Does Size Matter?

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

From time to time we hear the unfortunate news about dog attacks.  Just this past weekend, Kathy Hoppe posted her husband was seriously injured by a Great Dane ( to me, that many stitches can be classified as serious).

 

DH, (aka FJ),  and I were discussing dog bites, Kathy Hoppe's discussion, and what happened to me the other night.  

 

Now don't laugh~~ ya, go ahead because if any of you would have a hidden camera you would have laughed.  I was also attacked while riding my bite on Saturday. SIX Viscous Dogs broke away from their crazy lady owner and attacked me.  I stopped, but to no avail, they descended upon my ankles and tried to take chunks out.  Yes, my ankles are getting fat why the heck do you think I am riding a bike?.  They were relentless.  Each taking turns, especially the one who was about 10 months old.  Behind him was an eight week old puppy he seemed to be training.  The owner was able to hold on to three of the dogs but the others got out of control.  At first, being a dog lover I am, I tried to stop to make sure they did not come to far out into the street and get hit by a car.  But the attack continued. Once I thought she had some sort of control over the ones who were off-leash, I started back down the street.  The vicious teenager and his puppy sidekick trailing behind followed me a block growling and biting and..............This situation was out of control and it took  10 minutes before the owner was able to get her dogs inside ( off my darn ankle I mean) and for me to bike on my way.

Okay, these dogs range anywhere from 2 pounds to 6 pounds.  Yorkie.  Snappy, biting, but really cute Yorkies.

So back to DH and our discussion:

So what is the difference?  Do you put a dog down when it is vicious because of size?  The damage of a Great Dane is no comparison to what these six vicious, out of control, Yorkies were attempting to do to me.

When to put a dog down?  What is out of control?  A biting dog?  If it has a history of biting once? Twice.  Three times AND the probability it will bite again if given the chance or gets loose or the owner looks away for 2 seconds, breaks its leash? One who bites but can be controlled by its' owner but never can be trusted?  Police dogs are vicious but are controlled by a human who was trained and so was the dog.  Many questions and situations. 

 

IF YOU KNEW YOUR DOG may bite, would you put it down before or after the bite?

Would love to hear your thoughts.  Please don't tell me Doodles don't bite.  They have.  Poodles also have a high bite statistic compared to some breeds, so it is somewhere ( however recessive? )  in our dogs temperment. 

 

Any thoughts about putting down 6 Yorkies vs. The Large Dane, Boxer, German Shepard, the Doodle?

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Put down the owners!

[Jennifer and Jack]

amen

[Julie and Maggie]

Second.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Yeah!!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Ok, between your discussion, Jennifer's discussion about Jack licking body parts, and Yvonne's post titled Just too big, I am starting to worry about what kind of ads are going to be featured in future discussions. However, that was not your question. First of all, why does a person who cannot control her dogs have six dogs? Size does not matter, as far as I am concerned. I think every case has to be examined individually and I would hate to think that dogs are being put down due to their owner's stupidity. I think the owner should be fined a very hefty fine and the dog put on probation or such and the owner forced to go to some kind of training class. My husband bike rides all the time and is constantly being chased by dogs that are off leash. One lab actually bit him and when he told the owner, the stupid lady said, "no, he doesn't bite." Get a can of Dog Halt to protect you on your rides in the future. I see people all the time with their dogs off leash in our park despite the fact that there are signs everywhere that dogs must be leashed. After one dog ran up to my dogs on a walk, I now go over to the Park Ranger's office and report all the dogs I see. I am fed up with stupid people. I hope you were not injured.

[Camilla and Darwin]

ROFL

[Donna K & Quincy]

I added a photo with the title, I Thought I Saw a Pussy Cat and this is what it came up as, I Thought I Saw a P**** Cat, WTD? I had to change the title so I wouldn't get bleeped.  ;>)

[ClarkP]

Oh, those overzealous language filters!  We'll work 'em over for ya.  ;-)

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Okay that was my immediate reaction (maybe a little harsh) how about PUNISH the owners. It doesn't matter how big or small, an attack is an attack...Joanne, I am assuming there was  no blood letting on your ankles?

 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

My ankles are still FAT!  :)   No blood letting.   Thanks for asking Lisa and Laurie.

 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Maybe I need to add to this discussion,

IF YOU KNEW YOUR DOG may bite, would you put it down before or after the bite?

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I would call a trainer and work diligently with one in the hopes I did not ever have to put the dog down.