Why people get attacked by dogs

[LaughingWater]

I'll post a thread with my thoughts later in the training.

So far, I think it's been hardest on all the humans in the house. Snoopy seems to be taking to the changes without much drama.

 

[maddiesmum]

Uh huh, and from the other side of the soap box, sometimes dogs do just attack because they can and want to do so.

When I was 14, our neighbour called up and asked us to go across the road to his house to give his parents a message because they were not picking up the phone. So, since we knew each other well, I walked across, opened the front gate and the dog rushes out of the house, leaps up and tears a strip out of my leg, for which I got stitches and a tetanus.

So, not all dogs are cute and want their belly rubbed.

Rottweilers were banned in my home country because of an unprecedented number of unwarranted attacks against people this particular species made.

I am so sick of walking down the road, around the park etc and passing some person with a dog, and the little blighter leaps up, straining at the leash, jaws snapping and all the owner can say is "oh, he won't hurt you...". Yeah. He'll just rip into me given half the chance.

So, please save your "dogs are so misunderstood" lecture and stop blaming attacks on "the youth of today." We'll teach our kids how to behave, you just keep your little honey on a tight leash.

There are two sides to every story.

Clare

 

[hiitdogs]

So, please save your "dogs are so misunderstood" lecture and stop blaming attacks on "the youth of today." We'll teach our kids how to behave, you just keep your little honey on a tight leash.



Clare

Wow!!!

 

[Beavs]

I would recommend leashes for some kids as well. And maybe rabies shots.....and a muzzle.

 

[kryptychyck]

Seriously!!!

It seems like kids these days are just bigger a**holes than ever. Too bad parents don't do a better job. I've gotten to where I pretty much hate kids for this very reason. We were never like that when we were that age.

Right?!??!! That is because when we were younger there was something call accountability. i am not saying ALL parents because there are plenty of parents out there who do a great job, but I do know one parent in particular who parents from the perspective of "I didn't like it when my parents did that to me" mindset. I am not talking about abuse of course - just restricting and disciplining as needed. It can't be a free for all.

 

[DirtDiva]

Uh huh, and from the other side of the soap box, sometimes dogs do just attack because they can and want to do so.

When I was 14, our neighbour called up and asked us to go across the road to his house to give his parents a message because they were not picking up the phone. So, since we knew each other well, I walked across, opened the front gate and the dog rushes out of the house, leaps up and tears a strip out of my leg, for which I got stitches and a tetanus.

So, not all dogs are cute and want their belly rubbed.

Rottweilers were banned in my home country because of an unprecedented number of unwarranted attacks against people this particular species made.

I am so sick of walking down the road, around the park etc and passing some person with a dog, and the little blighter leaps up, straining at the leash, jaws snapping and all the owner can say is "oh, he won't hurt you...". Yeah. He'll just rip into me given half the chance.

So, please save your "dogs are so misunderstood" lecture and stop blaming attacks on "the youth of today." We'll teach our kids how to behave, you just keep your little honey on a tight leash.

There are two sides to every story.

Clare

Totally agree on this. I was a proud owner of a Doberman P. for 12 years and completely responsible for this dog's actions, 100 percent of the time. A well-trained dog will not react to children or other dogs and circumstances. I can't count the times I've had dogs chase after me on my bike, we even have a saying, I don't have to out-pedal the dog, just the slowest rider in the group. But it sucks, and I'm really really tired of all the dog speeches of he/she wouldn't hurt a fly. That's what the owner of a dog said when it tore my ankle open on a group ride and not only cost me a lot of money but time. Then I get the....well you were riding on a bike, etc., and the dog isn't used to bikes... What a load of crap...

 

[SirenSongWoman]

It seems like kids these days are just bigger a**holes than ever. Too bad parents don't do a better job. I've gotten to where I pretty much hate kids for this very reason. We were never like that when we were that age.

I haven't read through the other replies but I'm betting you're going to get it D) from all the parents on the board so let me just tell a y'all a true story.

