Police appeal after woman attacked by boxer dog (From Gazette)

Strange? Boxers are not usually an aggressive breed.

wellnow wrote:
Strange? Boxers are not usually an aggressive breed.

Down to bad training from their owner I fear Wellnow.

How on earth could the owner not help the poor lady. Beggars belief, maybe thats why her dog behaved this way in the first place, she obviously doesn't care! Hopefully somebody knows who she is before this happens again - could be a small child next time

All dogs, regardless of size or breed, should be muzzled and on a lead when out in public. A change in the law is needed.

Boris wrote:
All dogs, regardless of size or breed, should be muzzled and on a lead when out in public. A change in the law is needed.

Hogwash! What a ridiculously blinkered view.

Hogwash! What a ridiculously blinkered (muzzled) view.”

Boris wrote:
All dogs, regardless of size or breed, should be muzzled and on a lead when out in public. A change in the law is needed.

I totally agree. We can no longer walk our kids through the local woods because a dog attacked my 7-year-old son a few months ago, chewed up his glove, and he is now petrified of them.

I also had a large dog jump up at me and cover me in mud the same week - according to the (mature and apparently well to do) owner it was my fault because I was out for a walk "too early in the morning". It was 8.30am and she didn't even have the decency to apologise.

There are a lot of very inconsiderate dog owners - not just the status dog owners - who seem to think people should put up with the bad behaviour of their animals and who refuse to pick up the mess they leave behind.

I am a dog lover and have owned dogs for 45 years.
I have 2 rescue greyhounds who although friendly are never let off the lead in public places as they are not garunteed to come when called.
I have noticed a distict rise in rude dog owners and dogs with no manners and aggresive dogs over the years.
I do not want your dog charging at me or mine either aggresively or over friendly to leap all over me and my dogs.
If you can't, or don't want to call your dog back then don't let it off the lead in the first place.
Lots of people don't like dogs and lots of dogs don't like other dogs, so come on dog owners, stop giving us all a bad name and have some consideration and manners around other people and other dogs.

So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

bev52 wrote:
I am a dog lover and have owned dogs for 45 years.
I have 2 rescue greyhounds who although friendly are never let off the lead in public places as they are not garunteed to come when called.
I have noticed a distict rise in rude dog owners and dogs with no manners and aggresive dogs over the years.
I do not want your dog charging at me or mine either aggresively or over friendly to leap all over me and my dogs.
If you can't, or don't want to call your dog back then don't let it off the lead in the first place.
Lots of people don't like dogs and lots of dogs don't like other dogs, so come on dog owners, stop giving us all a bad name and have some consideration and manners around other people and other dogs.

A refreshing point of view from a dog owner, and sensible at that.

Not sure about having all dogs on leads and muzzles as a default, but it is very much the responsibility of the owner to make sure that they are in control of the dog.

I agree with bev52. If the dog will not come to you when called, and you cannot be sure it will not harass people or other dogs, then it should be on a lead.

Plenty of dogs are well trained and can be let off the lead in open spaces, but as in so many other areas of life, it is a few irresponsible people who tarnish the good name of the majority.

Your dog should be on a leash(not a retractable one either!!) if they are outside and not in your fenced in backyard. You think your dog is well trained? That is great but not everyone elses dog is. My theory is my I trust my dog, I do not trust yours. Mine will be on the lead and I don't let him meet with strange dogs. Being a vet tech I see many dogs come in from a dog fight because someone didn't have theirs on a leash.

Boris is right, like it or not.

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

We just go elsewhere, but thanks for the parenting advice.

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote: So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

We just go elsewhere, but thanks for the parenting advice.

My pleasure let me know if you need any advice on combatting your morbid obesity

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote: So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

We just go elsewhere, but thanks for the parenting advice.

My pleasure let me know if you need any advice on combatting your morbid obesity

Please - go ahead. You're clearly the font of all knowledge.

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote: So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

We just go elsewhere, but thanks for the parenting advice.

My pleasure let me know if you need any advice on combatting your morbid obesity

Please - go ahead. You're clearly the font of all knowledge.

Not really but you only need eyes to see your problem.

