Ranting about stupid dog ownership

[sarahspins]

Honestly.. a BC mix could be a lot for a new dog owner to handle... I wouldn't blame her for taking the dog back, regardless of what the vet told her.

[Biciclista]

ok, I wasn't going to get into this.
I have cats. Sometimes cats will unexpectedly "misbehave". they might bite or scratch you. If you're really really unlucky, that cat scratch or bite might get infected, but probably it will heal quickly.

Then there are dogs. I have been attacked by dogs twice in my life. Once, by a spaniel. I was 5, it was my fault. i pestered the animal and it bit me - small puncture wound..
Second time, I was working in my yard back beyond the fence line. My neighbor's dog thought I was infringing on the property line. This large mongrel dog bit me and bit hard - left me with a bruise as big as a melon. Then he let go and ran off.

Thank god he wasn't a pit bull.

Every time a pit bull attack makes the newspaper, the owners say the same thing "He's never done this before... he's such a sweet dog"

And I believe them. They are apparently sweet, loving dogs. But just like my cats, they don't always act the way you expect them to. Humans don't always pick up on the signals that our pets give when we are crossing a line... even appearing to be like prey. (Sometimes when I wiggle a toe under the blanket, my cats will attack it... Sometimes large dogs will attack people without provocation... that's prey instinct. If it's a pitbull, at this point, thanks to their genetics, you might end up dead or torn up.. If it's a pomeranian, you might get the ankle of your pants torn.

Elephants are sweet loving animals too, but that doesn't make them good pets. Please control your dogs. thank you.

[OakLeaf]

My pit mix was animal-aggressive. We did our best to socialize her, taking her to obedience classes and walks around the neighborhood. Didn't help. She was very maternal and got on fine with puppies, and with our other dogs whom she met as pups. I think with more work she could have been better socialized, but we did what we could as two working people. I could add that she spent her first six months with less responsible owners, but I'm 100% positive they never trained her to be aggressive.

That said, she was the most gentle and sweet animal you could imagine, around humans of any age. Loved babies, children and adults, never so much as growled at a human.

A couple of times she did get into fights - either because she escaped, before we learned what an escape artist she was - or because she was approached by an unleashed dog that wouldn't back down from her growling. The best way to break up a fight, we learned, was to simply put your hand in her mouth and pull her off the other animal. We might (and did) get bitten by the other dog, but never by the pit mix. Human flesh = no bite, simple as that.

I've read that both traits - animal aggressivity and an extreme aversion to hurting humans - were bred into pits. From my limited experience, I think that's credible.

[tulip]

Dogmama, maybe your friend should volunteer at a shelter instead of taking on a dog when she's not ready to.

[badger]

Having volunteered at the spca hospital now for 10 years, I see plenty of loser owners who should never be allowed to have pets.

Just last week, a German Shepherd was picked up as a "stray". The owner was contacted through a tattoo and she said "oh, just keep him for now, I'm camping".

As for pit bulls, my heart breaks for that breed. I can't tell you how many idiots I see out there who gets them as some sort of "threat accessory". Crop their ears and not train them properly and you get one frightening looking thing.

I've come across so many pit/pit crosses that are such sweethearts it really makes me angry that people just lump them all under a bad label. Even a co-worker said to me that if I got a pit bull I'm not welcome at her house She's not the only one who's expressed the same sentiments when I told them I might get a pit bull.

There are plenty of people out there who shouldn't be animal guardians. Like others have said, it's probably better for Joey to have been returned to have another chance at a proper home.

[Tuckervill]

no comment on the fact that border collies and their mixes are super high energy, and that possible the poor thing was barking and pulling because it wasn't getting any exercise, ( or enough, as the case may be for that breed?)
??

That's what I was thinking!!

Karen

[Trek420]

I do think Joey is better off and I'm sure he'll be adopted because he's very sweet, black & white with a very delicate bone structure.

Folks the shelters and our wonderful foster pet parents are working double duty right now. People lose their home and leave the dog, get a pink slip and abandon the cat ... the shelters are full.

