Personal Protection dogs

[Fi1805]

Originally Posted by A1K9

*Wording for signs if you have large “guarding breeds” is also something to be aware of.
I can make the gate in 5 seconds can you? Coupled with a picture of a snarling dog might be amusing but in a court it may be argued that you knew you had a vicious dog.
Try this one given to me by a judge- Caution Do Not Enter - Large Dogs May Be Running Free.
Statement of fact not designed to be intimidating but delivering a clear message that cannot be used against you. You are not insinuating that your dog will do harm but you are telling people not to enter and the reason why!
To conclude, train your dogs, make sure your dogs are under control and be aware of the word REASONABLE it has huge meaning in law.

This is a really interesting discussion. I believe there is another thread regarding warning signs, their relevance to the law and indicating that you own a potentially dangerous dog.

I didnt get a Shepherd for the purpose of protection, although I must admit that I assumed that if I was seen in the neighbourhood with her it would be a deterrent to any potential criminals, even although she is a big wuss!

[A1K9]

Stuart, a couple of points – you will find the word reasonable used throughout most legal documents and I believe that with force the wording is using reasonable and proportionate force.
Scotland may be different but the control orders that you illustrate are also in force in England and if someone claimed that your dog jumped up at them growled or barked at them in a public place then you could be spoken to about the actions of your dog and the reason it occurred.
With regard to the signs, the wording is such that it deliberately does not intend that a person should be intimidated by the wording IT IS A STATEMENT OF FACT purely DO NOT ENTER LARGE DOGS MAY BE RUNNING FREE – No bells no whistles no pictures just a simple message. I would add that whoever buys my dogs normally gets 2 or more signs made for their property.

Finally Stuart, you point out that your dogs are person friendly. All of my trained Personal Protection Dogs are also person friendly until they need to defend their owner/handler even when they are in defence mode, they are still controllable and controlled. Pit Bull or other fighting breed dog mounts and attack on another dog or person, it is normally frenzied – no control, therefore dangerously out of control.

Regards

Charles

[Stuart]

The sign I have on my gate,.. is a photo of all three with the words `We all live here`,.. I though about the wording a lot, I also wanted to make a statement of fact and nothing else,...I hate the signs that say something like ` My dog can get to the gate in two seconds, can you`,.. we all try to give a good impression of our breed to the public, we certainly wouldnt do that by putting up signs like those

Friendly dogs,........... Mine are people friendly, but I think that they are intelligent enough to know that they should do something about someone who either shows phyical aggression towards me, or tries to break into my house

I forgot to lock the gate when I came home for dinner one working day, and before I knew it the dogs went daft, [ barking ],.. the electric man had been brave enough to open the gate and walk up to the house,... the dogs were all around him barking, but never touched him,... now when we meet people normaly they are friendly [ no barking ], they clearly knew that this man was different and shouldnt be there,... but as I said, they never touched him,.............. scared the sh*t out of him though

`Control` is the word that seperates trained animals from none trained animals

[Chip Chesterfield III]

I was told once, if you end up in court, it pretty much comes down to, did you do what any reasonable man/person would do.

If you punch some git in the face to prevent him from hitting you, again, probably reasonable. If you then, while he is drying his eyes and calling for his mummy, run round the back of your house open two padlocks and unleash your wardogs who knock him to the ground and gnaw on his legs while you proced to dance a jig on his head. Probably not reasonable.

I am not qualified to give legal advice, taking it from a newspaper is as bad if not worse.
Newspaper stories have one aim, to sell newspapers, nothing else.

a

[flint]

Originally Posted by Stuart

The sign I have on my gate,.. is a photo of all three with the words `We all live here`,.. I though about the wording a lot, I also wanted to make a statement of fact and nothing else,...I hate the signs that say something like ` My dog can get to the gate in two seconds, can you`,.. we all try to give a good impression of our breed to the public, we certainly wouldnt do that by putting up signs like those

Friendly dogs,........... Mine are people friendly, but I think that they are intelligent enough to know that they should do something about someone who either shows phyical aggression towards me, or tries to break into my house

I forgot to lock the gate when I came home for dinner one working day, and before I knew it the dogs went daft, [ barking ],.. the electric man had been brave enough to open the gate and walk up to the house,... the dogs were all around him barking, but never touched him,... now when we meet people normaly they are friendly [ no barking ], they clearly knew that this man was different and shouldnt be there,... but as I said, they never touched him,.............. scared the sh*t out of him though

`Control` is the word that seperates trained animals from none trained animals

i had a simalar problem, my sign says CAUTION police dog may be lose with the caution in big red letters !!

posty still saw fit to come round the back through the gate and then wondered why my boy was going full pelt towards him, still showed him that a well trained energency stop works wonders and looks good.

but, like you, i think a change of under crackers was needed.

still showes that a well trained dog will, above all, listen to its handler.