General Chat

In 1970, there were 5 million dogs in UK. Mostly small and medium dogs - Sealyhams, Spaniels, Dachsunds, Labradors.

By 2000, the population had risen to 6.5m.

It is now 10.5m (according to pet food manufacturers). And I have to say that most of the increase seems to be in large dogs - who mainly seem to be for security purposes.

Whole estates now seem to have one huge dog at least per house. Most have to look as fearsome as possible. And I would say that very many of these dogs have had virtually no training whatsoever, either outside or inside.

Is it a problem, in your view? If so, how can it be addressed?

The number and size of Dogs is not the problem,

The number of people who have dogs but no nothing about them is a problem,

All dog owners should IMO be license through the kennel club after completing a course on how to train and bring up your dog,

I was brought up with dogs, As a child we always had a minimum of two at any one time I tended to have German shepherds but have a Japanese Akita Inu now

Roy

As you presume the increase in large dogs - mainly for security purposes is on estates, are you referring to gated communities?

Looking around the council estate where I live, I know there are 2 French Greyhounds, a boxer, a labrador (but the latter 2 are from private homes so, by your theory, one can only assume they've been trained - and are for security purposes) and a few Jack Russells.

It's mainly cats. There may be 1 or 2 un neutered toms, but considering the number of cats, I'm quite impressed.

I've had a problem with 2 Jack Russells, they were in 'attack' mode as I walked to the bus stop -yapping & going for my ankles etc. The owners were calling them back to no avail.
I stopped, faced the dogs, told them to shush and sit - and they did.
Then proceeded to the bus stop.

Years ago, my daughter whilst living with me and my 4 cats at the time, had one of the (allegedly) most vicious dogs on our estate, a GDS/Collie cross. Well, the local 'thuggery' - about 5 teenagers - were terrified of her - Why? I asked them - yes these 'thugs' could be spoken to - it was because she did what she was told - and they didn't know what we'd trained her to do!!!

My daughter now has a rescue dog - a Staffie. There are hundreds of Staffies awaiting rescue, because 'hard' morons got them, believing the lies about them, only to find the majority anre placid overgrown lap dogs,
Daughter's staffie isn't one of these - she was brought up in a very nice family with children, and even has a Swedish passport, but the owners had a new baby and the dog needed a lot of attention.

I've changed my profile pic - grandson was ill, so had a snooze on the sofa. Betty managed to snuggle down on the inside of him - she likes her comforts :-D

I adore dogs. This problem has everything to do with the owners, not their dogs.

"How can this be addressed?" John, don't get me started on that problem.

even the behaviour specilist has given up on my akita
saying Benson is just Benson
when i had my bouvier des flanders he was highly trained
loved people kids other pets

but Benson is a law un to himself
so we keep him away from all callers at our home as he either likes you or hates you
and if he hates you he will try to eat you alive :-( :-
he is fine with us so loving
yet strangers beware

even the vet wont treat him without a risk assesment first
yet he loved the old vet who has now retired
every other dog ive had has been as soft as butter and did as it was asked
i have worked with animals and kids all my life and never met a creature as fickle as Benson

so sometimes its just in the breeding :-D

:-D Joy!

'so sometimes its just in the breeding' is sooo true of humans too!

You just have to look at a lot of our MP's - a right bunch of supercilious, self important, lying, thieving ignoramuses, totally lacking in empathy.

All due to breeding :-D

Of the dogs on the Dogs trust rehoming site local to me , the vast majority are larger dogs or bull terrier types. On the tv this week was a news item about the increase in people giving up their dogs because of the lack of money to feed them. ( Also lots of cats)

I think there's been a large shift towards having dogs as 'status' symbols, either larger or tougher dogs for young men and small ' chic' dogs for women...people copy that, who actually have no experience or time for the breed of dog they have chosen, and it is important to know that certain breeds do need more time and attention ( for eg I love border collies, they have a lovely temperament but they need lots of stimulation and excercise)

All dogs are individuals, some need more training than others, some have a generally 'better' temperament. I haven't been bitten by any big dogs so far, the biggest dog was the softest, a german shepherd who scared many people but was a 'pussycat' with a big woof lol.

Are dogs a problem? No. People are the problem ;-)

Agree, Rose. People who don't research the breed they are getting to find out what its needs are likely to be; people who ignore the laws re leads near roads, etc and tags on collars; don't pick up after their dogs; I could go on and on .

I am a member of our local dog training group and we don't train dogs - we train people to train dogs.

John's idea about having to attend and pass a training course before being allowed to have a dog would be difficult to implement - you can't train someone to train a dog unless they have a dog and what works with one dog doesn't with another.

Our town has a population of under 4000 and the county it is in 28000 and in this session's beginners class we have 20 dogs, too many really but if we turn people away they may never come back. Our trainers are both volunteers and do not have the time to run more sessions. There are other professional trainers in the area but they charge as much for one lesson as we charge for 10.

