Arizona Dog Mauling Case

[Kateri89]

Have y'all read this article?

 

http://news.msn.com/us/campaign-to-save-dog-in-arizona-mauling

 

I can't help but get angry at the animal rights activists in this story.  I don't believe in unfair treatment of animals and I know that an animal's behavior is largely instinctual but nevertheless, if this was my child I think I would've killed the dog myself.  People are claiming that the dog is innocent???  That 4 year old child is innocent and yet he has a trach, broken bones, and can't even open one of his eyes.  Did he deserve that?  I know that some people will jump to the defense of the dog and say that maybe he felt somehow threatened when the child took his bone or that they'll blame the caretaker, but honestly kids get hurt all the time under supervision because all it takes is for the adult to turn away for a second.  That doesn't mean the babysitter was irresponsible.  Is stereotyping pit bulls fair? I have absolutely no idea and I'm not stereotyping them.  I'm talking about this specific one.  What do y'all think?

[Spem in alium]

This is a sad story, and it's horrible to see this child's injuries.

 

As far as I know, pit bulls are banned here. They are dogs specifically bred to fight. Of course, this doesn't mean that they're all aggressive animals, but they do have a reputation. If I were a parent of a young child, I would be hesitant to have that child play around any dog (especially while it was eating) even if I or another adult were present. My brother was once attacked by a family friend's dog because he picked up its tennis ball, and he was lucky not to be more seriously injured than he was. As nice as a dog can be, you shouldn't trust them completely.

[PhuturePriest]

It's very important not to stereotype animals. In my old town, a house a few blocks away got a new puppy. It was pure white and incredibly social and energetic. He ran all over the neighborhood, played with all the kids, and loved everything it looked at. I've had 8 dogs, not including all the other dogs I've met, so it means quite a lot when I say this dog was one of the sweetest, most loveable dogs I've ever known, even when it went into adulthood.

 

The dog also happened to be a pit bull.

 

The fault lies not in the dog, but in the owners. No dog is inherently violent. I've had all sorts of breeds, including ones that are "violent", and they've all been incredibly loving and sweet but one, which was a stray that we got when it was a few years old. To prove my point that no dog is inherently violent, the one not-so-loving dog we ever had was a beagle, and beagles are notorious for being loving and social family dogs. Unfortunately, this pit bull had terrible owners and it needs to be taught to not be aggressive, but unless the owners are willing to pay tons of money to bring it to dog school and try breeding out the hate the stupid owners taught it, it will have to be put down. I do not think, however, putting it down is a ridiculous notion. This specific dog is violent, and this situation needs to be dealt with. I would prefer dog school, but if it's unaffordable, the dog should definitely be put down.

 

By the way, I saw this early this morning. It's shockingly relevant.

 

Edited March 17, 2014 by FuturePriest387

[Marie-Therese]

1.  Pit bulls are not "specifically bred to fight."  The breed was bred from the terrier group and intended to work cattle.  The breed has earned a reputation as a fighting dog for one reason, and that is that evil people use them to fight.  Due to the nature of their work as cattle dogs, they developed a very high jaw crush pressure, which is what is valued by dog fighters.  That, and the tenacity that marks the bulldog breed, made them the unfortunate targets of the sorts of cretins that fight dogs for sport.  

 

2.  People and strange animals don't mix.  If you think you can't be attacked by a chihuahua who doesn't know you, think again.  Only difference is that you're not likely to die from chihuahua bites.  

 

3.  Accidents happen, and children are wily sorts who get away from caretakers all the time.  That being said, anyone who allowed a child to play unsupervised around an unfamiliar animal is asking for trouble.

 

Let's recap what we've learned today:

--Pay attention around animals you don't know.

--Watch the kids, m'kay.

--No dog is evil.  People who train them to behave a certain way most certainly are.

 

Prayers for this young one and his swift recovery.

 

[PhuturePriest]

1.  Pit bulls are not "specifically bred to fight."  The breed was bred from the terrier group and intended to work cattle.  The breed has earned a reputation as a fighting dog for one reason, and that is that evil people use them to fight.  Due to the nature of their work as cattle dogs, they developed a very high jaw crush pressure, which is what is valued by dog fighters.  That, and the tenacity that marks the bulldog breed, made them the unfortunate targets of the sorts of cretins that fight dogs for sport.  

 

2.  People and strange animals don't mix.  If you think you can't be attacked by a chihuahua who doesn't know you, think again.  Only difference is that you're not likely to die from chihuahua bites.  

