# How many times a day do you feed your dog(s)?



## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Just curious, I remember my nan fed hers once a day and my mother in law feeds her's 3 times...


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## pigglywiggly (Jul 19, 2008)

mines more than 4, keeps her blood sugar levels up and reduces her fits

plus she`s a spoilt little madam

:no1:


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

I have a german shepherd & she is fed twice a day, she is fed raw, (Barf)


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

the older one gets fed once, and the younger one gets fed twice


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Always been interested in barf diets... Also be interesting to hear what timne of day you feed your dogs, the inlaws feed theirs before the have their tea, which I can only see as a mistake. As well as in the morning and at lunch time.


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## sheldon&shelly (May 13, 2008)

i leave a complete dog food down all day alfie will just eat some when he wants


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## Kerriebaby (May 12, 2009)

why would feeding dog before having your own meal be a mistake?

I feed mine about three times a day, but that is not set in stone, they often have their meals whilst training. They are all fed raw and are fed before I eat


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

Kiera gets fed about 1hour after her walk, (she is a deep chested girlie so can't feed for a good while after a walk as that could cause bloat) so that is about 11ish also about 6.30pm.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Kerriebaby said:


> why would feeding dog before having your own meal be a mistake?
> 
> I feed mine about three times a day, but that is not set in stone, they often have their meals whilst training. They are all fed raw and are fed before I eat


Cos they're dogs, and as the leader of the pack, you should eat first.


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## x.froggy.x (Nov 24, 2008)

I always feed my dogs about 1 half an hour after they have been for their walk


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Cos they're dogs, and as the leader of the pack, you should eat first.


I'd love to know who makes all this tosh up.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Fixx said:


> I'd love to know who makes all this tosh up.


Meh. Just watch how they behave in the wild.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Fixx said:


> I'd love to know who makes all this tosh up.


Tend to agree with you there! I had dogs for years and always fed them first before the family without any problems at all whatsoever - BUT they were trained to accept me as head of the pack from being puppies and knew their place in the pack, so the feeding didn't make any difference.


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Meh. Just watch how they behave in the wild.


But domestic pet dogs are not wild, they are the result of tens of thousands of years of domestic breeding.


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## Kerriebaby (May 12, 2009)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Cos they're dogs, and as the leader of the pack, you should eat first.


 
Oh please, not this whole pack structure nonsense. 

I have three dogs, they are all allowed upstairs, on sofas/beds, eat before me, go through doors before me. The whole dominance theory was rubbish by the very same man who wrote it, sadly John Fisher died before he could re write his book. If you/or anyone else is happy with the way they feed/handle their dogs then great, if not seek professional help, but please no more dominance/pack structure. You are not a dog/wolf and your dog knows that


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Fixx said:


> But domestic pet dogs are not wild, they are the result of tens of thousands of years of domestic breeding.


I agree, but they still have their instincts and when put together will form a pack and behave like a pack. Knowing this (or thinking I know this ) I'd like to behave, as far as is practical, in the same way as a pack leader would, I beleive it helps the dog, with my uncle's dog she doesn't know her place in the houshold and is very skittish and panicky, looking after her fora week (and another to come) she has calmed down so much and doesn't feel like has to constantly follow us ect ect. Plus I like the Dog Whisperer lol. Let's agree to disagree, there will always be different ways of looking after animals.


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## Kerriebaby (May 12, 2009)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Meh. Just watch how they behave in the wild.


right, if you watch how wolves behave in the wild, then you really will not get anywhere with pet dogs...Wolves are wild animals, dogs have been living with humans for donkeys years. Have you ever actually watched a _truly _wild wolf pack?

FWIW, the wolves that they used to work out the dominance theory were not wild wolves, they were reared in captivity, and lived in captivity. So anything that was garnered from them is pretty much poo to both wolf experts and pet dogs


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## Trillian (Jul 14, 2008)

Usually just once in the morning but if there are any tidbits and scraps left over from the evening meal, I give her those as well. : victory:


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## Charlottie (Oct 4, 2008)

my uncle feeds his twice a day once when he gets up in the morning adn i think the second one is about tea time cant remember if its before or after


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

i feed them once a day, normally the same time i eat so they leave me alone.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I feed Blu twice a day.

And no, we dont eat first. And guess what. He's not dominant over us *shock, horror!*

An 82kg dane that knows his place without having to be forced into it!


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

My 11 dogs get fed about 1.00 and they get on the furniture and 8 sleep upstairs, some even sleep on or in the bed.:gasp: We treat them as family members too and we have never had a dominance problem. 
The dogs respect the family as we respect them and are always eager to please. Hmmmmm I must be doing something right


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

I wish people wouldn't be so rude and sarcastic. Great that everyone's dogs are happy, but please can you allow others to do their thing without stating your opinions as fact. Keep on topic now please.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

LiamRatSnake said:


> but please can you allow others to do their thing without stating your opinions as fact..


 
:whistling2:



LiamRatSnake said:


> Cos they're dogs, and as the leader of the pack, you should eat first.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Meko said:


> :whistling2:


I know, but I let it drop and I beleive it as fact, not my opinion. I wasn't rude or sarcastic.
EDIT: I'm more interested in the poll, not petty arguments.


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## oddsleepjunkie (Jul 11, 2009)

As and when they want, which explains why one's so fat!:devil:


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## mattym (Jul 17, 2009)

i feed my gwps and gsps once a day


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

I fill my Greyhounds bowl in the morning with the correct amount for a dog his size and he picks at it all through the day.

