Dog Attack.

[Samdy Gray]

My family have kept Staffies for three generations. Yes, they are boisterous, but as arriba has already said (much better than I could) a bad tempered dog is more a reflection on the owner.

They are great family pets, but even still I wouldn't leave my two year old alone with the dog even though I know how well mannered it is.

[Ardiles]

Every time there is an 'attack' and the dog involved is a bull terrier my heart sinks. It means more of these fine animals will be abandoned and looked apon as devil-dangerous dogs by some people. A dog is a dog is a dog and will behave how it is treated. Staffies are lovely dogs and great with kids but it doesn't surprise me when they attack as they are often owned by utter cretins who mistreat them or encourage them to be aggressive.

The breed is well known for its devotion to its owner and often the aggression is in an attempt to please its master who may have encouraged it to go for things. Other occasions can be due to its mistreatment. For instance when a dog is hit by its owner it could then see a child put its hand out towards it and think it will hit it.  As the child is smaller than the owner the dog then goes for the attack in what it thinks is in its defence.

Staffies are seen as status symbols for chavs who shouldn't own any dog regardless of its breed and are to blame for why they are seen in a negative way. If the chavs choice of dog was another breed then that would be the one in the news.

You obviously know a lot more about dogs than I do, and I have no reason to doubt anything that you say here.  One point though.  There are always going to be cretins owning these dogs.  So unless you want to accept that a small number of these attacks every year is acceptable in the grand scheme of things - which is a difficult argument to make - you either have to ban the dogs or ban cretins from owning the dogs.

I accept that the first of these options may seem like using the proverbial sledge hammer to crack a nut but the other option, banning cretins from owning the dogs, is one hell of a lot harder to enforce - because you have to define and then identify cretins which is never going to work in practice.  Of course 99% of Bull Terrier owners are responsible...no quibble there from me.  But it's the 1% that causes a problem that, to my mind, needs to be dealt with somehow.  Give a Jack Russell or a Labrador to a cretin, and no one gets hurt.  I suppose it's all about acceptable risk and where we, as a society, draw the line.

[leefer]

How can they be a great family pet if you cannot trust them with your family?

Are you saying you would trust it when your daughter is alone with it aged ten or even 14?

Sorry nothing will ever convince me that having Staffies or dogs of that kind is having a good family dog.

A bad tempered dog is NOT a reflection of its owner....most dog attacks are carried out by dogs whos owners are shocked and saddened when events like this occur.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/9024452/Dog-attack-hospital-admissions-rise-for-fifth-consecutive-year.html#

I was attacked in a park by a dog as a lad,minding my own biz playing when the thing bounded on me and bit me twice....i have been shit scared of dogs ever since...all dogs...hence my over the top reaction i expect

[yeo]

Give a Jack Russell or a Labrador to a cretin, and no one gets hurt.  

I understand your point but all dogs can be dangerous around unsupervised around children

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2003849/Boy-3-left-horrific-facial-injuries-Labrador-savages-Poole-Harbour.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2127720/Dog-scars-year-old-s-face-savage-attack-Yorkshire.html

[Arriba]

You obviously know a lot more about dogs than I do, and I have no reason to doubt anything that you say here.  One point though.  There are always going to be cretins owning these dogs.  So unless you want to accept that a small number of these attacks every year is acceptable in the grand scheme of things - which is a difficult argument to make - you either have to ban the dogs or ban cretins from owning the dogs.

I accept that the first of these options may seem like using the proverbial sledge hammer to crack a nut but the other option, banning cretins from owning the dogs, is one hell of a lot harder to enforce - because you have to define and then identify cretins which is never going to work in practice.  Of course 99% of Bull Terrier owners are responsible...no quibble there from me.  But it's the 1% that causes a problem that, to my mind, needs to be dealt with somehow.  Give a Jack Russell or a Labrador to a cretin, and no one gets hurt.  I suppose it's all about acceptable risk and where we, as a society, draw the line.

Jack Russell's and Labs bite too,just less cretins have them.
If Staffies were banned another breed will replace it as the dog of chav choice so the problem will not go away.
The breed of dog should not suffer for poor owners actions.

[Simon Pieman]

You could make such an argument for anything though Ardiles. Ban knives to stop stabbings or camera equipment to eradicate child pornography.

Does anyone with concerns ever report the owner?

[Flashheart]

You obviously know a lot more about dogs than I do, and I have no reason to doubt anything that you say here.  One point though.  There are always going to be cretins owning these dogs.  So unless you want to accept that a small number of these attacks every year is acceptable in the grand scheme of things - which is a difficult argument to make - you either have to ban the dogs or ban cretins from owning the dogs.