 

3.  Accidents happen, and children are wily sorts who get away from caretakers all the time.  That being said, anyone who allowed a child to play unsupervised around an unfamiliar animal is asking for trouble.

 

Let's recap what we've learned today:

--Pay attention around animals you don't know.

--Watch the kids, m'kay.

--No dog is evil.  People who train them to behave a certain way most certainly are.

 

Prayers for this young one and his swift recovery.

 

Seriously. Boxers were used for war by the Nazis, and yet they're in the top two most recommended family dogs. So are German Shepherds, which are used for war and drug sniffing to this day. People are afraid of pit bulls because of a social stigma, and the fact that pit bulls are visibly incredibly muscular. Pit bulls are very loving dogs, though, and the stigma against them needs to be crushed as soon as possible.

 

This is one of my favorite comedians, Bill Burr, talking about his pit bull that he was originally afraid of but now loves. Warning: there is frequent use of a colorful word that begins with 'F'.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ4mT-Rzmvg

[Mercy me]

1.  Pit bulls are not "specifically bred to fight."  The breed was bred from the terrier group and intended to work cattle.  The breed has earned a reputation as a fighting dog for one reason, and that is that evil people use them to fight.  Due to the nature of their work as cattle dogs, they developed a very high jaw crush pressure, which is what is valued by dog fighters.  That, and the tenacity that marks the bulldog breed, made them the unfortunate targets of the sorts of cretins that fight dogs for sport.  

 

2.  People and strange animals don't mix.  If you think you can't be attacked by a chihuahua who doesn't know you, think again.  Only difference is that you're not likely to die from chihuahua bites.  

 

3.  Accidents happen, and children are wily sorts who get away from caretakers all the time.  That being said, anyone who allowed a child to play unsupervised around an unfamiliar animal is asking for trouble.

 

Let's recap what we've learned today:

--Pay attention around animals you don't know.

--Watch the kids, m'kay.

--No dog is evil.  People who train them to behave a certain way most certainly are.

 

Prayers for this young one and his swift recovery.

 

  I am not sure where the idea that they are cattle dogs comes from. Crush pressure is not an asset in a herding dog.  The ability and willingness to administer a correction is a requirement of a herding dog but the job of a herding dog is to contain or move livestock.  Damaged stock is a problem for farmer and dogs that damage stock are not used on stock.  Of the terriers, only a few were used for herding, Kerry Blue and Soft Coated Wheatens come to mind.  Some of the most effective dogs for herding cattle are Corgi's, Australian Cattle dogs and Kelpies.  None of these are known for their bite. Dogs that damage the livestock create more unnecessary work for farmers and reduce the value of the stock.  There is no place in the pasture for crushing bites.  

 

 "Pit bulls" while not a breed are more a type of dog.  They were bred to for temperament.  They are dog that was bred to stand their ground.  In a fight or flight situation they are not the type to opt of flight.  That is fine and not different than a retriever carrying things or a herding dog circling.  It is a dog being what it is.  The key is knowing what you have and being or willing to handle it.  Saying that a bully breed is just like a sporting dog is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst.  That type of thinking is problematic because it ignores the traits that make that type of dog what it is.  "Pit bulls" are by and large confident happy dogs.  Their place in the home needs to be clear to them and it is a maybe a bit more important with them than say a Maltese.  They have the same issues as other dogs. In this case it sounds like there may have been some resource guarding. This issue is common to many dogs but they need to be recognized and trained to stop.  If the behavior continues than precautions need to be taken in the presence of the trigger.  That falls to the human.  

 

Someone said that dogs are not inherently violent.  About a year ago I was at a Petsmart, The man ahead of me in line had a puppy.  This 3 month old puppy came at my dog and was very much aggressive.  My dog never moved from her sit at my left side.  The owner of the puppy laughed and pulled the still growling puppy out of the store.  In 30 years in dogs, I have never seen the strength of that reaction in a puppy.  2 people offered to direct that man to help for that behavior but that man laughed, refused the offers and failed to see it as serious.  That puppy was too young to have been taught that.  I don't know what became of that puppy but this much I can tell you, there are dogs that are liabilities, that have unstable temperaments.  

[Selah]

1.  Pit bulls are not "specifically bred to fight."  The breed was bred from the terrier group and intended to work cattle.  The breed has earned a reputation as a fighting dog for one reason, and that is that evil people use them to fight.  Due to the nature of their work as cattle dogs, they developed a very high jaw crush pressure, which is what is valued by dog fighters.  That, and the tenacity that marks the bulldog breed, made them the unfortunate targets of the sorts of cretins that fight dogs for sport.  

