Rachelpirate

I recommend Party Feet gel dealies as well, they save my life quite often.

Why can't they get the idea in this country? Surely eduction programmes etc are going to be more use than banning a random type of dog...

She's starting to get slightly fuzzy now, thanks for asking. The sores etc does look like what Roxy had, as for the spots she was starting to get those down her chest just before she developed sores there too. Don't know what they are seeing as I'm just going from experience but they seemed to be a precursor to the sores on Roxy, didn't see any on her face but I think that's because she has dark skin there, and light skin on her chest.

Bless, poor girl! Roxy has demodectic mange too (must be a Staffie thing?) brought on by her cushings as she has a lowered immune system. Really keep an eye on her with the baths though, I don't know if you saw the photos I posted of Roxy when she'd had a bad allergic reaction to the aludex? But then she's an awkward dog so you probably won't get that. Anyway thinking of little Puisin, hope she feels better soon and Roxy sends itchy Staffie hugs.

They're beautiful! The photo of them both looking at the camera makes me want to squish their little faces. I'll have to make do with Roxy...

Ooh they're so luffly! :wub: Wilbur loves resting his head on the back of the seat too... it's all covered in dried slobber at the mo...

Wilbur hasn't grown up yet, and he's 9. Woe is me!

I agree with you in theory but I think you're wrong about the ridge causing the wonkiness - Ria doesn't have a ridge and she's the stupidest, most accident prone and bizarrely behaved dog on the planet. Discuss.

:laughingsmiley:

What a good dog! :wub: I wish mine would do that for me when I get cornered by a spider...

Haven't heard from the OP for a while now, so I wonder if we've ended up arguing with ourselves. :laughingsmiley: Have just got up from sleeping on the sofa with a very aggressive RR cross lying plonked on top of me... can't beleive I survived something so large thinking she's a lapdog.

Exactly, so if we were talking about their genetic predisposition due to what they were bred for (as the OP is doing) then that would suggest they are less likely to bite. Course I think any breed of dog is capable of biting if put in certain situations.

I also don't like the way the dogs/cats are reffered to as if they're products. All seems a bit strange to me... buying a dog or cat off the internet just doesn't seem right anyway.

Josh is just

Not to mention that Ridgebacks I beleive hunted in groups when they were used for their original purpose. In order to hunt effectively in a pack, the dogs would surely have to have decent communication skills with the other dogs? No point working in a group if nobody has a clue what anyone else is doing.

I do think that with most ex fighting breeds nowadays, such as Staffies etc, even the picky-ness around dogs has pretty much been bred out. I know it's only an example, but Roxy has got to be one of the most sensible dogs around other dogs I've ever known. She's not pushy, she'll get on with anyone and if the other dog is being rude she'll give them a telling off (she hobbles after them for a few feet barking) but will never go further than that. Even when she got attacked and this much larger dog had her whole back leg and stomach in his mouth, all she did was swear at him, and the moment he stopped she was willing to make friends again. Also, all the best "stooge dogs" (ones that we have used to socialise aggressive or very rude/pushy dogs at work) we've had have been male bull breeds. They've been dogs that are so confident in themselves that even if a dog is going ballistic at them they won't react.

Good point.

Agression is different from other traits, because IMO a dog generally only shows aggression as a response to fear/ a threat of some kind in most cases. Either that or it is a behaviour problem, probably caused by trauma of some kind, or a health problem. Eg - My Connie (Collie/Golden cross) is aggressive towards dogs because she was not socialised by her first owners as a pup, and because she was subsequently attacked by the same dog several times. I can pinpoint that period when this collie kept going for her as the time she started showing aggression to dogs. Now if she had had a different upbringing I'm sure she wouldn't have had these problems. She was definately not born with innate aggression. I don't beleive any dog can be born aggressive, although their experiences in life can make them that way. They might inherit a nervous or excitable disposition, but for that to turn into aggression there has to be some environmental conditioning. Aggression is more of a response to situations than a personality trait. Dunno if any of that made any sense at all. Oh, and I agree with Kathyw about the nice traits too - I don't think a Lab for example will love kids from the moment it is born. If it is socialised and grows into a confident and well adjusted dog it will, but if it has bad experiences of kids it will be just as bad with them as any "aggressive breed" is supposed to be.

Chasta - You must be a very good trainer if you can get two such naturally aggressive breeds to live together! What with them not being able to communicate with each other properly I'm surprised they don't try to eat each other on a daily basis. Love the last pic of them of the sofa! OB's like "I don't know her, honest"

:laughingsmiley: I want to see some pictures of these vicious cattle herders.

I don't think you could hold them, they'd break out and go on a rampage. So would the RR's and Staffies and Rotties etc. They're like the Godzillas of today!

As far as I'm aware, you can easily prove that not all RR's are aggressive - through experience of the breed (and cute photos). But I don't think there's any way you could prove that all RR's are aggressive. There are too many out there proving the exact opposite.

You should try it. When will the bears be safe jacqui? When?!

Yup, you can't keep Rotties away from the cattle can you? Actually if I remember rightly she was just pretending to hide so she could lull us into a false sense of security before pouncing on me. Luckily I survived, but these dogs, eh?

I don't luff either of them, they maul me on a daily basis and tell me what to do, and cost me hundreds of quids in medical bills for their crazy illnesses. You can have them, if you like. I put her in the micrwave once, that may have helped.