Protecting kids from dogs

[Yeen]

We live very close to some lovely woods where I take my DC walking most days. Lots of dog walkers as you'd expect, most dogs on lead and perfectly friendly (I haven't got a problem with dogs). However recently there's been a huge increase in very large pit bull type breeds (I think they're American Bully XL dogs), and they never seem to be on leads - owners often miles away. I find these types of dogs really intimidating and most of the recent dog attacks in the news seem to involve them. I have no idea how I would even go about attempting to protect my DC if one attacked. If one is nearby I make sure DC aren't running around and are standing with me. Are there any other practical steps I could take?! I am usually carrying a hot drink of some sort, is that going to be of any practical use against a dog if it attacks??

What do you think should be done about dangerous dogs?

THIS!! It's actually petrifying

@Yeen I already posted my thoughts on that.

BSL and banning breeds have been proven to be ineffective at best and at worst have done nothing more than condemn innocent family pets to death based on their measurements.

I think we need to take a long-term approach and it should be centered around controlling the breeding and sale of all animals but particularly dogs and cats who are massively overbred for profit.

If we ban BYB and hobbyists you're left with only professional breeders. If we put more controls on professional breeders to ensure the welfare of the dogs and also that they are acting responsibly and breeding only to better the breed then the people who own these dangerous dogs will not be able to get hold of one, because let's face it, they are all the same "type" of person. A responsible breeder would not sell to them, nor would a responsible rescue rehome to them.

I also think rescues should be better regulated and there should be more education from an early age around canine behaviour.

Controlling breeding would also have the knock-on effect of reducing the number of dogs prone to aggression and fear. A responsible breeder will not breed from an animal with behavioural issues or a history of aggression.

You are buying into the media-fuelled hysteria. I suggest you speak to someone about your anxiety before it rubs off on your kids. Making plans to kill a dog in the event of a highly unlikely attack is not normal behavio

Worse than that, she was initially planning to scald a dog with piping hot tea from a thermos. Which, if anything, would escalate a situation into a tragedy.

Someone else is going to carry a knife, they say.

They should teach dog sense in schools.

What dogs?

You've already admitted you have no idea about breeds.

But you're determined to have your tabloid moral panic anyway.

We're not arguing that dangerous dogs should not be controlled or even banned.

We're arguing over the definition of dangerous. You're defining dangerous by breed and/or appearance. We're defining it by behaviour.

I also have fears walking past these dogs off lead especially with young children and it's so annoying that the owners are this irresponsible.

I do think there should be a duty on local authorities to provide dog parks.

I know from this and past threads that many MNers think dogs should never be offlead.

OP, on this thread, wants certain dogs (she doesn't know which ones, because she doesn't understand breeds) kept only on private land. Which probably practically means "indoors" for most dogs.

The problem is that dogs need decent exercise to be happy and healthy. You can't properly exercise an average size dog on the lead.

Most of the dog attacks that happen, are big energetic dogs who aren't trained properly and aren't exercised and eventually attack, usually in the home.

So anyone concerned about rogue dogs should actively want there to be somewhere where dogs can regularly run off lead.

We're arguing over the definition of dangerous. You're defining dangerous by breed and/or appearance. We're defining it by behaviour.

At one point OP wanted to determine dangerousness by size and weight. Probably because of those packs of killer St Bernard's and Old English Sheepdogs terrorising the streets. 🙄

You have to define dangerous somehow, it can't just be shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted - ie only dealing with specific dangerous dogs as and when they arise.

If it's not breed it has to be size and weight.

The problem is that dogs need decent exercise to be happy and healthy. You can't properly exercise an average size dog on the lead.

That's not my problem. I prioritise human beings above dogs.

My cats, who are technically free to roam and of no risk to humans, are kept in my garden, which is cat proofed, for their own safety and the safety of other wildlife.

But you're determined to have your tabloid moral panic anyway.

I don't read tabloids. These attacks are reported by the BBC. Please stop making insulting, nasty assumptions about me when you know nothing about me.

Worse than that, she was initially planning to scalda dog with piping hot tea from a thermos. Which, if anything, would escalate a situation into a tragedy.

No I wasn't, I was asking whether this would be of any help. I see that it wouldn't, so I won't do it.

A handful of local authorities provide dog-free parks, but in most areas there is zero political interest in designating even one small park as dog-free.

This may be because, while there is a very significant dog lobby, there is no organised canvassing on behalf of people who for whatever reason would like to be able to walk in public leisure spaces (and, increasingly, eat and drink in commercial premises) without being approached by dogs.

No, many people actually panic when approached by dogs that have the physical ability to seriously injure or kill them.

Many people absent themselves from green spaces because they're afraid of dogs.

I don't "panic" when approached by one of these dogs anyway. I do exactly what has been advised here which is, if I see one from a distance I go in the other direction, and if I can't avoid passing one then I make no eye contact, no sudden movements and keep hold of my kids.

But honestly, how can anyone think dogs like the ones linked in that video upthread are suitable family pets?! They look like the hound of the baskervilles on steroids.

Can you not read? I was saying that in support of the suggestion that LAs provide dog exercise parks. Unless you're a local authority, how could you possibly think I was saying it was your problem?