 

2.  People and strange animals don't mix.  If you think you can't be attacked by a chihuahua who doesn't know you, think again.  Only difference is that you're not likely to die from chihuahua bites.  

 

3.  Accidents happen, and children are wily sorts who get away from caretakers all the time.  That being said, anyone who allowed a child to play unsupervised around an unfamiliar animal is asking for trouble.

 

Let's recap what we've learned today:

--Pay attention around animals you don't know.

--Watch the kids, m'kay.

--No dog is evil.  People who train them to behave a certain way most certainly are.

 

Prayers for this young one and his swift recovery.

 

THANK YOU

 

I bow to you in a manner most duila

[Maggyie]

Everyone always says they know a sweet pit bull that is great with children and wouldn't hurt a fly. In every article in which a pittie has eaten a child or maimed someone, the family expresses shock and horror that their beloved pet turned on them "without warning." No one ever shrugs and says well, since I trained him to fight and be aggressive, it doesn't surprise me.

For some years I worked for a p&c insurance company (you're in good hands) and they are one of the "breeds" almost impossible to insure. German shepherds are on the list, too. That's because it's too much to expect a dog of any type to go through its entire life NEVER BITING ONCE and when the pit bull eventually bites, the chances of death or serious injury are quite high. I worked in claims and the stories I heard would make your hair curl. Again, these were family pets, not evil people who didn't take care of their training or forced them to fight.

[Lilllabettt]

I was just about to say --- german shepherds and pitbulls.

 

[SilentJoy]

The pit bull killed a dog last year and they kept it around where their toddler could get to it?

[Marie-Therese]

  I am not sure where the idea that they are cattle dogs comes from. Crush pressure is not an asset in a herding dog.  The ability and willingness to administer a correction is a requirement of a herding dog but the job of a herding dog is to contain or move livestock.  Damaged stock is a problem for farmer and dogs that damage stock are not used on stock.  Of the terriers, only a few were used for herding, Kerry Blue and Soft Coated Wheatens come to mind.  Some of the most effective dogs for herding cattle are Corgi's, Australian Cattle dogs and Kelpies.  None of these are known for their bite. Dogs that damage the livestock create more unnecessary work for farmers and reduce the value of the stock.  There is no place in the pasture for crushing bites.  

 

 

Well your logic would hold true, if the crushing bite were intended for the livestock.  Except it isn't.  It's intended to harry predatory animals and to protect the livestock. 

 

 

 

 "Pit bulls" while not a breed are more a type of dog.  

 

Point one:  pit bulls are not a "type."  They are a recognized breed (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Pit_Bull_Terrier).  Not sure where you came up with this idea or what relevance it has, really.

 

 

 

They were bred to for temperament.  They are dog that was bred to stand their ground.  In a fight or flight situation they are not the type to opt of flight.  That is fine and not different than a retriever carrying things or a herding dog circling.  It is a dog being what it is.  The key is knowing what you have and being or willing to handle it.  Saying that a bully breed is just like a sporting dog is disingenuous at best and dangerous at worst.  That type of thinking is problematic because it ignores the traits that make that type of dog what it is.  "Pit bulls" are by and large confident happy dogs.  Their place in the home needs to be clear to them and it is a maybe a bit more important with them than say a Maltese.  They have the same issues as other dogs. In this case it sounds like there may have been some resource guarding. This issue is common to many dogs but they need to be recognized and trained to stop.  If the behavior continues than precautions need to be taken in the presence of the trigger.  That falls to the human.  

 

 

Someone said that dogs are not inherently violent.  About a year ago I was at a Petsmart, The man ahead of me in line had a puppy.  This 3 month old puppy came at my dog and was very much aggressive.  My dog never moved from her sit at my left side.  The owner of the puppy laughed and pulled the still growling puppy out of the store.  In 30 years in dogs, I have never seen the strength of that reaction in a puppy.  2 people offered to direct that man to help for that behavior but that man laughed, refused the offers and failed to see it as serious.  That puppy was too young to have been taught that.  I don't know what became of that puppy but this much I can tell you, there are dogs that are liabilities, that have unstable temperaments.  

 

Everyone always says they know a sweet pit bull that is great with children and wouldn't hurt a fly. In every article in which a pittie has eaten a child or maimed someone, the family expresses shock and horror that their beloved pet turned on them "without warning." No one ever shrugs and says well, since I trained him to fight and be aggressive, it doesn't surprise me.

