Genuine question: how do dog owners cope with the idea their dogs can turn at any time?

[Simblythebestie]

Have always wondered this and I'm honestly not attempting to be goady. Do you ever wonder about your dog - particularly a large breed - turning and biting you and causing damage to you or your kids? The idea of this would terrify me and is one of the reasons we'd never got a dog. Do you always know what they are thinking when they are looking at you? That's something else I've always wondered about. Or do you feel you know a dog after you've been living together for a period of time?

1. Dead
2. Dead
3. He's fine with it. After all, he knows that on averages, he's a far greater risk to me than your average middleaged Beagle.
4. Haven't got one
5. Currently inside for hitting his girlfriend during a row about his 'professional gambler' lifestyle affecting their ability to pay the bills.

I think you’re obviously not a dog person if you’re asking this.

I know my dogs and trust my dogs.

🤣🤣🤣

And yet it's perfectly acceptable for dog owners to have to put up with the constant dog phobic posts on here. There's barely a week goes by without some neurotic dog-hater posting about how all our pets are dangerous and just one unpredictable moment away from mauling a toddler to death.

At least the people using men as an analogy will actually have direct experience of men. A fair few will even have been assaulted at some point in their life by a man. The overwhelming majority of dog haters have never owned a dog or had any meaningful experience of them, yet they feel entitled to claim they know more about them than dog owners do.

Frankly, I'm sick of all the cossetted pandering to the dog haters. If you don't like dogs, don't have one. If you don't want to live in a world where dogs are kept as pets then that's just tough. It's your problem, not mine. I don't have to justify my dog to you. I don't have to pander to you by assuring you that I am fully versed in reading canine body language and that I never let my dog near children unless he is muzzled and we have a tranquilizer gun on hand in case he turns.

I have an SBT. The breed that XLs took over as being Satan dogs and will no doubt hold that title once again in a few years when XLs are fewer in number.

I don't cope with the idea, the idea isn't even there. I can read her body language and know if she's a bit pissed off, in pain, or just wants to be left alone. Which isnt very often tbh.

As pp's said its very unusual for a dog to just turn. There are many, many subtle signs that a dog is unhappy, but I think some want to believe that as the types of dog in question - let's face it you're not asking about a chihuahua turning - are usually connected to chavs, so it helps back up their misguided view that it's always the breed of dog, which is easier and simpler to reconcile mentally, rather than a group of other humans being responsible.

That being said I wouldn't have a big breed dog just because my house is too small.

@WalkingThroughTreacle I am fully versed in reading canine body language that's fantastic, the issue is that most owners aren't and it's hard to avoid then given they're everywhere now, often without a lead in the most inappropriate places

I would never own a dog that would have the strength to cause that much damage.

also you need to make sure you and everyone in your household knows about respect for the dog. Nothing worse than seeing children poking and prodding at dogs or bothering them whilst they’re eating.

I do think it’s important to always supervise young children around dogs. I have a golden retriever and I chose this breed specifically that’s known to be friendly and great with children. I’m still aware he’s an animal and could potentially behave in a way that’s unpredictable, so I never leave him with my son unattended just to be on the safe side. But honestly I think it’s extremely unlikely anything would happen. I do feel that I know him. I know that he absolutely loves children and would never want to hurt them. The worst he’s ever done is lick my son’s face which while not ideal is only affectionate. To be honest I’m more worried that if I left them alone together my son might hurt the dog by pulling his fur/ears because he’s a baby and doesn’t understand, so I always supervise.

In the same way that I cope with the idea that the people in my life could turn at any time.

We have two little Jack Russells who have never as much as growled at us. I can open their mouths and remove something and they just let me. There’s a particular bond between me and the older one, she sits on my knee and gazes into my eyes. The thought of them hurting us has never occurred to me.

Mine is small and fluffy, very gentle, can’t see him doing anything, have invested time in his training etc. however, even if he turned he doesn’t have the power to do hill or even do life changing injuries. What I don’t get about breeds like xl bullies is they can turn and kill in minutes, why have one in your house.

That's pretty much my view.

Bolstered by having a small breed (<6kg, about 25cms tall) and not having a dog at all whilst the DC were small.

I know several generations of my dog and all are very sweet natured (line bred for temperament, of a breed that's known for its good nature).

My old golden retriever was the biggest softest lump ever the kids loved him and he loved them. Could be found next to my youngest always they had a close bond. He died 4 years ago now. Our current goldie is a bit more spirited but well trained and pretty dopey. Knowing your dog, it’s behaviour/body language and when it just needs space is key, I wouldn’t have a dog I didn’t trust in my home.
I currently have a stinking, honking wet retriever in my home yuk!!

Mine is small at 10.5kg and adores us all, so can’t see him going for us (plus we’re all adults/teens so no small children) but I’m not naive enough to think he wouldn’t. He’s a dog and therefore nothing is 100%. However, it’s one of the reasons we didn’t get a larger breed - I wanted to be sure I could overpower him if necessary.

I don't worry at all . I have had Bullmastiffs my whole life and not a single one of them has been anything other than a loveable goofball. I bought them because I just love the breed and will only ever have bullbreeds .