He eventually gets around to finishing it at about 7pm :lol2:


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## butterfingersbimbo (Jan 26, 2008)

Bean gets fed twice a day cos she's only got a tiny belly


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## sophs87 (Jan 25, 2009)

Emmy gets food left out all day, she eats when she wants


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## deerhound (Jul 19, 2009)

My Deerhound gets fed around tea time. He goes out to eat his whilst we are in eating ours. Then he has a good run later on in the evening. If we are leaving him alone for the day then he will have a big meaty bone for the day but he dont usually start this until we get home !


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## ami_j (Jan 6, 2007)

once a day and occasionally twice a day when he helps himself to food :devil::lol2:


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Cos they're dogs, and as the leader of the pack, you should eat first.


 

EXACTLY..........................THEY ARE BELOW YOU. I keep telling my OH this............but im sure he feeds them first just to pee me off..........i tell him every time he does it, to feed them after us, but he is just a dick.
we already had a problem with the doberman and my 10yr old son, because the doby thinks he is above my son. i got ny son to feed the doby every night for 2 weeks, and t pretend to eat the dog food and then just throw ( not literally) the bowl on the floor for the dog., this was because the doby bit my son on the back of his head (nasty bite), they were playing but the dby was telling my son that he was boss.
the doby is a big dog, and very strong....... my OH JUST DOESNT REALISE, THAT it could have been a lot more serious. its just dripped down near his ear, but it had to be glued, it was a 2 inch bite.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I'm shocked that someone would think letting their kids feed a dog after it bit them like that was a good idea :gasp:

I hope you employed a good behaviourist to help you through this. Had that been my dog, I would have considered rehoming him or putting him to sleep, a dog doesn't bite like that because it's "dominant", dominant dogs have nothing to prove.


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

The fact that you are letting a child feed a dog with food aggression AND the dog has bitten your child on the head AND you still continue to tell the child to feed the dog AND you then post pictures of it on a forum...:bash:

Words fail me!


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

Muze said:


> The fact that you are letting a child feed a dog with food aggression AND the dog has bitten your child on the head AND you still continue to tell the child to feed the dog AND you then post pictures of it on a forum...:bash:
> 
> Words fail me!


 read the post..........................who said the dog had food aggresion........................:whistling2:


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

LisaLQ said:


> I'm shocked that someone would think letting their kids feed a dog after it bit them like that was a good idea :gasp:
> 
> I hope you employed a good behaviourist to help you through this. Had that been my dog, I would have considered rehoming him or putting him to sleep, a dog doesn't bite like that because it's "dominant", dominant dogs have nothing to prove.


its was a great idea................now the dog knows he not dominant over my son., he was pushing it, like they all do.the dog now knows that he is not top dog.................................he knows we all come first, he is way down in the pack. he is 100% better now with my son.:2thumb:


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

A dominant dog doesn't need to attack anyone, because he's confident and doesn't feel threatened.

This is why people shouldn't play with things they dont understand. I hope your son isn't bitten again, but I think it likely he will be. Or someone else who isn't as understanding (a visitor, someone else's child, someone who WILL prosecute and want him put to sleep).


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## *H* (Jun 17, 2007)

I fill their bowls in the morning about 10, they'll have quite abit then, then I'll top them up again and probably re-top evening time. After their initial eat in the morning, they just go and help themselves through-out the day, with another main eat while we are eating (there choice to eat then). They are on dried complete and there is 3 of them.


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

mandi1234 said:


> its was a great idea................now the dog knows he not dominant over my son., he was pushing it, like they all do.the dog now knows that he is not top dog.................................he knows we all come first, he is way down in the pack. he is 100% better now with my son.:2thumb:


Sorry but my child comes first and there is no way i would get my son to feed a dog that has taken a bite out of his head.:whistling2:

The dog should be taken to a dog behaviourist/trainer after an incident like that. If it was my dog it would not set foot in my house again.


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

harry has a bowl of dry food out all day so has what he wants when he wants

i know if i had kids and he ever bit one hed be gone, i know it sounds harsh but kids go first


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## SilverSteno (Feb 12, 2006)

Tai gets fed once in the afternoon after our big walk and she will eat a bit at a time rather than wolf it down all at once. She never touches her food until the afternoon hence I don't put her food down earlier. I don't bother making her wait until after I've eaten (though she occassionally gets some leftovers from our meal). Sometimes her food goes down before I eat, sometimes it doesn't, I don't think it makes any difference to her.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

my dogs are fed ad-lib. The kibble is put into a big hopper and they help themselves whenever they want.


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## dusty cricket (May 5, 2009)

my two small dogs are fed once a day, 6 days a week. the remaining day of the week they aren't fed and this is so they take from their fat reserves. 

just as wild dogs would live.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

dusty cricket said:


> my two small dogs are fed once a day, 6 days a week. the remaining day of the week they aren't fed and this is so they take from their fat reserves.
> 
> just as wild dogs would live.


 In the wild, dogs eat when they catch prey. In the wild, they might eat every day. In the wild, dogs don't live as long as domestic dogs do. In the wild, when they catch prey they gorge themselves until they are nearly at bursting point, so don't need food the next day. 
Presumably you measure out their daily ration, so not feeding for one day a week will only mean they go hungry.
When dogs go hungry, it increases the chance of them developing food aggression.
So please don't quote what they do in the wild unless you are chucking a whole carcase for them once a week to gorge on, then gnaw the bones for the next few days, just as they do in the wild.
I for one cannot see why anyone would leave their dog huungry for one day in the week, based on some cock-eyed idea about what wild dogs do.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Muze said:


> Sorry but my child comes first and there is no way i would get my son to feed a dog that has taken a bite out of his head.:whistling2:
> 
> The dog should be taken to a dog behaviourist/trainer after an incident like that. If it was my dog it would not set foot in my house again.


she did say they were *playing* when it happened, so the feeding was to show the dog that the lad was higher up the pecking order than the dog.


