The Ongoing Dog Attack Mega-Thread

[HerbalMagic]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I totally agree with this. If your dog was yappy and you lived next door to me it would annoy the fata out of me, but at least it wouldn't be scary. I have to make sure my neighbour's rotties, and various other giant dogs are secured in their yard before I can let my kids play on our front lawn, which is ridiculous.

you let your kids roam on the front lawn? are they even potty trained? Can we ban your kids for playing on the front lawn? this is irresponsible parenting. You should not let your kids play near the street where they might have a car go by....OMG LETS BAN CARS that dodge truck is big and scary lets ban IT!!!

OMG did you see the size of these semis on the road now they are so dangerous lets ban those too they are scary.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by HerbalMagic

you let your kids roam on the front lawn? are they even potty trained? Can we ban your kids for playing on the front lawn? this is irresponsible parenting. You should not let your kids play near the street where they might have a car go by....OMG LETS BAN CARS that dodge truck is big and scary lets ban IT!!!

OMG did you see the size of these semis on the road now they are so dangerous lets ban those too they are scary.

I think you are being a little over the top here.

Regardless of your stance on dogs, a child's right to play outside trumps a dogs right to.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I totally agree with this. If your dog was yappy and you lived next door to me it would annoy the fata out of me, but at least it wouldn't be scary. I have to make sure my neighbour's rotties, and various other giant dogs are secured in their yard before I can let my kids play on our front lawn, which is ridiculous.

You're right, it is ridiculous. The fear you're passing onto your children is borderline ######ed.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by pylon

I think you are being a little over the top here.

Regardless of your stance on dogs, a child's right to play outside trumps a dogs right to.

He's over the topness is just a response to Silver's. Sliver has an irrational fear of dogs and has to secure the entire neighborhood of this roaming packs of wild animals before his children can play in the front yard. He's focused entirely on one threat, like dogs are the only thing that might harm his child in the front yard. Is he patrolling the streets for drunks drivers while in the front yard, shady looking teenagers, ill-tempered sea bass?

[pylon]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

He's over the topness is just a response to Silver's. Sliver has an irrational fear of dogs and has to secure the entire neighborhood of this roaming packs of wild animals before his children can play in the front yard. He's focused entirely on one threat, like dogs are the only thing that might harm his child in the front yard. Is he patrolling the streets for drunks drivers while in the front yard, shady looking teenagers, ill-tempered sea bass?

In the scenario he is painting, he would be right. If his neighbors have free roaming Rottweilers that is unacceptable and animal control should be involved. How true that actually is, is up for debate. But if there actually is free roaming attack dogs in his front yard he has a case.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Regulator75

^^^ On the front lawn??? Your neighbours let them roam freely out front?

Not exactly roam freely, but they'll open up their gate and all four or five of the dogs will tear around a bit as they wait for the owners to open up their truck so they can all pile in. I wouldn't want my kids to be outside with the dogs for the couple minutes they are out unleashed a few times a day.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not exactly roam freely, but they'll open up their gate and all four or five of the dogs will tear around a bit as they wait for the owners to open up their truck so they can all pile in. I wouldn't want my kids to be outside with the dogs for the couple minutes they are out unleashed a few times a day.

What community do you live in?

[Tailgator]

Originally Posted by pylon

LOL, my miniature Dachshund looks like a rogue torpedo that lost it's target at the dog park. But it is different with a smaller dog. You don't have to worry about her killing someone if she gets pissed. And that is the entire argument here:

-You get attacked by a 10 pound wiener dog, you have a mildly upsetting incident which one day turns into hilariously awesome scar on your ankle story.

-You get attacked by the Pitbull, you get to live the rest of your life without a lower jaw and you get to speak through on of those neck microphones.

My dog has gotten aggressive with people before where she has bared her teeth, and made a lunge, and it is as simple as a quick yank with my finger on her leash, and she is done. That is not realistic with a attack dog.

..and if your 10 pound wiener dog does that same lunge and nip at a bigger dog, who responds in kind, your dog is schnitzel, the bigger dog is put down and called vicious, and the bigger dog's owner is called a useless pet owner for "allowing" his dog to be this way.

Like I said earlier - not a fan of pitbulls at all, but this "little dog syndrome" and the owners acceptance of it causes a lot of problems. Not saying you specifically, Pylon, just taking the ball and running with it....

[morgin]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not exactly roam freely, but they'll open up their gate and all four or five of the dogs will tear around a bit as they wait for the owners to open up their truck so they can all pile in. I wouldn't want my kids to be outside with the dogs for the couple minutes they are out unleashed a few times a day.

