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Original poster

re my reaction to a rottweiler dog ? Or would you be the same ?

176 replies

chankins · 04/01/2008 20:59

Not sure if I over reacted today or not, but was at the beach with my three dc, my sister and her three dc, and my mum and her jack russel dog. All was fine until we saw approaching a large rottweiler off the lead, with a young couple and their toddler in a buggy close behind. TBH we said amongst ourselves why do people with little kids have dogs like that ? but then proceeded to pass without comment.
However then another large dog bounded up and started hassling the rottweiler, who didn't like it and started racing around, growling and snapping at the other dog. This ended up bascially on top of my mum and her little dog, and three of the children. (The other three were in buggies.) Neither owner had any control of their dog and they ignored the owners calling them away. I kept calling my dd1 (5) away from the scene as I was worried a fight would break out and she and her cousins would be caught in the middle. In the end I walked over, grabbed her arm and pulled her over to me and the buggies, and her cousins followed. I said to her ' come away from all those dogs'. The girl then got very shirty and offended and made comments about the rottweiler obviously not biting anyone. This was at the same time she shouted at her toddler to shut up as he was crying. We ignored and walked away. But honestly, why do people with small kids own such powerful dogs, and then can't even control them ?

OP posts:
Mummywannabe · 05/01/2008 12:05

have read most of the posts but wanted to add that i agree that any dog should not be trusted with small children.

I was terrified of staffies after witnessing my neighbours one ripping into and killing the king charles spaniel of my other neighbour on my doorstep - was horrific. However my DH sister has a staffie and she is so well behaved and i have actually grown to love the dog but....am now pregnant and would never put my child in a situation where the dog was in the same room as you cannot trust how any animal will react. For what its worth same rule being applied to my mums terrier (in actual fact think the terrier is more excitable and likely to do something).

All dogs around small children should be on leads, and equally important parents should teach children not to walk up to and start stroking strangers dogs, general respect etc.

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:06

You actually never said the dogs were on a 15 foot lead

I have no problem with dogs coming up to my dogs. I do if they attack.

Please dont twist what I say.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:07

Her arthritis developed as a result of the rottweiler flattening her. She had never been arthritic before. She is a lab crossed with a greyhound. She is slim. We have to keep her slim to help her joints. She eats a home cooked diet and has supplements to help keep her supple. The leg muscle that was pulled due to the rottweiler has never been the same since. She was lucky she didn't come off far worse that she did.

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:08

Again, I said that dogs on leads are ime usually on leads for a reason. I do realise this of course can be illness as well as aggression. I am still happy to say that being kept on a lead permanently is far more likely to create an aggressive dog. That's not about labelling as you put it {I never said that}, it's about the nature of dogs.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:08

hercules....see my post 11:32 - 'extending leads' - OK?!

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:09

I am not here to have an argument with you.

Wisteria · 05/01/2008 12:10

I'm sad to hear about that, but please don't taint all dogs off the lead with the same brush - my lab is beautifully tempered round all dogs although she is a bit scared of tiny dogs like chihuahuas .

It makes sense that she would stay slim if she's a greyhound-x! Otherwise you'd have had a job.... it's a nightmare trying to keep Labs weight down sometimes!

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:10

My dogs are on leads not for a medical or aggression reason - they are on leads so not to bother other people, children, babies in push chairs, other dogs and so that I can pick up their poo. Happy?!

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:11

Mine dont bother other people either when off the lead.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:11

hercules - nope nor am I but I'm going to stick up for my opinions too y'know! Agree to disagree I guess?!

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:12

Oh and I pick up their poo. THis is getting silly. Sorry I will bow out now!

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:13

wisteria - I'm not tainting all dogs off leads with the same brush....but like I've said quite a few posts back....we can't all expect ALL dogs to be ok that are off the lead...as I found out, at my cost, and so did the OP.

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 12:13

I dont mean I am going to leave this thread alone, I just cant be doing with this.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:14

Did I say you didn't? Blimey, whose taking this personally now?

Wisteria · 05/01/2008 12:15

I don't understand whispy, you say you are not here for an argument but your posts are all very argumentative/ defensive IMO.

We are all different and have different ways of doing things but it seems odd that you keep your dogs on a lead completely because of one instance if they are as well behaved as you say.

I think it is a bit cruel if I'm honest if you are in a safe open space and I'm not trying to be argumentative but it is my opinion as a dog lover.

Also please don't assume that those off us who choose to unleash our dogs are either putting others at risk or not picking up after them.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 12:46

Yes we're all different, I agree with you there wisteria. I am not being argumentative. I am merely standing up for my own opinion and trying to explain myself and my reasons for keeping my dogs on 15ft leads.