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## adamntitch (Jun 17, 2007)

once a day here aswell altho no set time he usaly asks when hes wanting fed by running to the kithen (sp) and then bk to me over and over again


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## dusty cricket (May 5, 2009)

thankyou for your opinion - you are entitled to it.

as you can see we all look after our dogs differently. 

mine don't eat rubbishy tv advertised dog food, they eat a good food with a good meat percentage and its measured correctly. they don't eat human food or doggie junk food. on their day off from dog food, they finish their pigs ears, cows ears and all the other treats that they've buried in the couches and hidden all over the house so that i can give them new ones through the following week. 

they are happy and healthy. they have their teeth brushed once weekly and are loved to bits although treated like dogs and not humans.

hope that clears things up.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

It always makes me smile when people say "like they do in the wild". Ive never seen a wild pack of domestic dogs that live like wolves do. Just imagine being chased by a pack of hungry Chihuahuas or labradors:lol2:


I could never feed myself and leave my dogs with a day of no food, mine dont need to burn off fat reserves so I never see the point in this exercise. Each to their own I suppose


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

I find it very sad that anyone would get rid (have PTS) their pet dog if it bit their child. Dogs don't bite for no reason. Ergo, if a child gets bitten, there was a reason for the bite so why not work on it to ensure you have a trustworthy family pet? Let's be perfectly clear here, if a dog bites a child, or any member of the family, there is no other option but death. Rescues won't accept a biter, nobody would actively want a dog which was a biter, so because of some failing in the training of dog or child, the dog dies. I consider this very unfair.
My dog bit my son who was aged 3 at the time, on his ear. Upshot was my dog had a sore ear, plus a sore behind when I slapped him for going under the table to mither the dog who had a bone, despite my telling him he was to leave the dog alone while he ate it, in his bed, in the corner of the room, out of the way under the table.
Having the dog put to sleep never entered my mind.


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## dusty cricket (May 5, 2009)

you summed it up in one. EACH TO THEIR OWN.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> It always makes me smile when people say "like they do in the wild". Ive never seen a wild pack of domestic dogs that live like wolves do. Just imagine being chased by a pack of hungry Chihuahuas or labradors:lol2:
> 
> 
> I could never feed myself and leave my dogs with a day of no food, mine dont need to burn off fat reserves so I never see the point in this exercise. Each to their own I suppose


 Hahaha Shell. Don't knock it untill you try it. Picture me with a bucket full of milk, fresh from the goats, and all my little chihuahuas chasing me down the garden hoping I'll spill some. Little wolves the lot of them. One is called Foxy mind.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> Hahaha Shell. Don't knock it untill you try it. Picture me with a bucket full of milk, fresh from the goats, and all my little chihuahuas chasing me down the garden hoping I'll spill some. Little wolves the lot of them. One is called Foxy mind.


 
:lol2: Pam Im talking about normally:whistling2: Imagine visiting one of the large forests and getting hunted down by the little buggers

Maybe you should Alpha roll the little monsters in case they take advantage of you Ha Ha


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Shell195 said:


> :lol2: Pam Im talking about normally:whistling2: Imagine visiting one of the large forests and getting hunted down by the little buggers
> 
> Maybe you should Alpha roll the little monsters in case they take advantage of you Ha Ha


 I don't think I could bend down low enough to alpha roll the little so and so's. My poor back you know. Perhaps I can train them to alpha roll themselves on command hahaha.
If I owned a dachsund, would it become a sausage roll I wonder?


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## Kerriebaby (May 12, 2009)

Lets not forget Ladies, that all those dogs (and cats) who eat raw meat are gonna be evil!

Just read back, and seen the bite from the Dobie. I sincerely hope that the poster got some damn good help from a damn good behaviourist.


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## gnipper (Feb 13, 2007)

Kerriebaby said:


> Lets not forget Ladies, that all those dogs (and cats) who eat raw meat are gonna be evil!


I hope your joking:whistling2:

Mine get fed once a day, sometimes (not every week) I won't feed them for a day, this isn't due to 'what they do in the wild' its something I was told a long time ago by someone who reckoned it gives them a day to flush out their systems. Its what I do and i'm not interested in what other peoples opinions are on it, my dogs are healthy and happy so i'll carry on the way I do things.


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> I find it very sad that anyone would get rid (have PTS) their pet dog if it bit their child. Dogs don't bite for no reason. Ergo, if a child gets bitten, there was a reason for the bite so why not work on it to ensure you have a trustworthy family pet? Let's be perfectly clear here, if a dog bites a child, or any member of the family, there is no other option but death. Rescues won't accept a biter, nobody would actively want a dog which was a biter, so because of some failing in the training of dog or child, the dog dies. I consider this very unfair.
> My dog bit my son who was aged 3 at the time, on his ear. Upshot was my dog had a sore ear, plus a sore behind when I slapped him for going under the table to mither the dog who had a bone, despite my telling him he was to leave the dog alone while he ate it, in his bed, in the corner of the room, out of the way under the table.
> Having the dog put to sleep never entered my mind.


Sorry my son is more precious than any animal ever will be to me. End of. 

The dog has attacked a child i would not be able to have that on my conscience should it attack another.

We arent talking about a nip here, the boy had to have his head glued.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

gnipper said:


> I hope your joking:whistling2:
> 
> Mine get fed once a day, sometimes (not every week) I won't feed them for a day, this isn't due to 'what they do in the wild' its something I was told a long time ago by someone who reckoned it gives them a day to flush out their systems. Its what I do and i'm not interested in what other peoples opinions are on it, my dogs are healthy and happy so i'll carry on the way I do things.


