A woman in my neighborhood trains Golden Retrievers as guide dogs for the blind. She trains about half a dozen of them every year. She always brings them by my house to see if they can ignore my crazy dogs:-). Paul On Jan 31, 2007, at 10:54 PM, Bob Sullivan wrote:
> 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 >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
