Once again I read and hear about more dogs attacking humans–particularly children. I know this can’t be avoided altogether, but I know a common sense decision that can be made to help prevent this:
Keep pit bulls away from children. They have no place as pets around little ones. My neighbors had a pit bull and he never hurt any of us, but that doesn’t mean he never will. Dogs are wild animals, and I don’t care how they are raised, at some point their instincts can take over and maul someone. This also goes for dobermans, certain shepherds, and rottweilers. I understand these animals can be very good, loyal friends, but why keep them around young ones? I’m tired of reading about these maulings. And some people act like their dogs have equal rights to humans. Not so in the Forester household; and I don’t walk behind mine with a bag picking up his ‘droppings’.
I grew up around dogs (outside, not in the house) and love the ones that serve a purpose. But these that are known to turn on people instantly will not be owned by me. There are plenty of big, gentle dogs available as pets. And to be clear, I will not own cats.
Joseph has many emergency room instances of repairing ears, faces, noses, etc. from dog attacks. And you know what dog was most common?–the family pet. The worst attack he saw was an Australian Shepherd that ran right past an adult woman and attacked a three-year-old for no reason. He knew this kid. So, even though how animals are raised plays a role in their behavior, instincts will always win.
When you’re deciding on a pet, be wise. I have no problem removing blood thirsty dogs from this earth. Do you?
Melonie, you have pit bulls. How have yours behaved thru the years?
Thad I appreciate this post. This is a sensitive subject and we are both likely to make some folks mad but this is an important subject that needs straight talk. I have had the unfortunate experience to care for many victims of vicious dog attacks and with few exceptions, these victims have always been children. Recently, I was working in an urgent care clinic and a woman came running in carrying a child and both of them were covered in blood. Once we got her calmed down, she told the story of an unprovoked attack by the family dog (Australian Sheppard) on the little boy who was simply walking by the couch were the dog laid. The grandmother had the child’s ear wrapped in a bag of frozen peas hoping we could save it. He also had a massive full-thickness scalp laceration that was about 3 inches long and several more superficial abrasions. He was taken to the OR but the surgeons could not reattach the ear. Who knows what emotional scars he will carry as well.
In San Antonio, I participated in the facial repair of a 2 year old boy who was attacked by his grandmother’s Rottweilers. He had been raised around these dogs but one day when his mother was carrying him into the grandmother’s house, the dogs knocked the mom down and dragged the baby from her arms and just chewed him up. It took a facial reconstructive surgeon 4 hours just to close the lacerations. The animals went straight for the head and neck – demonstrating their intent to kill NOT simply maim. He was looking at years of reconstruction to try to regain his previous cute little face.
These are just two examples out of the hundreds that I have been witness to of vicious attacks by family pets. In every case, the owners swore that their dog was the most gentle and would never hurt anyone. I even had a father blame his 5 year old son for causing the family’s Pit Bull to attack him, “it was the kid’s fault” he said. Luckily in San Antonio, it is always the dog’s fault and if your dog attacks, it gets put down – as it should be.
The research may differ from me a little on this but from my anecdotal experiences the most vicious and most common attacks are carried out by few breeds: Pit Bulls, Rottweilers, German Sheppards, Boxers, and Australian Sheppards. I have never repaired a kid that was attacked by a stray or a mutt (although I know these do occur). It is usually the family pet or the pet of friend or family member and is always the “most gentle dog”. My advice is for folks to strongly consider the breed of dog before buying it and realize that some dogs have been bread for aggression and simply do not make good pets because at some point that switch in their head will flip and they will attack. And when they do I hope your child is no where near them.
Thad,
I have the same policy with Palestinians…
I can appreciate what you said. Some dogs are bread for their aggresive instincts, though I think that the way they are raised has a lot to do with the way they interact with humans. Ultimately, they see us as dogs, too. My dogs (I have three) are very sweet and adore Olivia. They have never threatened her in any way. That being said, I NEVER, NEVER leave her alone with them. I don’t even cross the yard unless they come with me. If they want to be up in her face, fine, but Aubrey and I are ALWAYS right there in the thick of it. Sparky, our Dalmatian, is quickly learning to sit just beyond Olivia’s reach unless we’re there with her. He even stops Sammy, our bounding Cocker, from getting too close. Dogs are wonderful companions; they just need to be told how to act.
Very true and you need to add Chow Chows to your list of dogs that attack. Our mutt is great, but he’s also strictly outside and never allowed to be with our children in the backyard. With them being so small, they only have interaction through a fence. I worked at a vet and because of my experiences there I don’t trust dogs with children.
Good one Damon.
Thanks for checking out my site Kira.
My cousin was attacked by a pitbull, it wasn’t the family pet, but I believe it was a neighbors dog. She got two or three bites on her face before they were able to pull the dog off of her. Luckily she only has very small scars on her face and she was very young when it happened so she doesn’t remember it. You hardly notice the scars anymore…but man, that dog was put down quick after that attack.
no problem, thanks for visiting ours. maybe now you guys should be able to keep up with one another more frequently than every 6 – 12 months.
Thad as I’ve told you before, I believe it is all in how you raise them. But to be honest even though we raised Sheba from a very small pup and she is very loyal and protective toward us but when it comes to strangers of any age I do not trust her with them. That is why we never let her run loose and have her on a very sturdy log chain. The same goes for any other dog that might happen to visit because she got a hold of my brothers dog before and it wasn’t very pretty. If we have company that wants to get close to her shes fine with it as long as we are right close to her. However if it’s a child I do not allow that to happen…..unless it’s my brothers kids cause they are so mean she has to hide from them. (not joking either). So I believe caution should always be used regardless!