Another fatal dog attack

[DabDab]

I refer to mine as dogletts. They're like real dogs, only smaller

 

[marmalade76]

I usually call mine Dog/the dog/that dog (what a cruel owner, eh?) She came with a name I don't like, Tilly. If I use a name it's Til or Tiddles.

 

[Boulty]

The hooligan & the horrid one are ironically called “the children” on account of behaving like a pair of permanent spoiled toddlers complete with sibling rivalry.

Both enjoy draping themselves over anyone sat on any of the soft furniture & both have occasionally joined me in bed (Horrid occasionally likes to claim my bedroom as his own in winter & the Hooligan when he comes with me in the lorry or when I temporarily slept downstairs due to bedroom redecoration… both of them spent their first month or so sleeping in my room because I’m clearly a soft touch!). In reality I know perfectly well they are a dog & a cat and I cringe at the word fur baby!

I am also a bad person that sometimes uses a flex lead when I either CBA bringing the longline or it wouldn’t be appropriate. Sadly the Hooligan is easily overstimulated by things that move fast and when he gets fixated his recall goes so he only gets offlead time in select places (paths that are too narrow for cyclists with secure fencing on both sides & no nearby roads for example!) Have worked with various trainers and behaviourists but just can’t find a reliable “off” button where leaves or cars are involved / can’t get him to fully display the behaviour with them watching (leaf obsession requires a certain amount of wind and the leaves to be blowing in a certain way). The leaf thing is very frustrating as if he didn’t obsess about them and zone out in the way he does then there would be a lot more safe offlead options for him.

 

[skinnydipper]

Just for balance, my dog eats dog food, if she ever gets dog safe scraps they're put in her bowl when she's not looking so she doesn't expect our food, she is only ever given training treats from my hand never actual food, she wears an equafleece in very muddy conditions because neither of us enjoy the bathing experience and she has very little hair on her belly so gets cold, she's not called a furbaby just a baby (by me, Mr AP balks at the very idea), has had a fortune pumped into training her and us (she's our first dog).

I don't want to derail the thread, and I know you've said it specifically about people who use the term furbabies... But I feel I'm teetering on the edge of that category, and I just wanted to point out that not all of us who baby our dogs to an extent are completely clueless, some of us (me) are just saps. Not to say I'm not clueless either, I certainly don't know half of what some people here know, but we're doing our best for her every day and learning as we go.

She also has a Christmas jumper

Also sorry I used so many parentheses, I have ADHD and every thought comes with bonus content

@ArklePig Will it make you feel any better if I tell you my canine companion sleeps on my bed, but that's just between you and me

 

[Moobli]

I’ve seen furbaby/furkid mummies referring to their human children as skin-kids

 

[Moobli]

It’s fair enough on paper.

No one’s disputing that dogs who are a proven danger to public safety should be PTS. But it’s how the court decides that a dog is indeed a danger to public safety, that has thus far been left ambiguous in the press and discussions of the ban.

You can’t expect owners not to worry about that when it’s not exactly a binary.

Agreed. Some dogs are absolutely great with family/friends/people known to them but suspicious/wary/scared of strangers/unknown people so may act out of fear. I seem to recall seeing a pitbull type being tested in police kennels when the pitbull ban came in and I’m sure lots of dogs of various breeds wouldn’t have enjoyed or been tolerant of the way they were handled by a complete stranger. So I do understand the concerns of the responsible bull breed owners who care very much for their dogs.

 

[SilverLinings]

I don't doubt that a lot of people are functionally illiterate, and therefore up in arms about proposed legislation they don't quite understand, but it's not as simple as the "your dog won't be killed if you tick off every point on this list".

The DDA says that dogs can receive exemption iff "a court has determined that the dog is not a danger to public safety under section 4(1A) or 4B of the Act and has made the dog subject to a contingent destruction order under section 4A or 4B of the Act", but there's not much, if any, information being publicly provided on how the courts determine that. The muzzling/leashing is only an option if that clause is fulfilled; otherwise the dog dies. Any infraction, and the dog dies.

If the government implements the ban like they banned the pitbull, owners may face legal fees they struggle to afford; their dog might be seized by police and spend a year in kennels solely because it's suspected of being a banned breed [x]; their dog might be set on fire or made aggressive due to police incompetence when trying to seize it [x]; or their dog might be PTS for an minor infraction like the insurance briefly lapsing, or the dog not being muzzled in a car [x]. Moreover, the DDA requires that dogs on the Index of Exempt Dogs have third-party insurance, but most insurance companies won't accept banned breeds.

Until the government clearly states how people can get their dogs exempted - and until the government makes the DDA more ethically and legally acceptable - you can't blame people for being worried about their dog's future.

