Nothing But Pure Ignorance

[Lynn Farris]

Ed,

I think that is good advice - particularly the practice. The worst thing that one can do is the yell and run. Then the dog is off on the hunt - going after his prey.

I have personally found either telling dogs with a calming voice that it's okay or to go home in a calm but authoritative voice very successful. I never meant to assume that the alpha leader should be confrontational, or agressive, just calmly authoritative.

Fairly recently I was staying at someone's home that I hadn't met and was greeted in the yard by 3 protective Great Danes who were barking their heads off. Talking to them calmly the whole time, I exited my car and was able to walk to the door and ring the bell. By the end of my stay, they were sitting on my lap, but each time I reentered the property, they voiced their concern and we went throught the same ritual.

[Dee Krupp]

Pit bulls are not the biggest biters (German Shepherds and Chows are the top 2 according to one site). In fairness, though, pit bulls and rottweilers are responsible for the most fatal attacks.

That's not helping your argument. And why shouldn't there be a ban? Because you own one?

Jim....as far as the guy getting bit in the face...he was attacked, perhaps he was knocked to the ground??

[Ed Dickson]

Lynn,

I didn't think you meant in an aggressive way. With what I do for a living, I am bombarded daily with all the bad advice and misinformation being presented by the TV show The Dog Whisperer. He is horrible about mis-using the terms alpha and dominance. Anytime I see the terms I feel the need to clarify.

Dee,

I'm sure Brad can answer this for himself but I'll chime in. They shouldn't be banned because it won't solve anything. Human laziness and lack of information won't be solved by removing the weapon. They'll just get another weapon and, by the way, any dog is it's own weapon without proper guidance.

Ed Dickson, CPDT
Owner, North Coast Dogs, LLC

[Richard Cole]

HB 189 - a re-write of Ohio Dangerous Dog Law

http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/bill ... 126_HB_189

Not sure where this is in terms of being enacted upon.

[dl meckes]

And why shouldn't there be a ban? Because you own one?

Brad owns a dog that is under control and not vicious. Why should he have to leave Lakewood to keep it if it is not a problem animal?

I believe all irresponsible owners and all breeds of vicious dogs need to be dealt with under the law in an equitable manner.

[Shawn Juris]

Brad,
Thanks for confirming that owners of pit bulls are stupid.
The example of the neighbor with a pit pup was just reaffirming the stereotype that some like to dismiss here about hud subsidy renters. Couldn't have been a better example of the stereotype.
My point was to the issue of liability exposure and the lack of understanding that owners of vicious dogs have about their coverage. Let's ask a personal question since you've taken to taking to a condescending tone to belittle my concerns. Who is your insurance policy with to protect others in the event that your beloved pooch mauls some poor child? Please, prove that you're not in the same group that I normally come across who ignore the language of their policy and put the public at risk.

[Dee Krupp]

And why shouldn't there be a ban? Because you own one?

Brad owns a dog that is under control and not vicious. Why should he have to leave Lakewood to keep it if it is not a problem animal?

I believe all irresponsible owners and all breeds of vicious dogs need to be dealt with under the law in an equitable manner.

Actually, doesn't it only apply to pure bred pits? Which, if I'm reading correctly, Brad's dog isn't.

[Stephen Eisel]

Bite Force Competition. Pitbull, Rottweiler, And Shepherd

[dl meckes]

[Diane Helbig]

When my son was 9 years old he was walking our brittany spaniel. A pit bull charged out of a house, over a fence and attacked my dog - WHILE MY SON WAS HOLDING HER LEASH.

The owner of the dog came out into the street and pulled his dog off of mine. When the warden showed up, I found out that this was the FIFTH attack from this dog. And this dog had chased a kindergartner home from school when she was walking down the sidewalk with her mother.

In those instances, NO ONE was doing anything to the pit bull. It attacked WITHOUT PROVOCATION.

