• Home
• Journeys
• 80 Days
• Pole to Pole
• Full Circle
• Hemingway
• Sahara
• Himalaya
• New Europe
• 80 Days Revisited
• Brazil
• Photography
• Photo Gallery
• Search Facilities
• Keyword Search
• Photo Search
• Palin's Guides
• Geography
• Accommodation
• Activity
• History
• Nature
• Person
• Transport
• Advanced Search
• Community
• The Chatter Box
• Chat Room
• Competition
• Polls
• Register
• Bookshop
• Bibliography
• Links
• Using the Site
• Instructions
•  
• 

Forgotten password?

THE CHATTER BOX

	The Chatter Box : Blathering On
	Messages 1 2 3  Good dog!! by Spursfan on 12 September 2010 9:28pm   I've put this up on Facebook, but for those who aren't my friend (!!).... About time Staffies got some good press!! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1311246/Dog-chases-gun-gang-attacked-girl-owner.html   Re: Good dog!! by sighthound on 12 September 2010 10:10pm   Good story, Anne! Unfortunately, if that happened in some jurisdictions here, the dog could be labeled as "dangerous" and be forced to live under severe restrictions or even be taken away and killed unless a media storm could be mounted to save it. One of dogs' primary roles, to guard and defend, is illegal in many places here. (I guess we're supposed to have guns instead.)   Re: Good dog!! by johnnythemonkey on 12 September 2010 10:42pm   What's the subtext ? Do three armed men 'burst into' the homes of ordinary folk in the UK every day ? They do when they are all criminals dealing in drugs, hence the need for a killer dog whose breed should be phased out.   Re: Good dog!! by sighthound on 12 September 2010 11:02pm   A dog defending its pack (its family) is NOT killer dog, johnny, and breed has nothing to do with it. (Try telling that to the fluffy little rescue mix I live with who drove off people trying to break into my truck.) Self-defense is ingrained in almost every sentient being. And there will always be bad guys and always the need for self-defense. Dogs are great for self-defense.   Re: Good dog!! by johnnythemonkey on 13 September 2010 12:18am   Geraldine, you will never convince me that certain breeds of dogs should stay in existence. " Fluffy little" dogs might frighten off intruders ( so will geese ) but 10 stone plus fighting dogs just shouldn't be allowed. There have been three terrible attacks on children here recently all from dogs of the size that even a grown man couldn't overcome without serious injury or death. All dogs have the potential to bite but who are the people who choose to own ones with jaws like vices or the size of a small pony ? These dogs were bred for specific purposes and yet are allowed to live on housing estates. I don't swallow all that guff about 'responsible owners'.   Re: Good dog!! by sighthound on 13 September 2010 1:27am   And you, my dear johnny, will never convince me that dogs are dangerous just because of their breed or their size. ALL DOGS CAN KILL. They are all carnivores descended from the wolf and their lives always depended upon killing until they cast their lot with the humans who invented kibble. Not long ago a baby here was killed by a tiny Pomeranian. I paid my way through grad school by working in boarding kennels and never had a problem with those "dangerous breeds" because their owners took the time to train and socialize them properly. The dogs that attacked me were always those "cute" little ones who had been ridiculously indulged by their owners who thought that Dear Little Fluffy could never cause a problem and that attitude was what created those neurotic little monsters. I have dogs with amazing "jaws like vices". They have been bred for millennia to kill gazelle and other game. Yet they care very tenderly for all the kittens I foster and play with the children of friends and have NEVER shown any sign of aggression to any human or any animal associated with humans no matter how much the kids pull their ears or the kittens use their claws to climb up them. They know their "pack" and would never attack any of its members. Yet, they can still do their ancestral job of catching game to feed the family. The dogs that kill people are ALWAYS owned by either macho bullies or idiots. Yes, if you don't know how to properly train and socialize a 10 stone dog (Dammit, I can never remember how much a "stone" is), you shouldn't have that dog. But, if you don't know how to properly train and socialize a 5 pound Pomeranian, you shouldn't have that dog either. There are always bullies who want a "bad" dog and they will make any dog they get into a dangerous dog. In Victorian times, it was absolute common knowledge that the most dangerous killer breed was ... wait for it ... THE COLLIE! The scum who wanted a bad dog back then got collies and turned them into killers. (There is also class factor about what breeds are considered "dangerous". Breeds owned by the upper classes are never considered to be inherently vicious but those owned by those at the bottom of the economic spectrum always are.) The answer to this problem (as it almost always is in every other situation) is EDUCATION. City-living people have become so divorced from the natural world that they are totally ignorant about animals and the dynamics of the real bond that connects them to humans.   Re: Good dog!! by Spursfan on 13 September 2010 10:23am   Oh well said Geraldine. A stone, by the way, is 14 pounds. Tosun weighs 21 kilos - he was measured a month or so ago at the vets when we bought his regular worming tabs. This equates to around 46 pounds or just over 3 stone. What would Tosun have done in the situation that the other dog found himself in? I'm not sure - you can't unless it happens I suppose! Normally when he meets someone he is all 'licky' and waggy and wants to make a fuss of them. If his Mommy and Daddy were in danger would he react like this other dog? I HOPE so !! :)   Re: Good dog!! by kazzzz on 13 September 2010 2:16pm   (Can we talk about cats or guinea pigs please?) I actually have a dog story. I took Ava to feed the ducks down by the river today. From out of nowhere a boxer bounded towards her, almost pushed her into the river and took the bread from her hands. No owner in sight. I grabbed Ava up while the dog continued to jump up at her and I . Some woman casually strolled along the river bank ,on her mobile phone, and made a half arsed attempt to restrain the dog who, at this point, jumped into the very fast flowing river to eat the ducks bread. I said "is that your dog, it's supposed to be on a lead!" She gave me a filthy look, dragged the dog out of the river by it's neck with one hand...she was still on her bloody phone chatting to her friend...and dragged the whimpering dog up the path by it's head without a word of apology. I really should have pushed her into the river.   Re: Good dog!! by johnnythemonkey on 13 September 2010 4:18pm   Cats and guinea pigs are interesting......but dog talk gets the reactions. ;) Yes kazzzz, you should've shoved that woman into the lake !   Re: Good dog!! by suzulu on 14 September 2010 5:29pm   Stupid woman!   Messages 1 2 3
	Reply to this post:
Username        Password            Register here

INSTRUCTIONS

Select a discussion theme.
Register (or log in if you have not yet done so).

To start a new discussion topic:

Write the name of the topic in the 'Subject' box.
Type your message in the larger box to contribute.
Click 'Submit'.

To join a discussion topic:

Click on the discussion topic of your choice.
Type your message in the larger box to contribute.
Click 'Submit'.

To edit your message:

You can edit a message at any time after posting it as long as you're signed in.
Click on the 'Edit your message' link above the message.
Make your desired changes.
Click 'Submit'.

If you find you don't want to change the message after all, click on 'Return without changes'.

To set a chatmark:

Register (or log in if you have not yet done so).
Click on the "Set chatmark" link on the Chatter Box pages. This will set the time at which you have logged in.
Click on the "Go to chatmark" link to see all messages posted since you set your chatmark.

You can set your chatmark at any time and as often as you like.