Hello Richard,   
      
   >RW>Yep, see that all over.  pEople are scared of my   
   >RW>Rottweiler. My Rottweiler is a good dog, but no, if you   
   >RW>broke in here I couldn't guarantee your safety, or if she   
   >RW>thought you threatened my lady.   
      
   >BK>I can say that for a German Shepard, or Standard Poodle. From   
   >BK>personal knowledge of those who owned them, and who found them   
   >BK>quite protective.   
      
   RW>Right, but I'd just as soon leave the defense of my home   
   RW>and my possessions to my rottie .  She's big enough to   
   RW>take somebody dwon, and do it quickly.   
      
   I'll bring a nice, raw, juicy steak with me and offer her   
   a choice.  Which do you think she will go for?  The steak?   
   Or me?  :)   
      
   >BK>All to many who want to own dogs considered dangerous are *NOT*   
   >BK>responsible.   
      
   >RW>Indeed, and usually they own multiple animals and aren't   
   >RW>that smart in either training the animals or interacting   
   >RW>with them.   
      
   >BK>Which is one good reason for restrictions on dogs that require   
   >BK>special handling.   
      
   RW>Maybe, but there, like everything else, those with the   
   RW>intelligence understand these things, but most who own   
   RW>these "dangerous" dogs are not the cream of the crop when   
   RW>it comes to intelligence.   
      
   It is not the dogs that are dangerous.  It is the owners   
   (or the dogs' handlers) who make them dangerous.  Remember,   
   most of these `dangerous' dogs are trained to fight other   
   `dangerous' dogs.  A truly sickening `sport' - if one can   
   call it a `sport' at all.   
      
   >RW>My rottie could take your arm off with one bite no doubt.   
   >RW>YEs I play and rough house with her a bit, but I'm also   
   >RW>very cautious how I play and rough house with her.  Just the   
      
   >BK>And children and the inexperienced very often do not have the   
   >BK>appropriate judgement.   
      
   RW>Right, which is why I don't encourage children and the   
   RW>inexperienced to play with her.  in fact, if she's in   
   RW>public, I'm with her, and I have her under control.   
      
   Any responsible owner would (or should) take appropriate steps   
   to ensure the safety of others.   
      
   RW>I also do not encourage people with children to bring their   
   RW>children to my home.  Even if she wasn't here, this is not   
   RW>a child safe environment, and i have no intention of making   
   RW>it "child safe."  There may be tools lying about if I'm in   
   RW>the middle of something, etc. etc.   
      
   Makes sense.  Better to inform others than have somebody   
   inadvertently get hurt.  Especially children, who may or may   
   not be capable of understanding the dangers.   
      
   RW>If somebody must bring their children in the dog is   
   RW>isolated from them.  But, as noted, I strongly discourage   
   RW>people with children from coming here with child in tow.   
      
   What about the mail man?  I had a dog years ago that really   
   hated the color blue.  Probably because it got maced by a mail   
   man when young.  One day, a judge came over to visit.  I told   
   the judge not to try to pet the dog.  Especially since the   
   judge was wearing blue and the dog was growling.  But did the   
   judge listen?  Noooo...  (he got a bloody ankle for his efforts)   
   Fortunately I did not get sued.  :)   
      
   --Lee   
      
      
    * SLMR 2.1a * All wiyht.  Rho sritched mg kegtops awound?   
      
   --- Maximus 3.01   
    * Origin: Xaragmata / Adelaide SA telnet://xaragmata.mooo.com (3:800/432)