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote:

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

Justice79 wrote: So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

What do you expect us to do - drag him there and force him to do something that scares him witless? No that wouldn't be at all cruel, would it.....

Oh heaven forbid you should actually have to take some time to explain to your child that it was just one bad dog that could have been anywhere and that the woods are still a fun place to go and play. No far easier to just stop going altogether.

We just go elsewhere, but thanks for the parenting advice.

My pleasure let me know if you need any advice on combatting your morbid obesity

Please - go ahead. You're clearly the font of all knowledge.

Not really but you only need eyes to see your problem.

Bless. Thanks for taking such an interest.

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

Justice79, you´re being pretty harsh on Ritchie, IMO. A 7 yr old kid is not always thinking in a "rational" way. Look at how many otherwise "rational" people have fears of wasps, spiders, snakes, and a multitude of other things, and they´re adults.

I don´t know Ritchie or his kid, but as a parent you don´t just chuck your kid into a situation that terrifies them. You can rationalise it and realise that not all dogs will attack, but the kid sees a dog and remembers pain, and also associates the woods with pain.

Eventually, as he gets older, he´ll learn that it was a one-off thing, but that would be a gradual process.

I had the same when I was a kid: I got bitten by a dog when I was about 6, and it took at least a couple of years before I would go near the street where it happened again. My parents tried to explain that it wouldn´t happen again, but it takes a fair amount of convincing.

No need to turn it into a personal attack on Ritchie, he´s looking out for his kid.

romantic wrote:

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

Justice79, you´re being pretty harsh on Ritchie, IMO. A 7 yr old kid is not always thinking in a "rational" way. Look at how many otherwise "rational" people have fears of wasps, spiders, snakes, and a multitude of other things, and they´re adults.

I don´t know Ritchie or his kid, but as a parent you don´t just chuck your kid into a situation that terrifies them. You can rationalise it and realise that not all dogs will attack, but the kid sees a dog and remembers pain, and also associates the woods with pain.

Eventually, as he gets older, he´ll learn that it was a one-off thing, but that would be a gradual process.

I had the same when I was a kid: I got bitten by a dog when I was about 6, and it took at least a couple of years before I would go near the street where it happened again. My parents tried to explain that it wouldn´t happen again, but it takes a fair amount of convincing.

No need to turn it into a personal attack on Ritchie, he´s looking out for his kid.

Justice79 is presumably only 33 or 34 years old, and probably has no experience yet of being responsible for children. If he ever does reach that stage, he will recognise that being a parent is a lot more of a challenge than he realises at present. He certainly hasn't a clue about children at the moment, and he must himself have had a very sheltered childhood, which is still in progress, to judge by his childish pronouncements so far.

Don't feed the troll !

I have now been a dog owner for 7 years and walk my dogs twice a day. I walk them in various areas in Colchester including parks and woods. Not once have I seen a dog jump up/attack a child.

I have however seen a lot of parents screaming, jumping up and down and picking their children up when a dog is somewhere in the vicinity. This fear is then passed on to the child and the chain continues.

People need to realise that when they do this it attracts the dogs attention. My dogs are both very well behaved, however when someone is jumping up and down they think they are playing and will want to go and see what all the fuss is about.

I agree that in certain circumstances dogs do need to be kept on a lead, however in the right environment should be able to be let off to run if their owner thinks that they are well behaved enough to do so.

The thing that annoys me the most, is that I am over these fields/parks/woods everyday usually in the wind, rain or snow. However as soon as we get a little bit of sunshine certain people think that they own the place and that me and my dogs have no right to be there. Excuse me? Where have you been for the other 364 days of the year?

I have been harassed by ignorant people whilst walking my dogs far more times that I have seen a dog harassing any one.

People need to educate themselves and their children.

FLK.12 wrote:
I have now been a dog owner for 7 years and walk my dogs twice a day. I walk them in various areas in Colchester including parks and woods. Not once have I seen a dog jump up/attack a child.

I have however seen a lot of parents screaming, jumping up and down and picking their children up when a dog is somewhere in the vicinity. This fear is then passed on to the child and the chain continues.

