Up front and personal with Pit Bull

[stomper]

There are differences between

There are differences between breeds, but just as important is differences between owners, many of whom seem clueless about what their dogs are capable of.

I think most people -- but dog lovers especially -- don't appreciate that dogs are not little people, and can be really dangerous.

At the end of the day, they simply don't understand things the same way that people do.

They live in our houses, they are our friends, we talk to them, sometimes they sleep in our beds. I know, I've had two wonderful Australian Shepherds who could be trained to do nearly anything.

But I've also been attacked by a German Shepherd (that was as a child) and (just a month or two ago) by a mysterious unknown breed who with no warning or provocation leapt for my neck, and fortunately was stopped an inch short by the leash.

"Friendly!" is a common one-word greeting in my nearby park when passing a person with a dog (usually when the dog is off leash). If you look at the dog's body language, it's sometimes true, but sadly it's sometimes not. Those are the situations that scare me.

 

[ajb422]

stomper wrote:  I think most

I think most people -- but dog lovers especially -- don't appreciate that dogs are not little people, and can be really dangerous.

Sadly this is one of the things dogs and people actually have in common though. I'm far more likely to be scared coming across a suspicious looking person on a trail while running at night than a dog. I trust the worst the dog will do is take a few chunks of flesh out of me before I can kick it away. But people can do far worse.

But yeah people do need to realize their dogs are going to act different with people they don't know. Even our very calm hunting dogs would get weird and protective around women if my dad wasn't around and men he didn't know came in (meter readers, babysitters friends ect....)

 

[miker]

ajb, you are so right. I'll

ajb, you are so right. I'll take my chances with the dog anyday.