 So you were interested in enough in an opinion of someone who subscribed to some odd old fashioned idea, but won't listen to any other opinion.
Do you also fast for 24 hours to flush the toxins out of your system? I bet there are more of them in your body than in the dog's.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Muze said:


> Sorry my son is more precious than any animal ever will be to me. End of.
> 
> The dog has attacked a child i would not be able to have that on my conscience should it attack another.
> 
> We arent talking about a nip here, the boy had to have his head glued.


that is narrow minded. Are you saying that you get a pet and only keep it as long as all is perfect? The dog has no rights at all? One bite means you kill the dog?


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

Yep...call me names if you like, but i am not gonna be responsible for a child dying thanks

And im sat in a room full of of people who have kept/keep dogs and their view is the same as mine.


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## fenwoman (Apr 15, 2008)

Muze said:


> Yep...call me names if you like, but i am not gonna be responsible for a child dying thanks
> 
> And im sat in a room full of of people who have kept/keep dogs and their view is the same as mine.


eh? I am not name calling. Where did I call you a name in my post? As for being responsible for a child dying. More than a tad melodramatic don't you think?
Who's child has died?
In fact, I imagine statisics would show that a child is more likely to die from the first proper attack. Certainly, my son was never bitten again and I think the poster with the photo said that their dog never bit again.
Do you drive? If so why? More children die because they are hit by cars than from dog bites so why risk a child dying when it runs in front of your car?
If a dog bites a child, I would think that there would be a damn good reason why the dog bit the child and it would not necessarily be the dog's fault, so does a dog have to die because of not being properly trained or the child being allowed to maul him or not being taught to respect the dog.
There is no way I would have considered for an instant killing my dog Jasper when he bit my son. indeed, from then to when I had to have him pts aged 16, he never bit my son again. Because my son learned the hard way to leave him in peace when he was eating his treat. It cost him a sore ear and a sore bum but the lesson was learned in one. What sort of dog owner would I have been to have taken the dog to be killed when it clearly wasn't his fault?
When I get a dog, it's for life, through good times and bad times.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Muze said:


> Yep...call me names if you like, but i am not gonna be responsible for a child dying thanks
> 
> And im sat in a room full of of people who have kept/keep dogs and their view is the same as mine.


 
lets hope your kid(s) don't bite anybody then.


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Years ago my friends son got bitten by one of her Cavaliers. She couldnt understand what had happened as Cavs are usually so friendly so she hid round the corner and watched. The dog got on the furniture and her son pulled her off by her ears. I dont think he sat down properly for a few days. Naughty child.
People are very quick to blame the dog when in fact there is usually a reason for it. I am talking pet dogs here not badly socialised guard dogs


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

I own a german shepherd, i can empty a field full of "dog lovers" as easy as walking into it, predudice is a terrible thing.
Most dogs will only bite if they have to, not through choice,it is nearly always the childs or persons fault, now i'm not saying this applies everytime, there are always a rouge dog, person or any other animal out there, but there is always a reason. On this occasion it was the childs fault, (please don't think i am getting at the op who's dog it was, because i'm not) my girl, Kiera is the most loving dog there could every be, but she is a big dog & could do a lot of damage if she wanted to, same as most dogs could.

Kiera is fed raw meat, (no the mith isn't true, about a dog that is fed raw meat is wild & viscous) it is a natural diet for dogs & cats, (yes you can feed cats a raw diet) my girl is very healthy, shiney coat & very clean white teeth, she is 6 years old, i do understand that this diet isn't for everyone, it take a lot of reserch before you start, finding a butcher to supply you with the right sort of bones & meat isn't easy either, as you can't give the dog any sort of bone. I had a very good friend help me, she has written a book on the raw feeding of dogs.
Sorry this is a long post.
Marg.
This is my opinion, so please don't jump at me, i don't want to affend any one, sorry if i have.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Nevermind lol


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## animal addict (Jun 1, 2008)

I feed my dog twice a day - if she was free fed I think she would eat until she bursts and would be the size of a house :lol2:

on the biting thing - I agree that it isnt always the dogs fault - my grans GSD bit my face when I was a child and I nearly lost an eye and I look like I have had cleft palate but he was a new rescue - previous owner starved him and teased it with food and because he came charging towards me when I went to put his food bowl down I must have hesitated and he went for me - twasnt his fault - maybe human error on my grandparents part letting me feed him but as a kid you want to do these things dont you - my grandparents dealt with him/his behaviour and he never bit again and he died of old age a few years ago - my old corgi wouldnt go for anything or anyone but snapped at my baby sister because she pulled her ears really bad - children esp youngsters shouldnt be around dogs unsupervised or do anything with them- they dont know that grabbing their fur/ears/tail etc so hard is painful to the dog- you can only expect them to turn in that circumstance


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

animal addict said:


> I feed my dog twice a day - if she was free fed I think she would eat until she bursts and would be the size of a house :lol2:
> 
> on the biting thing - I agree that it isnt always the dogs fault - my grans GSD bit my face when I was a child and I nearly lost an eye and I look like I have had cleft palate but he was a new rescue - previous owner starved him and teased it with food and because he came charging towards me when I went to put his food bowl down I must have hesitated and he went for me - twasnt his fault - maybe human error on my grandparents part letting me feed him but as a kid you want to do these things dont you - my grandparents dealt with him/his behaviour and he never bit again and he died of old age a few years ago - my old corgi wouldnt go for anything or anyone but snapped at my baby sister because she pulled her ears really bad - *children esp youngsters shouldnt be around dogs unsupervised or do anything with them- they dont know that grabbing their fur/ears/tail etc so hard is painful to the dog- you can only expect them to turn in that circumstance*


Exactly.:notworthy: Use common sense lol.


