questions in news topic innocent little child

[smiffy65]

I have posted a question in this topic, no 36 question and i would really like anybody who knows about dogs and breeds to answer my question as a matter of urgency,i am not a child but a very responsible very mature dog owner, but just now I am very scared and very upset please help,please look in robotics reply no 37.
thank you very much

[B00]

Can't find it smiffy has it been removed or do I need to invest in glasses?

[smiffy65]

Hi Boo you will find it in this link please look in robotics last answer and click the link that she has put in for me


http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question34 2640-2.html

[B00]

Hello smiffy, read it- oh you poor thing you sound so worried :-(

Like one of the posters has already said, as tragic as the recent news is, it'll be a 2 minute wonder (lets face it, more pressing news happening- Big bruv is back on TV for a start(!) )

I genuinely don't see a problem with you and your dog, you sound like a responsible owner who can see a potential problem and has taken great steps to prevent it to the best of your ability.

The real problem we are faced with are not the dogs themselves but their evil owners, I'm usually completely against capital (or is it corporal?) punishment, yet I'd have no compunction in seeing these monsters get their just desserts!

All dogs have the potential to snap and bite, I myself have a jack russell cross and he can be a nowty bu88er at times, but if we are fully aware of what they are capable and take steps to prevent it, we'll be fine.

I seriously doubt the 'fuzz' will be pounding on your dog to take your beloved dog away.

Take care
Boo

[smiffy65]

thank you so much Boo yes I am very worried,because I could'nt bear to part with him,but will I get the choice?,do I ask the police to come down and look at him,

[Metz]

I doubt there will be a problem, if you have had complaints about your dog then maybe,but from the steps you have taken to make sure he is well trained etc i would think you will be ok ,he does look like a staffy .
Would have thought the police know where to look for pit bulls !
I agree with BOO all dogs have the potential to snap /bite !!

[chicklin]

Don't ask the police to look at him because if there is the slightest doubt in their mind - what do you think they'll feel they have to do? They won't be able to turn a blind eye because if anything happened in the future it would look bad on them if they'd ok'd your dog and were wrong. So don't initiate anything. Your dog hasn't done anything wrong. The 'experts' aren't always right in their identifications because some staffie's have longer legs than others and unfortunately this makes them look more like a pit-bull. But they're still staffies. Keep a low profile and this will hopefully all blow over in a few days.

[robotics]

What smiffy is trying to say, is that Merseyside police and Cheshire police are now asking owners of Pit Bulls to hand them in like an amnesty...........and they are asking residents to call in with details of anyone they suspect owns a "pit bull type dog". There is a lot of angry people around here at the moment regarding these Dangerous Devil Dogs (as the press are calling them) and smiffy is scared that maybe someone will inform the authorities. I hope to god that smiffys dog does turn out to be a saffie x, but again who knows...........I agree with Chicklins advice, Please Please smiffy let them come to you, don't go to them. Just remember if it was a banned breed the police would never have trained the dog. I understand what you are saying What if................

[smiffy65]

may I say thank you to all you kind abers out there, you have made me feel a lot better about my Taz, and now I really do believe if he was a problem somebody would have informed the police, and as joanne said I did take him for police training when I first got him and I am sure the police dog handler would have recognised him as a dangerous dog. because that was in 2000, and the law came out in 1991, I was told he was a staff when I got him and as chicklin said some staffs do have longer legs and mine is one of them. Thanks again to all of you. and have a very happy 2007

[lankeela]

Staffs and Staff crosses are not on the list of 'banned breeds'. However some Staff crosses do look like they have Pit Bull in them, particularly if they are long legged and very muscley. Your dog looks mostly Staff, maybe with a bit of Labrador. He doesn't look very long in the leg, and has a stockier appearance than most Pit Bulls or Pit Bull crosses.

I would definitely NOT contact the police, and I would think about enrolling at a local dog training club, even though he has been trained. The trainer(s) would be able to vouch for his temperament and training. Keep him on the lead in any public places unless you are certain there are no people or dogs about, even then, it won't hurt him to have lead exercise for a while. Dogs can be accused of being 'dangerous' even if they do not actually bite, people only have to be scared of them, and think they are going to.

Maybe take him to your vet for a 'check up' and tell your vet your fears - again he will be able to vouch for him should the need ever arise. Can you contact the police dog trainer who you trained with?

As long as you are sensible (which you obviously seem to be) then there should be little to worry about.

This is a sad outcome of the ill thought out Dangerous Dogs Act, and proves that breed specific legislation does not work. It did not prevent the tragic attack and yet innocent dogs like yours are under threat.

[robotics]

Smiffy you could always disguise your dog as another breed!

http://www.users.bigpond.com/daniel1977/kits.h tm

[smiffy65]

thank you Lankeela I have been waiting for you to answer my query and I am very glad you did,My dog is always leashed when on walks and he also wears the gentle leader which was introduced to me by the dog trainer, I did also take him for obedience training for twelve months,as I mentioned he is nearly 9 years of age now he was 15months old when I got him,he was in a pretty sorry state,but now as you can see he is a beautiful healthy dog dog and it would be a shame to lose him because of these idiots that breed dogs for fighting and gain, but I am glad you mentioned the labrador bit because I have always thought there was a bit of labrador in him,thank you all once again
Kath xx

[robotics]

So your dog in the breeding world would be a

Labrastaffie...........sorry couldn't resist

[smiffy65]

no it is a stafflab