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Is it summer yet? The groundhog is telling us we have 6 more weeks of winter left. I sure hope he is wrong!
The holidays are over and soon things should be settling down and getting back to normal. I doubt it! J I think just getting some sunshine would help a lot!
Have you read about the Mastiffs that mauled a woman in San Francisco? I read the man who is a lawyer who was the owner along with his wife says he does not feel he should be held responsible for the event. Huh, he owned the dog! Lets get real here.
I also read they are still debating whether to put the other dog to sleep or not that was there at the time of the attack. If they do not put it to sleep at least they should take it away from its current owners and give it to a responsible pet owner so that no one else gets hurt. These people have definitely shown that they are not responsible pet owners. They had not had the dogs that long and they automatically assumed they were friendly and safe to allow to run out of the apartment off leash. Honestly, in my opinion dogs of that size have no business being in an apartment setting unless the owners daily took them somewhere spacious to run and play safely.
I have always had a dog. I grew up with a dog. I do admit I may be a little more informed then the average dog owner. I used to show dogs and the training I got in showing was from people who at that time were associated with the local Human society and they had been in obedience and showing dogs for many years. But, most dog owners or the responsible ones do take the time to find out about the breed of dog they have. They find out about its personality and how to care for it. Each breed has it own special characteristics and each dog within the breed is different. Just because you like a type of dog does not mean you would enjoy owning a dog of that breed.
I live in a state that has leash laws and where you have to carry liability insurance for the breeds of dogs that tend to be considered aggressive. There are always people who do not obey the law. I think more do now then in previous years do to over the years the stories of children getting mauled across the nation. It is a shame it take a tragedy for a pet owner to stop and think about his pet. Even then, most will say, "My, dog would never do that!" I am sorry, but a dog is a dog and is an animal. All animals will turn and defend themselves in the right situation. They bit to not only defend themselves but to defend their masters or their homes. Each breed and each dog within the breed is different in their inherit natural instincts. Actually, just like humans. Some humans will cower and some will fight.
Every dog in just the right situation will attack, just like every human in the right situation will kill. The problem is only the master/owner of the dog who forgets this. In a lot of the cases of sever dog bites or mauling, it is someone known to the dog and usually a child. If you stopped and thought about it a lot of the actions of small children can be easily taken as a threat by the dog.
If you are reading this you know I have dogs. Clio my afghan hound is pictured with me. She is spoiled rotten. She sleeps on my bed, she sits on my couch, and she basically has total run of the house. She is sweetheart! She is a motherly dog. I have a miniature dachshund she tolerates much abuse from her. Maxie loves to jump up and try to grab a hold of Clio's ears when they are playing. I keep expecting her to one day get her teeth caught in Clio's ear fringe and find her hanging there. Maxie's head fits inside Clio's mouth and during play it is in there at times but Clio never bits down.
Clio is also a good hostess, when we have visiting dogs she does not get upset when the find her bones and make them theirs for the time here. She lets the cat and Maxie both eat out of her food and water dishes.
Clio will give you a kiss when you ask for one. She talks back to you; she pouts when she does not get her way and makes it very clear when she wants something. I love her to pieces! She is part of my family and knows it.
Am I naïve enough to think she will never bite? No! Actually, she is a very good watchdog. If she does not know you she watches your every move. It may be ok that you are in the house but don't touch anything or she bark and let you know she doe not feel you are to touch that. Would she go past barking to biting? She could. I honestly don't think she ever would under normal circumstances but if she felt threatened or felt one of us were threatened she would bite. She is always watched when someone new comes in the house as to her reaction to them.
I had one Afghan, Almen that if I let you in the house you were his best friend in the world. If I did not let you in the house and talked to you with the door open and you went to hand me something thru the door I had to grab him to keep him from attacking you. He was very protective of me. Bandit another afghan I had was protective of my kids. When they were still in a crib if you went into their room and he did not know you he would go to nip you as a warning to stay away from them unless I said it was ok.
Afghans are not vicious dogs. They are playful and very loving but they are dogs. They are not dogs that suit a lot of people either. They tend to have a mind of their own. You can train them all you want but the bottom line is for them…. am I in the mood to obey or not. Actually, the fact they have a mind of their own is why I love the breed so much. You never get bored with an afghan around!
Knowing the traits of the breed and of the individual dog is one of the things that makes me a responsible pet owner Accepting the fact that no matter how much a dog becomes part of the family that they still are an animal with natural instincts is an other trait of a responsible pet owner. Honestly, if I owned a dog that bit someone or reacted as if they were going to bit and I stopped them, without good reason, meaning in self defense of being physically hurt themselves, I would put them to sleep. No matter how much I love my dog or dogs I could not live with the fact of them tearing apart a person unless of course the person was breaking into my house, and then they deserved it.
I actually have had a dog put to sleep before. It bit the neighbor kid. It was questionable as to whether the bite was provoked or not. The boy was known to torment dogs before. The dog was on my property and was chained at the time. It was more a nip then an out right bit but it did break the skin. The dog had never even nip at anyone before. I was so unsure of the cause of it all that I would rather put the dog to sleep then risk something serious from happening.
I also have never allowed any dog I owned to be alone with a child. Even Bandit who protected my children when they were young was not allowed alone with them unless it was under the situation that they were in their cribs and he as laying on their bedroom floor. I mainly kept my dogs away from children because I have always owned the larger breeds of dogs. I always feared more about the dog going to jump up and lick the child or get too excited and just knock them down causing an injury. Even little dogs are stronger then you think and can take a child down in a second if you are not careful.
If you are a dog owner that feels that your dog will never bite, please be realistic! I know a lot of dogs are treated better then people. Some of the pets out there are pampered beyond belief. Even your little dogs can cause sever damage when they bite. Just being little does not make then harmless. You would be surprised at how determined and strong they can be.
Don't underestimate your dog. Don't leave them alone in the same place with children. Please don't assume they will never bite! It's being responsible and it could save a life or someone from having to go thru plastic surgery to fix a face or body a dog tore up. It only takes a few minor precautions to prevent an injury. Would you not rather take the time to prevent something you believe will never happen then to spend the rest of your life regretting you did not? Can you really live with the knowledge that your dog bit, mauled or killed someone? If that does not bother you then think in terms of money, lawsuits and maybe jail terms.
Think about!
Lynn Beck
Lbeckworld
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