One of the best ways of building up a dog's confidence is clicker training, it really does help them. Also mind games, an agility course in your garden, doesn't have to be anything special, just brush handles on things to make a jump, other things to walk under or through.

My very nervous dog is better kept away from visitors but she is allowed to see them through a gate, I prefer to protect my dog from people who think they know more about my dogs than I do. Nobody knows someone's dog better than their owner.

I have a friend who lives in the Malverns, she is a very good behaviourist and understands dogs, she needs to with her 6 is she far from you? I have learnt a lot from her, she is good at kicking my butt if I do something wrong as well.

You've had gentle darling dogs in the past and now you seem to have a not so gentle and definitely unpredictable dog.

I didn't know about the history. My opinion is TWOFOLD reading that.

It is up to YOU to make sure your dog is not a danger to ANYONE. Not up to anyone who meets or greets your dog to make sure they do not inadvertently or even belligerently 'spark it off'.

As for your brother 'threatening to punch the dog' well he didn't actually do it did he?

And if I was in a house with two of my kids and a dog bit me I think I might threaten to do a bit more than that!

I have 3 children, grown now, ONE of them was bitten by a dog - when he was five. That dog was put down the same day. I would not have been satisfied with anything less.

I've had 1 dog that was unpredictable - from Battersea. Growled in a very nasty way at my then 18 month old youngest son. Dog was put outside overnight and taken back to Battersea the next day.

As I said in my earlier post BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

I wouldn't want to be here describing the awful injuries that a big shaggy dog I rehomed from Battersea inflicted on my 18 month old baby. Much rather be relating how I took it back to Battersea the very next day.

Hi Freckles - I wish you the best of luck. We move mountains for our dogs.

I know some on here wouldn't like me to say - but I still believe your brother was out of line and put both you and your dog in an impossible situation.

Nevertheless I do think you need to seek specialised help as others have suggested and keep the dog confined when people visit.

Sandy

Hi

Firstly I thought this forum was about offering help & advice to fellow dog lovers/owners! Not slating them for trying to sort a situation out. However thanks to the positive & helpful ones.I would like to say that I am not holding or purposely missing information out. Unfortunately the story is not a short one & rather involved plus i have already posted with regards to the same dog & didn't want to repeat.

Well now it's been mentioned I seem to remember commending you for trying to help this dog and rehoming it with you and your hubby?

Just that when I read this thread I did not connect it with that. It did read as if it was a 'one off' occurrence. And it does make a difference if there is a 'history'. We are talking about a very big and powerful dog here.

You are of the opinion that because your brother has 'done stuff like this before' he is somehow at fault. But don't seem to be of the same opinion where the dog is concerned?

Hm so any dog that bites for whatever reason should be killed ???

I had two dogs, who were both attacked by toddlers when they were young, one was bitten by a toddler & the other had a craft knife stuck into his side. So if either of my dogs had bitten, they should have been killed at once according to you ? Luckily for the toddlers & their parents neither of my dogs bite, the first(a small Sheltie sized BC) because she was too traumatized & had a terrible fear of toddlers for the rest of her life & would wet herself when one got too near(like 12 feet or so)& the other(a very large male GSD)was under my total control because he was trained, e could easily have killed the toddler & of course it would have been him fault if he had, wouldn't it ?????? Perhaps I should have had the bitch put down just in case she ever attacked a toddler in the future out of fear ???

Anyone who tries to stare out a dog is a fool & gets whatever they deserve. Staring is a threat to a dog especially if done by a larger animal

Having said that this dog needs professional help & in the mean time avoidance is the best preventative option for her.

No I do not think TODDLERS who hurt dogs should be put down. Toddlers are not responsible legally for their actions. Dog OWNERS however are responsible for the actions of their DOGS.

I happen to think human children are actually higher in the overall scheme of things than dogs or any other animals.

The dog that attacked my then 5yr old son (a GSD) came out of nowhere, bit his FACE and ran off. He still bears the scar on his eyebrow down to his eyelid 30 yrs on. The scars on the inside of his MOUTH I assume have gone but the dog leapt and bit one side of his face - the top jaw coming down just missing his eye and the bottom jaw going inside his mouth gashing open his gums above his teeth.

And, it transpired, that there was a court case pending because this same dog had attacked another small child in the same vicinity, taking a chunk out of his calf and the owners STILL let it roam free? My child was lucky actually - he is 35 now but has just a facial scar to show for it. The other neighbourhood kid suffered permanent disability to that leg on account of his injuries.

And, at that time, we owned our own GSD - one of the best dogs I've ever known and I still miss her. But if she'd done that to anyone's child, mine or anyone else's - for no reason, I'd be of the same opinion.

And if the OP's dog had bitten a stranger she could now be embroiled in a court case, not just a disagreement with her brother. And it would of course result in MORE bad publicity for 'dangerous dogs'.

*I love all animals, but can't believe anyone would think a dog was more important than their own CHILD?

[QUOTE=freckles211;2703233]Hi

Firstly I thought this forum was about offering help & advice to fellow dog lovers/owners! Not slating them for trying to sort a situation out. However thanks to the positive & helpful ones.I would like to say that I am not holding or purposely missing information out. Unfortunately the story is not a short one & rather involved plus i have already posted with regards to the same dog & didn't want to repeat.[/QUOTE

totally agree,. hence im coming off site. good luck with your situation

Er nowhere I have I written that "Toddlers"who attack dogs should be put down, you however believe that ALL dogs that bite should be PTS-so if either of my dogs had defended themselves they should have died because the aggressor was a child ????????? I & my dogs should be punished because a human child, which, allegedly, is not legally responsible for it's actions commits a heinous act You've really lost me there, perhaps dogs & all other animals should be kept locked up away from children/adults in case they try to protect themselves from an attack ????

What about the link between children who abuse animals & subsequent escalation of the abuse to violence & murder of humans ???

Who made you the judge & jury with no regard to circumstance ?? Why should humans be placed above other animal life ? which other animal kills for fun, religion, politics etc etc Answer none only humans Humans are destroying the planet-animals aren't.

This lady came for help not to be told to kill her dog because of an incident in which the"victim"wasn't innocent.

Nowhere have I told 'this lady' she should kill her dog! Don't be ridiculous!

All I am saying is if the LAW deems a dog is dangerous to be put down. So be it.

I do not think any 'killer dogs' or dangerous dogs should be reprieved on account of some people thinking it is 'all the fault of the owner' even if it is.

And I am just issuing CAUTION. If you own a dog that is big and powerful enough to kill or maim and it has already demonstrated that it is aggressive and has bitten people on more than one occasion. Don't be complacent and blame the people it bit. Make quite sure it cannot ever bite anyone again.

What's your answer to the problem of aggressive dogs that bite people?