first mate

Something that looks like a staffy is not necessarily a staffy- it may be a crossbreed. This is the problem with banning dangerous dogs by breed or type. Many of these problem dogs are crossbreeds anyway- it would take a DNA test to know for sure whether a dog is a certain breed or not and that does not come cheap. Also, once you ban one fighting breed people move on to the next- what about Akitas, Sharpeis, American Bulldogs..... all currently legal, all arguably worse because they are people wary and guardy too, unlike Staffys which are people friendly. I believe passionately that all dogs should be put on a lead once outside the front door, even at the threshold. No dogs offlead on any pavement or street. Dogs need to run so they should be allowed offlead in parks and owners have the choice whether to take a toy breed to the park or not. Clearly a toy may get all the exercise it needs pavement walking, or in a garden if you are lucky enough to have one. Dogs offlead on the street are a potential menace, primarily to other dogs but also to children.

ianr, I take your point. However, there is in my experience a type of bull breed owner that routinely kicks their dog. Perhaps the owner in question only kicks those dogs belonging to people he chooses to threaten. My main point is that the owner threatened innocent passers by - a person and their teenage daughter- with physical violence. That is what I would be reporting to the police. My guess is that had the owner apologised profusely at the time, promised to keep his dog under proper control in future and to settle any vet bills to the other person's dog should the need arise, then the matter would not have reached this forum. The central issue is this man's behavior.

I too would report it to the police. The guy used intimidating behavior and threatened you- he sounds like a bully and a visit from the police would do him good. He knows he was in the wrong but rather than apologise he chose to abuse you- that's what bullies do. How typical that he owns a staff and that the technique used to "control" his dog is to kick it- tells you everything you need to know about him. It is hard, but unless we take a stand against people like this they'll carry on with worse. Staffs are not bad dogs, they are great with people and children but can be horrendous with other dogs, especially small ones that they treat as prey. They were originally developed to fight other dogs, bait bulls and for the rat pit. It is another example of someone owning a breed without taking responsibility for what the dog is capable of. anyone with a small dog is always on the lookout for staffs and the like, and their tendency to attack other dogs is why I get so angry when people insist on walking them offlead on the pavement. Why not add this to the Safer Neighbourhoods Thread- the team could pay this guy a visit.

Anywhere a fox can survive can be considered its "natural" habitat. Like humans they are opportunists, highly adaptable to a range of environments. Yes, they can make a huge racket but think what humans inflict on the rest of wildlife with our fireworks,etc.. Think neutering better than culling but more expensive in short term. Wanted to add that Reynard also helps keep local mouse and rat population down.

All faeces, of whatever species, are likely to carry germs of some kind but as cate says, most dogs these days are wormed. I'd be more worried about picking up Weil's from rat urine (rats being all around us)or indeed any amount of human bugs lingering in the environment, the result of humans not washing their hands after evacuating their bowels. Dog pooh, like any other carnivore pooh, is unpleasant and smelly, none of us, dog owners included, enjoy stepping in it. Best thing is to complain to the council, get the yellow sign stamped onto the pavement and watch out for perpetrators. It's just another example of anti social behavior and we have to try to tackle it in that manner rather than demonise all dog owners or make out that dog excrement is public health enemy number one.

Get the council to put one of the yellow signs saying "bag it and bin it" on the pavement by your gate. This does seem to help. You are sure that it is dog pooh and not fox pooh? The latter tends to be very dark, nearly black and foxes will mark the same areas with pooh.

davidh, Like you I'm on the Rye nearly every day and do see the odd bit of poop, but for the most part it is very clear and I do see the bulk of owners make a concerted effort to pick up. As I've said before, many times, my big issue is with all the broken glass- so very dangerous for children and for dogs too. Strangely it never gets mentioned. As ever, we all hate dog pooh, I just don't see that it is as big a problem as some make out. I am slightly amazed that so many toddlers seemed to get it over their shoes on such a regular basis.

JLCK, Your pups behaviour is normal. For a good 6-8 weeks of her life she has been part of a litter with her mum around for most of the time. Being on her own is new and a bit scary. Nonetheless it is something she needs to get used to. First buy a book: "The perfect Puppy" by Gwen Bailey. This will tell you everything you need to know about basic puppy care and training using kind methods. Once pups vaccinations are all up to date join a puppy class. Beckenham dog training are the best around and, again, use kind methods only. You should try to get a puppy pen (Pets at Home do one). During the day get pup used to a regime of a series of 10 mins play, out for wees and then pop in pen with her bed and get on with whatever it is you do around the house. This way she gets used to the idea that you do not stay close by all the time but that you come back often. The abilty to deal with separation will build up over time. Cate is right don't go and comfort her if she whimpers a bit. If you are confident that nothing is awry just get on with whatever you are doing but return to the room often- but more or less ignoring her. First let her learn to cope with you being in the room but getting on with stuff and then leave the room for a minute at a time and build up through the day. Make sure that you have a really regular regime of feeding, play and wees (after play or feeding and before bed) all pups need to wee. Getting all this right, so pup can make sense of her little life, will help her settle and feel more secure. These first few weeks of a pups life are really vital in terms of socialisation and building a bond. Remember she is only little so do be patient. Get the book asap. What breed is she? Please let me know if you need any other advice.

If the child is arty/ musical or the sensitive type, Steiner could be quite a good option. It's perhaps not so great for older academic kids, in my view. Steiners, in my experience anyway, tend to reject worldly things like TV and computers and teen experimentation with drugs and alcohol. Certain realities do have to be faced after all. It does, however, provide a wonderful, almost escapist environment for younger kids, who are actively encouraged to be children and use their imaginations and so on- all good in my view. The only other possible downside is the quite strong christian ethos/values that goes with the territory- depends if this is a problem for you.

