Well done Mr Alhadi.....but what kind of parents still have a pitbull dog as a pet?

[mrsruffallo]

Thank God for this man walking past...but really shouldn't all parents be thinking hard about having these kind of dogs in the home?

It never takes long for these threads to descend into a breed-slag-off.

I'm a dog owner (Lab) and like to think of myself as a responsible one too - He gets walked, I pick up his shit, I train him, and I never ever leave him alone with my DD. Not because I think he will do anything, but because there is no guarantee that he won't.

Isn't it just common sense? Doesn't matter what breed, what temperament, what size - just use your brain. I've met good and bad examples of almost every breed you can think of. I personally wouldn't own a Staffie, not because I think they are child-killers, they just aren't my preference. I'm allowed to have a preference and can do it without feeling the need to slag off other breeds. Perhaps some MNers should think about that.

As for the point about labs being 'hunters' weren't they specifically bred to be 'soft-mouthed' ie not clamp down on the game they were retrieving?

But werent pitbulls/Staffs bred to be people friendly and dog aggressive. They had to be trusted to be dragged out of the fighting ring by their owners after being all het up from a fight and not to attack them. So any attacks on humans isnt breed traits, it's down to bad training and mistreatment IMO.

The one that bit me wasn't, Joni!

(My dog absolutely adores labradors and I'm starting to suspect she spent her former years with a black male labrador!)

Sorry to hear you were bitten

Threaders has hit the nail on the head.

My dad has a shitzoo (not sure how to spell it but you all can tell which bread i mean)

Its a lovel lazy dog but will bite any child who puts thier face infront of it, pulls its tail etc.

We are aware of it and understand that the children are at fault so seperate the dog from children.

My mum has a chiwawa (same again) the dog is a little shit and will bite any stranger who comes near. he does this because he is scared. So we are in training with him and seperate him from other people. he wears a muzzle when out etc.

I have a staffie and would leave him with anyone. he is the softest dog I have ever met. The kids try to ride her, play with her, tease her and they Staffie just takes it in her stride.

At the end of the day no matter what the bread it comes down to training, environent and treatment.

I am not slagging off labradors. I like labradors. They would not personally be a breed I'd go out of my way to own, but I don't dislike them.

A poodle could be aggressive in the wrong hands just as easily a labrador could. So could a whippet. I own a Whippet whom I adore, she could still become aggressive if she was mishandled or abused.

The breed of the dog is irrelevent. It is the owner who is at fault, Staffys are not bad dogs, labradors are not bad dogs, Whippets are adorable, precious little creatures.

Although because of the breed history of the bull breeds, imo, they are less likely to show aggression to people than other breeds. That's not to say other breeds, including the labrador are bad or dangerous breeds.

Sadly, it's a form of natural selection. You can bet that in all the instances of children being attacked by the family dog, that the parents would have attested to how good the pet was with children and that they were sensible owners. Clearly not the case.

My DH is a facial surgeon and often has to deal with the aftermath of such attacks. The parents are muppets to think that a small child should share a household with a powerful dog (pitbull or otherwise). Staffies do attack children, like it or not. Sensible dog owners rehome their pets when they have children. Those who don't are prioritising their pets over their children.

MummyGil that is just absurd. Sensible owners are sensible enough to watch their dogs with the children and train the children to behave sensibly with the dogs.

While I was growing up we owned a doberman, a gsd, an akita and a lab. We regularly looked after Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Lurchers as my father knew people who bred them.

I was never bitten or placed at risk from any of the dogs. Nor were my sisters.

We also had regular interaction with a Rotty.

Why was the child left alone with a dog? That's what's shocked me the most.

That's what all the parents of the poor ripped up children say too.

Anyway, quite apart from the inherent danger, dogs make your house smell really badly

"Sensible owners rehome their dogs when they have children". What absolute rot, MummyGil.

Well you can fuck off for a start, MummyGil. I object to being told I'm not a sensible dog owner, particularly given what I do for a living and in my spare time, which I strongly suspect gives ne the upper hand on your feeble knowledge of dogs and dog handling.

It's people like you, who know nothing about dogs despite what your husband does for a living, who sicken me, MummyGil. I doubt very much if even your husband has any real idea of the background to any attack he deals with.

I pick up the pieces of the arseholes ho get rid of their dogs when their owners throw them out because they are pregnant/have kids. I hear of thousands of young, healthy dogs who are totally innocent of any wrongdoing killed because of shit attitudes like yours and I save as many as I can.

Being the wife of a surgeon does NOT make you an authority on dogs or dog ownership. Until then I maintain that you are speaking offensive crap.

"Sensible dog owners rehome their pets when they have children."

Ridiculous.

Sensible dog owners don't give away their pets, they just keep their dogs away from situations that would compromise their childrens safety.

Surely, sensible owners should just make sensible judgements when they have children?

And don't just immediately get rid of the dog.

Sensible pet ownership can only enrich a child's life. No?

All these people who leave their dogs alone with their kids - HOW?

My STAFFY wont let me go to the loo in peace, he is with me every step i take, they are the most devoted breed i have ever owned.

And breathe....

Thank you BTP. :)

I was going to ask if she would like to adopt my kids s I have no intention of getting rid of my dogs.

But then again my kids would tell her to fuck off too... they're rescue volunteers who frequently handle and interact large numbers of dogs in the space of a single day, including Rotts, Staffies, GSDs and the like.

And breathe...

I don't claim to be an expert on dogs. The fact is that these attacks happen all too often and the owners act as if it's a huge shock. Possibly a bit like American parents who have always "sensibly" looked after their firearms - up until that one time they end up with a dead child.

Dogs are fine in their place. I just don't believe that place is with small children. I know lots of people (including a vet)who have rehomed their much-loved dogs when they had a baby. "Rehomed" is not a euphemism - they sensibly found a new home for their dogs and often remained in contact. They chose their children over their pets. Some people choose their pets over their children and it is those people who don't like what I say.

I've got something that will take your mind off the crap ButterflyCollector. I wasn't going to tell you until the money transferred, but I Ebayed a couple of things as a thank you for all the effort you put in for my Lurcher problem so I have a small donation for your rescue

MummyGil - you are way off the mark here. Just because your husband is a sergeon does not make him an expert in dogs.

Did you know cats are know to smell baby milk on babys and have sat on thier faces, suffocating them? Would you expect people to get rid of thier cats when they have babies or just take appropriate action?