we took the dogs to elvaston castle today and stopped for a bite to eat at the little cafe there, as i was waiting for my OH to get the food, i was sat with the dogs, daisy tied up and fred i had hold of, two little girls were stood near by looking at fred...

the first girl said.... ''he's a german shepherd you know, look how big his mouth is''

the second girl said, ''yea that thing on his mouth (his halti) is to stop him from biting people cos german shepherds bite''

the first girl... they will bite you more than other dogs will''

then before i could correct them and let them stroke fred to see that all gsd's werent bad, they went off on their bikes

its hard enough for breeds like this without another generation growing up prejudiced about them

omg thats just sad :( poor fredly! i wish you had the chance to educate them - some little kids always run n stroke skyla n bings when they see them but they have always seemed scared of blaze even tho he pays no intrest in them - i told him today to stroke him as he loves people - and the boy did tho he was a little nervous but then once he had stroked him (blaze didnt even care he carried on sniffing the grass) he was ok with him :) if you see them again you can correct them thats its nasty owners that make dogs bite not the kind of dog

I don't know that is so sad. Kids should be educated in schools at an early age imo

I totally agree Karen. Mind you ive had adults ask the question about halti's before now - thinking they are muzzles .
Sorry to hear that Fred missed out on a fuss, but then I would say its more so that the children missed out on fussing the gorgeous fred

Am I right in thinking that PAT dogs can go into schools for educational purposes?

Its the owners who are the culprits and the dogs the innocent victims. The majority of Shepherds that I have come into contact with in my life have been absolutely fantastic with kids.

Its lack of knowledge of the owners about the breeds and lack of socialising and proper training that gives the dogs bad imagery that then gets passed along!

But Big dog makes me look right ard!!! This mentallity makes me soooo mad

Sorry I get well angry bout this sort of stuff I'll get off me soapbox now

Pat dogs usually go to hospitals, homes for the ederly, poorly childrens wards etc, but I see no reason why they couldn't go to schools as well, unless there is some law stopping them

I have had people also thinking a halti is a muzzle

Sandra,

who would you get in touch with to put this idea forward any ideas?

we have it all the time that Marley and kala are muzzled when they have their Haltis on. It really pees me off!!!!

ed was telling me last week that when he has the terrible twosome out that a woman screamed and lifted her child up screaming get them on leads theyre dangerous dogs as marley and kala walked right past them carrying their footballs totally oblivious to them, what really bugged Ed is that poor child is being influenced by the mother!!

ive been asked twice if what blaze has on (canny collar) is a muzzle so i said no its to help control his pulling - and then they have been fine with him - ive luckily had know1 being rude about it and just assuming - luckily - ive had people move their kids away from mine because THEY are scared of dogs

what i really hate is my dogs can be walking lovely n just cuz sum1s kid is playing up they turn around n say if you dont hurry up the dogs will bite u! no they fecking wont they dont bite! they are more intrested about gettin home for a treat then ur naughty child!

Funnily enough i was stopped on Saturday as i was walking Storm and Dusk on their dogmatics before agility class and this couple with 2 kids stopped and the boy asked why did i have a muzzle on my dogs are they vicous, and the father agreed with him saying at least you have them under control. I corrected them!!! and the 2 kids were clapping S & D and the father said thank you for letting his kids ask questions and clap the dogs. His daughter had been attacked and bitten last year by a jack russell and is a bit wary of dogs, they ended up staying with me in the park for about half hour and throwing the ball and ring for S & D and she wanted to take them both home but their favourite was Dusk cause she was just mental....

Then on Sunday i went to collect Marc from his work car off the road he was in an accident on sat night but he is ok!!! when i went to his work i had Dusk with me and a man leaving the golf range was speaking to me and Dusk thought she was gorgeous etc etc and said you know my brother trains police dogs he would just love her my reply thanks but sorry she's my baby!!!! lol

its aqmazing how many people confuse halti's for muzzles, they look nothing alike lol... i wonder what these people think muzzles are then

the only thing i have to watch fred for when hes meeting kids is his tongue, he loves to lick kids faces, 2 little kids were laughing hysterically in PAH once, their mum asked if they could stroke fred and i said yes but he was a little boistorous when he gets excited, she said it was fine.... they loved him, even if they left with soaking wet faces

i doubt i will see the little girls at elvaston castle again nix, people go their from all over the place.. but had they got the chance to meet fred they would have loved him

it makes me so angry when people automatically assume hes a viscious dog...

after the last week when 2 dog attacks happened there was a rumble from some goverment offices THAT ALL LARGE BREEDS SHOULD BE MUZZELED IN PUBLIC
hope nothing comes of it

really

i hope not kenny that would be awful

See there was another attack yesterday i think it was in Scotland

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11191583