dog bite - Page 1

As was watching the news , Philly station, my heart sank to hear of another severe dog bite case, dog involved being a GSD named Ozzie. Apparently a 7 year old child was mauled, facial injuries & a crushed forearm, by a dog that all the neighbors that were interviewed were supporting as "the friendliest dog". My heart just broke to watch animal control load Ozzie into their van, he went along quietly, like a good boy, his owner weeping at the side. I know that people think that well trained dogs can be left off leash, but anything can happen! Even the kids parents were saying "We always loved Ozzie", so you know this wasn't a bad dog, why take such chances? Now there is heartbreak for two families, & such bad PR for GSDs. I don't get it. Why not use a leash, or have a fence? Sorry for the rant, but I just get so upset when I see these things, I hope the kid's OK, & I hope Ozzie survives the ordeal, but my gut says probably not. What a shame! jackie osborne

I read this stort once, it has never left me and showed me what a fool I was while my kids were growing up and having all their freind s over. A GSD owner had friends over, they had a small child, all talking,dog and child were left alone while the adults got up to go into another room. The adults hear the dog growl and the child scream. They find the dog has bitten the child and take child to the hospital for stitches. They friends advise they will not sue, if the dog is put down. The owners try to explain their dog has never bitten and has been raised around children. This falls on deaf ears and they demand the dog be put down. They take the dog to the vet and explain the situation. Vet states she has kown this dog it's whole life and wants to do acropsy(sp). He finds 2 crayons stuffed down the ear canal of the dog. WHAT A FOOLS WE ALL ARE, WE TRUST OUR DOGS, IT WAS THE KIDS WE SHOULD NOT TRUST...........

STORY

That was my feeling all the while I watched that story...what did the kid do to provoke the dog??? But this dog, according to the interviews, was allowed to roam the neighborhood, very irresponcible...I have a 7 year old grandson, & 2 GSDs, I surely understand how it could have happened, but I guess i'll never understand why people put both their kids & their dogs in compromised positions...it makes me ill. jo

And, it's not just dog bites (even though they are the worst case scenarios most times). But, something as simple as a scratch. Case in point: I have an 8 month old female GSD and a 3 1/2 month old female GSD. I spray down and clean my kennels every night when I return from work. While doing so, I generally have my soon to be 3 yr old son outside playing in the yard (constantly keeping an eye on him as I do). I let the dogs out in the yard and they're generally romping and playing with each other. I had just looked over at my son who was on his little tricycle on the sidewalk and the dogs were playing by the pond. Next thing I know, my son is by the kennels crying and telling me I wasn't watching him. I looked at his face and there were two scratches going down his face starting right under the eyelid. All that went thru my head was Oh God, that could have been his eye. What a stupid thing for me to do in having the dogs loose while I was too busy to keep a better watch on them and him at ALL times. I mean, it was just a second or two. Apparently, the 3 1/2 month old pup had wanted to play with him and had jumped up on him to lick his face. A big no-no but, did not intentionally mean to hurt him. Well, tell that to my husband whom I have to almost fight with weekly about something the dogs did. Just the week before, this same puppy did the exact same thing to me and he had warned me then that it better not happen to my son. Well, I pleaded the innocence of the dog and admitted my guilt for even having them loose at all while I was too busy to give the ever watchful eye. Just saying, it can and does happen SO fast. And, my son is not little Mr. Innocent all the time either! I can honestly say, it won't happen again.

What does it matter if the kid was the aggressor? The dog is the one that's going to be put down and it is the irresponsible owner who allowed it. Have enough sense not to subject your dog to a situation that will cause him to have to protect himself. Do you really want politicians in your business. Who's next after California?

I know GSDs will definitely become agitated with sudden movements and high pitch sounds like that of a CHILD shouting ... just dont teach you kid not to play with the dog...they're not toys... dont let your dogs think of kids as tug toys also... ALL FAMILY MEMBERS SHOULD be dominant over their FAMILY DOG.

Brian Killcommon's book, (sp?) Childproofing Your Dog Rule # 1: NEVER EVER leave your child unattended with your dog, no matter HOW well behaved the dog is! Good rule to remember.

I was afraid I would read the dog was a "neighborhood" dog. All dogs should be kept in fenced yards. Period. Bad owners make the dig pay for their mistake.

spook, I'm with you on this. It's our responsibility to keep our dogs out of harm's way.