On our local news there has just been a report of another person being killed by a dog. :( This time it was a woman who was killed by her own dog. A staffie. Local people saying they reported the dog, Local council says they have no record of this. Owner kept dog shut up for long periods.

Local people want something done because what would have happened if the dog had got out and it had been a child. Local MP wants tougher laws, muzzling in public. Yadda Yadda Yadda!

I cannot see how anything other than a total ban on dogs could prevent this type of thing happening.. There needs to be more a way to put more  responsibility on to owners and how they treat their dogs. Almost without exception when these attacks happen it is dogs that have been neglected or badly treated. there is no legislation that will prevent people acting like idiots. In the mean time people are being killed all over the place in car accidents and nobody seems to notice.

I think it would be a good idea for the government to tell the press to stop sensationalising these attacks. It is the press scaremongering which causes governments to put in place these ever more restrictive laws. Dogs do a huge amount of good. For every one dog atack there are thousands making a difference to peoples lived whether b being a guide dog or a military dog or just being a pet.

I just can't get over how many people I see out walking their dogs in the heat of the day. 

When I talk to people causally very few seem aware that it is a bad thing to do???

They are unaware that dogs are not designed for exposure to daytime heat, and would naturally not go out in it, as they would hunt and be active at dawn and dusk, like most large carnivores.

>I just can't get over how many people I see out walking their dogs in the heat of the day.

I have to agree with you there. I had a customer ask me to clip their labrador the other day! Because he was panting a lot on his lunchtime walk. I dont think they were best pleased when I refused to clip him. I told them he needed to go on a diet  as he was grossly obese and that they should stop walking him in the heat of the day. Then he might stop panting so much. I thought he was an old dog. He was only 5!!. I am not sure they will have me back, but maybe something I said might eventually soak in and  make life better for the dog.

Do you mean this one in L'pool? I ask cause when tried google it also mentioned one in Bathgate, I think thats scotland.

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/woman-found-dead-liverpool-home-7493086
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>I just can't get over how many people I see out walking their dogs in the heat of the day.

Sad to say, earlier this week, I saw a lady walking two little hairy dogs.  They were panting like hell.  I made comment and she said,,,,,  Are you ready for this?

"They really hate this heat."  I could have spit feathers.

Why is it that owners can't put themselves in the dog's position?

If they want to walk their poor dog at midday, the least they should do is wear a heavy fur coat and walk barefoot, whilst walking the dog.

When I had my older bitch speyed recently the leaflet of advise started with...

Your bitch won't need to be walked for the next 24 hours  !!!

Really?    After an ovario hysterctomy?   And why shouldn't she enter a marathon the next day? 

Is it possible she may be  in pain for some time?

I asked whether people really needed to be told this and was told some people expect the bitch to walk home from the vets!

There's no fathoming some people's selfishness

>some people expect the bitch to walk home from the vets!

I can't believe that!  Now I know why I reckon that some people should never be allowed to own a pet.

I guess though that some people don't have their own gardens (or the dogs refuse to go in them) so have to go out to toilet? I live on without a proper garden but a farm with our own fields and I certainly have to take mine out at lunch as they need to go! (but not long walks and avoid the heat as much as possible, just pointing out that staying indoors all day may not be an option for some)
having said that, I totally agree, some people are stupid!!

When I talk to people causally very few seem aware that it is a bad thing to do???

Next time get them to take their shoes off and FEEL the heat off the pavements at the moment.    Where did COMMON SENSE go to in the UK?    We lived by some very dear neighbours, BUT she insisted in keeping to the routine - which included walking them after lunch regardless of the weather at the time  ......................... and even when one took off on her and was found later in a ditch by a passing rider.   She got him home but he went into perm. fitting and although she got me to help get him to her vet, he couldn't be saved.

Heat Stroke Kills.

