Second to none...by Alan Greenwood

This is the essence of my article,you should relise that guarding property is not computerd into the mind of our breed but fighting another able bodied dog is. In the days when dog fighting was rife and transport by car was almost nonexistent, fighting dogs were taken to the venue, usually on a Sunday morning and probably by a stranger who would pick him up in a parambulator, more often than not with the baby, which he had never seen before and having his eyes poked or his tail pulled by the baby without any complante at all. Then on arriving at the venue he would be probably passed over to another stranger and yet another disreputable looking human being would come across the ring, maul him about,smell him, lick him and then he was expected to change completly into a perfect fighting machine. After all this was over, if he were still in one piece, the stranger would pour peroxide into the often gapping wounds to stop infection setting in. The strangers that had brought him would then wrap him in a sack to prevent blood getting onto the covers of the pram ; put him in with the baby and wheel hin home. Horrible isn’t it ?. But once you have an incedent of your own , may be by accident or as in my own case by - negligence ( not closing the run door properly and allowing the bitch to rattle the door and open it, there is not much you can keep a Stafford in if she wants to get at another bitch.) Iv’e had 12 gauge chain link torn apart as though it were paper. I had one bitch - Elizebeth( Albert and Betty Eastwood will remember her ) She weighed around 24 lb and went through a plate glass window to get at patch (pin up girl). I’ve had them rip of kennel doors - of no mein thickness, they are houdinis of the canine world when so inclinde!.

So to the novice - take heed if you are at a show and waiting around at the ring side remember they are transmitting and recieving. If the built in switch is triggerd off take evasive action. You will more than likely be warned useually by impulses traveling down the lead and what sounds like a Ferrari in the distance. YOU are in the driving seat take your foot off the accelerator by moving to a safer distance . Dont belt your dog over the head as I have seen done on many occasion’s . You would not strike a Collie if on seeing sheep for the first time if he crept cautiously behind them, waiting for a signle from his owner.

If you are unfortunate to have an incident and there’s no-one to help you, and your pet has hold of another by it’s throat, don’t panic. Keep cool and try to get the handler of the other to do the same. I know it’s easy to give advice but I am talking from experience. Dont what ever you do try and drag the dogs apart- get hold of his collar and twist it firmlly and if possible cover his nostrils to hasten the procedure. What you are doing is cutting of f the breathing so that he has to open his mouth to draw air and it is at that point you whip him away maker sure the handler of the other dog has firm hold of there dog as he will probably what his revenge. In my opinion it is not advisable to thrash a dog - it may appease the other dog owner but on the other hand your dog may think he did not do a good job and promises to do better next time.