You have to define dangerous somehow, it can't just be shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted - ie only dealing with specific dangerous dogs as and when they arise.

If it's not breed it has to be size and weight.

And those are the only two options you can conceive of?

Even after I pointed out that would mean St Bernards, dalmatians, Old English Sheedogs and similar would be designated "dangerous" under your definition? That would be laughed out of Parliament. The proposal has to be sensible.

This is why I'm struggling to take you seriously.

The Xl bully obsessives will always wail about smaller dogs such as chihuahuas being aggressive choosing to ignore that a bite from a very small dogs is very rarely disfiguring or fatal. As long as they can deflect from the very real evidence that those horrible huge dogs are a genuine threat to people they are happy. They are probably type of people who 'prefer dogs to humans.' (Because they can't form healthy human relationships due to their personality issues.)
Very well said 👏

The below is from the dog attack report that I linked to last night:
..............
Family attacked by crazed dog 'battered it to death with hammer to save their lives'
‘It was a case of the dog or them – his actions probably saved their lives’
A family reportedly attacked by their dog killed it with a hammer in order to save their own lives, according to neighbours.
Three people were left injured after being mauled by the out-of-control dog at a property in Worcester at around 9.10am Wednesday.
A 68-year-old woman was rushed to hospital with injuries originally thought to be life-threatening, but have now been described as “potentially life-changing.”
A 38-year-old man suffered serious injuries while a third male victim was hurt but did not require hospital treatment.
Neighbours have since told how the dad was forced to kill the family pet using a hammer to stop it from causing further horrific injuries.
One said his actions “probably saved their lives” after the horror unfolded on Boughton Avenue, a quiet residential street in the St John’s area of the city.
One resident, who did not wish to be named, said: “It was a case of the dog or them – his actions probably saved their lives.
“I heard the dad used a hammer. It must have been a horrific thing to encounter but when a dog flips sometimes there’s just no going back.”
Another neighbour added: “I heard shouting at about 8.30am, then it went quiet and then it started again.
“I heard the noise and looked up and down the road and no police cars were there.
“I then saw a man leave the house and he had a hammer in his hand and when police arrived he sat on the floor in relief.”
The neighbour said around10 police cars an ambulance, air ambulance and a “black unmarked car which had two police officers come out of it with guns” attended the scene.
A third local added: “It is shocking and frightening that something like that has happened.”
West Mercia Police said officers arrived at the house to find the dog dead and administered first aid to the victims before paramedics took two of them to hospital.
A force spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the dog died during the incident when the family were trying to stop it from harming the individuals and in the prevention of it causing any more injury.”
The breed of the dog is still unknown while police await confirmation from a vet.
The force also revealed a nine-year-old boy was left with a serious leg injury after being bitten during a separate attack in Worcester on the same day.
The child was taken to hospital by his family after being attacked at an address on Portefields Road.
The dog was recovered by officers and is secured in kennels.
Superintendent Rebecca Love said: “Both of these incidents will have been incredibly traumatic for the families involved and we are wishing all three people injured a safe and quick recovery.
“A formal process with a qualified vet has to be followed to establish the breed of dogs involved and that work is underway.
“Nobody expects a loved family pet to turn aggressive and injure their owner, or anyone else, but it’s important to remember that any dog can bite.
“If you are worried about your dog’s behaviour, we encourage you to contact your local vet for advice and support.
“If you are genuinely concerned that a dog is dangerously out of control, has bitten a person or another animal or is likely to do so, then you can contact us.”

Related links:

Woman in her 70s dead after dog attack in West Midlands

Fifteen dogs seized and woman arrested after fatal dog attack in Leigh

Man dies after attack by ‘dangerously out of control’ dog in Leigh

Dog owner who lost arm after American Bulldog mauled her is suing RSPCA for £200,000

Mum decides to keep dog after it mauled three-year-old daughter’s face

Man charged after grandmother with dementia mauled to death in her garden by two bulldogs

So anyone concerned about rogue dogs large dangerous predators should actively want there to be somewhere where dogs to get rid of large dangerous predators can regularly run off lead.

I fixed it for you 😇

Which only underlines @oi0Y0io that (usually poorly cared for) dogs, when they attack, mostly do it at home, to their owners.

If anything, we should be thinking in terms of dangerous dog owners. Cluelessness can make owners dangerous too.

If you don't understand your dog, their breed, and care needs, if you don't have appropriate control of your dog and don't exercise them sufficiently, if you buy a breed unsuitable for your lifestyle, then you are running a risk of this, albeit small.

Are you always so incredibly rude and aggressive?

I can't see that dog exercise parks would solve the issue of dog on dog attacks either, which also seem to be common with bull breeds.

The fact of the matter is the right to own dogs should not come above the safety of humans.

But we don't know what breeds OP is talking about. She admits she doesn't know breeds.

She clearly doesn't know dogs in the slightest as she started the thread asking if scalding a dog was a good idea in an attacks.

I'm no keener on dangerous dogs than anybody else is, but I'm not going to join a pile on condemning dogs that haven't been identified.

Bullshit
these are dangerous animals, they should not be kept as pets.