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I think some people are taking it to personal .. that kids mother is only responsible for the care and protection of her kid... She does not know you or the dog why would she just assume that its a friendly dog... can we all agree their are some ill mannered badly trained and even down right viscous dogs out there (obviously not saying yours) due to the irresponible owners. Well I'm a dog lover and have my own dog I would not assume something about anyone elses dog.. when I want to pet a dog no matter how small or big or how much its wagging its tail I always ask the owner first...Its better to be safe than sorry... and I absolutly never let my kids go near another dog that we dont know.
I think some people are taking it to personal .. that kids mother is only responsible for the care and protection of her kid... She does not know you or the dog why would she just assume that its a friendly dog... can we all agree their are some ill mannered badly trained and even down right viscous dogs out there (obviously not saying yours) due to the irresponible owners. Well I'm a dog lover and have my own dog I would not assume something about anyone elses dog.. when I want to pet a dog no matter how small or big or how much its wagging its tail I always ask the owner first...Its better to be safe than sorry... and I absolutly never let my kids go near another dog that we dont know.
If my dog (or any dog) were inclined to bite a child the motion of the child being suddenly swept up right in front of her face would draw the dog and perhaps provoke it into biting. If the mother wants to protect her child she should teach the child how to behave around strange dogs instead of teaching the child to be afraid. That is what annoys me the most, parents who teach their children to be afraid for no better reason than the fact that there is a large dog walking by.
In fact, my current dog & I were out walking (on a leash) a couple of days ago. As we passed the playground a small boy asked me if he could come see my dog. I asked the dog to sit and then told the boy he could come say hi. As the boy went to pet her head his mother said "if you touch that dog it will bite your hand off" I kid you not, that is what this woman said. The boy drew back & started to cry. Now, the dog in question is a very sweet looking Golden mix who does not have an ounce of mean in her. I resisted the urge to beat the crap out of the mother, but don't ask me how.
Location: Greater Los Angeles area (unfortunately)
177 posts, read 757,691 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Racelady88
If my dog (or any dog) were inclined to bite a child the motion of the child being suddenly swept up right in front of her face would draw the dog and perhaps provoke it into biting. If the mother wants to protect her child she should teach the child how to behave around strange dogs instead of teaching the child to be afraid.
THANK YOU! This is correct information about dog behavior. That's what I hate about the dog parks. People freak out over what's usually normal dog behavior, then pick up their dogs, and then the other dogs get even more agitated. Seriously people, it's called researching your pet and understanding ALL aspects of behavior.
My mom always taught me to ask the owners about their dogs before making contact, and then to touch the dog VERY GENTLY and slowly if the owners gave permission. Don't blame the dogs; it's usually the parents who need a lesson, in my opinion.
We get this all the time with our GSD! This is a big pet peeve of mine- that people with large dogs are treated unfairly. A lot of small dogs are ill-behaved but they get away with it because they are small.
A few weeks ago, we were out for a walk in our neighborhood. A couple with a smaller dog (maybe a Chihuahua) was approaching us, and the dog went crazy barking and lunging at our GSD (who was a distance away). Our GSD usually ignores small dogs, so we just held on to the leash and tried to walk past them. Their dog by now was almost foaming at the mouth with all the tugging and barking and the lady says "Careful **kins, the big dog might bite you!". I was shocked! Our GSD still hadn't reacted to their dog and here the lady was expecting a bite from him! I gave the lady a rather rude look and walked away without acknowledging her remark.
In fact, my current dog & I were out walking (on a leash) a couple of days ago. As we passed the playground a small boy asked me if he could come see my dog. I asked the dog to sit and then told the boy he could come say hi. As the boy went to pet her head his mother said "if you touch that dog it will bite your hand off" I kid you not, that is what this woman said. The boy drew back & started to cry. Now, the dog in question is a very sweet looking Golden mix who does not have an ounce of mean in her. I resisted the urge to beat the crap out of the mother, but don't ask me how.
I just read your post- this is like the experience we had with our dog as well.
A dog is a reflection of its owner! Wonderful, friendly people raise wonderful, friendly dogs! Mean people raise mean dogs! That is really sad because no dog is born mean! Poor things do not have a choice at the hands of those idiots!
As far as Pitbulls (I call them Bully Breeds) go, they continue to get a bad rap and always will. They are a doomed breed, mainly due to the media coverage and the excessive backyard breeding of them and lets not forget the irresponsible ownership of them! Sad!
I used to do rescue from a kill shelter that was always full to capacity of this breed. I took hundreds out and found each one to be sweeter than the other, and most had been previously abused. I personally have alot of compassion for this breed and love them all!
The world is a sadder place because of how this poor breed suffers. It is shameful!
Usually, you can kind of look at the ears, eyes, and teeth and how those all are in conjunction with each other. But then again submissive/fear biters often attack without warning, so that complicates things a bit...
Yes, I have read that tail wagging is anticipation. You need to pay attention to the motion of the tail in order to make any attempt at reading what it means. Happy tails go all over the place, and tend to be in a circular motion. Scared or aggressive dogs have more of a stiff, purposeful wag.
But I'm with the OP, had she had a cocker spaniel they would not have had any problem. It was just because it was a pit. People need to start teaching their kids how to act around dogs rather than telling them they are mean and will bite you. All dogs can bite, not just the big mean looking ones!
Well trained and well socialized dogs are not unpredictable. I've walked around my neighborhood with shepherds, rotties, and pits with no problems at all. They are well trained and respect their place in the pack with no arguement, so that means they know I am the boss and they do what I say, period. Do you think K9 units for law enforcement are dangerous to the public too? Our units not only were off leash in many instances, but they did demonstations at local schools around children off leash. No problems. They were also hard core trained.
Sorry, but I can't agree with your statement. All dogs can be unpredictable, even the most highly trained highly socialized dog. No matter how unlikey, its always a possibility. There is always a chance, no matter how small, of something setting them off or triggering an inate behavior. They are above all, dogs. You are trying to impose human qualities on the dog like they are soldiers. They are dogs with instinctual behaviors.
My wife and I are heavily involved in a dog rescue organization here in Los Angeles. We have two dogs from the rescue, an Am Staff and Pit. They are great, sweet, highly trained, wonderful dogs, that I trust with MY life. They have excellent recall, will drop to the ground with a single hand motion, etc. They have never shown an ounce of aggression toward people. In fact, they absolutely love our neighbor's 7 year old daughter. They would gnaw off their own legs to be able to run up to her and lick her face. But I would NEVER, EVER, leave them alone with her. Its just not worth the gamble. My dogs are never off leash for the same reason.
Back to the OP... People are very ignorant and the media is to blame. There are pitbull service dogs in children's hospitals, but those stories never make the headlines. Its just not as sensational as "Violent Rogue Pack of Rabid Fighting Dogs Hold Kindergarten Playground Hostage."
We experience the scornful looks nearly every day when we walk our dogs. We just hold our heads up high and continue walking our dogs with them perfectly at our sides, not pulling at all on the leash, and being happy. Meanwhile, the moron who gives us the stink-eye has her little yappy purse dog barking and pulling her down the street.
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That is really sad because no dog is born mean! Poor things do not have a choice at the hands of those idiots! 
