Why do people keep dangerous dogs???

[Ori18]

Another little boy pronounced dead this morning on the news - the toddler who was mauled on Monday and subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest. The dogs in question are not thought to be banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act - but I'd be interested to know which breeds they were as it's quite evident that certain breeds are more dangerous to children than others - why aren't Rottweiler's on the banned list for example?

And even though Pitt Bull Terriers are banned, people still go out of their way to own them, and are then shocked when they attack small children, maul babies, tear limbs off people. It makes me so angry. Same goes for German Shepherds and Staffordshire Bull Terriers. The Bull Terrier dogs are/were specifically bred for fighting - why would you even consider having one of these types of dogs around a baby or a small child? What is going on there? Is it lack of intelligence? Lack of education? Lack of giving a fuck? Because I think there need to be more dogs on the banned list, and heavier penalties served to people who insist on breaking the law to keep these dogs.

Aggressive/dangerous dogs and babies/small children do not mix, should never be mixed and it shouldn't take more deaths for the law to change around this. AIBU?

@Mickarooni noones forcing you to get a dog. There are literally millions of families worldwide that live happily with dogs as part of their family.

If you are a responsible dog owner you will treat them right, feed them good food, train them well, exercise them everyday, never leave young kids alone with them (or any animal) and always have a safe space for dog to get away from loud boisterous kids. It's not rocket science.

And you know, it's fine to not like large dogs. What's not fine is when you start blanket stereotyping the kind of people who own them.

My parents bred German shepherds and were highly respected people within that field when I was a child. They were not 'pond life'.

I own American Akitas and raise money for a local independent breed specific rescue. I own them because they're beautiful, intelligent dogs. Not as a status symbol or because I'm making up for low self esteem. I grew up with large dogs responsibly owned and I responsibly own my own.

My uncle owned and worked with pitbulls (as a trainer) before they became a banned breed. He did it because he loved the breed, not because he was some thug demanding respect or some such rubbish.

Calling people 'pond life' for owning a specific type of dog is absolutely abhorrent.

Of course there are some owners who have no idea how to handle that kind of dog, but I know plenty of people who shouldn't even own a bloody cockerpoo for the same reason.

[quote Katiekat84]@Mickarooni noones forcing you to get a dog. There are literally millions of families worldwide that live happily with dogs as part of their family.

If you are a responsible dog owner you will treat them right, feed them good food, train them well, exercise them everyday, never leave young kids alone with them (or any animal) and always have a safe space for dog to get away from loud boisterous kids. It's not rocket science.[/quote]
I have always had dogs. I love dogs :) and I know many people are very sensible and ethical people who train their dog into a lovely family pet. My comment was in response to people who suggest a child is more likely to be killed on the road. Yes, sadly that is true but I was pointing out its incomparable because my child has to leave the house but I don’t have to get a dog.

YABU OP. Of course this is an incredibly sad situation, but you cannot sit and say ALL big dogs are bad.

Shepherds, for example, are an incredibly common guide dog breed. Would that be a good idea if that were all so aggressive? I own one myself and have to say he is the sweetest thing. Would I leave him unsupervised with a child? No. Not because he is dangerous, but because he personally hasn’t been exposed to many children and it’s the responsible thing to do. If I had a flipping Pomeranian, I still wouldn’t leave it unsupervised with a child because aggressive dogs are not always big!

Maybe look at the owners. How are the dogs raised? If the owners know their dog is reactive or aggressive, how are they dealing with it? Training? Muzzle? Put the microscope on them too.

And for the PP calling big dogs hideous. Just stop. You sound ridiculous. I would rather a big healthy dog, than some overbred little dog who can hardly breathe and spends its days barking and nipping at everything and everyone.

I agree with you OP. I love dogs but would never completely trust any dog around DS.

What I can't stand is useless owners.

It's absurd to think that in millions of homes everyday babies and toddlers aren't left alone in a room with a dog. I know not one single person who keeps their toddler or baby tied to them because they have a dog. You have to know your dog and your kids. We have a 55kg dog and I absolutely trust her with my kids. They aren't these wild unpredictable beasts waiting to savage a child. It requires teaching very young children to respect the dog and desensitising the dog to being roughly handled because the ear pulls do happen. Every day millions of children live just fine with millions of dogs. It's just sensational when it goes wrong and frankly it's always predictable for whom it's going to wrong.

I'm genuinely curious to know - the posters who have a big dog - would you happily leave your baby/toddler ALONE in a room with your dog? Seriously, an honest question. Would you feel comfortable with this?*

I have giants. I would never leave them alone with any child at any point even though they are asleep 90% of the time.
I don’t believe there has been a single person that’s said they would do though

Ok ok FINE. We should just keep all people 6ft and over locked away and throw away the key because they are large humans and clearly they could do more damage than little 5ft 4 me. Just like people are suggesting we do with large breeds.

@Wintersbone I can honestly say my 2 year old is NEVER EVER alone with either my dog or my cat. If I go to the bathroom she comes with me.... she is TWO.... I cannot trust her to not pull their tail and do something to hurt the animals. I need to be there so if she goes to do something unacceptable I can correct her and tell her "leave doggy alone he's eating" "don't pull kitty's tail that hurts" "doggy is not for sitting on" etc

I trust my dog 100%. I wouldn’t leave him alone with a child because I wouldn’t trust the child. He is as soft as anything, but I see videos of kids pulling dogs ears or squishing their faces and whist even in those situations I doubt my dog would do anything, he shouldn’t have to put up with it- it’s my job as an owner to set him up for success and make sure he isn’t in a situation where anything could happen.

