Reply #40: Your comment that any dog could do XYZ is so on the mark.

[tblue37]

As I said before, I adore dogs, including big ones, including many pit bulls and pit bull mixes I have been good friends with. I have all cats now, but in the 1970s, I had an Afghan Hound, which is a good sized dog.

My feeling about all dogs is that they could be capable of biting. I am good with animals, but I always treat a big dog (actually, any dog) with a respectful recognition that something could set it off and cause it to bite. I walked into a friend's house one day and her longhaired Dachshund bit me hard enough on the leg that it took nearly three weeks for the bite to completely heal. I believe it was because I was carrying a large bag and a cane that day, so I was not properly "configured" for the dog to recognize me as his good friend and play buddy. I didn't blame the dog, though his owner was clearly mortified. I startled the poor dog by being shaped like a "creature" rather than a person.

I am well aware that even a medium sized dog can do serious harm or even kill a person. I don't tremble in fear or anything like that, but I am "alert" around bigger dogs and don't move suddenly or do anything to unnecessarily startle or scare them. No sudden wild physical moves or loud noises, that sort of thing. Besides, I don't like to be starteld myself, so I would consider it rude to startle my canine friends.