Attack!

[gsmittle]

I agree with you, that it's not the breed, but the owners. Some people should have to go through training before owning dogs. I've had big German Shepherds all my life and gone through obedience and guard training with several of them. Had exposure to K-9's in the military. There is just more publicity about Pit Bills, Rottwellers, and German Shepherds biting people. It's just not big news when the ankle biters do it. I have compassion for the dogs that aren't properly cared for.
.

What if we neutered the owners as well as the dogs??

g.

[JeffG78]

What if we neutered the owners as well as the dogs??

g.

That would solve MANY problems.

[cabinetman]

What if we neutered the owners as well as the dogs??

g.

That would be a good start!!
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[Schleeper]

Seriously, I encourage everyone to check out "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic channel. Cesar not only understands dogs and their owners really well, there's something about his attitude and enthusiasm that's really infectious. And I've never owned a dog (or any other kind of pet, for that matter.)

[herb fellows]

...along with their owner.

Yes, it's the owners, not the dogs, who should suffer the consequences. The dog doesn't train himself to be mean, the dog doesn't 'decide' to go off without a leash.

The pity of it is that the dogs usually take the brunt of the punishment, unfortunately necessary at times.
I had a friend with a pit bull who would lick you to death, but he always cautioned strangers by telling them the dog has never bitten anyone, but if he decides to, he will not let go. Most people took the warning at face value.

[shoottx]

Ed; I all turns out well at your house.

The dog whisper idea is great if the owners are half responsible. aBut as seen by several comments on this thread, that ain't the case.

So instead of trying to act like a law abiding person using reason, logic and the law enforcement community. I think it is time to use the new Castle Doctrine. Three shots at the point of confrontation, 2 a double tap to the offending dog ( ensures that it is dead) and then the third as a warning shot just past the owner.

[Ed62]

Do you have a leash law in your area?

Yes, we have leash laws. But there's always the people who don't care about that. We've seen other dogs running loose, but this is the first time she was attacked. We will now carry a can of pepper spray, hoping we don't have to use it.

Ed

[Ed62]

Ed; I all turns out well at your house.

The dog whisper idea is great if the owners are half responsible. aBut as seen by several comments on this thread, that ain't the case.

So instead of trying to act like a law abiding person using reason, logic and the law enforcement community. I think it is time to use the new Castle Doctrine. Three shots at the point of confrontation, 2 a double tap to the offending dog ( ensures that it is dead) and then the third as a warning shot just past the owner.

We actually had two cops tell us they would shoot a dog if theirs were attacked. But they added that it could also cost us dearly in a court of law.

Ed

[JeffW]

I handled a police K-9 several years ago. Now there are a great many pits in our city and at least once a night we had to go clear a back yard chasing a bad guy. I never once had my dog attacked by any of the loose dogs. Just lucky I guess. I worried more about owners of the house of the yard I was searching. Most of the time they never even knew we had cleared their yard. Don't know that I would want to do all that again.

[shoottx]

We actually had two cops tell us they would shoot a dog if theirs were attacked. But they added that it could also cost us dearly in a court of law.

I don't know if it would be that big a problem if you left out the third shot!

The police (and I am a big supporter of law enforcement - many relatives in the field) are always cautious about any advice given out. Advice is not their job. But you had better be in compliance with concealed carry laws.

[Gator95]

Ed-hope you dog is OK. Our dog is like a child to us, and I'd be royally pissed if she was hurt by someone elses neglect.

[gerti]

Good to read that your dog apparently got away with not too much harm. My wife carries pepper spray when she walks our dogs, mostly to keep the other dogs safe (our Alaskan Malamute ***** WILL prove who is the boss given the opportunity).

I don't think outlawing a breed is a good (or even reasonable) solution. Got to bite my tongue here to not go into politics to control certain items...

[jziegler]

Any updates Ed? I hope your dog is ok.

To add to the off leash dogs, the park where we frequently take our dog for a walk has several signs posted saying all dogs must be leashed. There's even a new sign stating 6 foot leash (no retractables). There are a few people that go there all the time and don't leash at all. It really annoys me to see them. Sure, their dogs seem pretty well trained, but instinct will always be more powerful. And my dogs see them running and chasing, want to join in, but can't. Which gets them very excitied and sometimes hard to control. I really need to program that town's non-emergency police number into my phone and start calling these people in, it's really unfair to those following the rules, even if there is no danger.

[Schleeper]

Any updates Ed? I hope your dog is ok.

To add to the off leash dogs, the park where we frequently take our dog for a walk has several signs posted saying all dogs must be leashed. There's even a new sign stating 6 foot leash (no retractables). There are a few people that go there all the time and don't leash at all. It really annoys me to see them. Sure, their dogs seem pretty well trained, but instinct will always be more powerful. And my dogs see them running and chasing, want to join in, but can't. Which gets them very excitied and sometimes hard to control. I really need to program that town's non-emergency police number into my phone and start calling these people in, it's really unfair to those following the rules, even if there is no danger.

Jim, New Castle County enacted a stiffer leash law earlier this year, specifying that dogs off their own property must be on a leash of no more than 20 feet. But there are at least a handful of parks around Wilmington and Newark that have designated off-leash areas, and I understand plans for one at the new Glasgow park are under consideration. (Lums Pond State Park, a little further south on 896, already has one.) The next time you have a Take Your Dog To Work Day...

I know we're the First State, but surely Delaware can't be the only state where these "bark parks" are becoming popular.

[jziegler]

Jim, New Castle County enacted a stiffer leash law earlier this year, specifying that dogs off their own property must be on a leash of no more than 20 feet. But there are at least a handful of parks around Wilmington and Newark that have designated off-leash areas, and I understand plans for one at the new Glasgow park are under consideration. (Lums Pond State Park, a little further south on 896, already has one.) The next time you have a Take Your Dog To Work Day...

I know we're the First State, but surely Delaware can't be the only state where these "bark parks" are becoming popular.

NJ has quite a few, but mostly in the northern part of the state. We were planning to go to one tomorrow and meet with the regulars there from our adoption group (the meet there every saturday morning. A dozen or so muzzled greyhounds in a dog park is very impressive to see, and most other dog owners don't want to come in), but had a little accident yesterday. I came home to find a big cut on the head of one of the dogs, had to take her to the vet for 9 staples. And I can't even blame a dog fight on this.

Stricter leash laws are a good thing. And becoming more common I suspect. But they rarely seem to be enforced.

Jim