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Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?



 
 
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  #11  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:45 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Posts: 2,609
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:21:27 GMT,
wrote:

In the instances I mentioned this year about people in the yard, all
three "violators" had my phone number, had access to a perfectly
working doorbell, could have rang the bell or called or both and I
would have gladly met them and escorted them in. It was just rudeness
and stupidity that caused them to just waltz on in. None had
appointments or anything like that. Having had unfortunate experience
related to stalking and domestic violence in the past, this sort of
rudeness sends my anxiety levels through the roof and it's unnecessary.


I can understand your concerns. No one goes in my yard without my
advance permission with the exception of the meter reader. I'd be beyond
annoyed if anyone did.

I have a 34 lb mutt who wouldn't hurt a soul. Once when I was working
from home the meter reader knocked on the front door and asked me to
bring her in (I was on the deck but he couldn't see me). I appreciated
him doing that and told him so, because I'd be horrified if he
accidentally let her out. He said she scared him, but I figure he was
probably afraid of most dogs since she's so unintimidating.

I'm sure you know this, but make sure you thoroughly research whatever
breeds you are considering. I would LOVE to have a Mastiff, but honestly
don't think I could handle having a 180 lb dog. I think about how I will
manage a large dog when he gets near the end of his life and might need
physical assistance from me so even an 80 lb dog might be tough.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain
  #12  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:47 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Shelly
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Posts: 3,103
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

wrote in
ups.com:

Good grief.


Good grief, indeed.

With the exception of the Mastiff/Great Dane recommendation,
what was the point of most of those other replies?


I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not about to recommend a
breed or type of dog to someone who has provided absolutely no
information about what their lifestyle is like, or what traits they
do and do not want in a dog. Dogs are not automatons, so breed X
might suit you while breed Y would be a disastrous fit.

Don't you people think that perhaps I'm wanting another dog
because first and foremost I WANT ANOTHER DOG, love dogs, and
figure while I'm AT it I might get one that "looks
intimidating"? Not as a "lock replacement"? Benefit of the
doubt, please?


I'd rather not assume too much.

The dogs are in/out at their leisure and it's not feasible with
six people in the family and someone coming/going at all times
to constantly be locking/unlocking the gate.


Why not? You don't leave your front door unlocked, do you?

I work from home and while it's not possible to always lock it
up because someone else will be home soon or is just running to
the store, when I'm home alone I'd still like to feel a bit
better about the likelihood of someone walking in the gate.


A large, "scary" looking dog isn't necessarily going to make you
any safer. An alarm system might. Locking the gate might.
However, there's no accounting for what sort of dog might or might
not deter a potential trespasser. There is also no way to predict
what a potential trespasser who is intent on doing you harm might
do to any dog who got in his way. In an unsecured yard, your dogs
are vulnerable.

We currently rent so we are unable to modify to have the type of
lock(s) we'd really prefer. That will change in the near future
(buying a house most likely). I was not thinking of getting
another dog until then.


If that's the case, and you will be waiting to resolve the issue
until after you move, then why are you looking to fix the problem
by adding a "scary" looking dog when you could just as easily--and
more cheaply--resolve it in other ways (e.g. an alarm system).

As for the example of the Great Danes that the poster was not
fearful of... well if I'd been hired to go to someone's home and
they felt totally comfy with me walking in to their yard and
didn't warn me to the contrary, I'd *assume* there was no need
to fear the dogs either. That's quite different from approaching
a stranger's house.


The dogs didn't know me from Adam, and put on quite a display of
barking. Quickly accompanied--as soon as I was inside the house--
by slobbery tongues applied liberally to every available inch of my
skin. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at reading dog body
language, so a large "scary" looking dog isn't likely to deter me
if I can clearly see that it has no interest in acting aggressively
toward me. If I were intent on doing someone harm, and such a dog
were in their yard, do you really think its presence would make me
think twice about entering?

If they have no appointment, no invitation, no suitable
business purpose (i.e. meter reading), then they have no
business in my yard. Call me territorial.


Having a large "scary" looking dog (I'm still not even sure what
that *means*) is still no insurance against those folks gaining
entry to your property.

Also, consider that if someone does enter your yard, and your dogs
are out there unsupervised, there is a risk of them hurting your
dogs or of your dogs hurting them. Leaving an open gate, even if
it has a sign on it to ring a bell, may not relieve you of legal
responsibility if your dog bites someone. Worse, what if a kid
enters your yard and is hurt?

In the instances I mentioned this year about people in the yard,
all three "violators" had my phone number, had access to a
perfectly working doorbell, could have rang the bell or called
or both and I would have gladly met them and escorted them in.
It was just rudeness and stupidity that caused them to just
waltz on in. None had appointments or anything like that.
Having had unfortunate experience related to stalking and
domestic violence in the past, this sort of rudeness sends my
anxiety levels through the roof and it's unnecessary.


I dunno. If I had had that sort of experience, I'd lock my damned
gate. What I would *not* do is count on my dogs to protect me
either by their actions or by their appearance or even by their
mere presence.

A *combination* of fences/locks/security AND a dog who happens
to look "menacing", when the dog is outside of course, would
accomplish this purpose.


But there is no "of course" about it. If folks are entering your
property when there are already dogs present, then adding another
dog to the mix is unlikely to change anything.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

I would prefer not to.
-- Bartleby the Scrivener
  #13  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:48 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Michael A. Ball
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Posts: 311
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:20:09 GMT, Paula
wrote:

People who come to our house are always leery of our GSD's. Oddly
enough, they tend to be more afraid of Gunther than Molly even though
Molly is very protective while Gunther has never met a person he didn't
want to walk right up and talk into petting him.


