Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/05/25

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Canine issue update - good news [very long]
From: "lea" <lea@whinydogpress.com>
Date: Sat, 25 May 2002 13:10:06 -0500
References: <MBBBJHIBKCKEAEOKKBPOCEKKDLAA.bdcolen@earthlink.net>

BD, I think sending the dog away and explaining WHY to the new owners is the
most humane thing you could have done. Many dogs thrive in a specific type
of environment (no kids, no loud noises, etc...). Much like many people,
they don't adapt well to every set of circumstances. It being a poodle
aside, I think you did the right thing in finding it a new home and not
putting it down.

Your letter does bring up a good point and gives me a second to reinforce
what I did with my own daughter and what, in my opinion, all parents should
do with theirs....never, Never, NEVER let your child approach a strange dog
without asking the owner first. And no one should ever approach a strange
dog from behind. It pushes all the wrong buttons.

Along with that, small children being somewhat unpredicatable as they are
wont to be (like every other second) I kennel my dogs (yes, all 7 of them)
when we have young people coming to the house. The risk of something
happening just isn't worth it. If the child is interested in the dogs I will
introduce them and allow the child to pat but I don't leave little kids
around my dogs unsupervised for any reason or for any length of time.

I am happy to say in all the years I've been a dog owner (they are many)
I've never had a bite. Thank God.

Lea

- ----- Original Message -----
From: "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Saturday, May 25, 2002 11:39 AM
Subject: RE: [Leica] Canine issue update - good news [very long]


: Re-reading and thinking the original post this a.m., I have to say I
really
: agree with Austin on this one..;-)...
:
: I, too, am a dog owner/lover and have been all my life. But "stalking
: children?"
:
: 'Sleepy' time for Rex....
:
: Oh, and, yes, if I had a dog that I thought could be a threat to any
child,
: I would get rid of it...and did just that once...I had "rescued" a
gorgeous,
: HUGE standard Poodle - like 85 lbs huge, which we had been told had been
: abused. Put myself and the dog through intensive training and the dog
: responded beautifully. Dog would let my then three-year-old son climb on
: him. But one day while at work I got a call from my wife who said "'your
: dog' has just snarled at..."...a toddler who was visiting and had come up
: behind the dog and patted him on the rump...dog spun around and
: snarled...Didn't snap. Didn't lunge. But snarled. My response to my
: wife..."Take 'my dog' downstairs to my office, lock him in with a bowl of
: water, and call the trainer and tell him the dog needs a new home where
: there are no children and never will be." Dog left that evening for a home
: way out in the country owned by a gay male couple - who were specifically
: told why the dog was leaving our home.
:
: B. D.
:
: And, yes, if I had it to do all over again, I would have had the dog 'put
: down,' despite being quite attached to him.
:
:
: --
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Replies: Reply from Brian Reid <reid@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> (Re: [Leica] Canine issue update - good news [very long])
In reply to: Message from "B. D. Colen" <bdcolen@earthlink.net> (RE: [Leica] Canine issue update - good news [very long])