You have to read this! Attacked by her own dogs!

[elegy]

pretty much what gsd said. say i had a breed like a lab or a golden or even a standard poodle and it showed aggression toward me or somebody else. if my lab/golden/poodle bit somebody, i'd personally be facing a whole lot of trouble, but the chances of it affecting people in my whole city/state/country would be very low. not so with pit bulls. one pit bull bite can lead directly to a ban of the breed. there is no way i'd risk being responsible for that.

it almost happened like that in california. a kid was killed because his idiotic parents left him home alone with two unstable bully-looking dogs, and SB861 was spawned. originally it was breed specific against pit bulls. now it's more of a stepping stone to breed specific laws that can be enacted locally. this in a state that, prior to that incident, had laws AGAINST breed specific legislation.

so while i might be more willing to work through something that might be fixable with another breed, there's no way i'd consider it with a pit bull.

the other caveat is that some breeds were bred to be suspicious of strangers and protective of owners, so i'd accept more aggression toward strangers from one of those breeds than i would from a breed that was bred completely to be human friendly.

[rottnpagan]

Originally Posted by elegy

pretty much what gsd said. say i had a breed like a lab or a golden or even a standard poodle and it showed aggression toward me or somebody else. if my lab/golden/poodle bit somebody, i'd personally be facing a whole lot of trouble, but the chances of it affecting people in my whole city/state/country would be very low. not so with pit bulls. one pit bull bite can lead directly to a ban of the breed. there is no way i'd risk being responsible for that.

I understand totally, as a rottweiler owner. But I guess I'm different in that I won't accept it from any breed.

Originally Posted by elegy

it almost happened like that in california. a kid was killed because his idiotic parents left him home alone with two unstable bully-looking dogs, and SB861 was spawned. originally it was breed specific against pit bulls. now it's more of a stepping stone to breed specific laws that can be enacted locally. this in a state that, prior to that incident, had laws AGAINST breed specific legislation.

Oh I remember that woman well. The hatred burns within, trust me.

Originally Posted by elegy

so while i might be more willing to work through something that might be fixable with another breed, there's no way i'd consider it with a pit bull.

the other caveat is that some breeds were bred to be suspicious of strangers and protective of owners, so i'd accept more aggression toward strangers from one of those breeds than i would from a breed that was bred completely to be human friendly.

*nod* I've issues with owning breeds like that without having them for a working purpose. Too many people will latch onto them as a fad dog, for a macho reason and those dogs are just not like others. They are working guardians, not pets.

[RIo&Nickysmommy]

I think its absoluetly horrible that these dogs attacked this lady. Yet I wonder what really happen. If anyone followed the Ziegfred and ROy situation that happened in Las vegas with the Tiger. Roy was almost killed . What happened is Roy fell down and the tiger tried to help him off stage. Animals grab their cubs by the neck to pick them up. So maybe these animals thought they were helping her and she might have gotten scared and it became out of control. Who knows. I pray for the lady and these animals. Just thought this could be food for thought.
RIo&Nickysmommy

[dvsgryhnd]

it almost happened like that in california. a kid was killed because his idiotic parents left him home alone with two unstable bully-looking dogs, and SB861 was spawned. originally it was breed specific against pit bulls. now it's more of a stepping stone to breed specific laws that can be enacted locally. this in a state that, prior to that incident, had laws AGAINST breed specific legislation.

I would hate to see breed specific laws. What one dog does should not affect the rest. My nephew was attacked by two pit bulls who were allowed to roam by irresponsible owners. While waiting for animal control to arrive, the dogs killed another dog and then went after a neighbor. The police ended up shooting the dogs. I don't blame the dogs for what happened. Their owners were the ones who caused this. While I am leary of pits because of owners like that, I hate to see them singled out.

[mulroony]

To expand with what Elegy said Pit Bulls should not be human aggressive in the slightest. They were not bred that way and all and any unwarranted attacks are probably an underlining problem. With all the haphazard breeding taking place it would lead me to believe the dog was not from good stock.

[rottie_lvr]

reading this.
theres pretty much
no waythat i could
trust my dog/dogs
anymore.
&&yes it is quite weird.
that both the dogs turned
on her?

[shandoggy1]

Experts are saying that it was the two dogs "animal instincts" that kicked in and made them attack there owner. As she fell and hit one of the dogs with her ski pole they reacted in such away that made them feel threatened and less dominant. After they attacked her the dogs sat peacefully next to her. She managed to call 911 and when the paramedics and police arrived they tranquilized the two mastiffs. I know it sounds strange and who knows what she may or may have not done to her dogs but either way these dogs reacted in away that a pack wolves would react in the wild, scary ! Hasn't anyone else seen this story on the news? Or maybe I just watch to much news! LOL!

[Carrie]

Or maybe I just watch to much news! LOL!

LOL. That's funny!

It is weird. I guess some dogs are quicker to respond with these instincts. Some dogs may have more latent instincts than others. It is creepy.

[Tiffany0204]

I'd agree with the other one who wasn't hit with the ski pole didn't protect it's owner. I think Mulrooney made a good point about bad breeding, and the people breeding for the money, not for the genetic qualities.

That could have played a part as well?

[shandoggy1]

Originally Posted by Tiffany0204

I'd agree with the other one who wasn't hit with the ski pole didn't protect it's owner. I think Mulrooney made a good point about bad breeding, and the people breeding for the money, not for the genetic qualities.

That could have played a part as well?

Exactly! It goes back to the debate on genetics or enviroment and it seems alot of people thought both played a part

[Carrie]

I absolutely believe that genetics as well as enviornment play a part in a dog's make-up. With something like this, while it may very well have something to do with poor breeding practices, breeding unsound temperaments, I think it's equally possible to have something to do with the fact that they are dogs....animals with instincts that we may not altogether understand. Certain situations will trigger these instincts, some more readily than others....(some situations and some dogs)

[shandoggy1]

Originally Posted by Carrie

I absolutely believe that genetics as well as enviornment play a part in a dog's make-up. With something like this, while it may very well have something to do with poor breeding practices, breeding unsound temperaments, I think it's equally possible to have something to do with the fact that they are dogs....animals with instincts that we may not altogether understand. Certain situations will trigger these instincts, some more readily than others....(some situations and some dogs)

Totally agree with you! (thumbs up)

[mulroony]

But at the same time I don not think my dogs would attack me for falling and hitting one with a pole. I have tripped and hit my dogs with various objects, and they either back away and cower or think I am playing.

If you are going to talk pack mentality then I don't understand why the woman would not be the head of her pack. I know if you think of my relationship with my dogs and their reltionship with each other in terms of a pack, their loyalty lies to me before each other, and I am the head of the pack.

This whole thing just doesn't add up to me. I wouldn't be surprised if theyattacked her because she (or someone similar or close to her) abused them in the past, so they thought they needed to protect themselves, but that is about it.

[PitBullie09]

I would take my dog to the vet and get it checked but I dont think I could let someone take my dog. I would want them back.

[dvsgryhnd]

Originally Posted by mulroony

If you are going to talk pack mentality then I don't understand why the woman would not be the head of her pack. I know if you think of my relationship with my dogs and their reltionship with each other in terms of a pack, their loyalty lies to me before each other, and I am the head of the pack.

Unfortunately, not all people are the pack leaders. When I did greyhound adoptions, we had several come back because they had positioned themselves as pack leader, and the people didn't know how to or want to deal with establishing themselves as leader. This lady probably thought she was in control, but in the end wasn't. My feeling is that her pole must have hit the leader, he turned on her and the other dog followed.