How reasonable are the owners as people? In your situation I don't think it would be unreasonable at all to ask them to keep the dogs under control while they are getting them into the truck given that you have young kids around who maybe don't recognize the signs of a dog that is being aggressive as well as an adult might. Though, since they own 4-5 large dogs and live on a property that is close enough to you that this is a concern - and I'm assuming is not a large farm or something - they seem maybe a little unreasonable to begin with.

[pylon]

Originally Posted by Tailgator

..and if your 10 pound wiener dog does that same lunge and nip at a bigger dog, who responds in kind, your dog is schnitzel, the bigger dog is put down and called vicious, and the bigger dog's owner is called a useless pet owner for "allowing" his dog to be this way.

Like I said earlier - not a fan of pitbulls at all, but this "little dog syndrome" and the owners acceptance of it causes a lot of problems. Not saying you specifically, Pylon, just taking the ball and running with it....

I agree to an extent, but that is also like saying if I flick a peanut shell at you at a hockey game for cheering for the Oilers, it is OK for you to turn around and fire back with a .50 cal Barrett point blank.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Tailgator

..and if your 10 pound wiener dog does that same lunge and nip at a bigger dog, who responds in kind, your dog is schnitzel, the bigger dog is put down and called vicious, and the bigger dog's owner is called a useless pet owner for "allowing" his dog to be this way.

Like I said earlier - not a fan of pitbulls at all, but this "little dog syndrome" and the owners acceptance of it causes a lot of problems. Not saying you specifically, Pylon, just taking the ball and running with it....

This this this, 100x over.

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Not exactly roam freely, but they'll open up their gate and all four or five of the dogs will tear around a bit as they wait for the owners to open up their truck so they can all pile in. I wouldn't want my kids to be outside with the dogs for the couple minutes they are out unleashed a few times a day.

I would be leery in that situation too. Dogs (even my own) are unpredictable, as are kids; can be a bad mix.

I'm pretty sure you can't own more than 3 dogs within the city limits.

[Tailgator]

Originally Posted by pylon

I agree to an extent, but that is also like saying if I flick a peanut shell at you at a hockey game for cheering for the Oilers, it is OK for you to turn around and fire back with a .50 cal Barrett point blank.

By that same logic turned the other way, you're expecting a dog, a DOG, to think "ah, well, it's only little, I'm gonna let that slide...."?

[morgin]

Originally Posted by pylon

I agree to an extent, but that is also like saying if I flick a peanut shell at you at a hockey game for cheering for the Oilers, it is OK for you to turn around and fire back with a .50 cal Barrett point blank.

We're people. We understand restraint and proportionate responses. Dogs are not people. A dog doesn't give a #### if it is being attacked by a tiny dog or a big dog. As soon as their brains switch from "we're playing" to "wtf this dog is trying to eat me" the concept of a "proportionate response" is out the window. The goal of socializing and training is to minimize as much as possible that response to aggression from other dogs.

The difference with pitbulls is that a bull terrier type dog can shred a small dog in a matters of seconds. I've seen lots of dog fights at the park where had the dogs involved been less evenly matched up, it would have ended similarily. Huskies can be super lethal too, but you don't see a ban on those being called for (well I guess other than in the week or two after that sad incident with the baby in airdrie)

[First Lady]

Originally Posted by pylon

I agree to an extent, but that is also like saying if I flick a peanut shell at you at a hockey game for cheering for the Oilers, it is OK for you to turn around and fire back with a .50 cal Barrett point blank.

A better example would be if you grabbed his wife's ... well anything of hers...

Many of these cases it's not just a dog reacting to being nipped at; it's also them perceiving a threat against their owner.

[rayne008]

Originally Posted by pylon

I agree to an extent, but that is also like saying if I flick a peanut shell at you at a hockey game for cheering for the Oilers, it is OK for you to turn around and fire back with a .50 cal Barrett point blank.

If I've learned anything from Call of Duty is that attack dogs will kill you in 2 seconds and that there is no way to hit anything a point blank range with a .50 cal Barrett.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

He's over the topness is just a response to Silver's. Sliver has an irrational fear of dogs and has to secure the entire neighborhood of this roaming packs of wild animals before his children can play in the front yard. He's focused entirely on one threat, like dogs are the only thing that might harm his child in the front yard. Is he patrolling the streets for drunks drivers while in the front yard, shady looking teenagers, ill-tempered sea bass?

Or put out a watch for my ex and his friend who will not only diddle his neighbours' dogs, but come after his sons when they are curious high schoolers

[pylon]

If my dog got taken out for nipping at a big dog, I would be pissed, but it is also the law of the jungle per se. I have also seen 80 pound dogs submit to mine as well, what goes through their mind.. who knows? But it is unreasonable to think it is A-OK for big dogs to be mauling and killing smaller dogs unprovoked. And I have witnessed a Pit Bull do exactly that. Walked by non-nonchalantly, and BAM! Dead dog, and a devastated owner.