In my humble opinion, that owner was an irresponsible child who had no business owning that dog. He didn't know how to protect his own animal by keeping it from hurting any other pet. The decision to allow him to keep his dog after the first, second, third, and fourth attacks was irresponsible of the city.

My dog should never have been in a position to be attacked by that dog, and my son should never have had that experience.

The system was broken. If banning pit bulls from this city is the only way to solve the problem and ensure that no other child or dog will go thru what mine did that summer day then I'm all for it.

[dl meckes]

I don't want anyone to have the horrifying experience that you had, Diane.

I don't want any vicious dog to get a pass. I don't want any breed to slip through loopholes.

Any breed can be vicious and all vicious dogs needs to be dealt with with well-written and well-enforced vicious dog legislation.

It shouldn't be about this or that breed, it should be about the dog and the owner(s).

Again, no-one should have the experience that you, your son and your dog had.

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

The homeowners behind our home had two pitbulls and we would be in our back yard with fear that these dogs would jump the fence and bite our faces off.

Luckily, the owners moved and now we have peace and quiet, and we can actually sit in our back yard without hearing constant barking.

What most people don't understand is that any animal can snap and become aggressive and attack. It's a form of defense, and it's also a survival technique. Humans do it too. Any living thing has defense mechanisms and they cannot be avoided or toned down.

Dogs are like guns, they're not dangerous unless stupid owners don't know what to do with them or stupid people do something to trigger their aggressive tendencies. If it's a dangerous animal, don't pet it. If it gets out, punish the animal and the owner for it. That should go for ANY dog or animal that does damage or harm.

There are many other things that the city should ban before a breed of dogs. But then again, I don't see why someone would want to own a pitbull to begin with. I guess "it's America" and people are entitled to own whatever they please.

[Lynn Farris]

Diane,

That is a horrible story. It sounded as if your son was okay - just scared to death, but did your dog survive?

There is no excuse for a dog being allowed to attack 5 times. With humans it is 3X and your out - dogs shouldn't have more rights than people. I agree with you that the breeder was most likely irresponsible and the owner and the city.

If I thought that banning pit bulls from the city would stop an experience like that from happening to another child, or even dog, I would be all for it. But pretty much any dog can do what this dog did. At least any big dog. Not that little dogs can't be crazy too - they are just easier for someone to subdue.

Maybe everyone with a dog should be required to have insurance to cover them. For most if I understand this correctly, it is covered by their homeowners insurance or is it covered under rental insurance? Then if insurance companies with their tables determine different rates for different breeds, that is fine. That way we treat all dogs basically the same.

But insurance wouldn't have covered the trauma you suffered.

[Jim O'Bryan]

I find with dog owners concerns me both on a professional level as an insurance agent and as a father who gets concerned when I see a story or walk past a dog that falls into the category deemed a vicious breed.

Shawn

I will agree that I do see some people owning pit bulls that have no sense or probably right to own them. I believe there are nor bad dogs just bad dog owners, and that is a problem with pits, dobermans, rotweillers, etc.

Can you possibly find numbers through your company on dog bites?

Discussed at lunch was the fact where Pits may not lead in bites, they certainly probably lead in damage done with bites.

It would be interesting to see.

I would still like to hear how the guy got bit in the face. I am figuring on all fours acting like a dog, back raised with a grin/teeth showing.


FWIW


.

[Robert Bobik]

Jim , In my early 20's, I was playing with a friend's Stafordshire. The dog and I were great friends, played rough all the time. Good dog, we could apologize to the other when we got too rough, it was kinda cool. I got too rough once, the dog clamped down on my face while I was standing up. No broken skin, just bruises, outside of both eyes. She nudged me afterward to see if I was okay. A person can easily get bitten in the face while NOT being on all fours. My friends dog could have easily torn my face off if it so desired in this fashion. I don't need to second guess this guy, these dogs are athletic as hell, and if one wants to bite you in the face while you are upright (even you, I've read you are tall), it will.