I admit I have read a fairly limited number of sources re the upcoming ban (mainly a range of newspapers, the BVA and the BBC news), but there has been a lot made of the fact that Rishi Sunak and the Chief Vet have said that current XL Bully pets who have not been involved in a court case for biting will not be put down just because the breed is banned. The information is that temperament testing will only be carried out if an XL Bully is reported to the police by someone as either having attacked or being at risk of attacking (e.g. they chased someone but the person managed to escape, but the intention of the dog appeared to be to bite). I realise this is different to how currently banned breeds are treated, but I presume this is being said as there are currently too many XL Bullys for them all to be temperament tested in a timely fashion. I suppose that once we get to the point that dogs born pre-ban have all died (I'm not sure of the expected lifespan of bullys), the rules will be stricter if someone is caught with a dog that appears to be of the breed, and that is when the courts will come in plus compulsory temperament testing etc.

I have had a bit of a poke around on SM this morning and there does seem to be quite a few people stating that *all* XL Bullys are going to be seized by 'the Government' and PTS at the end of the year when the ban comes in, which is not something that I have seen reported in any reputable news outlet (they say the opposite). There also seems to be quite a few posters on SM tying this in with more common conspiracy theories about 'deep state' trying to 'control the people' by introducing laws such as the bully ban, and that banning XL Bullys is to stop 'the people' being able to defend themselves when the 'deep state/new world order' takes over. It is similar stuff to the theories that CV19 vaccinations contained microchips to control everyone.

Hopefully the Gov't will be quick to clarify the exact wording of the ban and how it will be implemented regarding UK dogs born pre-ban. I do feel for owners who are of the belief that their pet is going to be destroyed at the end of the year, but that doesn't appear to be likely (as long as the dog doesn't bite anyone).

 

[Moobli]

Sensible response from a bull breed owner who owns a very large American Bulldog.

 

[MurphysMinder]

Your post Moobli has reminded me of the American bulldog x in the lodge next to us when we were on holiday earlier this year. His owner was a trainer and she seemed to have done everything right with this dog. She spent a lot of time doing brain exercises with him in the garden but whenever he went out he had a muzzle on . She told us he was a rescue , was good with people but reactive with dogs. He seemed a very laid back dog but she was doing everything she could to make sure he didn't cause any issues (walks him at 5 am at home) and I am sure she will comply with every rule needed, unfortunately I suspect she is in the minority with these dogs.

 

[Morwenna]

I think it is unfair to dogs to call them babies or treat them like babies.

I was at the out of hours vets this weekend and they asked me if my baby would find it too stressful to be weighed. I told them my dog was fine being weighed, took her over to the scales and gave her the cue I use for placeboard work and she hopped on and sat still until I released her.

 

[Morwenna]

Your post Moobli has reminded me of the American bulldog x in the lodge next to us when we were on holiday earlier this year. His owner was a trainer and she seemed to have done everything right with this dog. She spent a lot of time doing brain exercises with him in the garden but whenever he went out he had a muzzle on . She told us he was a rescue , was good with people but reactive with dogs. He seemed a very laid back dog but she was doing everything she could to make sure he didn't cause any issues (walks him at 5 am at home) and I am sure she will comply with every rule needed, unfortunately I suspect she is in the minority with these dogs.

This, for me, is the key thing. As a dog owner you have a responsibility to keep both your dog and other people safe. Too many people bury their heads in the sand and blindly believe that their ‘baby’ would never hurt a fly. I think we have to be aware of the potential our dogs have for causing harm and take appropriate precautions. My Lab currently has dodgy adolescent recall and so is kept on a lead or longline much of the time. I don’t think she would hurt anyone but I do not want her bouncing up to other dogs or people, being a nuisance, or getting herself on the wrong side or an aggressive dog. If I am walking her at sparrows fart and no-one else is around I will let her off lead and do lots of recall practice in between letting her run and sniff but I am constantly horizon scanning so I can recall her if we see another person. If I had a dog that weighed more than me and was easily capable of killing an adult I would have the thing on a lead and muzzled in public - for my own peace of mind if nothing else. Sadly many people nowadays are so entitled that they don’t think of anything or anyone but themselves and what they believe their rights are.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Sensible response from a bull breed owner who owns a very large American Bulldog.

View attachment 123815

This is a similar approach to mine in respect to owning a Cane Corso.

I love the breed. I was/am aware with the Lab too, but feel a greater amount of responsibility with the CC.

 

[splashgirl45]

This is a similar approach to mine in respect to owning a Cane Corso.

I love the breed. I was/am aware with the Lab too, but feel a greater amount of responsibility with the CC.

Wallace kennels in Essex have a CC for rehoming , let’s hope someone sensible gets him

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Wallace kennels in Essex have a CC for rehoming , let’s hope someone sensible gets him

I hope so. They're not for everyone, and "rehabbing" one that came from a less than desirable home previously (if that's the case) is not easy.

