We made the paper xxxxxx

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/9875576.Petition_to_follow_as_Facebook_group_proves_an_immediate_hit_after_dog_attack/?ref=fbrec

well done you

It should bring awareness to the issue if nothing else, well done Sarah.

We need to change peoples opinions on certain dog types, as they are judged by what they look like which annoys me!

Well done

Nice one

I don't generally agree with dogs on leads in public places myself but all good press is the way to go

Well done
I also personally think dogs needs off lead exercise as much as on lead. It will stop dogs attacking each other but it will also stop allot of well socialised and well mannered dogs to miss out on an important part of their exercise

I sympathise with what happened to you & I applaud you wanting to do something about it, but all dogs having to be on a lead in a park? I think that's totally the wrong way to go about things. Most dogs need some time to run freely, albeit under control, and if they have to be kept on a lead they will not have that chance.

Caryll wrote:I sympathise with what happened to you & I applaud you wanting to do something about it, but all dogs having to be on a lead in a park? I think that's totally the wrong way to go about things. Most dogs need some time to run freely, albeit under control, and if they have to be kept on a lead they will not have that chance.

If you want your dogs to run free take them out the way of people and let them run

dave g wrote:

Caryll wrote:I sympathise with what happened to you & I applaud you wanting to do something about it, but all dogs having to be on a lead in a park? I think that's totally the wrong way to go about things. Most dogs need some time to run freely, albeit under control, and if they have to be kept on a lead they will not have that chance.

If you want your dogs to run free take them out the way of people and let them run

Its not always that easy. There is NOWHERE in Plymouth (where I live) to take your dog and not run into other people, and that is not an exaggeration. I don't worry about it because Charlie is very well trained and has zero aggression, but if it is made law that he has to be on lead, he (as well as many other well behaved dogs) will be made to suffer because of irresponsible owners.

im all for dogs on lead in public when other dogs around memphis only off lead when im sure there no dogs in sight other times he on his long lead 100ft which is more than enough in my opinion he can run around as much as he likes as he dont like to go to far from me anyway .
also i must also say im very suprised by some of the comment thast have been left as most storys about staffies 85 90%are positive and in the watford area you seem to get a more mixed bag people seem to be a lot more criticil of our great breed

I think that all dogs should be on a lead in a public park myself and for the well sociol dogs, dog parks or fenced off area that way all are free to enjoy.
My local park is getting more and more like a public toilet for dogs and I witness it every day they enter let the dogs off with ;I pad or chatting on the phone precious is crapping everywere and they are not paying any attention. I like to walk mine in the park but spend my time avoiding off lead dogs and mess. I know that just because the dogs are on a lead dont mean they will clean up but when there dog is three mile away how do they know they have pooped and need to pick it up.
If we all took responsibility for our dogs and a leash law in place im sure that dog attacks would be reduced

Super well done

What do class as a public place? Where we walk we don't meet many people and Moo would not get the exersize she needs by being kept on lead, I'm sorry but I totally disagree.

All your comments are much appreciated i am just hoping to get restricted areas for dogs off the lead as well as dogs on the lead, i completely agree with you guys about letting your dogs run free i just wish we had rights if they were attacked by ANY breed... I am trying to look after ALL dog owners and our best friends xx

I love my Rufus and that experience was the worst thing i've had to deal with. i WILL NOT let it happen again this is why i am looking for support, for all dogs.. They have no rights if they are attacked.

janey wrote:

What do class as a public place? Where we walk we don't meet many people and Moo would not get the exersize she needs by being kept on lead, I'm sorry but I totally disagree.

fact of the matter is most bourgh councils will have a rule to say all dogs must be on lead in public places ie parks fields that they own that have public access public foot paths basicly any where that is under there control so if your dogs off lead your breaking the law .
we all know we have a problem with society that need to be addressed that is giving the majority of dog owners a bad name but if we want to sort one problem out we need to stick to the law


look at number8 of being a responsible owner
http://staffy-bull-terrier.co.uk/responsibleownership.html

There is no law in place saying a dog should be onlead in a public place, nor should there be! Maybe we live in opposite worlds but here a dog is allowed to be a dog, hunt chase and play. She has no need to remain on a lead and Big, I am amazed that you think dogs should be (well I'm not really!)

Moo would not get any exersize walking around in a circle around a field, she has fun wizzing rounds the woods away from people and traffic. The only dogs she meets are the ones doing the same thing! Then they peg it off together on the chase. Owners say a hello and we all no they are safe and well.

