Bill, I'm surprised by your statistics. We've the same experience as Bob W. down here. Pit bulls are notorious for having killed neighborhood kids in the city. They are guard dogs or fighting dogs.
My best image of Goldens is from a TV documentary on training them to become guide dogs for the blind. It was line of 20 dogs sitting while two folks tossed a tennis ball back and forth in the area... followed by letting one dog get up and play with them and the ball while the others had to stay quiet. It was an amazing display. My son went to central Indiana for his Golden. The breeder has guarantees about hip problems with the dogs. We'll see how it works out. The dog is a lot bigger than it is supposed to be (a 130 pound male) and a lot bigger than it's parents but smart and with a sweet disposition. We had a cocker spaniel when I was a kid...dumb as a stump. When I went to college, my parents got a German Shepherd. It was a fierce dog with a big bark and wicked growl, but smart as hell. If my Dad had it off leash in the yard, it could bolt across the street at strangers running thru the neighborhood.. He'd bolt after it yelling at the teens to stop and don't move! The dog never bit anyone, but it held many prisoners. We fought with the dog as a puppy wearing an old Eisenhower jacket and later wearing an old WWII parka. The dog would bite your arm and love it. When it got too rough, we'd say Ouch! and the dog would let up but still fight with us. Several years later we learned that fighting between family members was prohibited. If my little brother and I were play fighting, the Shepherd would stand between us and bark at one then the other. Smart dog. Of course, that's only my experiences with a couple of dogs. My folks had two more German Shepherds, but neither were as well adjusted as the first. By then, my brother and sister had moved out of the household. Regards, Bob S. On 1/31/07, William Robb <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Bob W" > Subject: RE: I gotta brag > > > >> > > > > Pit bulls are illegal in the UK, and have already killed at least 2 > > children this year. 'Biting' can be pretty broadly defined from a > > harmless little nip, to eating your face off, so pit bulls not being > > in the top 20 says very little about their kindliness or otherwise. > > > > I was savaged by an alsatian when I was a child, and it was put down > > as a result, so I have little faith in their kindliness either. > > > > Also, given that dogs like labradors are immensely popular there's > > bound to be some statistical probability of more labrador bites than > > pit bull bites. If there were as many pit bulls running around as > > there are labradors I would expect the sales of tinned dog food to > > plummet, and the streets, parks & playgrounds to be rapidly culled of > > small children. > > And you have a problem with this.....? > I've been teaching dog classes at a beginner level for about 8 years now. > The beginner level gets all the problem animals that their owners are having > trouble with. > I get these classes because I am a big guy who can handle a big dog if need > be. > > I have been bitten by Chihuahuas, Shi Tzus, Border Collies, Labradors, and > Skiperkies. I have been threatened but not bitten by Goldens, Labradors, > Border Collies, Huskies, Malamutes, Bichons, Samoyeds and Poodles. > > I had a Shepherd give me a dirty look one day, and I have had several > Rotties that were downright friendly. Pit Bull Terriers tend to be > respectful of people, but not of other dogs, I suppose it's part of what > they were primarily bred for. > > Typically, when a child is bitten by a dog, it is because they have emulated > a squeaky toy and then turned into a rabbit. > It's funny, we street proof our kids against child molesters, which is > something they are unlikely to come up against, and teach them nothing about > dogs, which they are very likely to come into contact with. > I don't have a lot of use for people that put their dogs into untenable > situations, but I have even less use for parents who let their kids run > around in the presence of dogs. They are begging to get them hurt. > > William Robb > > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