For some years I worked for a p&c insurance company (you're in good hands) and they are one of the "breeds" almost impossible to insure. German shepherds are on the list, too. That's because it's too much to expect a dog of any type to go through its entire life NEVER BITING ONCE and when the pit bull eventually bites, the chances of death or serious injury are quite high. I worked in claims and the stories I heard would make your hair curl. Again, these were family pets, not evil people who didn't take care of their training or forced them to fight.

 

Dogs bite because they are provoked in some manner.  Dogs do not simply just decide to bite someone someday.  If a dog owner does not do the proper due diligence in regards to the breed they are obtaining in terms of the dog's temperament and traits, it's their fault they got bitten.  Pit bulls are physically strong animals and therefore they require a certain sort of handling and training.  Just because an owner is "nice" to their dog doesn't always guarantee a good outcome.  Dogs are animals.  People seem to forget that.

 

If you want to do away with dog attacks, you have a few choices.  You can ban all pets, because all of them bite, or you can act with some discernment.  Don't mingle with dogs you don't know.  Don't own dogs you can't properly handle.  For those who do not properly maintain their pets (e.g., observing leash restrictions) there should be penalties involved.  If a specific dog demonstrates violent tendencies, it should be put down.  But that's the rub...SPECIFIC dogs.  Not all pit bulls maim people.  I owned a pit that was the single best dog who ever lived.  She protected my brother and myself, guarded our home, cuddled us when we were sick.  She never bit a single person.  My uncle's chihuahua, however, bit everyone.  Every person.  All of them.  The difference?  We raised our pit knowing the breed, knowing the type of authority structure they respond to, how they behave in packs.  She was trained to understand that she was not the head of the family.  My uncle's chihuahua was also trained, except he only learned about where to pee and not to scratch the couch.  He learned pretty quickly that he ran the joint.  That dog was loved and well treated, but poorly handled.  Therein lies the difference.  

 

I've owned many breeds of dogs, several of them considered those "dangerous" sorts (pit, rottweiler).  I've owned dogs that were large enough to do serious harm (Rhodesian ridgeback, St. Bernard).  I've owned dogs considered prime companions (cocker and Cavalier King Charles spaniels).  I've owned toy dogs (Yorkshire terrier).  Of all those dogs, the Yorkie was the most vicious.  The pit is the only one I will own again.  Nick and I have already decided on that.

 

The animals are not at fault.  In all these instances, the owners are at fault--if not because of malice, because of a lack of knowledge.

[Selah]

The pit bull killed a dog last year and they kept it around where their toddler could get to it?

 

A thousand reblogs.

 

I mean. Quote.

 

This isn't tumblr.

[Cherie]

I'm a huge animal lover, particular when it comes to dogs. I grew up with MANY dogs of many different breeds: Mutts, a Boxer, German Shepherd, Border collie, English mastiff, etc. We did a lot of dog training growing up, too. I also worked at a veterinary office for a few years many years ago. I would never call myself an expert, but I do have a lot of knowledge and experience with dogs and many different dog breeds.

No dog is inherently violent. I've had all sorts of breeds, including ones that are "violent", and they've all been incredibly loving and sweet but one, which was a stray that we got when it was a few years old. To prove my point that no dog is inherently violent, the one not-so-loving dog we ever had was a beagle, and beagles are notorious for being loving and social family dogs.

Just wanted to clarify a little here; temperament IS inherent to certain dog breeds. Some more "aggressive" personalities ARE bred into certain breeds (Canary Dog, for example.) You can always have countless examples of particular dogs who "didn't fit the mold" of their breed's personality, but that isn't proof, it's an anecdote. (And btw I disagree with your assessment of the beagle breed!) Sometimes it happens. But certain characteristics, even those considered more "aggressive", ARE considered inherent to certain breeds. Now, I'm not saying that certain dog breeds ARE aggressive and ARE going to end up biting people, but it's important that we be truthful regarding their temperaments, and some temperaments are inherent to certain breeds.

This is why training dogs, particularly of certain breeds, is so important. You can do a lot to form a temperament by good training. It won't necessarily turn your aloof Argentine mastiff into a Golden Retriever, but it'll make him a good, obedient, non-aggressive dog. I know a lot of pit bulls who are sweet, happy, loving pets. My sister had a pit bull and he was a sweetheart. But they need good, thorough training, particularly from their puppy days. If the pit is a rescue, you have to watch out for possible aggressive behavior that could come out suddenly. That's just the chance you take when you adopt a pit bull rescue (or any rescue), because you weren't the one in charge of their training, and you don't know what kind of possible traumatic past the dog had that would trigger an outburst at a sudden moment. And even a more well-known "family breed" like a Labrador can snap and hurt a child when provoked.