There is nothing better than watching her being a dog when she can be and thats not attatched to a lead.

If your dog needs a training line then thats up to you if there recall isn't great or they can not be 100% trusted, but Moo is, and I will not be made to keep her on lead.

Rant over as I can't remember what I was saying apart from Moo's quality of life would be nothing without her romps Xx

my local area has proposed plans which are along the lines of dogs on leads, but only in built up areas like the promenade and street and carparks and a kids playing field, but they are allowed off lead on the beach however it must NOT be between 10am and 6PM in summer when there are likely to be kids about.

this hasnt came from any recent attacks its actually came from a dog fouling complaint, so they hope to stop it as much by having the dogs on leashes, but obviously it helps with the attacks too.

bigwazza wrote:im all for dogs on lead in public when other dogs around memphis only off lead when im sure there no dogs in sight other times he on his long lead 100ft which is more than enough in my opinion he can run around as much as he likes as he dont like to go to far from me anyway .
also i must also say im very suprised by some of the comment thast have been left as most storys about staffies 85 90%are positive and in the watford area you seem to get a more mixed bag people seem to be a lot more criticil of our great breed

a very good point warren, all dogs on leads doesnt mean a chocker chain and 10inch leash and held to your side, a leash can be 100ft long! plenty of room for a dog to run.

janey wrote:

There is no law in place saying a dog should be onlead in a public place, nor should there be! Maybe we live in opposite worlds but here a dog is allowed to be a dog, hunt chase and play. She has no need to remain on a lead and Big, I am amazed that you think dogs should be (well I'm not really!)

Moo would not get any exersize walking around in a circle around a field, she has fun wizzing rounds the woods away from people and traffic. The only dogs she meets are the ones doing the same thing! Then they peg it off together on the chase. Owners say a hello and we all no they are safe and well.

There is nothing better than watching her being a dog when she can be and thats not attatched to a lead.

If your dog needs a training line then thats up to you if there recall isn't great or they can not be 100% trusted, but Moo is, and I will not be made to keep her on lead.

Rant over as I can't remember what I was saying apart from Moo's quality of life would be nothing without her romps Xx

i think youre missing the point, by public places its meant like really built up parks and streets and well used places, i mean they can't enforce a random forest in the middle of nowhere.

It isn't the idiot owners that make them bad at all. It is centuries of selective breeding to create a vicious, powerful attack machine that, when started, will not give up.

That is what they are for.

Without human intervention nearly all dogs would be mongrel mutts by now, there would be very few 'breeds'.

But humans (owners) decided to play god and breed dogs to be smaller/bigger/faste
r/cleverer/nastier to suit their purpose by selective breeding.

Staffs are DESIGNED to be nasty, and that's why Chavs like them.

What a *.

There is no law in place saying a dog should be onlead in a public place, nor should there be! Maybe we live in opposite worlds but here a dog is allowed to be a dog, hunt chase and play. She has no need to remain on a lead and Big, I am amazed that you think dogs should be (well I'm not really!)


janey would you like to explain that comment that your amazed that i think that way then( well im not really )


and if you dont have it you are very lucky becouse i DO have a law in my bourgh to say all dogs must be on leads in public fullstop
yes its not policed to the tee but its still there .
and i really cant see were a dog must be off lead to be fully excercised is iv said before iv a 100foot lead that is far long enough for memphis to run around free like an idiot and total wear him self out .

This is a hard one cos I understand both points, but like Wazza said most places do have some sort of law about being on leads anyway. I mean if a dog ends up fighting with another dog then doesn't the dog off lead already get done??? So why the need for this change? Isn't the law more or less that anyway?
If the law does come into effect, I doubt any words would be said to people who have well behaved dogs anyway if they off lead.

100 ft is a long lead but if your dog is running full speed that 100ft will run out after 3-4 seconds

I dont really agree with the part you said about making it law for dogs to be on leads.. vinnie is worse behaved on a lead :s, If you see another dog in the distance that is on a lead then they are obviously on it for a reason so i would put vinnie on his if i saw someone, if not then i dont see the problem

on fields you dont need to have your dogs on leads it when your in town centres or other place there alot of people.

very well done you, its great to see are staffys on the right side of a story like this, I"m fed up of them being black listed!!

It should be common sense, a dog should never be off lead in a built up area , by roads etc and around loads of kids in parks but in general dog walking land if you are comfortable with your dog (and sensible) and other people are the same then they should not be forced to be on lead, as other people say they should be allowed a good old romp

I'm with Janey and Dave on this one. I'm not going to make my well socialised, well behaved dog walk on a lead cos there are morons out there who cn't be bothered to tran their dogs and have no control over them. Obviously when we're walking through town, and alongside roads, Charlie is on a lead, but out in the fields, int he park, on the beach etc, he is free to run and enjoy himself.

edited by steve!!

