Stupid owners of agressive dogs.

[forfun]

I have a real DISLIKE for dogs. I've come close to getting bitten 3 times within the last few weeks on the job.
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So get ready.......if your dog is loose & running towards me, the pic above is what will happen to it.............see ya yardhunter

The shame of it is that a disciplined dog doesn't act that way. In obedience classes, dogs are taught to respect people. Not to react badly towards other dogs, and that the owner is in charge. The dog is never the Alpha. The dog is at the bottom of the pecking order in the family. A subordinate if you will. Dogs trained this way are not allowed to run loose. If they are out in the yard, they are supervised and tethered. If these dogs bark, they are usually sounding a alarm that a stranger is a threat. Attacking a postman for instance is out of the question. The dog should have been socialized to recognize that the postman is there for a good reason.
No dog worth his kibble will allow a attack on family. Even my little Lhasa Apso (bless his soul) grabbed a delivery man by the ankle, who just walked right into the house without knocking and being let in. Not a very bright idea. The dog was protecting the family from a perceived threat. You have to be major stupid to walk right into somebody's house, uninvited. No apologies for that.
If you are being attacked this often, I would invite the animal control officer to accompany you on your route. He could be kept very busy writing tickets, fining owners of loose running dogs. Ka-Ching! They have it coming.
Some years ago my family had a standard size poodle. We were walking it in a school field. Some other guy turned his Shepard loose and waited for it to attack our dog. Nnnnnnt, wrong answer. The Shepard knocked the poodle over and was about to tear out it's throat. Too bad for the Shepard that the poodle was smarter and faster. It was the Shepard who had the poodle firmly attached to it's throat. The Shepards owner didn't think it was so funny anymore.
"hey get your dog off my dog he screamed". Strange, but the Shepard was on top, but certainly not at the advantage! We pulled the Shepard off the Poodle. Once again, it was the actions of the owner that caused the problems.
If you get that steel toed shoe, kick the owners in the rump. That's the real problem.

 

[HarveyH48]

Really don't think there are aggressive breeds, just bad owners. Dogs are social animals, they need to be are round others (not necessarily dogs), and be involved, a part of the family (pack) activities. Keeping the isolated, is torture, just the same as starving them or beating them. They need to interact, all the time, not just after work for a few minutes, not maybe on the weeks, but all day, everyday.

My last dog was big. and considered a dangerous/aggressive breed, Rottweiler-Curr mix. Mostly walked him off the leash, all over town, took him most ever where I went, even to work to pick up my paycheck. He did get aggressive when provoked, or felt I was being threatened, but mostly just a show of what he was willing to do, never really got mean though, except opossums and a raccoon. He minded my Siamese cat, which I had before he was born, she taught him respect quick. But he'd be outside quick at her side, if she chasing off another animal, which is where the dead opossums came from. Still get a lot of people asking about that dog, big scary, teddy bear. I never did any intense training, put him obedience school, or anything like that. He stayed in the house with me, and the cat. Wasn't always well behaved, and we had our disagreements. Usually had to pick him up and carry him out to give him a bath, he complained all the way out, and exhausting for me, about 140 lbs.

All dogs have teeth, and will bite. I've seen the same aggressive behavior in a lot of different breeds, even little dogs that could get squashed like bugs under your shoe. Been around a few Pit Bulls, which are active, friendly, and playful. My brother's pit plays with my Lab, never found blood or injury on either. The Pit is a little slobber-monster though. Never been to obedience school, or any special training either, just part of the family, and indoors when someone is home.

Neglect is just as bad for a dog, as abuse. They just need to be part of the team, and able to participate, be useful. If not, they are going to act out, and try to prove to you, the can be of some value, which involves aggression and killing other animals. The want to show you the can hunt, and can defend the pack, if you give them a chance.

 

[forfun]

Have to disagree on aggressive breeds. Ask a trainer about pups from a dog that is a guard dog. Instincts exist and people bred them to emphasize those instincts. Before you can adopt a Pit bull, Doberman, Rottweiler etc from the Humane Society, you have to go thru classes in agressive dog handling. These folks know these dogs and what it takes to keep them under control. The HS here in Pittsburgh has at least 3/4 Pit Bulls. People buy them and then can't handle them. They are a animal whose power must be respected and controlled. Few people are savvy enough to do a proper job of this. According to the web site "http://www.facebook.com/FightIgnoranceAgainstPitBulls", 1.2 million pitbulls will be put down this year.
There is great value in a well trained dog. Obedience school is a great place to learn to do it right. The dogs have a great time and so does the owner. The result is night and day as far as behavior. Had a neighbor say to me yesterday that he wished his dogs behaved like mine. No need to wish. Train them and they will behave.
A neglected dog reverts to behavior as it would in the wild. That means aggression and killing other animals. I think it is doing this for it's own reasons.