Potty Benson isnt untrained in a way
he will on a one to one
sit stay go round our legs stand lay down when asked he will give us his paw
he will even stand on two legs he comes to his name
goes in and out when asked
we never forget our please and thank you when he does this

but if any other creature man or beasts there to
he just just goes on the we need protecting mode and wants to eat them

and show him some mud in a pot or on the ground and he has to dig :-( :-(
if i walk him in the estate
he has to be walked during the night in the rain so nobody is about ;-)
and he is double muzzeled with a full body harness

other peoples saftey is very important to me :-D

Joy I was thinking of big Benson when I wrote the original, hoping you would not take offence. He must look a sight for sore eyes with his muzzle and his lovely groomed coat :-D

I was particularly thinking of council property when I said one big dog per house at least. There is one 2 bedroomed flat where the owner has 7 (yes, seven) large dogs. And he hardly ever takes them out for exercise. And in his block (about 20 flats) I reckon there must be 40 dogs, most of them pretty big. There is a horrible urine stench that runs through all the corridors:-(

It was Roy that talked about training. I know very little about dogs, but I think a dog license and compulsory chipping might be a good first step.

So you ment council estates well why didnt you say so .........

I,m sure people would have started an arguement much earlier in the day if only you had said so!!

no john i didnt take offence
my next door neighbour has 15 dogs they are no problem to us
we never hear them
and i even mind them if she has to go away
Benson looks funny in his body warmer as he takes his dog coat off

i myself had two akitas till last year when Bensons mother had to be put to sleep
she was the total oppersite to Benson

NEVER ANY BOTHER AND ENJOYED HER WALKS
wipes a tear i miss Peggy so much :-( :-(

We have had Millie now for 7 months. She is a rescue Choc lab ..see previous posts by me when I wittered on <3
She is now about 13 months ,weighs in at 30kg and as strong as an ox.
I have had someone in the village cross the road with his Staffie , who is the cutest friendliest dog you could ever meet because he was worried about 'the big dog' LOL
They are now best of mates but Millie as she grows is becoming protective of the family , she never growls and is never nasty, loves kids and is well socialised but I think if she sensed any of the family or even anyone with us was being threatened by another dog or human' she could do a whole lot of damage.
People often assume Labs are soft dopy dogs, they aren't. they are loyal , gentle . sometimes scatty but very intelligent . They get bored easily and need a lot of exercise mentally as well as physically. and if they don't get this then that is where the problems start.
This applies to many breeds of dogs .. they all need attention, proper exercise and mental stimulation just like children. :-)

The 'problem people' who have dogs are the same whether they live in a council flat or a palace :-)

You do see on 'Pet Rescue' type tv programmes etc, people who do have too many dogs in too small a space, generally they are well meaning people who love their dogs ( which is often why they have so many) but perhaps are not able to cope.

Like anything, it's knowing your own limitations, and as I said earlier research what breed of dog might be best for your circumstances.

my very first dog Monty was a black lab
couldnt of had a nicer natured dog big sloopy cuddly doggie he was

the most trained dogs i have ever seen are Eldricks
he has trained them with kindness and their faces tell you they love him
and do what he asks to please him because they truely love him :-D

the youngest lab runs the length of a field into his arms
to see it is so magical :-D :-D

But they also work for their keep as gun dogs

I do so agree that there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. If there waqs a basic training that people had to go through before they got a dog it would help. I am thinking of exercise, feeding, no il treatment. A dog doesnt speak your language, and learns by encouragement.
We had an alsation cross, a rescue dog who had been retuned three times to the RSPCA> He was one of the nicest dogs we have had, and so protective. If I had cold callers who wouldnt take no for an answer, I brought him out on a lead. His growls soon sent them off. But friends he greeted happily. Anotyher lovely dog we had was a stray that attached herself to my husband and when he came home from work she came too!. She had just come into her first season and had been turned out, We had her for 14yrs and she never had a pup. She wouldnt let a dog come near her!

Take the comments about private houses as well. I feel very frightened if I walk round a council estate and there are quite a few dogs running loose. Often they look very threatening and are not secured properly.

But I have had 3 dog bites in last 6 years, and all were in private roads:
1. A woman was holding a little dog (a Shitshu, I think) and it just leapt out of her arms and bit me on elbow
2. Was walking along a pavement and said hello to a nervous lady of about 70. She had a dog on a lead (Jack Russell) and dog just decided to sink his teeth in my leg.
3. A Bichon Frisse ( a small white fluffy, pretty thing) just ran across the road and sank little fangs in my leg.

Blood drawn on all 3 occasions. :-( :-( Stil bear scars from Jack Russell incident, which meant an 8 hour wait in A & E after being tree-arged or something similar.

i was bitten 30 years ago by a muzzeled poodle when i worked in a vets
i was bitten by a bouvier des flanders i minded for somebody who was on holiday
it missed my kidney by 1/4 of and inch
and i was bitten on the leg by a stupid terrier that was on a lead on the next street
that belonged to the same lady who had the bouvier :-( :-(

Hi ya Joy ..
I love my Lab ..I have got to know people who own these dogs and train them as gun dogs.
Chockies aren't the best at this sadly
My son loves shooting (also Kyaking and now climbing) .. he doesn't get that from me !
but I love watching these dogs work ... it takes a huge amount of time,skill and patience before these dogs are ready for a real shoot.
xxx

~~~~waves to neubie your doggie is beuatiful x :-D