It’s me or the dog – tonight’s episode

[happy_83]

Did anyone else just watch tonight’s episode of It’s me or the dog? If so am I the only one who felt this was a truly terrible programme.

One of the dogs in the programme had bitten the family’s child over food that had fell to the ground and so they asked Victoria Stilwell to come round the house and do her thing. All was going well until about six weeks after she left the dog bit another one of the children. Now I really don’t approve of dogs being allowed to bite children and I think that really viscous dogs should as unfortunate as it is be put down.

However the dog in this programme seemed to respond really well to the training he was receiving etc and I just find it really difficult to understand why the dog was put down when no other options seemed to be shown.

I know not everyone will agree with my opinion but I just have no respect for Victoria Stilwell anymore and doubt I’ll ever watch the programme again

[dragonfly]

I watched it and was in tears at the end when they were burying the dog, but I would have done the same thing.

The dog had already bitten their little girl 3 times although each time it was triggered by food (both of them going for the same bit of food) but the last time it was unprovoked as the wee girl was bringing in the washing from the line and it wasn't just a bite, he "savaged" her biting her on both hands, tummy, chest, and legs - they had no choice, the dog had 'problems' deeper rooted than fighting for food. If he had been a bigger dog (it was a spaniel), it would have no doubt made it onto the front page of some tabloid as happened with the rottweiller stories

[cezzy1234]

hi i watched it it was terrable i was in tears with the program it was a shame the dog shoud of been punnised but did not deserve to be put down.

[sapphire]

I'm sorry i didn't watch the programme but given that dogs can inflict horrific injuries on children ( as has been demonstrated recently) I just cannot condone letting a dog who bites remain within a family and if that means putting it down well so be it.
PS I am a dog lover and own a dog...but if he bit a child I would not hesitate to have him put down.(even though it would break my heart!)

[happy_83]

Yeah i know, the more i think about it the more i agree with you especially as like you say the marks on the girl weren't nice at all. It's just upsetting and i think that they went to far with showing the dog being taken to the vets, the grave being dug etc.

[dragonfly]

hi i watched it it was terrable i was in tears with the program it was a shame the dog shoud of been punnised but did not deserve to be put down.

how can you punish a dog so it knows not to do it again? it doesn't understand a smack on the bum and being told no.

If your dog (don't know if you have one or not, but if you imagine you do) attacked your little girl would you really trust it again and leave it in a room with her alone?

[connieb19]

The programme had me in tears but I don't think they had much choice. The dog viciously attacked the child. It would have also been unfair to rehome the dog, as the chances are he would do it again.

[dragonfly]

i think that they went to far with showing the dog being taken to the vets, the grave being dug etc.

completely agree with you there, no need to go to that extreme, just playing it out for viewing figures

[happy_83]

completely agree with you there, no need to go to that extreme, just playing it out for viewing figures

Especially at 8pm when their are children watching, i don't think the warning at the start of the programme about it being a sad episode was adequate enough

[neepnipper]

I, too was in tears at the end, didn't think it was necessary to show the dog going to the vet to be put to sleep and then showing it being buried.

Although an unprovoked attack on a child is unforgivable I do feel that the option of rehoming the dog to someone without kids and experienced enough to carry on with the training that Victoria had begun was not explored properly. It was an intelligent and young dog, maybe it deserved another chance. Then again if I had kids I would, perhaps, feel differently.

[brandy]

ok im going to be the bad american here.. *grins*
i do love animals and have been around them all my life.
but i can tell you one thing.. if ever and i mean if ever a dog attacked one of my children .. then there would be no need to take it to be put down as it would already be dead.
where i come from you can shoot a animal if it attacks..
i have absolutley no compassion for viscous animals.. just like with people.
if a dog is mean it is mean.. simple as that.
my aunt has a demon dog that will bite anyone and everyone it can.. even her!
she has to lock it away when some one comes round.. its a dashund so not extremly dangerous.. but at the same time.. would never go and visit her at home as would not want to chance it with the kids.
she makes all kinds of exscuses for its behaviour..

and once a dog gets a taste for blood it does something to them.
ive seen dogs shot .. and killed a few times .. and its absolutly horrible.. but after being attacked as a child myself.. im sorry no sympathy!!

[Fluff]

just curious as i didnt see it, what breed was the dog?

[dragonfly]

it was a spaniel, cocker I think, if not it was a springer

[emszxr]

it was a cocker

i agree with brandy, if any dog, including my own attacked a child i would with no hesitation shoot it myself. i dont trust any dog 100% with a child.

[Ann]

it was a cocker

i agree with brandy, if any dog, including my own attacked a child i would with no hesitation shoot it myself. i dont trust any dog 100% with a child.

Exactly; don't trust any dog 100% with a child!

[Lolabelle]

I'm sorry i didn't watch the programme but given that dogs can inflict horrific injuries on children ( as has been demonstrated recently) I just cannot condone letting a dog who bites remain within a family and if that means putting it down well so be it.
PS I am a dog lover and own a dog...but if he bit a child I would not hesitate to have him put down.(even though it would break my heart!)

I agree, I have two large dogs who are both very well trained. But I would not hesitate to have them put down if they bit anyone. My dogs live inside and are like kids to me. But they are dogs and not people. People come first in my book, especially children. Having said all that, I don't ever leave my dogs unwatched with kid's as I would never fully trust them, I have seen them get stuck into each other over a bone or food and I would hate them to do that with a child.

[Piglet]

Have to agree - i wouldn't trust a dog 100% with a child.

We had to put a dog down as we took it in as a family members child was allergic but a couple of years later i had my own child. Everything was fine until she could toddle then the dog started growling & snapping at her. So alas it was a tearful goodbye.