Anyway I'm getting super off topic. Basically, I agree with what you all are saying: 1) a dog is most accurately a reflection of the owner; if the owner is lousy, the dog's temperament will be lousy too, and 2) children and strange dogs don't mix, so you have to be particularly careful and cautious when you have dogs around children, even when you already know the dog, 3) Pit bulls aren't inherently EVIL, and yeah, there are some great pit bulls out there. Do I think the breed is unfairly stereotyped? Sometimes, sure. But you can bet that when I hear there's been a dog attack, the first thing that comes to my mind is: "pit bull." And I've only been wrong once. I could go into issues of socioeconomic statuses and dog ownership and all that jazz, but that's a little much.

In any case, I think it's a bit untruthful for people to claim that, basically, a pit bull is like a golden retriever when given a good owner. I'm not saying anyone is necessarily saying that, but be careful not to imply it. Because it's not true. Their breed temperaments ARE inherently different.

[maximillion]

We have the variety and breed of dogs because we, humans, have bred them for specific qualities/temperaments/looks/abilities.

 

To say a dog can be innocent or guilty is a bit silly, since both imply a sense of conscious awareness I personally do not ascribe to them. Can a dog be said to be indulging in malice aforethought? I think not.

 

Certain dog breeds have certain characteristics. How much each individual dog in that genotype exhibits its make up will depend on a number of factors. I have known the sweetest most gentle GSD's, Doberman's and Pit Bulls. I have also come across some I would never take my eyes off and who I wanted to be out of touching range of at all times!

 

The fact is that whatever the individual dogs character, they are all descended from wolves. Anyone who forgets this does so at cost. To leave any small child alone with any dog is not a good idea. That is why I would recommend no one having a dog who has babies and toddlers in the house, unless you want to be in a state of vigilance. They act instinctually. We can train them to curb those instincts or to promote the desirable ones, but there is ALWAYS and at every moment the possibility that they will revert.

Caeser Milan says there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. I have to agree - that does not mean I think dogs who have attacked should not be destroyed. They should.

[Sojourner]

Happened in today, saw this thread, and feel compelled to comment. Hello to all. :)

 

We have two German shepherds and two Australian shepherds. We almost didn't get homeowner insurance because of the Germans. Our broker had to come to our house to visit and meet them and determine both that we had capacity to keep them safely away if necessary and that they are even-tempered (which ours are). 

 

Despite the fact that our Germans have always been even-tempered, we had a series of incidents not long after we brought home our Aussies, which came to a head when the two Germans (a male and a female) teamed up and almost killed one of the Aussies. My husband was slightly injured as a result of breaking things up. It could have been much, much worse. 

 

After this I read somewhat obsessively about dog bite cases and dog bite law. Many people, like my husband, are injured when they get between two dogs fighting. Even good dogs don't always respond well when they are fighting, esp. in a pack. This is one reason that dog-on-dog aggression is considered a predictor of dog-on-human aggression.

 

Every year, there are somewhere in the neighborhood of 4.5 million dog bites (source). Of those, a little less than 20 percent end up requiring medical treatment. Even non-fatal bites can have life-changing consequences. For example, about half of bites to children are on the face (kid kisses dog, dog doesn't like it). And I'm sure the five-year old boy whose genitals were ripped off by a pit bull last year will remember that forever. 

 

We still have our dogs, but I certainly think about them differently than I did. I am much more wary about how my son acts near them, and none of our dogs are pits. I would never personally own a pit bull, and I would not knowingly send my son to someone's house who did own a pit. I will never sleep with an uncrated dog of any breed, or leave my son or any child with any dog unsupervised. Did you know that in October 2000, a Pomeranian killed a six week old baby girl? No dog alone with a kid.

 

I think any dog owner and parent should read dog bite statistics, and read through the list of fatal attacks on Wikipedia. Read them all. Not all those dogs were treated viciously. Not all the owners were negligent. But all those people ended up dead. Thousands more every year end up with disfiguring, life-altering injuries. 

 

Dogs can be wonderful companions, but please, teach your kids how to act properly around dogs. Respect dogs as animals, who act based on instinct and not reason. They are not members of your family, no matter how cute and cuddly they are. .