Sorry OP - getting back to your point.   Blanket banning of breeds, etc etc. is just a knee jerk response by Governments.  Licensing sadly won't make any difference because only the responsible will line up and pay for one while the rest .... stick two fingers up and carry on.  There are not enough people to police laws like this unfortunately.

One of my friends had to try to help a dog yesterday, a black Lab whose owner was out JOGGING with it at lunchtime. Heart had stopped and everything apparently, she got it going again and got it into the car for the woman to take it to the vet, but no idea if it survived. :-(

I won't walk mine after 8am in this sort of heat, and then only for 10 or 20 minutes max!

Jogging with it fgs !

A chap by us had two gorgeous collie cross littermates, (looked like smooth collies). 

He insisted in walking them in the summer heat and throwing a ball for them, until one day the bitch collapsed and died.

I had gently insisted that it was not a good idea, but he didn't listen and then approached me heartbroken to tell me I had been right as the vet said so.

When I lived in Spain I used to see people of all nationalities traipsing round crowded markets with their dogs in tow!  It was obvious the majority of dogs were not happy but the owners didn´t give a toss.

I think it´s people who should be banned, not specific dog breeds.

Rant over!

How has this thread gone completely away from the original topic, which was nothing to do with dogs being exercised in hot weather, was it? Or have I lost the plot? (probably ;-) )

Ida, you haven't lost the plot LOL

The thread started because of people's stupidity leading to another death caused 'by a dog'  

Then the discussion went on to detail the many and various ways people are completely stupid when it comes to their dogs :-(

Personally, I think a lot of the problems stem from the many people who are completely unsuited to look after anything more than a stuffed toy.  

Add to that the want it, must have it, mentality of todays society and a complete lack of a sense of personal responsibility and it's a recipe for disaster - for the dog  :-(

>I think it´s people who should be banned, not specific dog breeds.

Now there's a plan.  :-)

This kind of story unfortunately whips up a media frenzy, and then you get the anti dog brigade shouting for tougher legislation.
Someone sent me a FB link to a page where an idiot woman was campaigning that all dogs should have their teeth removed and kept on leads at all times. She said it was to protect children !!
The general public very often do not have enough knowledge of looking after, training and behaviour of dogs.
We need education not more unenforceable legislation.

> Someone sent me a FB link to a page where an idiot woman was campaigning that all dogs should have their teeth removed and kept on leads at all times. She said it was to protect children !!

That was a flash in the pan all right, and probably just a troll.
Photos of a dog that had supposedly had its teeth removed (not that any vet would do it) which turned out to be an elderly dog with no teeth due to age.

And a very badly photoshopped photo of a dog flying with teeth bared at someone's face - rearranged by our good friend Photoshop from a picture of a dog at a Frisbee catching competition. Didn't fool me for a second.

Yes the photoshopped picture was really bad, but what was scary was the number of people who posted in support of her.
Very often in our local paper there are letters from the dog haters, insisting on all dogs on lead and muzzled. Usually saying because of dog fouling, which makes no sense, never seen a lead or a muzzle stop a dog from excreting, just needs a responsible owner to pick up after them. !!
But then most of the arguments for introducing recent legislation seems to defy logical thinking.
Whilst anybody losing their life as the result of a dog attack is tragic, there always seems to be an aspect of human error, negligence or cruelty involved. The problem is not bad dogs just ignorant owners.

Far more people, including children are killed or harmed by cars every year - yet you don't see anyone trying to ban cars!

There was a recent report in Wales about a young baby left in a hot car while the mum went shopping.

You can legislate all you like, you can bring in any laws you want.   Pull as many dog's teeth as possible.

But you can't stop idiots being idiots, and you can't prevent them owning dogs any more than you can prevent them having children.   Even the most intelligent seeming person can behave like an idiot some of the time!

>Far more people, including children are killed or harmed by cars every year - yet you don't see anyone trying to ban cars!

more kids are killed by their parents abuse and more adults by their spouses each year than by dogs. Lets ban people. it would make more sense