Sick of Morons in NEPA With Animals (Scranton, Dickson City: crime, credit card)

[Mr Yuk]

You just don't see Golden Retriever attacks like you do Pit Bull attacks. I don't buy that a Lab or Golden is just as likely to bite someone as a Pit Bull.

Poodles are a different story....they can really be nasty little dogs....just not deadly like pit bulls.

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by go phillies

You just don't see Golden Retriever attacks like you do Pit Bull attacks. I don't buy that a Lab or Golden is just as likely to bite someone as a Pit Bull.

Poodles are a different story....they can really be nasty little dogs....just not deadly like pit bulls.

well here is one for you, the only dog to ever attack me was a black lab. Growing up i rode my bike passed its home every day, and it never cared. i probably passed this dog daily for 2 years. the dog was never tied up. one day SOMETHING was different and it attacked me. To this day i have no clue what was different about that time....

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by go phillies

You just don't see Golden Retriever attacks like you do Pit Bull attacks.

Surely a pit bull can be more aggressive than some breeds but there are other common breeds that are more aggressive. The pit bull has a received a bad rap becuase these are the dogs that are most often used by criminals. A dogs personality often resembles that of its owner. Blame the owner not the dog.

the only dog to ever attack me was a black lab

Coincidentally the most aggressive dog I ever knew was a black lab.

[Dawne]

Regarding eye contact, I was told by a German shepherd owner to NEVER make eye contact with a dog because that is seen as a sign of aggression.

So which is correct?

[thecoalman]

Keeping eye contact from my personal experience has been the way to handle the situation, others may disagree. One way to assert dominance over a dog is to maintain eye contact. I think its important to show a dog you have no fear of it. Try it with your own dog if you have one, they will start to get nervous and look away.

I've dealt with quite a few in my life as many of the places I've delivered coal too were rural and would have dogs running around. Some of them were not exactly friendly. The "scooby snacks" I always carried with me helped too. ;P

Slightly Off topic but I once had a dog truly frighten me, maybe a better description would be surprise me. I was delivering coal to a house and the owners were not home at the time. They had left the cellar door open because I needed access to the basement. I couldn't find the light so it was dark and I was in the cellar watching the coal come in, this is very loud so you can't hear anything moving. I turn around to go outside and there is giant Great Dane standing there right behind me. LOL With the low light it was more like a shadowy figure. I about had a heart attack, a really friendly dog though so it was no problem. I had been to this house before many times but the dog was always outside, I had forgotten they had one

[Vinny536]

Originally Posted by Dawne

Regarding eye contact, I was told by a German shepherd owner to NEVER make eye contact with a dog because that is seen as a sign of aggression.

So which is correct?

my German shepherd would run scared I worked a little too hard to make sure she isn't aggressive, now she is too submissive.

I find that standing up to aggressive dogs is the trick, including keeping eye contact. My neighbor has a pit/lab mix that is not easy on men. I walked right up to it, extended my hand for it to smell and scratched his head. He has been my buddy ever since. My neighbor said that dog has never been that accepting of a guy.

On the other side of the spectrum i have a friend that could turn lassie into cujo just by being in the same state. There is just something about him that makes dogs freak out...

[Dawne]

Thanks. I have never had a dog, so I only knew what one person told me about the eye contact. What you all say about being dominant over the dog through eye contact makes sense.

My husband had a very friendly dog (part collie, German shepherd and husky) when he was a teenager, but as someone said, dogs are territorial and protective. Kids he would romp and play with could not put their hand into the car window when the dog was in the car. One day the electric meter reader guy was at their house. The meter was in the basement and my MIL had gone out to hang up wash. The dog would NOT let the guy back out the basement. He stood at the top of the stairs and growled until my MIL came back in the house. (the dog growled, not the meter reader - LOL - I crack myself up) Anyway, after "mom" was back in the house, the dog was as friendly as all get out with the meter reader.

[thecoalman]

The car situation is probably the worse because of the den mentality a dog will have. I had a dog that was very protective in situations like that, if she was in a tent with anyone she'd growl at anyone that came to the door including me.

She almost bit a cop once. LOL. I got stopped for something and when the cop reached for my information and she lunged at him.

[EnyaGirl]

"Keep your animals at home, you creeps! I don't care how "cute" or "well-behaved" you think they are"

Funny, I feel the same way about people's kids. I love seeing people's animals out and about with their owners, but in some cases it is inappropriate. Like Petco for example is obviously an appropriate place to bring your pet, but not someplace like Lowe's.

[North Beach Person]

It happens here, too. Home Depot, Lowe's, Office Depot, the Post Office. You name it. Was behind a woman a couple years ago at an office supply store whose dog jumped on the customer ahead (dog was a mastiff). The dog then turned to jump on me and I informed the owner what her dog would look like if it did jump. Needless to say she was offended. The cashier thanked me for speaking up, I told her that I shouldn't have had to.