Gareth O'Callaghan: Stopping some people from owning a dog is better than banning a breed

In hindsight, I wouldn’t have had time to do anything.

A woman standing beside the dog, who I assumed was the owner, was deep in conversation. She was distracted and no longer in control, as she should have been.

I could feel my heart pounding. ‘Don’t show fear,’ I told myself. The black German shepherd stared wide-eyed at me, body perfectly still, mouth closed tight.

 It was at that moment I just knew. His head dropped, and then, with all his weight and a deep growl, he sprung

I raised my arm to shield my face. As he took a ferocious grip on my upper arm with his jaws, he was level with my head.

His teeth sank into the thick skin of my leather jacket so deeply that my arm ached.

Between the pressure of his grip and efforts to drag me to the ground, I knew I was in serious trouble; and if I dropped to the ground, any defence I was putting up was gone.

I could feel the sleeve of my jacket being dragged lower down my arm as he pulled me backwards with a level of brute force I’ve never experienced. I raised my left fist and brought it down hard on the bridge of his nose. He yelped and let go.

That was the moment I fell. I raised my other arm to cover my face and waited, shaking in shock. I couldn’t see the dog. No growling, no barking. Then silence, apart from traffic.

I curled up into a ball and waited. Seconds later, a man’s voice. “Are you OK? Do you need an ambulance?” He helped me to my feet.

The dog was gone, and so was his owner.

It turns out the thick leather jacket saved my arm, which the dog could have ripped out of my shoulder socket had I been wearing a short-sleeved shirt.

That experience affected me for years. I regularly crossed roads, often risking my safety, in order to avoid dogs I was convinced wanted me in their lunch bowl

It wasn’t until we opened our home to a rescue dog a few years ago — a small mixed-breed terrier who we called Finn, followed more recently by a second rescue survivor, Gladys, a beautiful proud Dachshund — that my feelings for dogs changed.

Taking responsibility

I quickly learned that you can’t just own a dog. Taking ownership requires nothing less than giving up any notion that you can continue to have an independent lifestyle.

Owning a dog is no different to being a parent. If you choose to own a dog, it’s almost as big a commitment as raising a small child — if you take it seriously.

Our dogs are different in so many ways. There’s three years between them; but dogs know nothing about age, perhaps one of the aspects of being a canine that I envy.

Finn wants an easy life, whereas Gladys wants to own everything and everyone. Finn is a pacifist, an introvert; whereas Gladys is a rebel, an extroverted loveable brat.

One thing they have in common is they want our attention and our love all the time. In return, they feel a peace they never knew in their former sad and terrified lives.

Yes, they have abandonment issues; but they know they are loved now. To hear them get excited in the car when they realise they’re almost home is something that never fails to remind me how vulnerable they are, and how so many owners fail to understand that a dog’s unpredictable behaviour should never be underestimated.

Two months ago this weekend, Nicole Morey was savaged to death by her pet dog. 

The XL bully is bred from several different dog types, including pit bulls, bulldogs, the Presa Canario, and the Cane Corso — all of which are high on a list of dogs with the strongest bite, or psi (pounds per square inch), and among the most vicious in existence.

The black German shepherd breed that attacked me has a psi of 291 (bite force), over half that of a lion, which means they can bite through things with moderate strength.

That might sound reassuring. Trust me, it’s not. It’s not the size of the dog in a fight, it’s the fight in the dog that makes it more lethal and unstoppable in its ability to injure or kill.

From October, it will be illegal to breed, import, or sell the XL bully. An owner will require a Certificate of Exemption, which ensures the dog has a licence and is microchipped and neutered.

Such legislation will also make it illegal for animal charities such as the ISPCA to rehome the breed. Dog abandonment of the breed has already started.

Any dog is capable of biting, not just so-called ‘weapon dogs’. Despite all their reassurances, a majority of owners know very little about how a dog thinks and reacts in different circumstances. That’s because many owners rarely bother educating themselves in dog behaviour.

Here are a few facts. When a dog is “over threshold”, they have become overwhelmed by something that is too close for comfort, and that’s when they respond by biting. One of the reasons a dog bites is because it’s startled. A single bite is a warning, but a prolonged attack is different.

It’s not just dogs on the restricted list that cause a threat to humans. Dachshunds and chihuahuas are among the most aggressive breeds towards people, owners included.

In contrast, pit-bull terriers are significantly less aggressive to their owners and to strangers, while very aggressive to other dogs.

It’s also a fact that dog owners contribute to the aggressive nature of their dogs. All dogs can become aggressive as a result of their owners’ training, neglect, or abuse. A dog needs training and control, as much as affection.

So why are we always blaming the pet? Dogs are telepathic creatures. They pick up on their owners’ thoughts and feelings. Even from a distance, a dog can sense stress and anxiety in its owner. Equally, it responds to empathy and love and, most significantly, anger. You might not direct anger at a dog, but if you behave angrily, so will your pet.

Dogs detect changes in a person’s heart rate, sweat glands, and other reactions that show fear or aggression, while their incredible sense of smell can determine someone’s emotional state.

Another myth is that dogs love children. They don’t. Dogs view young children differently than adults. Most good owners are sensible with their pets around children. They don’t let them near them. Children aren’t sensible, nor are dogs.

Allowing a child near a dog is a risk that’s filled with danger.

Two-week-old Reuben McNulty, from Yaxley, near Peterborough, was fatally savaged by the family pet, a Staffordshire, in 2018. Evidence from a specialist in veterinary forensics said the dog may have mistaken the baby for “a squeaky toy”.

Banning an individual from owning a dog would be far more preferable to banning a breed — considering there are no bad dogs, only bad owners.

All dogs are unpredictable, it’s worth remembering.