Why can't we just make these types of dogs illegal? ?:|

[i-need-a-martini]

A 49 year old jogger is lucky to be alive after being mauled by some loose American Staffordshires this week. He was so badly injured that the paramedics could see through his chest to his heart. One of the dogs didn't even let go of the mans torso when a passerby trying to help smashed the dog over the head with a concrete pot.

Here is the article: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/dog-owner-fined-four-months-before-jogger-attacked-20130527-2n6p8.html

Yes I know any dog could be feral if in the wrong hands or if it is neglected. And yes I know that the stats show that a significant number of reported dog incidences come from dogs other than the dangerous breeds.

BUT! The ones that do the most damage are the one that bite and hang on while doing the death shake. And those breeds are well known. In NSW by far the biggest rate of attack occurs from breeds such as the animals in the article. 

So why not just ban them?

And why oh why would any sane person think that this type of dog is an acceptable pet? Particularly if they have children?

[mugssy65]

On the news they are calling them American Staffies but to me they look like what are known as Ban Dogs, a cross between a pit bull and an English mastive they were certainly bigger than any Am Staff I have ever seen.

[i-need-a-martini]

My understanding of the breed is that the "American" in the Staffordshire Terrier is only a recent  split to differentiate between a larger breed (the AmStaff) and a slightly smaller breed (the Staffordshire Terrier).

Otherwise same pedigree and ancestry. And either way both have descended from the Pit Bull. Hence the same instincts including unpredictability. Same jaw line and muscle tone. Same high pain tolerance.

And whilst I appreciate these animals are very protective and loyal to their owners, therein lies part of the problem - they will become violent when there is a perception of a threat.

The fact is that these dogs were interbred in order to produce the very qualities that make them volatile and aggressive.

Which ones to ban? I think any that have the bloodline in them. Sadly I think it needs to be as simple as that.

BTW I wasn't saying that owners of these dogs were bottom of the foodchain. But I am sure you agree that a significant proportion of these dogs do end up with these types of people.

[polksaladallie]

On the news today a toddler bitten on the face by a rottweiler.  When will parents realise that young children and dogs do not belong together.

[print-stuff-and-things]

How will you decide what breed a dog is? DNA testing?

[viewmont1071]

How will you decide what breed a dog is? DNA testing?

I use the 'cat ingestion' test to verify breed and viciousness.

[i-need-a-martini]

How will you decide what breed a dog is? DNA testing?

You don't need DNA - the good thing about dogs is that you can already tell what breed they are just by looking at them. Thanks to the diligence of breeders all of their charactaristics are meticulously noted for us.

Wouldn't be too hard to make firm identifications.

[*mrgrizz*]

i held the lead for my sisters staffy today

we were at a park watching under 14 soccer GF.

was packed.

he sat at my feet. at least 20 kids under 5 would have walked over and patted him.

and at least 5 sat next to him and gave him a cuddle and stuck their finger in his ear

he just looked at them and went pfft, all the time while wagging his tail

oh and he licked 2

so please don't blame the breed.............blame the owner

[bright.ton42]

I love staffies -      over the park this morning one was waddling around with a pink bone in its mouth. So cute.  

[patchoo78]

People need to socialise their dogs.. You can't just stick a dog in the backyard where no one plays with it, and then expect it to know how to behave around humans.. Dogs are pack animals, they see you as the head of the pack; how do you think they feel when their pack master sticks them in a backyard tied to a tree? Staffies in particular are known for wanting to be as close as possible to their owner (My friend's Staffy X still thinks he's a lap dog)

[peelapotata]

I dont think banning a particular breed will help .... as then the breeding will go underground ... just like the puppy farms are doing ... people will still breed them to sell them to the people who shouldnt have dogs ...

my sister bred malamutes .... and has always had them inside with her kids ... no problems ever ... but Im not a fan ....but wouldnt ban them cos they are big and scary .... 

I have always had golden retrievers .... around my missy and other kids ... and they are the best ...gentle as anything and sooo loving ..

but .... there is always a but .... some dogs are not treated well and will snap ... and the whole thing is ... the OWNERS ... they are the ones to ban not the poor animals ... who are treated badly .... and then when an incident occurs everyone wants to animal put to sleep or banned .... knee jerk reaction ....

friends of mine have had staffies and they are the most loving of animals ... just want to be with their families ....

treat the dogs properly .... train them and spend time with them .,... there wont be a problem .... dont just ban a dog for the reason that some of the same breed have caused problems ... or you will find that anyone who doesnt like dogs ... will start getting them all banned  just because they can ....

next it will be cats .... **rolls eyes** ... I dont like cats ... but would never want them gone ... just because I dont like them ...