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?

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

Taquito bit my niece on the nose a few years back.  It was barely a bite and didn't even leave a mark...more of a nip I guess.  This was because she kept poking him in the face repeatedly even after I told her parents to watch her and stop her from doing it. (I left room for 2 seconds). 

Obviously before I have kids we will have to work on this, but I am kind of at a loss here because MANY small dogs are nippy like this and I don't think I will rehome Taquito when/if he nips my child.  That may cause some discussion here, but that's my opinion. DH and I have already talked about this extensively.  We have so many friends with kids now and watch him like a hawk when they are over.  99% of the time he is fine but if a kid pops out fast at him and scares him, he will let out a bark that usually scares them.

So do you think we ARE BAD OWNERS? 

Personally, I would say we are some of the only people actually fit to own a dog.  IMO over 70% of the population shouldn't own them (or have kids really). This discussion will get me heated because of COURSE, a 6 pound chihuhuahua vs. a rotty is NO COMPARISON

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Allyson, as F. said, any dog can bite given the wrong circumstances.  I think most of our posts have been about unsolicited aggression.  No way would I take drastic measures if the dog snapped or nipped protecting itself.  I would just try to control the situations so that they didn't happen.  Our dear old lab mix got on a preschooler's chest and silent barked at him after the preschooler repeatedly bugged, poked, yelled at him.  I didn't blame Simon one bit.  The kid was a major brat and I could not get his mother to get him out of the RV and leave the dog alone.

[Linda and Murphy]

I find small dogs much more troublesome (with the exception of pit bulls).

When I was pregnant with our first child we had a female Shih tzu (the male (and love of my life) I had 2 years before had been stolen and my best friend and future husband found this female puppy for me) When our son was born, she started peeing in his room, on his stuff, ect., no matter how long she was outside. As he began crawling, she nipped him.
My mother-in-law took her "on a trial basis" for 16 years. None of the grandkids could ever be around Sachi. She was extremely jealous and hated all small children. She never did any damage to the kids, but she definitely could not be trusted.

Last year, my friend Pat agreed to take her daughter's 10 year old shih tzu because she had nipped at her 18 month old.
Then the daughter sent the baby to stay with her grandmother. The dog was sleeping and the little girl tripped and fell on him, startling him. He bit her badly on the cheek. So badly that when they got home from the ER and I saw her, I called my pediatrician to discuss it with her because I was afraid this beautiful blonde blue eyed baby was scarred for life. Bites can't be sutured due to infection unless they are taken to surgery and cleaned. They are jagged. She consulted with a plastic surgeon the next morning but he assured her it was going to be fine...the scar would fade.
The dog was written up by the police department and would be put down if he bit again. The baby's dad insisted he be put down and my friend, at this point was attached to the dog. It was a difficult situation.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Here is one tip I would like to add:  When out for a jog, if an owner is walking a baby in a stroller and a dog on a leash --- stay far away.  I've encountered too many snappy dogs when jogging near a dog and a stroller.  I learned to go way out around.

[Adina P]

Unless it's Rosco or Boca--they'll be cool and happy to see you anyway =)

[Donna K & Quincy]

Well, I'd rather be attacked by a Yorkie than a Rottie, so I guess in my opinion, size does matter. You know, of course, this was not my first thought when I read your title. :>)

[F, Calla & Luca]

Of course she does : )

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Oh Donna, please share all your thoughts on the title! I'm sure Quincy and Spud would laugh at the mob of Yorkies and tell them, "you bet your doodles 'size' matters" ; /-

[Linda and Murphy]

Count Murphy in ; -p

[Cindy M, Zachary & the Frenchies]

Okay, so my baby Doodle arrives on the 30th of the month and will join my 3 frenchies. The frenchies do not get out that much because they are so limited because of their heat intolerance. Because of this discussion I now have a whole list of things on the early socialization list: kids, kids and more kids, strollers, bikes, husbands jogging with ipods, still not sure what to do about the pack of yapping yorkies intent on violence - maybe remind him that size does matter - he should be a large standard!

[Camus]

For me the size does matter. even though small dogs tend to be more aggressive and bark and bite more, the damage can't be fatal (unless the victim is a baby). The bred also matters, I think, it's obvious that fighting dogs and watchdogs are more dangerous.  I am afraid of all mollasses (pit bulls, Rottweilers, bulldogs, etc.). 

A dog is always a dog, no matter how good is the owner. No one is guaranteed from a biting accident. 

[Lisa, Daisy & Dexter]

Oh and Joanne, you do not have cankles.