 

[Clodagh]

Just looked him up. Don’t they look better with ears! But less intimidating.
Sad though, he’s under a year and already has to be an only dog.

 

[Goldenstar]

Wallace kennels in Essex have a CC for rehoming , let’s hope someone sensible gets him

I looked him up as well poor boy , what chance does he have , I so hope he’s lucky .
Perhaps someone with experience of the breed will have him .

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Oh he is cute, and looks like he won't be too ginormous. I don't care for the super large Corso's that are soo beefed up. Hopefully some UK CC groups will spot him and network. I see it a lot within CC specific FB groups. Hopefully someone that knows the breed gets him.

 

[Bellasophia]

In Italian the cane corso is not regarded in the pit bull/ bully type. He is a mastiff,responsive to training,docile,loyal,playful and good in families…he is protective of his own territory.. so all in all a good all rounder ,large breed dog.
His only downside in this current climate of dog/ person attacks is he looks the part…

Se ben addestrato, il Cane Corso può vantare molti tratti caratteriali positivi: è docile, leale, giocherellone ed ama i bambini. È un ottimo cane da guardia e, per questo motivo, non tollera la presenza di estranei nel suo territorio, siano

 

[misst]

I think I saw one last week in Spain. Very nicely behaved dog in the town on a lead. It was very busy everywhere and there were lots of dogs around of all breeds all ignoring each other and people who were not their owners. It was a pleasure to see so many dogs every evening. Most on lead but not all of them. Not a cross word between them, no one jumping up and no begging at restaurant tables. Quite a few mastiff types but the one I remember was stunning and I wondered what breed he was. I think he must have been a Cane Corso.
Not sure what the Spanish are doing better than us - but they're getting something right.

 

[flat3]

BBC News - Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

"Commander, the Biden family's two-year-old German Shepherd, has bitten yet another Secret Service agent... This is the 11th time the dog has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home... The other Biden dog, Major, has also been involved in numerous biting incidents with Secret Service agents...."

Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

This is the 11th time Commander has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Red-1]

BBC News - Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

"Commander, the Biden family's two-year-old German Shepherd, has bitten yet another Secret Service agent... This is the 11th time the dog has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home... The other Biden dog, Major, has also been involved in numerous biting incidents with Secret Service agents...."

Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

This is the 11th time Commander has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home.

www.bbc.co.uk

I think it's shocking that the situation is allowed to perpetuate. Not least for the dog's sake.

 

[skinnydipper]

BBC News - Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

"Commander, the Biden family's two-year-old German Shepherd, has bitten yet another Secret Service agent... This is the 11th time the dog has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home... The other Biden dog, Major, has also been involved in numerous biting incidents with Secret Service agents...."

Biden dog Commander bites another Secret Service agent

This is the 11th time Commander has bitten a guard at the White House or the Biden family home.

www.bbc.co.uk

Poor dog, he is not coping. It is the completely wrong environment for him.

He should have been rehomed to a less stressful environment after the first incident.

How many times does he have to tell them before they listen to him.

 

[CorvusCorax]

I mean it's a big gaff, I am sure they could have an area to themselves.

There is a certain type of older gent that likes a dog that will 'protect them', never mind that the dog is a nervebag and only protecting itself **looks at hole in favourite pair of tracksuit bottoms**

 

[conniegirl]

Liverpool woman sentenced after boy, 4, attacked by bully XL

The boy suffered devastating injuries after walking into a garden asking to play with the woman's son.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[SilverLinings]

Liverpool woman sentenced after boy, 4, attacked by bully XL

The boy suffered devastating injuries after walking into a garden asking to play with the woman's son.

www.bbc.co.uk

It sounds as though the child was lucky to survive, and wouldn't have if people hadn't been there to try to beat the dog off from the start. I hope that he is over to get over such a terrifying thing happening at such a young age, and I can imagine it was pretty awful for the people who helped save the child too.

It isn't clear from the story whether the dog had previously shown any aggressive tendencies, but if it had then I don't think owners should get a suspended sentence for their pet nearly killing someone (and leaving them seriously disfigured for life).

 

[bonny]

Poor little lad

 

[oldandgold]

Another XL Bully attack, though thankfully not fatal, in Coventry. It might be the owners of the dog that got attacked, but not sure. The dog is going to be PTS

 

[skinnydipper]

Pocket bully attacked 13 year old boy

https://www.itv.com/news/central/2023-09-26/there-was-blood-everywhere-boy-13-attacked-by-pocket-bully-dog

 

[Errin Paddywack]

Can't see this one.

 

[skinnydipper]

Can't see this one.

Reposted link. Is it working now?