To think there should be more controls on dogs and more banned breeds

[Merryclaire]

Just seen on the news that another young child has been killed by dogs - that must be at least 4 this year in the UK - there have been a number more that have thankfully not been fatal. Always seems to be (most often) a US bully or sometimes a husky. Why are there not more dog breeds being banned (especially the bully)? And why is there not more noise about dog ownership rules in general being tightened up?
For the record I have always liked dogs but these regular child attacks scare me.

Yes keeping my well trained collie on a lead will definitely stop dog attacks in peoples homes 👍

Rubbish. And will never happen

This is the only way the situation will improve.

It is too easy for people with no clue to go out, throw some money at a backyard breeder and come home with an animal they have no idea how to train or exercise. The vast majority of dog owners are clueless and quite frankly shouldn't have a dog.

I walk my dogs over vast empty fields. Your nonsensical rules would mean they couldn’t have a really good run. My dogs also have shit hot recall. Blanket rules aren’t workable. Absolute nonsense for those living rurally with working dogs that need plenty of exercise. not being kept within a tiny distance of their owner

My point was that the bully breeds are not the ones we ever have any trouble with. I’m not saying that every one we meet is sociable and friendly with other dogs, but when that’s the case their owners manage the situation in a responsible way.
Banning particular breeds doesn’t work. Twats will just look for the next status symbol they can neglect and turn nasty with breeding and inadequate training.

I do agree with stricter licenses for breeders, a huge annual licence for owners and compulsory microchipping/insurance. Make the licence big enough and you can fund the wages of dog wardens etc.

@MisguidedSheep I’m sure you manage that responsibly and your dog isn’t allowed to run up to, snarl at and try to nip other dogs, like the one I met this morning. Luckily, it responded to “NO! Away!!!” loudly from me while its owner looked on affectionately.

People should do a compulsory dog course with one of the activities being a join the picture activity, with photos of dog breeds on one side and real photos of the injuries sustained by children on the other side - join the breed to the injury. That might at least stop parents of young children buying inappropriate dogs as family pets.

Small dogs and gun dogs/sighthounds etc do bite, but when they do the situation can generally be managed by an adult and they rarely kill. Prospective dog owners need to understand this massive difference.

What about people, you know human beings, wanting to go out in the countryside, go jogging or walking, maybe have a family picnic in peace, without the danger of an unknown out of control animal on the loose? Do they matter? Or is the countryside only for dog walkers

Its funny how dog owners always seem to have the best dogs with the best recall until it injures or even kills someone

Where has the poster said her dogs are out of control? I think they actually say 'they have shit hot recall'

Reactivity and aggression are different. Reactive dogs react to certain stimuli.....in my dogs case he is scared of off lead dogs approaching him because he's been attacked by 3 off lead dogs. He growls and lunges, but out of fear and as soon as the perceived danger is passed he relaxes.

He is always supervised in the home and when we are out. We respect his boundaries and we expect others to as well. And I do enforce that.

Dog aggression is awful but banning breeds or breeds with certain characteristics isn't the way forward. Educating ourselves and others how to manage, train and behave around dogs is key to having better socialised dogs. Thing is, no gov't will ever legislate for this, so like in all walks of life you have good and bad dog owners. Sadly, bad owners can often lead to aggressive or dangerous dogs.

without the danger of an unknown out of control animal on the loose?

Like cows, perhaps?
If the Great Outdoors needs to be sanitised so much for people who can’t properly assess risk then lord help us 🤦‍♀️

@MisguidedSheep my genuine sympathies. Sometimes I come home from walks thinking why the fuck do we not just unclip our dog’s lead and let her do what the hell she likes, like some owners? But we never would, because we’re responsible. I wouldn’t have the brass neck to breeze on by saying “oh she’s friendly!” as she jumped up at children on bikes or pestered on lead dogs.
Training a solid recall or heeling is too much like hard work for some people.

I just wish dogs could be banned entirely....
well I can dream anyway

It’s all very well saying bring back licences etc etc etc it the reality is that that is unenforceable when anyone can pick up a dog on gumtree or down the pub.

You start by banning the profiting from sale of animals, any animals. That means you shut down the puppy farming industry overnight, since the only reason these puppy farms exist is to make money.

You then shut down Pets4Homes, and any other sight is banned from advertising the sale of animals unless it’s a proper breeding sight.

No-one is going to then be breeding their animals for the purposes of making money because it will be common knowledge that buying a dog for £1000 upwards is unnecessary when that person is selling their dog illegally and you can go to a more reputable breeder.

You ban the import of animals including the import of rescues into the country. Most of them are unsuitable for rehoming as they haven’t been socialised and there are no end of problems with them. We have enough unwanted rescues in this country without bringing in more.

All dogs in rescue need to be subject to inspection by a professional. If a dog is deemed unsuitable for rehoming then it needs to be destroyed. No dog should be passed from home to home, and no dog should be left languishing in kennels for the rest of its life. A humane end is far better for the dog than any of that.

It’s not the decent owners who need to be penalised. There’s no need to ban dogs off leads, dogs need exercise and a dog which gets no exercise is more likely to become aggressive or destructive, and most dogs are well behaved. But clamp down on the availability of untrainable dogs with often questionable health records due to the fact they’ve been bred for money and nothing else, and you go a long way to solving the problem.

There is a long list of things that need to be banned before dogs. Most of them involve humans

Do you count guide dogs among those? Because you do know that guide dogs are also allowed off lead in public places don’t you?

It isn't about your dog.

Its about public and private safety from animals that are capable of amputating a childs hand or tearing their face off in a split second. I would ban ANY animal physically capable of it
A child has no choice in this keeping of dangerous animals in the home and why aren't these parents prosecuted. Why is the law consistently letting children and the vulnerable down? An elderly woman was savaged to death in her own garden by her neighbours dogs not so long ago. What was the outcome? Where is the repirting of the trial? I dont remember seeing it. Why because the dog lobby is too powerful now. There are even dog solicitors that will defend a dangerous dog, that has attacked, in court, prevent it being put down. Then that dangerous dog is put back in the community. On our streets, in out parks. Why?

Yep. A lot of my friends have bull terriers of one sort or another. The only dog attacks I've known were a chihuahua (I was savaged by it as a small child), a dalmatian and a jack russel. My dog was half pit bull (she was a rescue) and I lived in fear of her being recognised as such. Breed specific legislation is horrendous and has devestated so many families

I’m talking about in a fantasy world 🙄 I would ban the lot of them along with smokers... and other things I find unpleasant

Oh @Flaxmeadow , calm down. There is no ultra-powerful dog lobby pulling strings to make sure hands can be amputated and …..whatever other hysterical guff you typed just then

Why does it always surprised dog owners that not everyone likes dogs. Horrible things.

*surprise

🤣

No dog allowed in a house with children under five. That would be a start.

Ridiculous. The dogs homes are overrun already.

So you want to get rid of guide dogs, assistance dogs, therapy dogs, sheep dogs, working dogs, sniffer dogs, drug dogs, bomb dogs....