I am sure there are plenty of dog owners out there who are quite happy to let their dogs off their leads and I'm sure their dogs are fine. But there are those that aren't.

There are those owners who simply do not know how to control their dogs. There are those owners who are dragged around by their dogs. There are those owners who couldn't give a toss if their dog ran off and pestered the life out of another dog...

Keeping a dog on a long lead is not cruel. I worked many years for the RSPCA and the definition of the word 'cruel' did not refer to keeping a dog on a lead.

Wisteria · 05/01/2008 12:54

By whispywhisp on Sat 05-Jan-08 11:26:34

At the end of the day you cannot take it for granted that just because a dog is off the lead it won't be aggressive. It is just being walked by a selfish individual who clearly has no regard for everyone else and their dogs, children etc.

Well that post read to me that you think all people who don't have dogs on leads are selfish individuals...which I take offense to, as Hercules probably did too.

The reason I said that your posts are argumentative is all the little one word questioning responses at the end of your retorts to Hercules, who was also just expressing her opinions.

lizziemun · 05/01/2008 13:03

I have only read the OP.

I get fed up with people making judgement on misreported facts.

Rottweiler (and other large dogs) are no more dangerous then little dogs. It us just they have stronger jew muscles. Or have owners who don't have proper control or training.

For what it worth my uncle got a rottweiler when my cousin was 2yrs and had her for 14yrs and she was the softed dog i ever met. She would hide in his work van when she saw someone comming towards her, if she didn't know them.

On the other hand my grandad was a milkman for 40yrs had more bites on his hands and ankles for little yappy dogs like yours. Also thanks to some owner of 2 jack russels my dd1 is now terrified of dogs because they had been let loose in the street and kept following and jumping up her on the way home from school.

Wisteria · 05/01/2008 13:03

With reference to cruelty, no it is clearly not as bad as beating or starving a dog but to not allow or give a dog the opportunity to exercise properly or adequately is cruel (dependent on the breed obviously) and before you get cross I am not referring to you and your dog as a greyhound x will not need a lot, especially at 12 but others I know of including the bulldog over the road from me who never comes out of his 50foot garden for instance, oh and the lab up the road who never goes off lead and consequently is horrendously overweight at 3 yrs old .

Am pretty sure the RSPCA would agree with that statement.

lizziemun · 05/01/2008 13:11

Sorry Jaw muscle not Jew should type one handed while holding a wiggly baby.

whispywhisp · 05/01/2008 13:45

Scenario 1:

Dog off a lead. Sees another one off a lead. Decides to go and have a sniff. Doesn't like what it smells. So decides to chase it around and around baring its teeth, growling etc ....that's ok then?

Scenario 2: Dog off a lead in a park. Sees a youngster running around with a ball. You sure the parents will be happy for that said dog to go bounding up to it? You honestly think the parents are going to stand by and watch a dog they do not know go running up to their child and be happy about it? I think most parents would prefer to see the dog on a lead especially in a public place.

I'm just trying to give consideration to everyone. Other dogs, other dog owners, children and my own dogs.

It's not a nice sight seeing your own dog be attacked by another dog. Believe you me. It's horrible. Had that been my 4yr old child, who was with me at the time, and not my dog, that was flattened she would have been rushed to A&E I am sure.

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 13:49

Well, as said early a well trained and socialsed dog will not start baring its teeth at another dog unless they are simply checking each other out for who is the dominant one, then it's over.

Nor will a well traine dog go bounding up to a toddler. You simply call it.

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 13:49

Dogs dont decide they dont like another dog based on smell. It's far more than that.

Wisteria · 05/01/2008 13:56

Scenario 1 - IMO yes, that is ok as long as the dog is controlled and it is just the normal dog language to see who is 'boss' - they may even have a bit of a scrap but dogs are unlikely to do much damage to each other as one will usually bow down to the alpha dog IYSWIM (obviously you had a different experience to this which is a great shame but your anger is at that one particular owner and to say that we are all selfish is a bit ott I think)

Scenario 2 - dogs shouldn't be off leads/ out of control in parks where there are children if they are likely to do this, so that's a no-brainer, but if they are off lead then they should be called back immediately they make a bee line for the children

hercules1 · 05/01/2008 14:09

Hmm, just now a chip dropped on the floor. My little dog saw it and decided he'd have it. He's at the bottom of the pecking order with the dogs. The bitch then saw it and wasnt going to have him have it over her so she growled at him and snapped . at him without actually touching himHe let her have it.

Now they are back to playing together.

All normal and dog like behaviour.

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