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?

WiddlinDiddlin

Brilliant post.

@yellowsuninthesky

Here we go with the “all dogs can be dangerous” nonsense

It isn't nonsense. Any dog can "turn". Of course, some are more dangerous than others, or have the potential to be, but that doesn't mean that a dog is safe because it is small, especially when small children are around.

Exactly. Just because it does less damage doesn't make it ok. And as seen on this thread people with small dogs are complacent.

I have large dogs and I know that means they need extra training and a careful eye. I trust them but they're animals and any animal can be unpredictable at times. Whereas someone with a small dog seems to think it can do now wrong

Here we go with the “all dogs can be dangerous” nonsense well I know I would fancy my chances more with a jack Russell/poodle/chihuahua than a staff, pit or Rottweiler...

You are (presumably) a fully grown adult…………

@Nincomepoop

More children are run over than killed by dogs. Due in car accidents than killed by dogs. Should we ban automobiles?

Worse yet, more children are killed by their parents each year than by dogs. Why do we allow parents to keep their kids?

Cars are necessary, dogs aren’t.

People need a licence to drive a car - why don’t we recognise the same need to regulate dog ownership?

People who are considered to be potentially risky to their kids are monitored by SS and action taken in some cases before harm is done (not enough, admittedly). Dogs that could harm a child are generally ignored until they HAVE harmed a child.

This thread is full of sickening apologists for shit dog owners who literally put their dog before their child’s safety. The refusal to admit anything bad happening is even a possibility is a sure sign that they shouldn’t be allowed both dogs and kids. The poster insisting her staffy is fine having it’s ears pulled etc by her small child makes me feel sick to read. My heart breaks for these kids who are out at risk from horrific injury and death because their idiot parents love their dogs more.

I have a large golden retriever he's a big furry Teddy bear.... he goes for a run with myself or my husband twice a day and we did extensive puppy training with him so he's extremely living and well behaved. He's an indoor dog and is best friends with our cat.... I still don't leave him alone with my 2 year old. Unlike my dog my 2 year old is unpredictable and not well trained (haha) I don't know if she could pull his ears or hurt him in someway and a reaction from him could cause her serious injury. I also keep her away from my cat for both their safety. It's common sense.

*loving

This is ridiculous.
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.

It's the owners and the way the dog is raised, not the dog itself.
Any dog can be dangerous, it's how you train & raise them.

Reminds me of when a Jack Russell came up to my Rottweiler on a walk and was in his face barking.... but if my boy even dared to do it back could you imagine? But because the Jack Russel done it it was "funny"

@MbwaKali

It’s not the dogs, it’s the idiot brained owners. Why can’t people just admit that?

Yes

@DameHelena

OP, you're very ignorant/prejudiced about dog breeds. Have a quick google perhaps.

Yes

I may be misremembering because I was only a child but I'm sure there was a big thing about trying to ban rottweilers in the late 80s early 90s?
Me personally not a dog person. So I think any dog in a public place should be on a lead.
If people chose to get large breed dogs they cant be that surprised they surely cant be surprised when they do damage when they bite?

Staffies used to be known as 'nanny dogs' because they were renowned for being brilliant with children.

I always thought this was a reference to Louise Woodward

If it's not the dog but the owners then how about all owners sign a contract: if their dog hurts somebody, they - and not the dog - will be euthanised afterwards.

Any dog can turn. It annoys me when owners can't admit that.

@Ori18

Ok - let's rephrase the question. You want a dangerous dog (which does include Rottweilers and German Shepherds) and you also want a child. IS IT WORTH THE RISK to put the two together?

No is the answer. And lol to all the posters who clearly think this would never happen to them, because their dog is kind and sweet and likes it when the kids rough-handle them.

The majority of replies on this thread make me lose hope..........denial denial denial

Where are you getting your statistics from, for German Shepherds being dangerous dogs? Because from looking at the list of fatal dog attacks in the UK I can only see 3 fatal attacks from German Shepherds in the last 20 years. One of those was an elderly lady and one of those was an incident where an adult man was killed breaking up a fight between two dogs. The other death was very sadly a 10 year old boy.

In the same time span there have been 2 very young children killed by Jack Russells and a baby killed by a Lakeland terrier. So statistically they are much more of a danger to young children, yet you seen a bit fixated on German Shepherds. Is that because they look big and scary?

@RMS0209 So if a Rottweiler decides to bite, it's just as likely to cause the same amount of harm as if a Chi or a Pug decided to bite 🙄 utterly ridiculous to spout the whole thing about "all dogs being dangerous" when plainly some are too strong and heavy to be controllable in a dangerous situation and others are

aren't*

Should dog owners have to take out third party insurance?

@nearlyspringyay

Why should rotties be on the dangerous dogs list, or most of the breeds you mention? I don't think anyone has been killed in the UK by a Rottweiler. They're usually dopey sods.

Any dog can be a dangerous dog.

Kellie Lynch, David Kearney, Cadey-Lee Deacon, Archie-Lee Hirst and James Rehill were all killed by Rottweilers.

Where are you getting your statistics from, for German Shepherds being dangerous dogs? Because from looking at the list of fatal dog attacks in the UK I can only see 3 fatal attacks from German Shepherds in the last 20 years. One of those was an elderly lady and one of those was an incident where an adult man was killed breaking up a fight between two dogs. The other death was very sadly a 10 year old boy.

German Shepherds were used as guide dogs in the past. Which says a lot about how generally dangerous they are.

@XelaM
No I know for a fact as do you that it would cause harm if either breed of dog was to bite.
So can I take that to mean we just ban all big breeds of dogs? We just keep our Chi's & Pugs? That'll be the Labrador and Collies out too then...
No all dogs CAN be dangerous, as I say it's how they are raised. Until you've had a breed of that certain dog I don't think you can say that.

Great post WiddlinDiddlin, I know many people like yourself who are clearly responsible with bull breeds (as well as other powerful breeds), understand them and own/train them properly.

And (this is not directed at you) I have a Rottweiler and a Staffy cross (rescue) but I will not spout shit on here about nanny dogs etc. With just a few generations of breeding, poor temperaments can be bred into breeds just as they can be bred out but dogs are being deliberately bred to be powerful and aggressive by shitty people that shouldn't be allowed to own dogs.

What is the solution? because it's all very well these breeds have the potential to be owned responsibly but it is clear that all too often they are not and are like a magnet to absolute, complete and utter idiots that frankly shouldn't be allowed a pet at all and are often shitty parents too. And make it their pathetic life mission to terrorise the public.

These people are not only risking their own children but other people's children and other people's pets. A friend of mine had two puppies killed by bull breeds whilst walking in the park in Nottingham.

What can be done? We just hold our hands up and say nothing can be done? Dogs don't kill people, people do? That sounds familiar....

We're going round in circles, meanwhile more children are being attacked and killed by dogs owned by cretins and there are the headlines we see, I bet there are so many dog attacks we don't hear about.

I don't trust children not to hurt the dog, and the dog not to naturally react to that pain.
It is my job to keep both dog and children safe hence why I wouldn't leave them unsupervised.
This is a dog who was attacked by an off lead black lab, resulting in him needing stitches & the owner gave no f*s because it's a lab!
All dogs can be dangerous...
I agree that the complacency of some dog owners on this thread is worrying at best.

Sorry, that's in reply to ChairCareOh