A dangerous dog .... always a dangerous dog , especially with owner down to one arm

[Saluki]

I think anybody that walks 5 of these dogs at once is a complete moron !

I am a dog walker and I wouldn't dream of walking 4 large dogs at a time, unless there were 2 of us and I was absolutely sure that I could control them. It's all about responsibility. Sadly a lot of these people who breed huge, powerful dogs sell them to people who want a status symbol.

No one should be allowed to walk more than 2 dogs at one time IMHO

That would put me out of business. It would also make walking my own dogs tricky.
I have an unbelievably well trained Parson's Terrier, a well behaved Greyhound, a pretty well behaved puppy and a Jack Russell who can be awesome when she feels like it. She's only about 5kg so she is unlikely to get away from me when she barks at the Retriever across the road.

I agree that people should only walk dogs that they can control. We see a kid walking 2 German Shepherds in our new area. That worries me as that kid is about 6 stone wet through, about 12 years old and they are big GSDs. Well behaved though but I'm not sure that my Dad would have let me walk 2 at that age.

 

[User6179]

I am a dog walker and I wouldn't dream of walking 4 large dogs at a time, unless there were 2 of us and I was absolutely sure that I could control them. It's all about responsibility. Sadly a lot of these people who breed huge, powerful dogs sell them to people who want a status symbol.


That would put me out of business. It would also make walking my own dogs tricky.
I have an unbelievably well trained Parson's Terrier, a well behaved Greyhound, a pretty well behaved puppy and a Jack Russell who can be awesome when she feels like it. She's only about 5kg so she is unlikely to get away from me when she barks at the Retriever across the road.

I agree that people should only walk dogs that they can control. We see a kid walking 2 German Shepherds in our new area. That worries me as that kid is about 6 stone wet through, about 12 years old and they are big GSDs. Well behaved though but I'm not sure that my Dad would have let me walk 2 at that age.

The thing I would worry about if I was walking 3 or more dogs is if another dog attacked one of them you would have to sit and watch or let the other dogs loose to intervene which could make the situation worse .

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I would restrict it by weight as well , 2 ten stone mastiffs with a 10 stone owner cant say he is ever in control of them !

I walk a 14 stone Irish Wolf Hound. I'm 10 stone. Sometimes I will get people complaining that I don't have him on a lead... I ask them what use they think a lead is in a 14 :10 stone pulling match. control of the dogs is not via the use of a lead or their weight. It is by authority and being the pack leader. If I tell the Irish Wolf Hound I walk no then no it is and he obeys (as have all of the other dogs I have dog sat for). The same applies to any other dogs stupid enough to try to attack him (and there is one stupid enough to try regularly) and believe me, when I tell that dog "no, away" it goes with its tail between its legs. The guy who walks the pack that this dog is in does not have control of them at all (on or off the lead - it makes no difference). I don't tolerate out of control dogs, but I also can't stand people who can't control their dogs. It is not always the dog that is the problem.**

As for the original incident that cause the guy to loose him arm, it is reported that the 2 American Bulldogs were startled/scared by fireworks.

Mr Potts had been walking two of his American bulldogs down Priors Grange when – apparently startled by fireworks - the dogs turned on him.

How sensible it was to take 5 of them out for a walk with only 1 arm is another matter entirely because he clearly does not have full control by authority, but the issues seem to have been centred around a Staffordshire Bull Terrier which was attacked, and people injured intervening in that fight. From elsewhere in the article it is clear he is a dog breeder with 14 of these dogs.

Whilst American Bulldogs are not a banned breed in the UK, they are banned in a number of countries around the world including quite a few states in the USA.


**Incidentally, for those not knowing (few I know), I have been on the wrong end of a serious dog attack (a pack of 5) that left both myself and my husband injured and me needing over +100 stitches to a leg wound, a severed major artery, severed major nerve and punctured major vein...

 

[Crackle]

[QUOTE 3342776, member: 9609"]How awful - big dogs / little dogs, were you on the bike?

I had a bizarre incident a few years back on a remote Scottish Hill (see the second last picture here) Nothing much happened in the end but I was confronted by a pack of about a dozen scotty dogs all intent on blood. it could have ended in my all time comedy moment - hard man of the hills savaged to death by wild scotties!. but seriously it did get pretty frightening, all attacking from different directions. It was difficult to get a proper kick at them in the heather - never seen anyone with them.[/QUOTE]
I don't think they're Scotties, I think they're Haggis.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

[QUOTE 3342776, member: 9609"]How awful - big dogs / little dogs, were you on the bike?[/QUOTE]

if you are feeling brave, not squeamish or faint of heart, or recently having eaten... then this is the morning of the attack.... BUT - it comes with a health warning - some of the pictures are not nice (though never the inside of the wound, just afterwards and subsequent infections, etc). The next page is the attack and the following pages the recovery. But it ended our world tour and 2.5 years on I still can not walk far, but can cycle (though still have issues with the leg with it needing regular care and colder months cause more issues because I can't feel rather a lot of the leg now and can't tell when it is cold etc). This year has seen my first completed tour since the attack.