 

[yardhunter]

Once again, it was the actions of the owner that caused the problems.
If you get that steel toed shoe, kick the owners in the rump. That's the real problem.

Oh..I agree with what you are saying......and, if I had it my way, I would KICK the owners in the rump.

Wanna know what is unusual about this problem??

I rarely see ANY dogs on check day.

Imagine that, huh?? ..............see ya yardhunter

 

[forfun]

I rarely see ANY dogs on check day.

Imagine that, huh?? ..............see ya yardhunter

Sounds like you ought to make every day "check day" by refusing to deliver to houses that allow their dogs to roam free.

 

[forfun]

I found out yesterday that the same dog that attacked my dog and I, also attacked a woman on the lower street. Since the Police had no record of it, she must not have filed a complaint. The neighbor who told me about this said "Well at least they are moving.". Can't happen soon enough.

 

[Cinlynn]

A well trained dog is a GOOD dog, no matter what the breed. It is the owner of any dog, to be responsible enough to teach their dog.

Here's a couple of videos of my Leia. First, a short one of her playing with her brother, Luke. As you can see, they play rough! But, do they ever adore one another. Although Luke outweighs Leia by at least 10 pounds, Leia is much rougher in play than her brother.

The second video shows how gentle she can be as she plays with a pit puppy.

I live in the middle of nowhere, and can let Leia out off-leash. Of course, out in public she is leashed. Her recall is great, but until she has more maturity on her, she is leashed.

Enjoy


ETA... Looks like the video thingy majiggy doesn't work, so here's the links.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPuAPTnyCd0


Leia and Pebbles. If you've never seen a dobie with the zoomies.. you are in for a treat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljkzNhGU-lQ&feature=relmfu

 

[forfun]

A well trained dog is a GOOD dog, no matter what the breed. It is the owner of any dog, to be responsible enough to teach their dogs.
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I live in the middle of nowhere, and can let Leia out off-leash. Of course, out in public she is leashed. Her recall is great, but until she has more maturity on her, she is leashed.

Well there is mighty little training going on! Responsibility usually ends when they let it out to relieve itself. Walks? Forget it. There has to be 15 dogs on my street. Only 2 get exercise. Mine and a Shitzu a few houses down. Their teenager runs up and down the street with it an that's that.
I am convinced that aggressive breeds should only be permitted to be owned by people with training in dog handling. There are 2 pitbulls within a half mile of me and both have attacked other people and dogs. The one from the lower street (new to the neighborhood) bit thru the eyelid of a neighbor's Golden Retriever two weeks ago. (The Golden Retriever is behind a invisible fence. It does not run free except in their own yard.). $1,000 in vet bills to repair the damage. Nice introduction. Boy is the GR's owner angry!

Dogs have to always be leashed or secured, no matter how "mature" they might be. No exceptions!

 

[HarveyH48]

Obedience classes, aggressive breed training? Get your certificate of completion, and you are set for life... Yeah, right... The issue is people to lazy and self-absorbed to spend time everyday, and let them be part of the family 24/7. The classes teach how to work with your dog, but does no good, if you stop after the class. Needs to be a daily routine, for life, dogs tend to have a short memory, specially for things they wouldn't normally do, or want to do. You have to be very consistent, they don't understand maybe, or sometimes.

All dogs have teeth, and born with similar instincts, set for survival and success, they learn how to make the best use of the tools they are born with, from the adults in their 'pack', learn from example. The aggressive dogs (any breed), that attack and injure, learned that behavior from the owner. I've never beaten any animal, and few none have attack unprovoked. I don't have any special training, just learned as I go, read a lot, observe animals around me.

Owning a pet, is a lot of work, and takes some time everyday. Like most everything else, you get back, just what you put into it. The more you invest, the greater the return. These are animals, first and for most, doesn't matter what species or breed, you do nothing to teach them, they will behave like wild animals. You aggressively beat and abuse them, they learn that too.