This is why I feel so badly about Joey going back to the pokey. When I was picking up Mae I watched a couple return a beautiful GSD because he had bitten the Mrs. The volunteers tried to explain the options, what might have happened did everything they could to try to convince the couple to get help and a class.

It made an impression on me.

If you want a pet please consider adopting a shelter or rescue pet. If I had more time (about to start taking a class as well as working full time) I'd be volunteering to walk dogs.

[lph]

If it's a pomeranian, you might get the ankle of your pants torn.

Oooh. Don't get me started on pomeranians

There's a pom pup in my neighbourhood that gets away with murder because its small and cute and "harmless". I feel like booting it across the fence when it starts yapping at me, because the owner does NOTHING.

I know, I know, it's the owners fault, not the dogs, but man, that's annoying. Small dogs need just as much disciplining as big dogs!

[Selkie]

ok, I wasn't going to get into this.
I have cats. Sometimes cats will unexpectedly "misbehave". they might bite or scratch you. If you're really really unlucky, that cat scratch or bite might get infected, but probably it will heal quickly.

Then there are dogs. I have been attacked by dogs twice in my life. . Please control your dogs. thank you.

I wasn't going to get into this but the anti-dog bias is too much.

Umm, I've been bitten by dogs and cats. First and foremost, cat bites are puncture wounds and USUALLY get infected. The cat that bit me was my sister's cat. The thing attached itself to my hand (the first time it bit me) and I had to whack it against the wall to get it off of me. Ended up in the ER and on antibiotics. The same cat bit me another time, same hand---ER and antibiotics again. Both occasions, my hand swelled up and was painful immediately after being bitten. The reason both times? The cat was pissed off that there was another cat in the house. I did nothing to provoke it.

A neighborhood dog attacked my dog and the attacking dog bit me twice on my leg. The dog had aggression issues and his owner did not have him under control. I probably provoked him by kicking him to get him off of my dog, but rather me injured than my pup. Again, ER and antibiotics. The bites did not get hot or as painful as the cat bites, perhaps because of the location of the bites (calf vs. hand).

So you see, cats and dogs can both bite and hurt humans. Even cats that are "pets."

And no, I am not anti-cat. Before my husband's allergies precluded cat ownership, I had several cats whom I loved.

[Owlie]

Oooh. Don't get me started on pomeranians

There's a pom pup in my neighbourhood that gets away with murder because its small and cute and "harmless". I feel like booting it across the fence when it starts yapping at me, because the owner does NOTHING.

I know, I know, it's the owners fault, not the dogs, but man, that's annoying. Small dogs need just as much disciplining as big dogs!

Cops in a nearby town back home shot a Chihuahua/JRT mix (well, no one seems to know what it was). It had bitten a jogger, and it bit the officer 17 times on one hand and 9 on the other. The owner didn't have the a license for it, nor was it up to date on its shots...

[WindingRoad]

First and foremost, I love animals... all of them. There are some that do get a bad rep and Pitbulls are definitely that breed. I can't say it is completely without some justification. There are a lot of people who have been attacked by Pitbulls. Unfortunately all intentions and stupid owners set aside, the fact remains that these are the attack dog stories we read about in the paper most often. I have met some very sweet natured Pitbulls but I am distrustful of them because of the way they can turn on people at times. I'm not saying they all do I'm just saying it can and has happened. I'm sure the fact that my father was recently attacked by one while riding his bike hasn't spurred my confidence in them either. But I know they are dogs and I love dogs. I guess to me it takes a very special person to be able to own a Pitbull responsibly.

It may sound like I am against Pitbulls, I'm really not, if fact I will consider adopting one when I have a more stable living arrangement. I think it would be beneficial to have a good example of a pitbull for me and especially my father to see and love.

[OakLeaf]

But if you look beyond the media hype and see what breeds are actually biting, Pits do not stand out.