But then the chavs would just adopt another dog as a status symbol.

Alsatian, rotties, doberman, Shar Pei.............

[Samdy Gray]

How can they be a great family pet if you cannot trust them with your family?

Are you saying you would trust it when your daughter is alone with it aged ten or even 14?

It's not really any different to having dangerous things around the home (ovens, kettles, irons, plug sockets etc.) that you wouldn't leave a kid unattended with.

I'm not worried that the dog would do something unprovoked, it's more what the kid would do to the dog which would then provoke it to attack.

[Arriba]

How can they be a great family pet if you cannot trust them with your family?

Are you saying you would trust it when your daughter is alone with it aged ten or even 14?

Sorry nothing will ever convince me that having Staffies or dogs of that kind is having a good family dog.

A bad tempered dog is NOT a reflection of its owner....most dog attacks are carried out by dogs whos owners are shocked and saddened when events like this occur.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/9024452/Dog-attack-hospital-admissions-rise-for-fifth-consecutive-year.html#

I was attacked in a park by a dog as a lad,minding my own biz playing when the thing bounded on me and bit me twice....i have been shit scared of dogs ever since...all dogs...hence my over the top reaction i expect

My daughter had 2 dogs jump up at her when she was small and developed a fear of dogs. Got a rescue staffie and she now has no fear.
My brother was bitten on the back by a Labrador as a kid and is still terrified of dogs to this day.
If you don't believe from us that they are great dogs then look for evidence online that point how great they are rather than the negative stuff.

[Ardiles]

It's not really any different to having dangerous things around the home (ovens, kettles, irons, plug sockets etc.) that you wouldn't leave a kid unattended with.

Playing devil's advocate here...but there is a difference.  Ovens, kettles, irons etc are all things that we need to live in 2012.  When you buy them or have them fitted, there is a trade off between how much you need them vs the risk that something bad could happen to a child if not used safely.  In all these examples, the fact you need them so much means the risk is considered to be acceptable.

Conversely, no one needs a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the way that they need a plug socket.  The balance between needs vs danger is quite different when you're talking about the dog.  That's why I have difficulty with the acceptable risk argument there.

[leefer]

The sad thing is arriba most dog attacks are carried out by dogs with responsible owners....they honestly believe there dogs would never attack.....and usually let them off the lead to prove it with nasty results.

I would rather look at the evidence in my above link which shows a five yearly increase in dog attacks....bad dogs?...bad owners?....probably a bit of both i reckon.

[Flashheart]

Playing devil's advocate here...but there is a difference.  Ovens, kettles, irons etc are all things that we need to live in 2012.  When you buy them or have them fitted, there is a trade off between how much you need them vs the risk that something bad could happen to a child if not used safely.  In all these examples, the fact you need them so much means the risk is considered to be acceptable.

Conversely, no one needs a Staffordshire Bull Terrier in the way that they need a plug socket.  The balance between needs vs danger is quite different when you're talking about the dog.  That's why I have difficulty with the acceptable risk argument there.

I don't have the statistics to hand, but one could also argue that having a dog about the house could reduce the chances of something bad happening to the family.

[Flashheart]

How can they be a great family pet if you cannot trust them with your family?

Are you saying you would trust it when your daughter is alone with it aged ten or even 14?

Sorry nothing will ever convince me that having Staffies or dogs of that kind is having a good family dog.

A bad tempered dog is NOT a reflection of its owner....most dog attacks are carried out by dogs whos owners are shocked and saddened when events like this occur.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/9024452/Dog-attack-hospital-admissions-rise-for-fifth-consecutive-year.html#

I was attacked in a park by a dog as a lad,minding my own biz playing when the thing bounded on me and bit me twice....i have been shit scared of dogs ever since...all dogs...hence my over the top reaction i expect

Where does that link say anything about staffs?

[herthab]

Collies and any other nervous breed are more likely to snap at a child. although any dog can bite.
I had a staffy for years and he was the softest dog I've ever met, but then I didn't mistreat him, or train him to attack.
Don't blame the breed, blame the cunts who have taken rhat breed and turned it into a fashion accessory for fuckwits.

[Flashheart]

I had a Shar Pei, considered by some to be a dangerous breed. She was the most docile dog I've ever known.

If I had to make the choice between leaving a kid with her or my Nan's Westie, for example, I'd choose the Shar Pei any time.