The amount of kids who come running up to my dog to stroke him, or walk past his nose swinging sticks or run past him in a pub garden with a ball or toy is unbelievable. There are so many kids and their parents who seem to lack street smarts when it comes to dogs (dogs trust do some great learning materials if anyone wants to look them up). Yes- as many have said it’s things like not leaving dogs and kids unsupervised but also things like asking owners for permission before you approach a strange dog and how to play safely. I cant believe how many people walking past a strange dog stick their hands out straight away or kids run up and grab without knowing anything about the animal.

@WiddlinDiddlin well bloody said!

A lot of dog owners do not realist that their dig is an animal, a pack animal, used to an Alpha in the pack, and that the dog itself is either the Alpha, or an obedient member. There is no excuse for harsh treatment at all, but a dog must know it's place within the pack/ family.

However, I feel very strongly about small, bad tempered and uncontrolled dogs like chihuahuas, pomeranians, oodle-crosses which are pampered and their horrific tempers ignored or indulged. They are very dangerous too but no one seems to worry about them.

I think the difference is that the average adult could stop those sort of dogs if an attack was in progress. I'm not particularly big or particularly strong but I could stamp hard on a tiny dog and kill it. I couldn't do that with a big dog like a German Shepherd, or a Rottweiler, or one of those Staffordshire type things.

@Leonberger

* I'm genuinely curious to know - the posters who have a big dog - would you happily leave your baby/toddler ALONE in a room with your dog? Seriously, an honest question. Would you feel comfortable with this?*

I have giants. I would never leave them alone with any child at any point even though they are asleep 90% of the time.
I don’t believe there has been a single person that’s said they would do though

See the post above yours

@TiddleyWink totally cross posted with that!

I’m all for teaching children about dogs however pulling ears is not the way to do it.

MintyGreenDream My chihuahua is nastier than any bull breed I've ever known.Stereotyping doesn't help.*
*
If I knew your Chihuahua was salivating and snapping behind one door and an XL Bully was sleeping behind another, I'd still go in with your Chihuahua because I know I could fight it off and I've had dogs for 43 years, one Rottweiler and four GSDs in that time.

That's the point. Tiger or rabbit? Give me the rabbit thanks.

I haven't read all of this but American bulldogs are NOT inherently dangerous ffs.

Mine is daft as a brush, I still wouldn't leave him with kids but he is only potentially dangerous due to his size! In ten years he has never shown any aggression AT ALL.

Bring them up properly and it's fine.

I think the difference is that the average adult could stop those sort of dogs if an attack was in progress. I'm not particularly big or particularly strong but I could stamp hard on a tiny dog and kill it. I couldn't do that with a big dog like a German Shepherd, or a Rottweiler, or one of those Staffordshire type things.

That's my point. A 10 year old could beat a chihuahua off but not a Rottie, Staff, XL bully etc. That's doesn't mean I think these small dogs are angels incapable of being snappy little shits!

If we can't (and its proven we can't) stop arseholes having any dog of any temperament doing whatever they want with it, what do we do?

And Bull Terrier the breed was not bred for fighting. They were bred to be a gentleman's posing dog. They were bred from white terriers, including the ratter and include dogs like Dalmatian, hence the common black eye patch. But they were not bred for fighting. No matter what Bill Sykes thought (though the breed didn't actually exist when Dickens wrote Oliver Twist). And no matter what many wannabe tough men think (any number of Bullies stolen for fighting get dumped quickly because they don't generally have the temperament).

Yes, I own one. Yes, I am protective when people post the usual 'bred for fighting' twaddle.

So true. Not nice for dogs to go through life completely on edge all the time. Invariably the owners laugh because they think it’s funny or just yank them around. No hope for the little things to get better and massively unpleasant.
My big dog has two little dog besties that are great, but they are owned by sensible people who know what they are doing and have trained them properly- most others I come across are really horrible

@Trainbear

A lot of dog owners do not realist that their dig is an animal, a pack animal, used to an Alpha in the pack, and that the dog itself is either the Alpha, or an obedient member. There is no excuse for harsh treatment at all, but a dog must know it's place within the pack/ family.

Yet more cod dog psych!

Honestly I find this post extremely goady and uneducated. Like everything living in life there is good and bad. A small minority of dogs do and have attacked children fatally which is horrific but on the other side of that there ate thousands upon thousands of dogs living in homes with small children who are perfectly fine. I don’t think dogs should be banned because a small minority or bad whether that be through genetics or environment. I have grown up around dogs, labs and German shepherds who were all brought up the same but each who had their own distinct personalities and traits.

I had a Rottweiler who was fantastic around my step daughter and actually often would play out on the grass in our street with the other children.

Bad enough that you trusted him/her with your stepdaughter but even worse that he was 'playing in the st with other children'?

@Trainbear

A lot of dog owners do not realist that their dig is an animal, a pack animal, used to an Alpha in the pack, and that the dog itself is either the Alpha, or an obedient member. There is no excuse for harsh treatment at all, but a dog must know it's place within the pack/ family.

You are talking about dominance theory which has been debunked. Dogs are social animals, not pack animals.

@Ori18

I'm genuinely curious to know - the posters who have a big dog - would you happily leave your baby/toddler ALONE in a room with your dog? Seriously, an honest question. Would you feel comfortable with this?

I own an American bulldog (not the same as an American bully or XL bully)

I wouldn't leave him alone with a child despite being confident that he is lovely and pleasant natured, because he is an animal and therefore can never fully be trusted.

Having said that, my big dog is well trained, well mannered and friendly, my sisters French bulldogs one the other hand are horrible little things that growl, bite and jump all over people. If my dog behaved like that there would be outrage but because hers are small it gets laughed off. They are truly awful!