 

[forfun]

Obedience classes, aggressive breed training? Get your certificate of completion, and you are set for life... Yeah, right...
snip
The aggressive dogs (any breed), that attack and injure, learned that behavior from the owner. I've never beaten any animal, and few none have attack unprovoked. I don't have any special training, just learned as I go, read a lot, observe animals around me.
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These are animals, first and for most, doesn't matter what species or breed, you do nothing to teach them, they will behave like wild animals. You aggressively beat and abuse them, they learn that too.

Well Harvey, unlike you, most folks will buy a book, read a little and forget all about it. Not sure what you don't like about obedience classes, but most of it is the same as what is in the books you swear by. The classes bring a important aspect into the situation. That's socialization. The tolerance of other people and dogs is very important. We are in agreement that a dog must be part of the family and interacted with every day. I don't understand your point about the owner teaching the dog to be vicious unless it is a guard dog, Police dog, or the barbaric practice of dog fighting.
As for unprovoked bites and attacks, it happens far more frequently than you seem to realize. Do you think walking my dog down the street should have provoked the Pit that attacked us? How about the neighbor down one street who was sunning in her own back yard and was attacked by the same dog. How about the Golden retriever who was in her own yard and was bit on the face. The German Shepard that attacked my Poodle in the school yard. Not one was provoked. Not one!

 

[yardhunter]

Sounds like you ought to make every day "check day" by refusing to deliver to houses that allow their dogs to roam free.

I do exactly that---refuse to deliver to customers with aggressive dogs. That's why I don't have a dog problem on the 1st & 3rd day of every month. The dogs seem to be "mysteriously" out of site those 2 days.......


I've told several customers over the years....if you're dog is loose--no mail.
I have my customers trained well.

It's the rest of the month I have trouble with..............see ya yardhunter

 

[HarveyH48]

Well Harvey, unlike you, most folks will buy a book, read a little and forget all about it. Not sure what you don't like about obedience classes, but most of it is the same as what is in the books you swear by. The classes bring a important aspect into the situation. That's socialization. The tolerance of other people and dogs is very important. We are in agreement that a dog must be part of the family and interacted with every day. I don't understand your point about the owner teaching the dog to be vicious unless it is a guard dog, Police dog, or the barbaric practice of dog fighting.

I'm just very independent, why pay someone to do something, that I can learn to do myself. It's not just pets, but pretty much everything. I walk my dogs twice a day, every day, about a mile each time. Longer on the weekend. I live downtown, we meet lots of people, and other animals while on the walks. I don't allow them to interact, unless invited. I don't let them potty in peoples your, in front of businesses, on the sidewalk. Try to keep them away from the strips and media, since I hunt those frequently. Occasionally they get the urge real strong, and can't hold it for an approved spot, but they do pretty good.

My comment about teaching aggression, was more from an unintentional stand point. Most dogs bark, when someone or something enters into their home territory. They are trying to do a job, let you know something is going on. Some owners respond by yelling at the dog to shut up, some beat the dog, lots of anger and rage. Dog just wanted to tell you something, you only need to take a look, and tell them everything is fine. House training works about the same, for some. They think that yelling and beating, is how to train a puppy to not potty in the house. Puppy needs to go, needs to learn control, needs to learn how to ask to be let out. They really don't like soiling their home. Mine don't even like using our yard, if they can avoid it, and I really could care less if they did. Didn't learn it from me. Puppies have a strong drive to learn, because their survival depends on it. Unfortunately, we can't be with them 24/7, and fill their little heads. They are draw to items they see you use often (phone, remotes), they are drawn to familiar scents, (favorite shoes, dirty laundry, anything you handle often, anywhere you sit or sleep). Their mouth, is the closest they've got to a hand, and they don't know the power, or consequences. Yeah, they make you mad, make a mess for you to clean up after work, destroy things. I put them out in the backyard, shut the door, or put them in another room, if the weather is bad, until I get it cleaned up. They know they did bad, and hate being left out of what you are doing. They get praised and treats, when the don't make a mess. I never beat my dogs, prefer larger breeds, and it's not a good thing for them to learn. I only yell, when they are doing something risky, dangerous, and pull them away from harm. They learn loud means stop.

You basically have to handle them, the way you want them to behave, because that is what you are going to get.