I believe that cats can make the most horrendous noise when out looking for mates- you've probably been serenaded by the feline siren song.

Perhaps English is not Uzzy's first language? Sorry Uzzy if this is not the case.

Acid, I believe you, you are successful and creative/arty, you have a job at director level and you never read the Daily Mail. Super. Jeremy, like you, I very much doubt the kids were doing crack but Uzzy was not really given an opportunity to elaborate before some forumites leapt on his/her post rubbishing and ridiculing any concerns he/she might have. Perhaps Uzzy is not a parent and was unsure whether the incident should be reported on or not. Perhaps Uzzy is elderly and felt uncomfortable about the situation. I felt the post was that of someone seeking advice and might have been treated with a little more understanding and empathy. We all agree smoking a bit of spliff is hardly the crime of the century but this point could have been made to Uzzy in a kinder way- I feel.

Acid, Calm down dear.

Keef, Not every gal can expect to bed a homosexual by the time she is 14 but would you mind if she was doing a spot of crack in the bushes?. I dunno, I wasn't there, just wanted to know a little more from Uzzy before we all jumped down his/her throat with our own little PC prejudices and assumptions. Acid m'dear, you sound a touch sensitive, I feel like I touched a nerve- but congrats on the "director level job"- whatever that means.

AC,or should that be Acid Casual-ty? This thread is certainly a hoot (note hoot not toot).

uzzy12, hey, you heard leave the kids ALONE. Let them do their thang- it's their lungs and livers they are experimenting with- they have rights too you know and we were all kids once- yeah? Like Acid C said, with his/her giveaway moniker, don't be so down on the kids and their leisure pursuits, it's what parks are for, you freak you for even caring (code for paedo for showing so much interest in kids and owning a dog and walking it in the park- freak).

uzzy112, You must remember that in these parts we are all expected to turn a blind eye if we see children doing something we suspect may be naughty, illegal or, gosh, damaging to their health. Never ever get judgmental about kids drinking or smoking or worse on this forum 'cos they'll have your guts for garters- it's because we all did these things in our youth, so that makes it okay.

I would think a "constantly" barking dog would draw the attention of more than just one neighbour. I agree with ruffers, if it is as bad as you say environmental health inspectors will be able to hear it for themselves and appropriate action taken.

New subject, but I'm seeing an awful lot of dead and dopey bumble bees. Is this normal? I always thought they died in autumn. With nay luck I just don't know enough about the bee life cycle!

Slightly off topic, but possibly relevant re casing properties. A few weeks ago one evening I saw a young lad (12-14'ish , white, skinny, brown hair) looking through my front window (he would have had to come into that area through the front gate). I rushed out to ask what he wanted, by which time he was on his way, rather quickly. He said he's kicked off his shoe into my front garden by accident and was retrieving it. Might have been innocent but it felt suspicious- particularly as he was peering through the window into my sitting room.

kylie6097, I hope you are right about safeguarding procedures- but I would suggest that your comment about Harris' lack of clarity on sports facilities pinpoints exactly the thing that makes people like me suspicious! I guess it might be artistic licence, or a kind of slip that reveals the real long-term intentions of the school and planners, but if you look at the 3D animated visuals of the school it begins with a long shot through a vista of trees on Peckham Rye. As we zoom in through the park and trees to the road- the school being over the other side- I notice that there is no fence or gate separating the park and school, it is as though the park is an extension, separated from the school only by the road. I know I'm being far-fetched but......?

Narnia and LE, I'm also sorry for continuing off topic. LE I hope you find a dog share person soon. Your boy looks a nice lad.

Rgutshell, What a nasty experience- was there any way of identifying the kids at all, just in case there are further incidents? My first reaction is where oh where are those mobile CCTV units when most you need them. Nipping this sort of behaviour in the bud by catching and charging the little b's would be a much better use of resources than endless pursuit of minor parking infringements- better for the kids too in the long term.

Steve T, You keep banging on about this and I understand your anger but everyone is responsible for the litter they discard/generate, by accident or not. Irresponsible people don't give a monkeys- whether they leave dog shit or fail to pick up broken glass or the revolting gum, chicken bones etc.. they spew over the pavement. Dog shit is unpleasant and sometimes dangerous, glass is dangerous (I know, I've been infected by a cut from broken glass left on the pavement). I also happen to dislike discarded gum and chicken bones (a nuisance to me and life threatening to my dog if ingested). You may not have seen much broken glass your way but I see an awful lot.It is the same laziness and lack of community mindedness that drives people to discard and leave any kind of litter.

It seems fairly clear that the ultimate intention is to use the park because there is not enough room at the school for adequate sports facilities. It has been denied all along that the park would be used for this but I would put good money on the fact that it will be.I think this denial of fairly clear intention gets up a lot of people's noses. I also think the concern of many is that once the Rye gets used a bit for school activities that usage will increase to a lot and this may begin to impinge on the freedoms of other park users. The park is there for all but it was never meant or designed to be a school playing field- or was it, please correct me if I am wrong? The FOPK have already indicated that the park cannot take the heavy usage that would be involved in everyday use of it for football, rugby and other sports involving a lot of people at once. Who would fund the extra upkeep involved with this usage? If sports are played every day does this mean that those parts of the park become no go areas for other users (I am thinking health and safety here)? I know that Harris Girls uses it a bit- and a number of park users were pretty hacked off with the attitude of some of the girls- but the use is occasional. A boys school probably has a much greater need to get the lads out and running around- my guess is the use by them would increase very quickly. Before people jump down my throat I am not anti children or anti them using the park, but I am one that feels that a park is not a school playing field. Sports have there place for all the community, but the use is not constant- as it probably would be in this case.