his family. I would harbor too much hatred.
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
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    My bearded collie is a rescue dog. She failed her personality test in the shelter (approximately 9 years ago). The test basically, a dressed child mannequin (representing a child) was placed in a room. My dog growled at it, failing the test. She is a very sweet dog and has never growled at a child. Not a good test.
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
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    i would never trust any dog alone around a child.

    my family has two golden retrievers, both of which are lovely, relaxed, and unendingly tolerant, but a few months ago as i was leaving for work, they started fighting and i had to kick them very hard to split them up. as soon as i did, they were right back to their usual 'we love everything' personalities, and completely snapped out of their aggression towards one another. i don't know what set them off, but for a second they just went all 'animal instinct'.

    i guess that's my point. dogs are animals. i am an absolute dog lover, and i totally don't buy into this whole 'some breeds are just bad' thing - i mistrust all breeds equally in this regard! obviously training and their general socialisation will affect their reactions to situations, and it's the owner's responsibility to ensure their dog is safe to be around, but it's also everyone's responsibility not to be an idiot. don't leave your baby alone with any dog, no matter how trustworthy you think they are (i mean both the dog and the baby here), don't allow your child to pull the dog's tail, jump on the dog, yank it's ears, mess with it's food, or otherwise torment it, and for the love of God stop thinking 'it'll never happen to me'!!

    i think all dogs have the capacity to attack, and no matter how placid the dog, something one day might just set them off.
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
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    I reckon you can get dogs of any breed that just don't have a nice personality.
  • MissSusieQ
    MissSusieQ Posts: 533 Member
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    Otherwise, all the others were awesome but hands down my Black Lab is the BEST! He lets the kids do whatever they want with him and so long as he gets his treats, he's a happy guy.

    this is what i mean. just because he lets them, doesn't mean you should let them!

    you're responsible for protecting your dog from your children as well as the other way around.
  • jillwhite12
    jillwhite12 Posts: 102 Member
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    Dogs aren't born aggressive. People make them that way. Any breed can be aggressive, it's just the size and power of the dog that can make it more dangerous if it is aggressive. Pit bulls have probably the worst reputation out there but that's because people train them to fight and be aggressive. If you meet a well trained pit bull, you will fall in love.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
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    Well...this is why I would rather have small dogs. If they go ballistic on me, I can kick 'em. Not that I would want to, but you can seriously protect yourself against a Chihuahua more than a Rottie or some other big dog. I have children and they are my life. I have two doggies and they are my babies too, but my kids come first and if they go nipping and biting, the dogs are gone. (My furbabies are sweeties, tho :)).

    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.

    And if she was mauled by two labs, it wouldn't be the breed would it, right? It would just be those individual dogs.
  • jillwhite12
    jillwhite12 Posts: 102 Member
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    Well...this is why I would rather have small dogs. If they go ballistic on me, I can kick 'em. Not that I would want to, but you can seriously protect yourself against a Chihuahua more than a Rottie or some other big dog. I have children and they are my life. I have two doggies and they are my babies too, but my kids come first and if they go nipping and biting, the dogs are gone. (My furbabies are sweeties, tho :)).

    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.

    Well treated doesn't necessarily mean well trained.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    I lost track of Lennox's story. I had no idea they went through with it. :cry:

    Yep, they did :'( absolutely disgusting that they did, they had no grounds to. There was so much wrong about Belfast council, and to be honest, I'd never go there after what they done. It still sickens me to this day. If it was my dog, I'd be so heartbroken and I'd never get over it.

    I agree, I would never go either. I really thought he had so much support that they would let him live. I cried at my desk reading that. I wouldn't be able to stay there if I was part of his family. I would harbor too much hatred.

    I wouldn't either :( I thought they'd let him live too. The warden was proved to be lying when she said she was 'so terrified of Lennox', yet was pictured soon after letting him lick her face, the conditions he was kept in and the scars left on him, the fact that they let his littermate live and determined him not a Pitbull yet called Lennox a pitbull! It makes me so angry and upset.
  • Queen_JessieA
    Queen_JessieA Posts: 1,059 Member
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    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.

    And if she was mauled by two labs, it wouldn't be the breed would it, right? It would just be those individual dogs.

    We had a Lab go buck crazy on my dad once. They can be fruity too. I am just saying I don't believe it is how the dog is always raised and THAT is what I was saying.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    Well...this is why I would rather have small dogs. If they go ballistic on me, I can kick 'em. Not that I would want to, but you can seriously protect yourself against a Chihuahua more than a Rottie or some other big dog. I have children and they are my life. I have two doggies and they are my babies too, but my kids come first and if they go nipping and biting, the dogs are gone. (My furbabies are sweeties, tho :)).

    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.

    Well treated doesn't necessarily mean well trained.

    That is a very, very, very good point. Just like a child, a dog with no discipline (and I don't mean violence, at all) can be aggressive and unpredictable.
  • InnerFatGirl
    InnerFatGirl Posts: 2,687 Member
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    As for it isn't the breed, I have to disagree with this. My best friend all thru middle and high school was mauled when she was 5 years old by two very well treated family German Shepherds. She was just sitting in the dirt playing. They almost killed her. She was doing nothing to provoke and these pets had been in the family for years.

    And if she was mauled by two labs, it wouldn't be the breed would it, right? It would just be those individual dogs.

    We had a Lab go buck crazy on my dad once. They can be fruity too. I am just saying I don't believe it is how the dog is always raised and THAT is what I was saying.

    I hear you, but so many other factors go into it.

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