i've just come across an article (while googling aimlessly) listing apparently "dangerous dogs"

http://www.campussqueeze.com/post/Deadly-Dogs---The-Most-Potentially-Violent-Dogs-to-Own.aspx

i'm not impressed at all because it shows huskies and malamutes as 4th and 5th on the list!! :-o
i cant speak for malamutes as i've not seen many adults in real life,
but huskies certainly are the most playful and friendly dog i know of, infact they are known as being
a really poor choice for use as a guard dog mainly because of this reason.

just having a bit of a rant, there must be so many other breeds that get bad reputations that are
unjustified. it just gets my goat!! :-D

Well with 5 Malamutes here, I reckon the only dangerous ones are those sold by people with more interest in monetary gain than the suitability of the homes they are sold to. ;-)

Any breed needs mental and physical stimulation, training, socialisation and clear boundaries to become friendly members of society :-)

As this is an american site-there were some studies done (read a report somewhere) and most of the attacks by huskys were dogs that would be regarded as feral in the UK, it seems a lot of northern breeds are left to their own devices in the summer months when not needed for working and that this is when the attacks this site cites occur.

Dalmatians?? I have met some lovely huskies  :)

Ditto Dexter with your question,

I'm even more intrigued as to how a Dalmation is more dangerous than a Presa Canario according to that list, what kind of Dalmations do they have over there!

sorry to go way off the subject but that must be the funniest photo I've ever seen of a boxer haha!

> what kind of Dalmations do they have over there!

ones that kids demand after seeing 101 dalmations and that are never trained, are from bad temprement stock etc would be my best guess. hopefully most people get the idea that you have to be sensible around a presa, how many badly trained kids would just grab a badly trained dally?

Dobermanns dont enjoy children!!

Ive heard they are abit chewy and on the large side in america so difficult to swallow!!!

HA but on a more serious note i think the reason astarte gave for the 101 is the same as the pretty mals and sibes, look lovely but are not for the average 'american idiot'

Louise

Not to forget deaf. Many mass produced Dalmis are deaf and many of the owners don't even know it. Hence so many accidents with children and Dalmis IMHO.

My OH hates Dalmations was bitten more than once. my scaredy dog is German Shepherds. Yet I have also noted B.Collies as untrustworthy. I think any dog can be with a bad owner.
I also walk with Merry a beautifal dalmation, Sam a huge huge loving GS and own a BC so I take it with a huge bucket of salt.

I belive any dog has the potential to be 'a dangerous dog' if poorly bred, sold to the wrong kind of poeple and trained incorrectly. Also, if common sense isnt used when handling/caring for dogs then humans must take some of the blame

A dog is a dog is a dog, they all have teeth & can cause some nasty damage. I have met some particularly visious jack russells but becuase they are not the size of a mastiff  they seem to get overlooked.
(By the way, thats not me making a dig at JRT's or mastiffs but proving a point about size and danger levels)

If another child is allowed to launch itself at my poor boy he may end up biting one.
What am I to do. Yesterday this child about 7 just pounced on the poor boy as we walked past  despite my saying very loudly not to.
He is a lovely dog but he is quite genuinely becoming scared of children!
Why do people not understand he is a dog with big sharp teeth the same as any other he is not a walt disney cartoon character!

Any ideas!

> Yesterday this child about 7 just pounced on the poor boy as we walked past  despite my saying very loudly not to.
>

did you not go nutty at him and whoever was with him?? you should have done and you'd be doing this either stupid or naughty child a favour! your poor dog!

do you know any nice, well behaved kids you can spend some time around with him?

> did you not go nutty at him and whoever was with him?? you should have done and you'd be doing this either stupid or naughty child a favour! your poor dog!

I was so angry I just scowled at the father , and to be honest my priority was calming my boy.
I just read some other posts and some one was talking about bibs with messages on. I know our local vet has cat collars with "I am on a diet do not feed me".
May be I could come up with something like this !!

My kids would never have touched a dog they did not know....still thinking about the nice well behaved kids LOL. Seriosuly though they do have a few children around I will have to get them to come on a few walks with me half term holidays are coming up soon are they not! Good suggestion Thanks

>> My kids would never have touched a dog they did not know

i did it once, a miniature poodle and thanks to that dogs reaction i never did it again... i was always told before this by my family not to and then i did and it nipped my fingers. my mums response was that i shouldn't have touched the strange dog and it was my own fault. (not that i am wishing bites on kids but it shocked me into being good!)

a teenage touched Tio once when i was walking him. Tio is not good with strangers but the teenager had shot off before either he or i noticed really or i would have ripped him a new one for his own good!

> Seriosuly though they do have a few children around I will have to get them to come on a few walks with me half term holidays are coming up soon are they not!

i think if he's being so put off you need some positive reinforcement right quick... we're you near by i'd borrow my lovely well behaved sensible nephew for you :)

> I just read some other posts and some one was talking about bibs with messages on. I know our local vet has cat collars with "I am on a diet do not feed me".
>

Maybe you could get one with a disclaimer saying 'If you touch this dog you do so at your own risk. Dog is not resposible for his actions. Missing fingers will not be reimbursed' :-)
Serioulsy though, it is frustrating but as others said positive reinforcement should work wonders & maybe now if you see children approaching you should give them a heads up not to touch your dog.

We have been playing with the neigbours children and a couple of their school friends. We were playing catch on the greens out the front. I need to be able to stop the surprise child attack... be even more alert I suppose.
My OH thinks I am over reacting , he is so much more sensible than me ;-)