People need to realise that when they do this it attracts the dogs attention. My dogs are both very well behaved, however when someone is jumping up and down they think they are playing and will want to go and see what all the fuss is about.

I agree that in certain circumstances dogs do need to be kept on a lead, however in the right environment should be able to be let off to run if their owner thinks that they are well behaved enough to do so.

The thing that annoys me the most, is that I am over these fields/parks/woods everyday usually in the wind, rain or snow. However as soon as we get a little bit of sunshine certain people think that they own the place and that me and my dogs have no right to be there. Excuse me? Where have you been for the other 364 days of the year?

I have been harassed by ignorant people whilst walking my dogs far more times that I have seen a dog harassing any one.

People need to educate themselves and their children.

Fine, just keep your dogs on their leads and nobody will harass you.
Those people do not own the place, but they have as much right to be there as you. I'm sure none of them think that you have no right to share the space with them. Obviously, their dogs must be on leads, too.

romantic wrote:

Justice79 wrote:
So your child had a bad experience with a dog and as a result you've stopped taking him to the woods, great parenting skills there.

Justice79, you´re being pretty harsh on Ritchie, IMO. A 7 yr old kid is not always thinking in a "rational" way. Look at how many otherwise "rational" people have fears of wasps, spiders, snakes, and a multitude of other things, and they´re adults.

I don´t know Ritchie or his kid, but as a parent you don´t just chuck your kid into a situation that terrifies them. You can rationalise it and realise that not all dogs will attack, but the kid sees a dog and remembers pain, and also associates the woods with pain.

Eventually, as he gets older, he´ll learn that it was a one-off thing, but that would be a gradual process.

I had the same when I was a kid: I got bitten by a dog when I was about 6, and it took at least a couple of years before I would go near the street where it happened again. My parents tried to explain that it wouldn´t happen again, but it takes a fair amount of convincing.

No need to turn it into a personal attack on Ritchie, he´s looking out for his kid.

Thank you.

Boris wrote:

FLK.12 wrote:
I have now been a dog owner for 7 years and walk my dogs twice a day. I walk them in various areas in Colchester including parks and woods. Not once have I seen a dog jump up/attack a child.

I have however seen a lot of parents screaming, jumping up and down and picking their children up when a dog is somewhere in the vicinity. This fear is then passed on to the child and the chain continues.

People need to realise that when they do this it attracts the dogs attention. My dogs are both very well behaved, however when someone is jumping up and down they think they are playing and will want to go and see what all the fuss is about.

I agree that in certain circumstances dogs do need to be kept on a lead, however in the right environment should be able to be let off to run if their owner thinks that they are well behaved enough to do so.

The thing that annoys me the most, is that I am over these fields/parks/woods everyday usually in the wind, rain or snow. However as soon as we get a little bit of sunshine certain people think that they own the place and that me and my dogs have no right to be there. Excuse me? Where have you been for the other 364 days of the year?

I have been harassed by ignorant people whilst walking my dogs far more times that I have seen a dog harassing any one.

People need to educate themselves and their children.

Fine, just keep your dogs on their leads and nobody will harass you.
Those people do not own the place, but they have as much right to be there as you. I'm sure none of them think that you have no right to share the space with them. Obviously, their dogs must be on leads, too.

Couldn't agree more. Owning a dog doesn't give anyone the right to do as they like just because they happen to use the area more often.

I would use the area more often - if it wasn't for the dogs running off of leads!

I am not saying that other people do not have the right to be there, I am just saying that why should I get harassed when my dogs are not even near other people.

I have just as much right to be at these places with my dogs as anyone else. There is no law that dogs cannot be let off their lead.

It is views like the above that cause all the problems in the first place. If it annoys you people that much go walk somewhere else where dogs are not allowed off leads and stop posting continuous views about something you clearly know nothing about.

Most dogs are perfectly fine off leads in the right place.

Of course there are going to be instances like the article above, but you cannot treat every dog owner the same.

Sadly there are ignorant people on both sides of the argument as in everyaspect of life. FLK 12, you say go and walk where dogs are to be kept on leads but sadly many dog owners tottally ignore any such instrutions as do cyclist and pedestrians alike.