When I was a kid, it was GSD's. "Oh, they're vicious, never approach a GSD." Now I'm hearing that they're so gentle they're not the best breed for police work. After 20 years I'm just starting to get over my fear of Weimaraners. One walked over to me, sniffed my leg like it was going to be friendly, didn't growl, didn't display any aggressive signals, and just took a bite. It barely broke the skin, but bit hard enough to leave a hematoma deep in the muscle that gave me pain for months afterward.

Granted a Pit can do more damage in a shorter time than a Pom, but there are a lot of larger breeds that bite as often or more often.

[Dogmama]

There are a couple of pit bull adolescents in our dog park. They love to grab the plastic "chucker" I use to throw tennis balls. It can be unnerving because they are VERY STRONG and they DO NOT LET UP.

Unless I'm dealing with a reputable breeder of American Staff. Terriers that can show me an AKC lineage, I would not own a dog of that ilk. If I'm dealing with a backyard breeder, I don't know what's in the woodpile in terms of temperament. These dogs are STRONG, both in jaw strength and in body. I think I'm a pretty good judge of dog character (obviously I need work in the human component - especially friends who wants dogs...grrrr...) but frankly, I don't want to be constantly vigilant around my dog. I had one German Shepherd who was dog aggressive - never again (it was my own stupid fault though for not socializing a puppy that desperately needed it.)

[Aggie_Ama]

NO they are NOT. American Staffordshire Bull Terriers are "happy, outgoing, stable, and confident dog"
http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/americanstaffordshire.htm

I meant NOT evil. I am so sorry, I agree with you but I didn't proof read my post. I do not think dogs are born mean, made mean maybe but I don't agree they are going to kill someone because it seemed like something good to do that day.

I will give you that they are strong dogs and can hurt you a lot more if they do bite. I think I read once the most per-capita bites are from Cocker Spaniels.

My crazy cat bites me daily, my little Schnauzer has only snapped at me once when I hurt her during a horrible dematting attempt.

[MM_QFC!]

+1 on all of the comments re: responsible and humane dog ownership.

Also, as a bike rider, nothing can get the adrenaline going like a dog on the loose, bounding toward me! If there is a leash law, people, it means that also includes you! I can't tell you how many times, I'm riding along and see people walking the trail with their (sometimes great big) dog on the loose. I don't much care if their dog is friendly, as it should be on a leash, so it's a moot point, right? Why should any nearby riders or walkers have to be concerned about an unleashed dog?
I was enjoying a ride on a local trail recently, especially a lovely downgrade, when I spotted 2 dogs up ahead - no humans in sight and both were wandering w/o any leashes. I slowed as I was taking in the whole scene and deciding whether to continue or turn around. There were no other riders in sight, from either direction either. Hmmmm, I stopped and noticed that both dogs were looking in my direction; since, I'm just getting back to riding and recovering from injuries, I have neither the strength nor the speed that I could count on previously, so I decided to turn around and get away from a situation that presented too many threatening possibilities to me.
I am guessing that the owner of the dogs lived adjacent to the trail and it was their habit to let their dogs wander near their home; it all sounds so easy, pleasant and carefree, doesn't it? NOT! It's not for me to have to determine if a loose and unattended dog is friendly and not a threat; everyone has the same rules and this is so unnecessary.

Please note: this isn't anti-dog bias; it's more a rant against people who do not care for, nor keep their dogs under control as our communal laws require. I agree with Mimi on this issue. Leash laws aren't just for some dogs; they're meant for all to avoid unnecessary incidents and unsafe situations.
P.S. I don't have a dog living with me, as my schedule doesn't support the caretaking that I feel is necessary to have a pet. However, I am crazy about my 'granddog' and have her visit often. She's a mini-breed, so she can get nervous about lots of people around or big dogs looming over her too. For that reason, I don't usually take her to the off-leash parks, as I've had the experience of her cowering when dogs bound over to her and are too big, even if playful. She's always on a leash when we go out and I've had a couple of scares when we've been on a trail in a nearby county park (leash and scoop laws in effect) and had encounters with loose dogs who were nowhere near their jogging owners - whew!