About a month ago a tremendous amount of damage was done when every trash can in our alley, for a half-block range, was set on fire. These are huge city-owned multi-family rubber trash cans and, as usual, since I work weird hours and was up at 2am, I was the one who called 911. It wasn't long before EVERYONE on the block was out in the alley, horrified, watching the firefighters battle. In addition to all the (expensive) trash cans that had been destroyed there was the following damage: All the overhead cable and electrical wires, one homeowner's privacy fence and, worst of all, an entire garage was burnt to the ground. It took firefighters forever to get the wildly blazing garage under control while the other alley fires raged. We were all worried about the privacy fence.

We talked among ourselves and soon found out this same band of thrill-seekers (who were spotted by witnesses but never caught) set trash can fires in several other parts of our neighborhood. It was a busy, and dangerous, night for our fire department (Columbus Ohio actually has the single busiest fire house in the nation... lovely). The whole time all I could think was 'The LAST TIME they did this it was just trash cans... now they've set a garage on fire... next, it will be abandoned houses..' Our houses are literally separated by about nine feet so imagine how fast a house fire could spread and at 2am, when everyone's asleep... my God. The potential death toll...

The story, naturally, made the local news and everyone was talking about it at work during our morning staff meeting. I gave everyone the run down and then I said "I swear. I'm starting to HATE teenagers as a species." I got a lot of laughs with that but I was serious. The thing is, I think the problem with kids today (did YOU ever set your neighbors things on fire?!) is deep, complex, and not as easy as just blaming the parents, or tv, or video games, or music, or movies... all of the above (and more) have culminated in the degeneration of our collective American conscience and any love of peace or understanding of why a thing is right or wrong, hurtful, damaging, dangerous or cruel.

I'm a huge believer in personal responsibility and often have to fight the urge to hate kids for what I've always been certain they know is bad behavior. But then I really think about it. Watching a recent Oprah, where adolescent girls told all about how they have to perform oral sex on boys in order to keep from being ostracized (God, don't get me started!) made me realize adults, on the whole, parents or not, really have no idea how hard it is to be a kid today. And I have absolutely no answers. I'm just glad I have no children because it seems like the job of parent is a freakin' nightmare!

I apologize for totally hijacking this thread. Feel free to disregard my post.

 

[hiitdogs]

Totally agree on this. I was a proud owner of a Doberman P. for 12 years and completely responsible for this dog's actions, 100 percent of the time. A well-trained dog will not react to children or other dogs and circumstances. I can't count the times I've had dogs chase after me on my bike, we even have a saying, I don't have to out-pedal the dog, just the slowest rider in the group. But it sucks, and I'm really really tired of all the dog speeches of he/she wouldn't hurt a fly. That's what the owner of a dog said when it tore my ankle open on a group ride and not only cost me a lot of money but time. Then I get the....well you were riding on a bike, etc., and the dog isn't used to bikes... What a load of crap...

I think the problem is more that people are not taking responsibility anymore these days, not for their actions, their dogs or their children.

The dog is not used to a bike, huh? Haven't heard that one yet. My favorite is though, my dog is a herding breed.

I totally agree with you and have said that before that a balanced and well-trained dog will not react unless he thinks his pack is in danger. What I will say though is that I have encountered kids who will be let lose in the dog park by themselves with their parent watching the soccer game a mile away. Defying all rules of the dog park they are chasing around, screaming, yelling, shrieking and annoying the living daylight out of me. When my friend told them that they should not be running in an off-leash dog park and to please keep it down they made a smart alec remark about her "race" (she is French and an American citizen) Even my dogs who are used to children got stressed out and started barking, fortunately my dogs ARE under control even off-leash in a dog park and they drop whatever they are doing on my command. But another dog did snap and all hell broke loose.