Howver, the debate here isn't dog on dog violence however. It is dogs on human. One of the luxuries of owning a small breed is the fact that they can run around at the park, or in your yard without the fear of it killing someone. 95% of the people that see Molly in a frantic sprint at them, crouch down to pet her with a smile on their face. And she happily obliges by stopping dead in her tracks, rolling over for some freebie tummy rubs. If it ever went sour, there is no risk of anyone getting more than a couple stitches, that is the only risk and I am willing to bear that risk, whether it makes me a bad dog owner or not.

That is not a luxury you have with a big dog, right or wrong. And there are just as many big breed owners that let their dogs act like total spazzes, as there is small breed owners. I have been wiped out by big dogs ripping it up at the dog park as well. I have had big muddy dogs jump up on my pants. It is something you have to be willing to accept to an extent at a dog park. But to say that all big breed owners are super responsible, is lame. It is like the same people that think "I drive a big truck, that makes me a better driver, because it is a big truck... look at my big truck... I got skillllz. Cause it's big" Look at your typical Pit or Rottie owner, most of them sare the last people that should be owning dogs, because they own them as a fashion accessory like their Affliction t-shirt, or their Giant 100mm Diesel watch.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by pylon

If my dog got taken out for nipping at a big dog, I would be pissed, but it is also the law of the jungle per se. I have also seen 80 pound dogs submit to mine as well, what goes through their mind.. who knows? But it is unreasonable to think it is A-OK for big dogs to be mauling and killing smaller dogs unprovoked. And I have witnessed a Pit Bull do exactly that. Walked by non-nonchalantly, and BAM! Dead dog, and a devastated owner.

Howver, the debate here isn't dog on dog violence however. It is dogs on human. One of the luxuries of owning a small breed is the fact that they can run around at the park, or in your yard without the fear of it killing someone. 95% of the people that see Molly in a frantic sprint at them, crouch down to pet her with a smile on their face. And she happily obliges by stopping dead in her tracks, rolling over for some freebie tummy rubs. If it ever went sour, there is no risk of anyone getting more than a couple stitches, that is the only risk and I am willing to bear that risk, whether it makes me a bad dog owner or not.

That is not a luxury you have with a big dog, right or wrong. And there are just as many big breed owners that let their dogs act like total spazzes, as there is small breed owners. I have been wiped out by big dogs ripping it up at the dog park as well. I have had big muddy dogs jump up on my pants. It is something you have to be willing to accept to an extent at a dog park. But to say that all big breed owners are super responsible, is lame. It is like the same people that think "I drive a big truck, that makes me a better driver, because it is a big truck... look at my big truck... I got skillllz. Cause it's big" Look at your typical Pit or Rottie owner, most of them sare the last people that should be owning dogs, because they own them as a fashion accessory like their Affliction t-shirt, or their Giant 100mm Diesel watch.

Owners like you are a part of the problem. Control your dog (I'm not suggesting your dog specifically I'm sure it behaves fine) , it's not ok that a small dog doesn't know how to properly act at a dog park.

I don't care if a dog is 5 pounds or 50 pounds if it goes around acting incorrectly biting other dogs and a bigger one defends itself it's on you as well.

As for a few stitches not being a big deal, tell that to the woman whose nose was disfigured by a shih tzu last year, she'll require 4 surgeries to fix it.

www.torontosun.com/2011/04/18/owner-charged-after-dog-bites-woman-nose-off

I own two english bulldogs and they have been attacked by a couple smaller dogs at the dog park (one time causing a pretty nasty cut. My dog could have easily defended herself and seriously hurt the other dog. I'm lucky she hasn't but it's hard for me to blame her if she did defend herself. She doesn't know her strength and if you have a small dog that can be aggressive and you take it off leash you're irresponsible.

My dog can be dominant from time to time (she's never bitten anything or tried to for that matter). Once in awhile she'll try and pin a dog. When I go to the park she's within 5 to 10 feet at all times, and if she starts showing signs of dominance I have her back on leash in seconds.

I also tend to keep her from smaller dogs if there are a few playing near her. Not because I think she'll attack but because every though she isn't a big dog she's stronger than 99% of dogs her size and while playing she'll steamroll dogs her height. (she's only about a foot tall but weighs 40lbs or so).

Luckily mine listen well so I haven't any issues with mine. It's one thing for a dog to submit to dominance but submitting to another dog attacking it is another. Most will defend themselves.

It's the responsibility of all owners to keep a close eye on their dog, know their dogs personality traits and ensure they are behaving properly.

[pylon]

It is clear, the problem here is small dogs.

Off to the vet we go tomorrow. Time for the big sleep Molly.