Is Gunther darker, or perhaps have a darker muzzle?



________________________
Whatever it takes.
  #14  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:51 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Shelly
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Posts: 3,103
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

Lynne wrote in
m:

I think about how I will manage a large dog when he gets near
the end of his life and might need physical assistance from me
so even an 80 lb dog might be tough.


That's a serious consideration. There are several large breeds I
really adore, but I don't think I'll ever have any of them because
I couldn't shift their dead weight. I had enough trouble getting
60-odd pound Elliott in and out of my car when he got sick. I
think the 50lb range is about as big as I'm willing to
realistically go.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

When the namecalling starts, we're right there for we love the
throw down of a good backbiting.
-- Melora Creager
  #15  
Old January 2nd 07, 03:58 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Melinda Shore
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Posts: 7,732
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

In article ,
Suja wrote:
I realize that you said to omit dogs of certain breeds, but I don't know
very many people who'd mess with German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans,
etc., all of which can be wonderful companion animals and deterrents because
of their breeds.


Really, nearly any big black mutt is going to look
intimidating regardless of its disposition. I don't see why
a purebred is necessary here.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Sending more troops into a war is properly called an "escalation."
  #17  
Old January 2nd 07, 04:06 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Suja
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Posts: 873
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?


wrote in message:

With the exception of the Mastiff/Great Dane recommendation, what was
the point of most of those other replies?


Mine anyway, was to dispute the assertion that a Dane would be a deterrent,
since my dog that even kids fearlessly approach is a Great Dane. The other,
that most people seem afraid of is a German Shepherd mix.

I realize that you said to omit dogs of certain breeds, but I don't know
very many people who'd mess with German Shepherds, Rottweilers, Dobermans,
etc., all of which can be wonderful companion animals and deterrents because
of their breeds. When someone broke into my brother's apartment and SIL was
looking for a doggie deterrent (similar to yours, should look scary enough
but not actually be scary), I suggested a big, black dog, which is what they
ended up with. The dog is a total goofball, but people cross the street
when they are walking him.

Suja


  #18  
Old January 2nd 07, 04:10 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Posts: 2,609
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 02:51:53 GMT, Shelly wrote:

That's a serious consideration. There are several large breeds I
really adore, but I don't think I'll ever have any of them because
I couldn't shift their dead weight. I had enough trouble getting
60-odd pound Elliott in and out of my car when he got sick. I
think the 50lb range is about as big as I'm willing to
realistically go.


Did you use anything to help transport him, such as a sling under his
belly? or was he completely helpless? 60 lbs of a dog who cannot help you
at all would be pretty tough to manuever. I wonder if 80 lbs is too high
of a goal. I'm a pretty small person.

Thinking about these kinds of issues is terribly sad, but I don't want to
find myself in a situation where I cannot care for my dog due to poor
planning on my part. Of course I have friends who can help me with a phone
call, but some emergencies simply can't wait.

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain
  #19  
Old January 2nd 07, 04:18 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Shelly
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Posts: 3,103
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

Lynne wrote in
:

Did you use anything to help transport him, such as a sling
under his belly? or was he completely helpless?


He was able to get into the car fine for the trip to the vet, but I
had a difficult time getting him back into it for the trip home.

60 lbs of a dog who cannot help you at all would be pretty tough
to manuever. I wonder if 80 lbs is too high of a goal. I'm a
pretty small person.


I know there's no way I could hoist 80lbs of limp dog, no way, no
how. Sixty was nearly impossible. It probably wouldn't have been
so bad if I hadn't been trying to get him into the back of a very
small car without hurting him. Even so, I had to have help
carrying him out to be buried. If I didn't know better, I'd swear
he gained 20 pounds after he died!

Thinking about these kinds of issues is terribly sad, but I
don't want to find myself in a situation where I cannot care for
my dog due to poor planning on my part.


It's one of those things that probably would never have occurred to
me, but now that I've had that particular experience with a not-so-
big dog, it's a lesson well learned. Knowing the limits of what
you can physically handle is a good idea!

Of course I have friends who can help me with a phone call, but
some emergencies simply can't wait.


That's what happened in my case. It was a sudden-onset emergency,
so even though there was someone nearby who could have helped, I
didn't even have time to call her.

--
Shelly
http://www.cat-sidh.net (the Mother Ship)
http://esther.cat-sidh.net (Letters to Esther)

Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but
when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
  #20  
Old January 2nd 07, 04:25 AM posted to rec.pets.dogs.breeds
Lynne
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Posts: 2,609
Default Scariest LOOKING breeds, public perception?

on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 03:18:11 GMT, Shelly wrote:

I know there's no way I could hoist 80lbs of limp dog, no way, no
how. Sixty was nearly impossible. It probably wouldn't have been
so bad if I hadn't been trying to get him into the back of a very
small car without hurting him. Even so, I had to have help
carrying him out to be buried. If I didn't know better, I'd swear
he gained 20 pounds after he died!


Oh, Shelly, I'm sorry. That all must have been terribly difficult.

When our LabXShep, Raven died, my husband struggled to carry her up the
hill to bury her. He's a big strong guy but Raven weighed over 100 lbs.
So that's why I think about these things when I think about these things.
(How's that for beautiful grammar?)

Some kind of lift wouldn't be a bad idea to have on hand for a small person
with a large dog, just in case. I just can't picture exactly what...

--
Lynne

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.hell.is.it/

"First get your facts; then you may distort them at your leisure."
-- Mark Twain
 




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