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

filardimarg2 said:


> I own a german shepherd, i can empty a field full of "dog lovers" as easy as walking into it, predudice is a terrible thing.
> Most dogs will only bite if they have to, not through choice,it is nearly always the childs or persons fault, now i'm not saying this applies everytime, there are always a rouge dog, person or any other animal out there, but there is always a reason. On this occasion it was the childs fault, (please don't think i am getting at the op who's dog it was, because i'm not) my girl, Kiera is the most loving dog there could every be, but she is a big dog & could do a lot of damage if she wanted to, same as most dogs could.
> 
> Kiera is fed raw meat, (no the mith isn't true, about a dog that is fed raw meat is wild & viscous) it is a natural diet for dogs & cats, (yes you can feed cats a raw diet) my girl is very healthy, shiney coat & very clean white teeth, she is 6 years old, i do understand that this diet isn't for everyone, it take a lot of reserch before you start, finding a butcher to supply you with the right sort of bones & meat isn't easy either, as you can't give the dog any sort of bone. I had a very good friend help me, she has written a book on the raw feeding of dogs.
> ...


 correct, their is ALWAYS a reason for a dog bite....................my son was playing with the dog, no doubt winding it up. so the dog bit him to tell him to get off., (fair enough imo), i certainly would not consider having the dog put down, as some people sugested. lol


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

:lol2:


Meko said:


> lets hope your kid(s) don't bite anybody then.


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## Erinaceinae (Mar 26, 2007)

weetabix and milk for breakfast,
dry food and chappie for tea, generally before we eat as they can't hold in their excitement for long enough to wait for us


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I think there's a difference between a warning nip or snap and a bite resulting in a severe head wound.

And I think it's unfair to say that dogs who bite would be put to sleep by all rescues.  Because it's absolute rubbish. Some rescues might, and to be fair in many situations it might be the kinder option.

But if my dog bit my child (and by bite I mean a proper bite, as my daughter has had a warning snap no harm done kind of bite and she learnt from it) and _wounded_ my child, they would be out of the house quicker than you could say "fluffy dog lovers who'd keep their dog even if it killed their kid". Which is pretty darn quick. No animal is worth more than my children.

I know that'll get the fluffies knickers in a twist, but there's plenty of childless homes out there who can offer dogs homes. If a dog is not child friendly, it should not be with children. Or it should at least be assessed by a trained behaviourist, and not have it's problem fixed by the child concerned!


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

fenwoman said:


> eh? I am not name calling. Where did I call you a name in my post? As for being responsible for a child dying. More than a tad melodramatic don't you think?
> Who's child has died?
> In fact, I imagine statisics would show that a child is more likely to die from the first proper attack. Certainly, my son was never bitten again and I think the poster with the photo said that their dog never bit again.
> Do you drive? If so why? More children die because they are hit by cars than from dog bites so why risk a child dying when it runs in front of your car?
> ...


Closed minded i think you called me...i dont think i have resorted to jumping to these sorts of accusations with you, but i have noticed you seem to like arguing.

No i dont drive, im not allowed to due to epilepsy, so that makes your comparison pretty weak.

None of my dogs(and i have had a fair few) have EVER bitten my son, the dogs AND my son have both been brought up correctly. Therefore if it happened in my house it would not be acceptable behaviour from the dogs.

Again i will say a child is more important that a dog.

And no amount of arguing, shouting and belittling will ever change my mind


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

LisaLQ said:


> I think there's a difference between a warning nip or snap and a bite resulting in a severe head wound.
> 
> And I think it's unfair to say that dogs who bite would be put to sleep by all rescues. Because it's absolute rubbish. Some rescues might, and to be fair in many situations it might be the kinder option.
> 
> ...


Thank you...someone with exactly the same thoughts as me :notworthy: :notworthy:


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

Muze said:


> Closed minded i think you called me...i dont think i have resorted to jumping to these sorts of accusations with you, but i have noticed you seem to like arguing.
> 
> No i dont drive, im not allowed to due to epilepsy, so that makes your comparison pretty weak.
> 
> ...



im with you on this and agree to the above re the dogs being rehomed in houses without kids.

I never mentioned pts, just out the house, i know several childless couples who would gladly take my dog if he ever bit one of my nephews however they have both been brought up with respect for dogs and wont pull them about, and when i have children, which wont be too long they will be brought up with respect too.

When i was a child i never pulled our dog about ad neither did our brother and we never had any issues. I know a lot of rehome centres will rehome dogs to familys with either teen kids or no kids if the dog isnt suitable with children.

I only agree with dogs being pts if they do cause big damage, think of all the chavs who have these dogs to look hard and have them 'trained' or as i call it bullied into agressive behaviour, they dont know no better however the damage they can cause is unreal. If i was out with my nephews and one of those dogs mauled them id not only batter the owners first before calling the police but id ensure the dog is taken away and dealt with


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

Elsa,
"weetabix and milk for breakfast,"
A dog should never have milk after it has been weaned, unless you've got a pup, it can't brake down the lactose in it, will in time give the dog the runs.
Marg.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

filardimarg2 said:


> Elsa,
> "weetabix and milk for breakfast,"
> A dog should never have milk after it has been weaned, unless you've got a pup, it can't brake down the lactose in it, will in time give the dog the runs.
> Marg.


I was just about to post this response when I read that Elsa's post. Adult animals of any species cannot properly digest milk.


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## butterfingersbimbo (Jan 26, 2008)

dogs bite for a reason, usually they have been put in a position where they feel threatened and cannot get away.


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

mandi1234 said:


> correct, their is ALWAYS a reason for a dog bite....................my son was playing with the dog, no doubt winding it up. so the dog bit him to tell him to get off., (fair enough imo), i certainly would not consider having the dog put down, as some people sugested. lol


 
So, your dog did what someone might consider natural behaviour for dog, and you think it is down to the dog thinking it is above your son in the 'pack'. 