I have both, dogs and kids, I don't make any excuses for either of them. My dogs and my kids are expected to behave but I am also aware that they are not self sufficient and in order for them to learn, I need to take the time to actually teach them and not expect that it comes to them by some magical dust. It is hard work and it takes a lot of time and neither of them is perfect but I don't pretend they are but I will ALWAYS take responsibility for their actions.

Unfortunately, even in my affluent area this is not always the case. At my son's school a lot of things get stolen, including the other day my son's $ 100 ripstick board. The kid who stole it had the audacity to ride on the same school bus with him and tell him he got it 2 days ago from his parents when he didn't have it on the school bus in the morning.

When DS and I talked to the parents they made all kinds of excuses and became obnixious despite of the fact that we could proove it was my son's board. They made it sound like they did us a favour by giving us the my son's board back and they only did so after I suggested to call the police to sort out whose board it actually is.

Did I mention that I am pretty tired of people not taking responsibility and not setting boundaries for neither their pets nor their kids, those who think their pet or kid can do no wrong!

 

[fit44]

I have both, dogs and kids, I don't make any excuses for either of them. My dogs and my kids are expected to behave but I am also aware that they are not self sufficient and in order for them to learn, I need to take the time to actually teach them and not expect that it comes to them by some magical dust. It is hard work and it takes a lot of time and neither of them is perfect but I don't pretend they are but I will ALWAYS take responsibility for their actions.

Exactly! It is a 24/7 job in both cases. I'm always amazed how people can throw their dogs/children out for society to deal with.
I was a volunteer at my boy's school for years. You wouldn't believe how many parents blame the teacher for their children failing. What's really astounding....many ask why the teacher didn't tell them sooner. " Why didn't you tell me little Billy was not doing his homework?"
OMG, if you stay on top of what your child is doing, you will know how and what they are doing!!! When my kids came home from school, I insisted they show me what they did in school that day, and we would go over it all. I wanted to make sure they were not getting lost in their studies. You can't rely outsiders to educate your children. You have to take full responsibilty.

 

[LaughingWater]

Couldn't agree more. Some other parents think I'm a total hardass with my kids. Tough.

This is one of the reasons I'm super picky about who my daughters hang out with. If the parents are reasonable, responsible people, that's cool. But frequently I run into kids whose parents are completely hands-off in their approach, and it shows in their children's poor behavior.

I don't want that in my house or influencing my kids.

 

[jharris]

I too wish that leash laws would be enforced. I live in a rural area and won't go for a walk because of some of the dogs. The one day I was walking and a neighbors dog decided he wanted to walk with me. He followed me, didn't bother me just walked along without a leash. Luckily he was friendly.

Also the other day DH and I were takind DD to her cousins house and came upon a young girl walking her dog on a leash and muzzled, her poor dog was being attacked by two other dogs. This poor girl was beside herself crying and yelling for help. The one dog was much bigger than her dog. DH got out of the car and tried to seperate the dog from his attackers. My fear was DH would distract the dog and would be attacked himself. He took out one of his golf clubs to poke the attacking dog. (not hurt him but nudge him away from the dog he was attacking), the attack dog wasn't fazed. When the dog owner finally came down the street he was shocked that his dogs had gotten out of the yard and were doing such a thing and he checked his dog like it was the victim.

Not all kids are mean just like not all dogs are vicious. Although teenagers do happen to fit into a category all thier own. But some dogs are not kid or people friendly and some people are a**holes who like to provoke animals.

 

[LaughingWater]

Oh man . That was so nice of you guys to stop and help her. You probably saved that dog's life.

The one mistake I haven't made with Snoopy is letting him go alone with either of my daughters. I know neither of them would be able to protect him if they were approached by an aggressive dog or dogs. I've always been there with my pepper spray. I was also there to stop him when he went after another dog...ugh.

The more I read about dog training, the more I realize how easy it is to make big mistakes in how we approach and teach our dogs. How many people obtain dogs the way I did ~ just bought him and brought him home, thinking housebreaking was the only goal that needed to be met?