Another language question...

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Marina
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Another language question...

Postby Marina » Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:05 pm

I have a dog that looks fierce, but isn't.
I've noticed that often, people are uncomfortable being near to him. What's a nice succinct way of explaining that he's not at all aggressive/dangerous, and that he's really just a big softie?

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annie_d
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Postby annie_d » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:00 pm

He isn't a big softie..or he is, but underneath that, he is an animal. My daughter has been bitten many times by dogs who's owners say, "He is just a baby" etc. No, she doesn't approach them. She must give off a smell that says, "Bite me" but still, dogs are dogs.
anyway, anyway, love from me.

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Juanmi
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Postby Juanmi » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:05 pm

1. ¡Tranquilo/a! no es peligroso. (means: is not dangerous)

2. No te preocupes, no hace nada. (means: don´t worry, he does nothing)

3. No pasa nada, no muerde. (means: he doesn´t bite)

You can combinate.

Beachcomber
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Postby Beachcomber » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:11 pm

One of our dogs is like that but I don't want people to know. I want them to think that he will rip their entrails out if they come onto my property without my permission!

Mind you, he may well do. He's never been put to the test!

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Postby crazyred » Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:35 pm

Es muy cariñoso. I am constantly telling people that our large fairly fierce looking dog is an absolute sweetheart (as long as you're not breaking into my house in the middle of the night or attacking me then, I can't guarantee that he won't rip their entrails out). With kids though, he's like a huge teddy bear. We are frequently at the park and have kids hanging off his neck, ears, tail etc... and he just stands there loving the attention and giving licky kisses.

He's also on the dangerous dogs register!!**!!

Marina
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Postby Marina » Thu Sep 13, 2007 8:49 am

Thank you for the suggestions, very helpful.

Annie it sounds as if your daughter has been very unlucky and I'm so sorry to hear that. However not all dogs are vicious and not all owners are ignorant and stupid. I hope your daughter gets to meet some of the nicer ones and doesn't develop a fear of dogs.

frank
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Postby frank » Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:51 am

Marina wrote:However not all dogs are vicious
It is in their nature to be vicious. That they haven't proved to be up until now, is absolutely no assurance that they won't be in the future. When a child was mauled to death,

"A DOG behaviour expert today warned owners they should never leave any breed alone with a young child because the animals have a "primal" reaction.
Ryan O'Meara, editor of K9 Magazine, said no dog was "perfectly safe" and should always be kept under supervision when young children were around."


Many "safe" dogs have turned out to be anything but safe. The old line trotted out by reassuring owners, "He's harmless, he won't hurt you!" is a complete nonsense. :(
Regards, Frank

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Miro
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Postby Miro » Thu Sep 13, 2007 5:14 pm

The only nonsense here is everything in this quote.

No animal is vicious by nature. In the wild they attack for food or self defence. Bottom line is, if an animal attacks, there is a reason. Unfortunately, humans are rarely aware of the reason, and therefore assume the animal is nuts. There are sadly far too many people keeping dogs, who simply do not understand the animal's psychology, and should therefore not be in charge of them.
What the dog behaviour expert should have said is "never leave any child alone with a dog". He said dogs have a primal reaction, but neglected to say to what. I find most children very annoying, but resist the urge to bite them because my human instinct tells me that's wrong. Anyone who assumes dogs think the same way, they are the ones who are nuts, not the dog.
What the K9 editor should have said is "no child is perfectly safe, and should be kept under supervision when dogs are around".

Annie's child has been bitten by many dogs. What's the common denominator? it may not be a "come bite me" smell she's giving off, but it's sure as hell something. I hope she's had a rabies jab - I'd hate to think of all those dogs getting infected. :evil:
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

crazyred
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Postby crazyred » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:01 pm

Being the owner of both a large dog and children I would definately agree that children and animals (not just dogs) should not be left alone unsupervised. Mainly because children can be little gits and can be very cruel to them without even realising and are then surprised when they provoke a reaction. So, I don't leave my kids and animals together unsupervised and try to teach the children to respect the animal's space and that if they poke it in the eye or jump up and down on it's tail then, they may get a reaction.

Annie, I think that (justifiably) there may be an air of fear or lack of confidence with your daughter and a lot of not well trained dogs will take advantage of that. My eldest son kept getting snapped at by numerous dogs in our village but, since we've had our dog there have been no problems. I think that it's raised his confidence levels so that the other dogs don't bother any more.

