Dog Park...

[Guest Anonymous]

I took my 2 Pits 5 months old to the local Dog Park. It was their second time. There were about 20 dogs and they really enjoyed playing and running around trying to fit in. I said to one lady "And they say Pitbulls are viscious." She replied "Owners are viscious." She didn't have a Pit either, but knew like us the bad reputation some dogs get. It was good to hear it. I left and the dogs followed me out just like I wanted. training pays off.

-Hollywood

[bk_blue]

Hopefully one day the wave of misinformation directed unfairly at so-called 'dangerous dogs' will pass. That is a heartening step in the right direction.
I have seen people cross the road to avoid Blitz (on lead) and me, then cross back after we've passed- I don't get it, he doesn't look dangerous does he??!!?

[Guest Anonymous]

I have experienced some neighbors avoiding me when I walk Ruby.

Some people are afraid of large dogs. :o
While other people are even afriad of all dogs. :(
I do have a girlfriend who was bitten badly by a dog when she was a child. :cry:
She has a Pomeranian. But, she is scared of big dogs.
When we used to go for walks at the park (when I was dogless) I would get on the side of her that was closest to any large dogs we might come close to (so I would be in between her & the large dog)!
It has taken her 4 months to come over to see my puppy (50 pound, 10 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback)
Although she did get nervous when Ruby tried to jump up out of excitement, she did see that she wasn't in danger. At the end of the night, my friend was sitting on the Futon with Ruby's head in her lap, petting her head! I should have taken a picture! That was great progress for her. :D
Some people are afraid of snakes, my husband is scared of spiders, I am scared of heights!

[deepseasnake]

blue, no way I would cross the street towards your dog, I think he is very cool, and unique. Maybe whoever avoided Blitz had been attacked and is scared of all dogs, Happened to me as a kid

[Guest Anonymous]

I actually have had children run and cry when they see me walking my dog (both my 100 lb German Shepherd mix and my 4 month old great dane/rottie mix). I feel sorry for anyone that is so scared of anything like that. Some people actually have phobias. I'm working with the children in my neighborhood to help them understand that all dogs are not bad.

In my neighborhood there are 2 of us with dogs. They take turns walking my puppy and playing with him. Some are still too scared to get near him. I hate to see them cry over even seeing a puppy. I feel so sorry for them but they have never had the chance to be around a dog other than the strays or the guard dogs that bark or chase them. I live in a middle class neighborhood in Jamaica. It's actually a lot like the lower income areas in the states where most of the dogs are thought to be dangerous. I don't blame them I have had some scarry experiences here when i take my dog for a walk.

I've tried to teach the children not to run from dogs and how to approach them.

[deepseasnake]

careful, you know best, but those kids must be scared for a reason and though your dogs are good, sounds like the others aren't and you dont want to go instilling false confidence in a young child about a real bad dog

[bk_blue]

Thanks Deep ;) The most damage he'd do to someone would be to lick them to death!
Unfortunately some people have had bad experiences with dogs, so I guess you can't really blame them, they might even cross the road to avoid a Cocker. Some people get over it and some don't. I do feel sorry for people who can't, for whatever reason, enjoy the company of dogs. They're missing out! Sounds like you're doing good work Abusser. With the whole false-confidence thing, do you think most kids have an instinct for what dog is a good dog and what's a bad one? And of course if kids are brought up with dogs they're more intuitive. Then I suppose even if they do know dogs, they can play with a dog and not realise he's had enough...
Your shepherd sounds like a pretty solid boy, what's he crossed with?
oh BTW now I am ADDICTED... help.... :wink:

[deepseasnake]

hey I'm addicted 3 times already :D

[Guest Anonymous]

deepseasnake napisał(a):

careful, you know best, but those kids must be scared for a reason and though your dogs are good, sounds like the others aren't and you dont want to go instilling false confidence in a young child about a real bad dog

The most common reason I've seen for a child to be afraid of dogs is that one parent or both grabs them screaming and runs when a dog comes near their precious child - those parents never realize they are setting their kids up for a bite by teaching them to run and scream and react in fear to a dog.
I think all kids should be educated in how to deal with or react to known and unknown dogs they may meet.

[bk_blue]

That's very true guest. Absolutely not the dog's fault either, he's just going on instinct. I agree, there needs to be some sort of dog-education programme going, that would help eradicate most of the dog-bite hysteria which of course the dog has to pay the ultimate price and not the ignorant parents/children. :x

[deepseasnake]

ya know for the most parts bites arent even that bad, a handful of stiches but its not like your gonna loose your arm!

[deepseasnake]

they way people act youd think the dog had a sub machine gun

[bk_blue]

Hell yeah. Look out, it's Tank Dog!
I think if you've been bitten or snapped at by a dog you learn what they will and won't tolerate, not that I've ever been bitten but have had my share of growls and attempted bites. I've been very lucky with bk, he's never bitten me maliciously, only in play when he gets wound up, or when he's been "showing off" at the park, playing with other dogs, and runs to me and takes a massive leap at me ("look mum, i've got friends!")- his teeth have found my lip a couple of times then too.
People are so litigation-happy these days too, which doesn't help. Fair enough a bite is cause for concern if the attack was unprovoked but ignorant people who unwittingly goad the dog into biting deserve to be nipped IMHO.