IKR? Given that we live in a country where just over 2 women per week are killed by their intimate partner, and violent crime by strangers is on the rise, the idea that any mammal (of which humans are one) aren't capable of 'turning at any time' is for the birds.

(Birds are also capable of turning at any time. especially seagulls. Especially if you're walking through town with a cone of chips. I speak from bitter experience.)

My grandfather was a farmer he had working dogs, big dogs. We were always supervised and told always respect an animal, but know it is an animal.

We adored those dogs, they of course engaged with us on their terms, mainly to share biscuits 🙂. I am nearly 50, I've had dozens of cats and about 10 dogs. Before the children i fostered dogs with behavioural issues. I've had slaps, scrapes one warning bite, all were big dogs.

To be clear I expect animals to be animals and I believe animals treat each other better than a lot of humans. What frustrates me is the breeding of huge dogs who have neurological issues. The humanization of pets, this completely in my opinion is disrespectful of the animal.

And adults not being nor educating their children on animals and their boundaries etc. I am not afraid of a dog attack, personally I think a human attack is more likely. I also believe 90% of dog attacks are human faults it is rare for a dog to 0-100 without warning.

I read an interesting theory about XL bullies - that they have an affliction akin to spaniel rage. It's been carefully bred out of spaniels, and you'd be extremely unlucky to come across it now. But no-one is attempting to breed it out of XLs - you need to stop breeding from any dog whose parents or full/half siblings who rage by attacking out of the blue, and that just isn't happening. And many owners won't know how inbred their dog is, or how many close kin of dogs known to have attacked there are in the 3 or 5 generation family tree (or even if the same dog appears frequently, or if there are close kin matings)

I have three large breeds, sighthounds though so not particularly powerful in terms of raw strength, and far more inclined to run away than fight if they feel threatened.

All three are very well trained. I trust them completely because I know the work I have put into them, and they all have very gentle temperaments. One of them is a recently retired therapy dog for children with additional needs, he's as bomb proof as a dog can get. They're all extremely low bite risks. I have reached into their mouths and pried their jaws apart to get food out without worrying about being bitten.

A vast majority of dogs are not perpetually sitting on the tipping point between loving pet and vicious killer. It would take an awful lot to make the average dog snap to the point of killing or causing life altering injuries to a human.

Dogs are inherently good, kind honest animals. Thats why I prefer them to people!.
On the rare occasion a dog does 'turn' its usually down to either medical issues (neighbours dog had a brain tumour), congenital issues (cocker rage) or us.
Humans putting the dog in a position it feels uncomfortable and/or not reading the dogs body language.

I currently have two large breed dogs(not bully type) both rescues and both with aggression issues. My kids are aware one has a bite history so they give her space. We listen to her and never leave them alone. she finally trusts us and is the happiest dog. she just needed space to realise people aren't all bad.
Our current rescue has just arrived, he's a bit anxious so uses his size to try and scare. He's already being retrained and carefully socialised to learn he can trust people.
I hand on heart can say neither of these high-spirited, intelligent, honest hearted, sentient animals would 'turn' without a medical reason. None of my dogs have shown aggression or the possibility of turning. Mostly they're fucked up by humans.
The reason you're seeing news of dog attacks is idiot young boys are getting large powerful dogs for status and encouraging or not training these clever animals to be social. Large bully type dogs are often soft as butter with good natures. In the right homes.
In the home of a stupid, ignorant, arrogant young person who may not be emotionally stable or under the influence, a powerful dog is more likely to turn. They've never been taught not to.
This is why the government are trying to ban ownership of such breeds.
I don't agree with the ban per se (i know a lovely red nosed pittie who is so well trrained) But I get why the ban has come in.
So to answer your question I don't cope with that idea. I listen to dogs, respect them and see they are born good. Its humans who make them what they are.

This is absolutely ridiculous. Dogs dont need a house with a garden or a farm. If they are exercised properly, they just lay around sleeping in the house for the most part of the day. I would be more afraid of a bored territorial farm dog tbh.

Like pp already said, the chance of that happening is very minimal. I dont avoid cars, people etc. just because something could happen. My dog is a family member and i trust her. Most dogs dont just attack out of nowhere, theres always a 100 body language signs beforehand.

@Simblythebestie I have an assistance dog, she has changed my life. In the event I have a seizure in the middle of the street she will lie down in between me and oncoming cars. The idea is that if they hit her it may slow them down and give me a greater chance of survival. I would do the same for my DS, my parents would not do the same for me. My family member was killed by his next door neighbour. Give me a dog over a human any day. Human behaviour is far less predictable than that of a good dog.

years ago my small dog fitted on kitchen floor i went to help big mistake, what i did not know was it had a brain tumour just hit the eye area went blind while fitting, it lashed out in fear at me, i should niot of tried to help totally my fault i had a small bite on my arm.vet visit nothing they could do,had to go to sleep,but that dog for 8 years had been perfect, so this was an extreme situation,i dont blame the dog at all. it was frightened suddenly gone blind and fitting on the floor.so this is a totally rare time,

I've trained my dog, I'm extremely confident this is simply not an issue. That said he would lay down his life for me. I wouldn't have a vicious breed

I just can't get over how unlikely a dog "turning" is. When you look at the actual numbers, and think about the fact that we live alongside dogs day in day out, the odds of any one dog "turning" are infinitesimally small.