Your dog clearly hasn't got any bit inhibition, as if it did, the likelyhood of your child getting bitten to that extent, for whatever reason, is extremely low. My husband and oldest child (others are too young) 'roughhouse' with all our dogs, and although the dogs are allowed to put their teeth on people and 'bite', because they have great bite inhibition they know they cannot bite down, and it is because of this, and because no matter how wound up they get, that if we stop and say 'sit', they will instantly do so and cease the play, that is even if all three are play fighting with someoneone, so someone might be inclined to say they are more likely to behave like a pack. 

Preventing your child from play fighting with the dog, or teaching the dog good bite inhibition would likely be far more effective than attempting to teach your dog you are pack leader or that your son ranks above him in the pack by feeding him.


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

LisaLQ said:


> I think there's a difference between a warning nip or snap and a bite resulting in a severe head wound.
> 
> And I think it's unfair to say that dogs who bite would be put to sleep by all rescues. Because it's absolute rubbish. Some rescues might, and to be fair in many situations it might be the kinder option.
> 
> ...


 
To be honest, I usually agree with you, and in practical terms it is highly unlikely I would ever have a dog who might bite my children, as I usually get dogs as puppies and they are well trained, and my children are taught how to respect and interact with dogs. 

However, I couldn't guarantee that any of my dogs wouldnt' feelt he need to bite a child if they 'abused' them, despite the fact I know 100% they have no temprement problem, but they have never been taught to accept being subjected to being climbed on or 'mauled' by a child. For that very reason, I declined my friends kind offer to look after my dogs when I go on holiday, as how her children haven't been bitten by her own dogs is beyond me, as they constantly torment them, and that just tells me that dogs in general are far better natured than we think. 

Anyway, even if you have a child and a dog that bites, it is entirely possible to keep them both seperate and to accomodate both properly, and thus ensure no children were bitten. If one o fmy children started causing trouble and being aggressive to a sibling (they wouldn't, I'd liek to add) I wouldn't 'get rid' of them, nor would I get rid of a problem dog.

However, I do think there is a huge difference between a dog biting once in certain circumstances, as in biting an dletting go, than a dog that bites more than once, or a dog that 'attacks' a child.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I completely agree about horrible children. I think as much training needs to go into your kids as your dog - my children know never to approach a dog without adult permission and supervision, never to feed a dog, never to play with the dog, take anything off a dog, go near their bed etc. My children wouldn't dare pet the dog without my permission let alone tug on an ear (which I would never allow).

The only time my children have ever come near to being bitten was - once with Sky, when my daughter sat on the sofa and didn't realise Sky was there and sat on her (LOL) - she got a warning snap (no connection, just a crocodile snap), and she learnt to check before she sat down and not go near a dog when it's sleeping. Sky's now passed on, but we had lots of respect for her - she wasn't what I'd call kid friendly, but she would never ever bite one of ours - as she knew that a warning would do. Dogs who bite have learnt that a warning bark or snap doesn't work - and to go straight onto actual physical harm - and that is a bad sign. If your dog does this, it is incredibly hard to reverse, and pack ranking "theory" is more likely to do harm than good - indeed, it's most likely to have caused it!

Blu's warning snap was when he had a sore ear, and he was fed up of the noise of several guests at Christmas. We learned that he doesn't cope well when fenced in, and to give him more space. I suspect if we'd got one of our kids to feed him, poke him, roll him or otherwise try and prove their "dominance" over him, he'd not learn anything other than how to progress to biting.

I dont believe in pack rank theory - most dogs are not stupid and do not think we're dogs. Also blaming bad behaviour on dominance is ridiculous, dominant dogs dont need to bite anyone or prove anything. It's a fearful or stressed dog that does that - one who is feeling threatened.

Which is why I think teaching your kids, after they've been bitten seriously by a dog, to force their superiority over it is asking for more trouble. I sincerely hope the child isn't bitten again, but if you continue to make your dog fearful of it, it's inevitable.


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

LisaLQ said:


> I completely agree about horrible children. I think as much training needs to go into your kids as your dog - my children know never to approach a dog without adult permission and supervision, never to feed a dog, never to play with the dog, take anything off a dog, go near their bed etc. My children wouldn't dare pet the dog without my permission let alone tug on an ear (which I would never allow).
> 
> The only time my children have ever come near to being bitten was - once with Sky, when my daughter sat on the sofa and didn't realise Sky was there and sat on her (LOL) - she got a warning snap (no connection, just a crocodile snap), and she learnt to check before she sat down and not go near a dog when it's sleeping. Sky's now passed on, but we had lots of respect for her - she wasn't what I'd call kid friendly, but she would never ever bite one of ours - as she knew that a warning would do. Dogs who bite have learnt that a warning bark or snap doesn't work - and to go straight onto actual physical harm - and that is a bad sign. If your dog does this, it is incredibly hard to reverse, and pack ranking "theory" is more likely to do harm than good - indeed, it's most likely to have caused it!
> 
> ...


I agree entirely. 

Too many people think that growling, for example, is a display of dominance, or aggression, when it is merely a way for the dog to communicate. Hence, the dog gets tol doff for growling, and eventually stops growling, and is then a ticking time bomb waiting to go off...


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## filardimarg2 (Nov 6, 2008)

"my children know never to approach a dog without adult permission"
Said LisaLQ.
Most people would be so surprised how often children come & stroke Kiera, (GSD) without asking me if they can, just run up to us & stroke her, as it happens, she loves children, but they or their parents don't know that, they could be bitten but who's fault would the parents say that was, they would blame my dog & the outcome of that could well be that Kiera had to be PTS, through no fault of her own. By the time i had Kiera, both my children had left home, so she hasn't been brought up with children around her, as a pup we used to stand outside the school gates to see & hear the kiddies & she loved it, but mothers used to ask me to go away, "it's to big to be near my child" they used to say, but as a tiny pup they loved her to be there. Off topic, but there is so much predudice out there for my breed & most big dogs.