 

[User6179]

[QUOTE 3342776, member: 9609"]How awful - big dogs / little dogs, were you on the bike?

I had a bizarre incident a few years back on a remote Scottish Hill (see the second last picture here) Nothing much happened in the end but I was confronted by a pack of about a dozen scotty dogs all intent on blood. it could have ended in my all time comedy moment - hard man of the hills savaged to death by wild scotties!. but seriously it did get pretty frightening, all attacking from different directions. It was difficult to get a proper kick at them in the heather - never seen anyone with them.[/QUOTE]

That's the famous wild Scottie dogs of Ben Hope

 

[User6179]

if you are feeling brave, not squeamish or faint of heart, or recently having eaten... then this is the morning of the attack.... BUT - it comes with a health warning - some of the pictures are not nice (though never the inside of the wound, just afterwards and subsequent infections, etc). The next page is the attack and the following pages the recovery. But it ended our world tour and 2.5 years on I still can not walk far, but can cycle (though still have issues with the leg with it needing regular care and colder months cause more issues because I can't feel rather a lot of the leg now and can't tell when it is cold etc). This year has seen my first completed tour since the attack.

That's horrendous , am glad your still here to tell the tale
Never had a large powerful dog attack me but would imagine there is a real fear for your life in such a situation .

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

but would imagine there is a real fear for your life in such a situation

you don't have time for fear - fighting for your life takes all of your attention and there was no doubt that was what I was doing. Fear can come afterwards when you are still alive to reflect

 

[Saluki]

The thing I would worry about if I was walking 3 or more dogs is if another dog attacked one of them you would have to sit and watch or let the other dogs loose to intervene which could make the situation worse .

Most of the dogs I walk, I can scoop up into my arms. Also I am very aware of dog body language and would quite probably be able to head it off at the pass, so to speak.
If anything out there wants to have a pop at Hubster's JRT, they are bloody welcome as I know who'd be coming off worse and it wouldn't be that little cowbag.
To be honest, I've never had a real problem with a loose dog attacking any dogs that I've been walking while in Norfolk. Living in N Staffs was a different matter which is why we didn't offer the service. I did once just let go of my own dogs - who are obedient as I've taken the time to train them properly - and grabbed a Staffordshire Bull Terrier who was hell bent on starting a scrap. The woman owner was about as much use as a chocolate fireguard and just flapped about like an idiot. I was able to snatch the lead off her and get her dog under control while my dogs sat nicely and watched me. I suggested that she walk in the opposite direction and train the damn dog.

A lot of the time, it's operator error but there are some dogs out there that will have a go at others whatever training they are given. There are bad dogs out there, just as there are bad people.

 

[cnb]

Anyone commenting on posts like this and complaining about dogs is on to a loser...Close to where i live an old colliery site was turned into a country park and a very nice job they have made..Lovely to walk,run or cycle round..But as the years have passed its turned into a dog walking park and most people seem to have at least three dogs..Its basically a no go area for me now..I have lost count the amount of times that i have had bother with our four legged friends and their owners/everything from you shouldn't be running round here and one old lady shouting how she hated bike people(i was on way home from work at the time when her dogs decided they didn't like bike people either)..I once approached the parks officials and was told they had lots of complaints but could do nothing about it..If a dog worries sheep i believe it can be shot..Not so if it worries people..Something wrong there ..

 

[Accy cyclist]

The girl in Wigan stood no chance against a pack of caged un-walked badly treated dogs.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-24580312 Why keep dogs in such a way?,the owners must be very dumb or very cruel!
Cnb comments about there being at least three dogs in his/her area being walked at a time. This is happening more and more around here too. I take my little mutt out and on many an occasion i've had to pick him up as a pack of dogs being walked by two or three people approach him. I don't want them jumping up at me with the owners always shouting "oh they're alright ,they're friendly"! Friendly maybe but i don't want the f..kers jumping up at me..take it in you dumbf..ks!!

 

[swee'pea99]

[QUOTE 3342776, member: 9609"]How awful - big dogs / little dogs, were you on the bike?

I had a bizarre incident a few years back on a remote Scottish Hill (see the second last picture here) Nothing much happened in the end but I was confronted by a pack of about a dozen scotty dogs all intent on blood. it could have ended in my all time comedy moment - hard man of the hills savaged to death by wild scotties!. but seriously it did get pretty frightening, all attacking from different directions. It was difficult to get a proper kick at them in the heather - never seen anyone with them.[/QUOTE]
Wonderful pictures! Must admit it's hard not to smirk at the idea of a killer pack of feral scotties....