Personally living in new town my biggest gripe with dog owners is that some (and its always the few that spoil it for the many) will not pick up their dog mess. My children play on the rec and have to dodge the doo everytime they play on the field!! The same story when walking to St Georges school!!

I have a few times asked affending owners, politly, to possibly pick up their mess but have only recieved a mouthfull for my trouble.

Greatchef wrote:
Sadly there are ignorant people on both sides of the argument as in everyaspect of life. FLK 12, you say go and walk where dogs are to be kept on leads but sadly many dog owners tottally ignore any such instrutions as do cyclist and pedestrians alike.

Personally living in new town my biggest gripe with dog owners is that some (and its always the few that spoil it for the many) will not pick up their dog mess. My children play on the rec and have to dodge the doo everytime they play on the field!! The same story when walking to St Georges school!!

I have a few times asked affending owners, politly, to possibly pick up their mess but have only recieved a mouthfull for my trouble.

Been there, done that. Military Road use to be a nightmare a couple of years back - not sure if it's still as bad.

Oh my god! Some people are so far up their own arses! Not all dogs are unfriendly! There are loads of dogs which are friendly to other people. When I take my dogs for a walk I'm constantly looking out for other people and when they get close I make sure my dogs have their attention on me. I was attacked by a dog when I was little, and I got over it. If a dog is on a lead its on there for a reason. But if there is no reason, then let the dog off! It will become vicious if it doesn't socialise. This is what people don't realise! Your dog, like us, need to socialise. If not it thinks its being punished and will become vicious.

Reading some of these comments has given me a good laugh anyway.

its much more likely that a dog will be attacked by a person rather than the other way around.
there are millions of dogs in this country and a few sad cases they turn out bad, however people get attacked by lots of other animals, but realistically nothing in comparison to other humans, 99.9% of dogs are fantastic creatures that do nothing but bring joy to those they meet.
also I really don't believe that it would be a boxer in this case, much more likely to be a cross or diff breed.

MacinTyler95 wrote:
Oh my god! Some people are so far up their own arses! Not all dogs are unfriendly! There are loads of dogs which are friendly to other people. When I take my dogs for a walk I'm constantly looking out for other people and when they get close I make sure my dogs have their attention on me. I was attacked by a dog when I was little, and I got over it. If a dog is on a lead its on there for a reason. But if there is no reason, then let the dog off! It will become vicious if it doesn't socialise. This is what people don't realise! Your dog, like us, need to socialise. If not it thinks its being punished and will become vicious.

Reading some of these comments has given me a good laugh anyway.

Correct. Some dog owners are quite far up their own arses with little consideration to other people.

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

MacinTyler95 wrote:
Oh my god! Some people are so far up their own arses! Not all dogs are unfriendly! There are loads of dogs which are friendly to other people. When I take my dogs for a walk I'm constantly looking out for other people and when they get close I make sure my dogs have their attention on me. I was attacked by a dog when I was little, and I got over it. If a dog is on a lead its on there for a reason. But if there is no reason, then let the dog off! It will become vicious if it doesn't socialise. This is what people don't realise! Your dog, like us, need to socialise. If not it thinks its being punished and will become vicious.

Reading some of these comments has given me a good laugh anyway.

Correct. Some dog owners are quite far up their own arses with little consideration to other people.

Well said, Ritchie. Too many dog owners think they are the dog's **** when in fact they are just up their own arses, or maybe their dogs' arses.

**** was for b o l l o c k s which I mistakenly thought was not recognised by the American profanity-checker. But I was mistaken. Still, it does allow us to use the word arse, whereas we would not be allowed to use a s s.

On balance though, it's worth pointing out that some dog owners are very considerate.

A theory - dogs are pack animals - they run in packs in their natural enviroment. They became domesticated when people fed them. The feeder / owner thus becomes the 'leader of the pack'. So if a dog is agressive, or docile, is the dog in effect reflecting the personality of the leader of its pack - the owner?
ps read responses and see which are agressive and which are not!

My dog has got an ASBO

Perhaps your dog needs to read up on evolutional history which teaches there is always a younger bigger and more ferocious dog that comes along to replace him. As they say 'every dog has its day' - but some only last half a day!