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

There's people out there like that with anything bigger than a cocker spaniel - we used to have parents drag their children away from our greyhounds, or Sky (lurcher) and now Blu (dane). But to be honest their prejudice doesn't piss me off as much as those who let their kids run up and pet the dog without asking. It's one thing parents being oblivious of their children's actions, but I've even had kids ask their mum if it was ok - and have her say yes to go ahead and pet him, without asking me if it was ok! Blu is 82kg!


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## Mush (Jan 20, 2008)

LisaLQ said:


> There's people out there like that with anything bigger than a cocker spaniel - we used to have parents drag their children away from our greyhounds, or Sky (lurcher) and now Blu (dane). But to be honest their prejudice doesn't piss me off as much as those who let their kids run up and pet the dog without asking. It's one thing parents being oblivious of their children's actions, but I've even had kids ask their mum if it was ok - and have her say yes to go ahead and pet him, without asking me if it was ok! Blu is 82kg!



yeah i had something similar this afternoon when i was walking harry some kid, no more than 3 years old shouting 'doggy' trying to get to my dog who at the time thought it was a game and deicded to bolt further away, and i told the mother to take her child back from my dog and she got abusive with me and said her child can do what he wants!


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## butterfingersbimbo (Jan 26, 2008)

Unfortunately there are a lot of thick people in this world.......


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

mandi1234 said:


> its was a great idea................now the dog knows he not dominant over my son.,


How wrong you are. The dog has bitten the lad and so has the upper hand. Wait until you are out of site and the lad is slow putting the food down or does something wrong to the dog. Once a dog has bitten it will always bite given the right circumstances.


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

My first dog gets fed twice per day. That provides energy throughout the day for hunting and then a big feed at the end of the day. As the vet says she is disgustingly fit. I have just taken on a 7 year old GWP and she's slightly over weight but seems to want 1 feed per day, she'll come round to my way of thinking eventually.


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## Megan. (Mar 11, 2009)

My dogs get fed once a day at around teatime  
And get walked about an hour or so later to burn any fats off


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

Scoffa said:


> How wrong you are. The dog has bitten the lad and so has the upper hand. Wait until you are out of site and the lad is slow putting the food down or does something wrong to the dog. Once a dog has bitten it will always bite given the right circumstances.


 
*Any* dog will bite given the right circumstances. That is what far too many peole fail to realise.


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

Scoffa said:


> How wrong you are. The dog has bitten the lad and so has the upper hand. Wait until you are out of site and the lad is slow putting the food down or does something wrong to the dog. Once a dog has bitten it will always bite given the right circumstances.


 no im not wrong,.......................the dog does not have the upper hand. the lad was winding the dog when he was playing with it................., the lad hAD BEEN WARNED THAT ONE DAY THE DOG WILL BITE YOU...................but he carried on winding...........................
So you see dogs dont just bite people, they do it for a reason.


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## cubeykc (Aug 8, 2008)

4 times a day but mine is just a puppy still


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

midori said:


> *Any* dog will bite given the right circumstances. That is what far too many peole fail to realise.


Any dog _can_ bite, not all _will_.

People need to be able to read their dogs - and by reading I dont mean "oh he's wagging his tail, therefore he's dominant and I need to roll him!" - I mean really watch the signs.

If you push a dog too far, if you ignore the signs, you might get bitten. Most dogs will go through several stages of warning. If your child is harrassing the dog and ignoring the warning signs, then he risks the chance of getting bitten. If he goes one further and is encouraged to belittle and tease the dog and make the dog feel even more threatened, that likelyhood increases.

Why anyone would encourage that, I dont understand. I'm not saying "dont do it - you're an animal abuser" but I do think it's a nasty accident waiting to happen, where a dog could lose his life because his owner _thought_ they knew what they were doing and were so incredibly wrong, based on a TV show and a very outdated theory and a need to feel like they have the upper hand.


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## Meko (Apr 29, 2007)

Scoffa said:


> How wrong you are. The dog has bitten the lad and so has the upper hand. Wait until you are out of site and the lad is slow putting the food down or does something wrong to the dog.* Once a dog has bitten it will always bite given the right circumstances*.


and goldfish only grow to the size of their environment..


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## mandi1234 (Mar 13, 2009)

Meko said:


> and goldfish only grow to the size of their environment..


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## midori (Aug 27, 2006)

LisaLQ said:


> Any dog _can_ bite, not all _will_.
> 
> People need to be able to read their dogs - and by reading I dont mean "oh he's wagging his tail, therefore he's dominant and I need to roll him!" - I mean really watch the signs.
> 
> ...


 
I still stand by what i said. _Any_ dog will bite *given the right circumstances. *

Most dogs are never unfortunate enough to be in that position, but even the most well bred puppy, well reared by the breeder, of a docile breed, such as a Glden, will bite if it feels the need to, and I believe that is why there are so many bites by breeds such as labs and goldens, despite their naturally placid nature. 

I even had a puppy enquiry once from a lady who had had to have her Bull Mastiff put to sleep (or felt she had to have it put to sleep) because it had bitten her child/children. Her family had had Golden Retrievers when she was growing up, and they had been such lovely dogs that she wanted one of them next, as that wouldn't bite her children. I just wasn't prepared to sell her a puppy and have her come back in two years time telling me it had bitten her child. For the same reason, I wouldn't let my neighbour have a puppy, as I personally wouldn't blame any dog for biting one of her children.