I dont agree with making the law, so all dogs should be on a lead. Dogs should be allowed off time lead, they need it. Pixee will always have that, I am not having that taken away from her, dogs do have rights and they need us to stand up for them.

Can't say I agree with this campaign in its current form.
It would preclude too many urban-dwelling dogs from ever getting to run around freely.

Reinforcement of common sense would be a better option than a rule or law which is punitive to all.

Common sense: keep your dog on a lead near traffic, near small children if your dog is going to play and maybe knock them over, near other strange dogs until they've been socialised, near the ducks in the park, near the granny on walking sticks, in busy areas, etc.

That, then, does not automatically preclude the dog's ability to enjoy freedom in a quiet area, which a law enforcing continuous lead restraint, when adhered to by law-abiding handlers and owners, would do.

Giving an area over to dogs for free exercise is a non-starter. Instead of dispersing dogs over a greater area and thereby diluting incidences of close-contact, you would end up with a concentration of dogs and, therefore, a higher incidence of contact issues.

I cannot support an attempt to police the freedom of any dog in my care.

Floyd - please tone down your posts , this kind of attack is not acceptable on the forum , it is 1 thing to have an opinion and make it known it is another thing to write a post in this manner , please take this as a warning if you wish to remain a member on the forum

Give me an example of what is not acceptable !

he dont need to give example you has ask you to tone your post down so do it or find another forum to use!

Floyd your post is aggressive , demeaning and unacceptable, wrote it a manner that you are far more intelligent than anyone else , well let me tell you this my friend , you aren't !! , the forum is a friendly forum and debates are fine , but your debates always end up heated , sarcastic and quite unfriendly. There are more ways to write posts to make people aware of your opinions , you don't have to try and ram your opinions down peoples throats, raise an argument every time you post and go on at it just for the sake of hearing your own voice. This just discourages people from posting , we want the forum to grow not shrink so if you can't accept that ...


EDIT - you asked for a reason you have one , now please take our advice (I was writing this whilst Steve was posting )

I AM DISGUSTED !

Naming a facebook group 'help our dogs' for this cause is 100% misleading, no wonder it got so many likes!!!!! try naming it all dogs must be on a lead at all times in public parks....... see how many likes you get then!!

Do you even understand that a high percentage of dogs who misbehave, chew and destroy things is through lack of exercise

Put your time and effort into something positive for dogs instead of restrictive !! join a pro dog license group or anti bsl, Stop trying to control and restrict every single dog in the UK !!!!!!!

You now want a 'restricted area' for dogs, yeah force all the dogs into a confined space, well done

Floyd1138 wrote:Give me an example of what is not acceptable !

I agree with your point, but not the way in which you made it. You've been warned, let's just leave it at that and move on.

Just for the record - I agree too (up to a point) and think it would be grossly unfair to have all dogs on leads at all times, they need their off lead time , but non the less it is down to owner responsibility and there are certain situations as I have said before such as around loads of unknown kids at a playground, walking alongside the road etc where a dog should always be on the lead

Where i live we are lucky as we have what you might call a doggy park.
Its a very large area thats fenced in with just 2 entrances on either side, the reason we have this area and will have for ever is because the land can not be built on as the ppl from the black death ( plague ) are buried there so its been turn into and know now by the locals as the doggy park

Now i'm all for leash laws on public roads, and for common sense to be used regarding leashes in a park.

My little guy needs to be off-leash, playing with his doggy chums regularly, so I don’t support on-leash law. Here in France, we have a (universally ignored) law which seems mostly to be raised by cat lovers who wish to turn towns and villages into cat sanctuaries. OK, yes, this is a biased summary.

I can understand your shock at having your good-natured dog attacked like this and then having the owner literally add insult to injury. Paradoxically, if your pooch had defended himself robustly, as may have been justifiable, then the attacker’s owner may have passed the blame onto you simply because of your dog’s lineage.

It seems to me that we Staffy owners are forced to apply very high standards, because whether we choose it or not, we are advocates for the breed. I don’t agree with your campaign and I don’t think it will succeed, but it's nice to see a high-profile responsible ownership drive being led by a Staffy owner. Though it may not be your primary aim, I would like to commend you for bringing positive publicity to this fabulous breed:)

Kind regards

well done