Also, in response to children being mauled to death, as far as I'm concerned it is always the owners fault. If you have a dog that you can't or won't train properly then you may as well leave a loaded gun lying around for the kids to play with. If I thought for one moment that my dog showed any signs of aggression to any children (and there are always signs as previous attacks always come out after they've mauled somebody to death) then he would be gone.

Marina
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Postby Marina » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:13 pm

I agree with that, Crazy red.

I had a rescue dog, many years ago. A lovely dog that had been badly ill treated in the past. When I had my first child, the dog bared it's teeth to her when she became mobile. Much as I loved the dog, she had to go. The slightest risk was not worth taking.
I do not believe all dogs are vicious. There are always signs that a responsible owner will notice. Some dogs will take any amount of abuse from a child and know not to retaliate. Some dogs will snap, or turn. It is never advisable to leave children alone with a dog. Any responsible dog owner knows that.

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annie_d
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Postby annie_d » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:57 pm

Marina, crazyred...thankyou. I appreciate your reasoned responses.
anyway, anyway, love from me.

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annie_d
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Postby annie_d » Thu Sep 13, 2007 10:58 pm

Hey Miro! How rude are you? :wink:
anyway, anyway, love from me.

Miro
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Postby Miro » Thu Sep 13, 2007 11:36 pm

I'm sorry Annie if you think I was rude. But try to see things from a different angle. This thread started with someone asking a question about Spanish language. You responded with the "dogs are dogs" bit. As an animal lover, that kind of gets my goat. Now, if the original question had been, shall we say, "How do I say, ah what a beautiful baby, in Spanish?", and I had replied with "kids are kids, and they all make me sick" (which almost without exception they do) I would expect the Guardia to be breaking down my door and carrying me away in no time. Uh-oh, I just did. :?
Imagine if, instead of all the refuges for abandoned animals, there were orphanages full of babies, who had been dumped by their previously supposedly devoted and loving "owners", because they got a new puppy, and the baby jumped on it's back for no apparent reason. Much as the owners loved their baby, it wasn't worth taking a risk, and it had to go.....
Don't worry about what people think, they don't do it very often

"Acquiring a dog may be the only opportunity a human ever has to choose a relative," Mordecai Siegal 1935-2010.

frank
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Postby frank » Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:52 am

Annie, I think that (justifiably) there may be an air of fear or lack of confidence with your daughter and a lot of not well trained dogs will take advantage of that.
There, it's your daughter's fault for being afraid! Can't be the dogs fault.
Regards, Frank

No soy residente, simplemente un turista, ¿qué sé yo?

Valencia_Paul
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Postby Valencia_Paul » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:01 am

Yes Miro you have made it clear you prefer dogs to people. Personally I prefer my own species every time. I find it really sad those people who choose not to have kids and mollycoddle a pair of pooches as their "babies".

frank
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Postby frank » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:03 am

Valencia_Paul wrote:Yes Miro you have made it clear you prefer dogs to people. Personally I prefer my own species every time. I find it really sad those people who choose not to have kids and mollycoddle a pair of pooches as their "babies".
He sounds one very sad man. :(
Regards, Frank

No soy residente, simplemente un turista, ¿qué sé yo?

mickhick

Postby mickhick » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:43 am

Marina, when we first moved over here we looked at the issue of muzzling dogs in public (we were told that it was necessary and wanted to check before getting our dogs). I found a document on the Intertnet which described which dogs must be muzzled in public. They included the normal GSD, Dobermans etc but also went on to specify dogs with certain jaw sizes. Unfortunately the document has been lost over the years. It might be that the looks you are getting are from locals who know what the law requires?

mickhick

Postby mickhick » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:51 am


Marina
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Postby Marina » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:54 am

I did wonder about that!

I thought though, that only the dogs which were classed as "dangerous" under the dangerous dogs act needed to be muzzled.

When I got my dog from the rescue centre they did say that he wouldn't be classed as a dangerous dog, so I took that to mean I didn't need to use a muzzle.

He's a German Shepherd/Belgian Shepherd cross and I was previously told by a vet that German Shepherds weren't classed as dangerous. :?

Clearly this is something I need to look into some more!

Marina
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Postby Marina » Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:57 am

Thanks, I posted before I saw that!

Looks like I'll need to measure him! Goodness knows what having short hair has to do with it!


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