Most dogs take an awful lot before they would bite, domestic dogs have inherantly good natures, but dogs do bite. (but balloons and slippers are more dangerous, if you've read the book.... :lol2


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## LisaLQ (Jan 29, 2009)

I still believe that all dogs can bite but not all will. It's the words I dont agree with, not the sentiment. If all dogs WILL bite, there'd be no such thing as bite inhibition. All dogs _might_ bite and all dogs are capable of biting and may do and are indeed likely to in certain situations. But there are dogs who will warn first, there are dogs who will flee first, etc etc. Obviously persued and harrassed, with no other option then most dogs will bite.

Either way, I completely agree that people are ignorant to the fact that even the "nicest" breeds (I say that tongue in cheek) are capable of causing their children real harm. Which is why it is essential they teach their children to avoid causing a problem.

No child should be left unsupervised with ANY breed of dog, no dog (or breed of dog) should be trusted over another, no child should feed a dog or take away it's food, no child should take a toy away from a dog, no child should approach a dog while it's sleeping etc.

When I say child, it is a generalisation. Some children are better with dogs than some adults are, but on a whole our duty is to protect our children, and setting them up for a bite is not very protective. Children need training just as much as any dog. If you teach your children it's ok to take food away from a dog, you should teach your children that they could get bitten doing so. It looks like the dog taught this child that lesson - it was his parents job to prevent that, not the dogs.


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## LiamRatSnake (Jul 3, 2007)

Watch Nat Geo Wild right now, tis about wild/stray dogs, very interesting.


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

In it's natural state a dog is a predator and therefore an agressor, and it doesn't take much to get a dog to hunt. My dogs are hunters that flush game for my bird of prey and they have taken a lot of training to stop them going the distance and killing the flushed game. If I could not take a bone off them without getting bitten or even a growl I would consider the dog to be out of control. If I give my dog a command, whether it be vocal, gesture, or whistle, I expect it to respond instantly otherwise it becomes a liability that could cost me money, lose me my hunting ground, or worse be shot by the farmer. The upper hand of a dog is required at all times. My dogs are German Wirehaired Pointers who will, if given half a chance, think for themselves. These are the only dogs I have had so I guess I can only speak from my experience. My way of training works for me and my dogs.


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## Kerriebaby (May 12, 2009)

One of the big problems that I encounter, is that owners "telling off" their dogs for growling at them/child. What they fail to realise, is that the dog is giving a signal, that they are not happy with what is happening, and what you are doing, is teaching the dog not to bother growling when he is unhappy, but to instead go straight to the bite.

A dog that is punished for growling is an accident waiting to happen


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## annarism (Aug 9, 2007)

my boy eats twice a day and always after us although if we are ever running a bit late he will let us know by rattling his bowl :devil::lol2:


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## Muze (Jun 20, 2007)

Scoffa said:


> In it's natural state a dog is a predator and therefore an agressor, and it doesn't take much to get a dog to hunt. My dogs are hunters that flush game for my bird of prey and they have taken a lot of training to stop them going the distance and killing the flushed game. If I could not take a bone off them without getting bitten or even a growl I would consider the dog to be out of control. If I give my dog a command, whether it be vocal, gesture, or whistle, I expect it to respond instantly otherwise it becomes a liability that could cost me money, lose me my hunting ground, or worse be shot by the farmer. The upper hand of a dog is required at all times. My dogs are German Wirehaired Pointers who will, if given half a chance, think for themselves. These are the only dogs I have had so I guess I can only speak from my experience. My way of training works for me and my dogs.


totally agree, with the correct training and someone who knows how to train dogs they can be taught to override their instincts. 

I have had quite a few ex racing greyhounds straight from the track and within a month had them all happily living like this:


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## x.froggy.x (Nov 24, 2008)

LiamRatSnake said:


> Watch Nat Geo Wild right now, tis about wild/stray dogs, very interesting.


 
I watched that! It was very interesting, especially the singing dog!


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

Kerriebaby said:


> One of the big problems that I encounter, is that owners "telling off" their dogs for growling at them/child. What they fail to realise, is that the dog is giving a signal, that they are not happy with what is happening, and what you are doing, is teaching the dog not to bother growling when he is unhappy, but to instead go straight to the bite.
> 
> A dog that is punished for growling is an accident waiting to happen


Each to their own. I would consider a growl to be a threat, and I certainly am not having my dog threaten me. Imagine trying to help a dog that may be injured or trapped and you can't because it's growling and threatening to bite you. You should be able to take a bone off a dog without any fear at all. I guess it's how the dog is trained and the amount of trust that you earn from it.


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## .D.o.m.i.n.o. (Aug 19, 2007)

We got two spaniels and my parents feed them once a day own dishes but if thier food bowls are empty and they bugg us when they are hungry again,but they aint greedy they'll only ask us when they are hungry.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Scoffa said:


> In it's natural state a dog is a predator and therefore an agressor, and it doesn't take much to get a dog to hunt. My dogs are hunters that flush game for my bird of prey and they have taken a lot of training to stop them going the distance and killing the flushed game. *If I could not take a bone off them without getting bitten or even a growl I would consider the dog to be out of control. If I give my dog a command, whether it be vocal, gesture, or whistle, I expect it to respond instantly otherwise it becomes a liability that could cost me money, lose me my hunting ground, or worse be shot by the farmer. The upper hand of a dog is required at all times. My dogs are German Wirehaired Pointers who will, if given half a chance, think for themselves*. These are the only dogs I have had so I guess I can only speak from my experience. My way of training works for me and my dogs.


Wow, thats pretty archaic!


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## Scoffa (Nov 23, 2006)

Zoo-Man said:


> Wow, thats pretty archaic!


That's because the bond between man and the dog as a hunting partner is archaic. When things work perfectly well why to people need to go tinkering with them? This is why people get attacked by dogs, you cannot change the way a dog thinks.


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