to not understand why people have these types of dogs in their homes

[FunnysInLaJardin]

I've heard the arguments for and against keeping pit bull/mastiff type dogs and just don't understand at all why anyone would keep a powerful muscular dog as a pet in a family home. Yet another sad news story today in a village just down the road from my home village.

This isn't a AIBU really, just a 'why do they do it'. Is a pet really worth the risk? There are so many other dog types to chose from. I don't understand at all.

Sorry but you can't say he's never escaped til he dies. Until then he hasn't escaped YET.

Your MIL sounds like an eminently sensible woman.

What is your problem with me?

The only people that make a living breeding dogs are puppy farmers - because to do it right costs a lot, it's an expensive hobby not a job.

Labs should be hip and elbow scored - even when they're not showing symptoms of dysplasia because it's the only way to make sure that there isn't a hidden issue that could manifest in the next generation. If you're accidentally breeding a dog who is clinically ok, but has a high hip or elbow score with another dog the same - you're talking about the potential of puppies being crippled by as young as 6 months old even though their parents are functioning fine.

They should be DNA tested for PRA because even if just a carrier, again you need to know what you're dealing with when it comes to picking mates and have the eye checks because it can develop even if the DNA test is clear.

There are two other DNA tests available, which you'd want to do because if a puppy inherits a copy of the faulty gene from each parent they're really quite serious health issues and again you have no way of knowing which dogs carry the gene until it's too late.

People with working labs health test them too - because it's the best shot at getting healthy puppies.

The ONLY reason to breed dogs is because you have a particularly good example, with evidence of health and temperament going back generations, having done all the appropriate testing yourself, and with the aim of furthering the excellence of the breed. This all costs a LOT of money and time. It's not for the faint hearted or amateurs.

Pedigree dogs of any kind are prone to specific problems and the only way to improve this situation is to NEVER breed from on of the afflicted examples. To do otherwise is irresponsible at best, no matter how nice or clever you think your dog is.

The idea of breeding just because it's nice to have puppies is one of the reasons we're having the issues we currently are.

I think that a lot of people, especially those without dogs tend to view dogs as items that people own which I think is w

My Labrador is hip and eye scored. He is also KC registered if that makes a difference.

Just read this on my local forum. Someone got annoyed with their staffie so they kicked it and then trod on its neck then kicked it in the canal.
That's the type of owner who often ends up with these dogs.
My staffie cross is on the other sofa at the moment, wanting to sleep, but unable to take her eyes off me.

I haven't read the whole thread but I just wanted to add, I have to DC 18months and 4 years, I have 2 German shepherds and cocker spaniels, none of them have ever laid a paw (so to speak) on either of my DC even when they've had tails, ears etc pulled. The dogs were around before the DC and I was concerned that they'd feel jealous but they have been better than I ever imagined. In my opinion its about how they're brought up.
Will add I would never leave my DC alone with dogs no matter how much I don't believe they'd purposely hurt DCs, i'd never trust them 100%

OK. So if we -posters on this forum on this subject - could legislate to prevent tragedies like this poor little girl's death happening again -what would we ask for? What is needed?

34DD I agree, I believe all dogs should be licenced and microchips.
You are most definitely over estimating what you'd make from breeding. You have to pay for the stud dog, then the scans, the extra food for mum, possible caesarean (Sp?) which costs a small fortune!, milk and bottles etc if mum cant feed (plus theres the getting up every 2 hours if this is the case!), ALOT of extra electricity for the heated lamp they're under to start with, the initial cost of the welping box, cleaning products, cost of washing blankets every day, microchipping, vaccinations, worming, flea treatments, food for puppies, vet if any of the puppies need it, the cost of KC registering them, advertising. If you're doing it properly, and for the right reasons, you'd still need a day job! That's my opinion anyway.

Centrally registered micro chipping at birth

Central register of owners, each transference of dog ownership recorded

Far greater numbers of dog wardens with appropriate powers to both patrol and do home visits, if there are problem dogs. Concannon's neighbours apparently complained about her dogs.

Enforcement of basic legislation. It's not the responsible owners who have their dogs out in public with no collar or who let their dogs foul. If you do those things wrong what else are you doing wrong?

Licenses. Expensive licenses. With conditions. They need to be expensive to pay for the registers of micro chipping & ownership and for decent pro-active Dog Wardens etc.

If an owner is found to be irresponsible, unsuitable etc their license to own a dog should be revoked.

A license should be held for every dog an individual owns. Got a bitch that has twelve puppies? Bad luck you need to pay for twelve new licenses. Can't afford it? Should have thought about that before you bred from her.

Going back to collars, in addition to an owner's name & address a dog's collar should have the licence number on it too.

For starters....

I have kids and dogs & (on occasion) offered a short term place to stay to various random staff / pit / chow type dogs. TBH none have been half as much trouble as my farm bred jack russell who i@ve owned since she was a puppy.

I don't have a problem with you personally. I'm disagreeing with you on a public forum. If someone else said the same things as you I'd be disagreeing with them too!

34DD how much space do you have at home?? And what made you want seven dogs?? Are they all DDB? How on earth do you exercise them? You seem to have made an enormous commitment.

Wow! They are your whole life! That is commitment.

Also a brilliant description of what has to be done to care for these animals properly.

I read in the paper the other day that litters of farmed puppies are pouring in from Eastern Europe. There is a real fear, apparently, that it is only a matter of time before rabies gets into the UK.

And, to open another can of worms, do people wonder what happens to the labradoodle, cockerpoo and other "designer" puppies that don't look the way they're supposed to?

Bad rescues cause problems too. Not only is the rescue I got Bridget from refusing to help with the vet bills for the broken jaw she had before I got her (caused by too many teeth being extracted at once), they are advertising a Rottweiler x Doberman as a suitable dog for a family with children aged 10+. This dog has been (in their own words) appallingly treated and is traumatised and unsocialised. It has been beaten, strangled, crated 24/7, is food possessive and not safe with small dogs.

Yet they think it's fine to rehome it to a family.

The dog should actually be in a specialist rescue, where it can be correctly assessed by experts, and rehabilitated. It's a walking timebomb, and if anything happens it will be considered to be the dog at fault, when it is simply in a situation where it should never have been placed.

Scarer, I think the dog (Rottweiler x Doberman) should be put to sleep. It's just too damaged for anyone to take a risk on. It's very sad, and I know many people will strongly disagree and manyAll the signs are there -food possessive, physically abused, crated; Good lord, how much more does it need to have suffered before someone realises it's too badly damaged to be safely rehomed?

I know others will have had made wonderful pets from badly abused animals, and I appreciate that the dog is being punished for the cruelty, etc, of others, but none of that justifies letting into the public domain an animal like this, which is as you describe, a walking time bomb. A time bomb walking into a park near you, where your children are playing.

In whose interests is it that an animal like this is offered up for rehoming?

The cake cannot be had and eaten. Stupid people cannot be made sensible. Bad rescues cannot be made responsible. So do not offer potentially dangerous dogs up for 'adoption'. Can we afford to be soft hearted over dogs like these?