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Is there an organization that would help find a home for a dog that bit a child who reached over it while it was sleeping? |
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Answer
To the poster of "spare the dicipline and spoil the dog (LOL) I do believe you are right re our laws being different at our SPCA and I prefer your laws in the U.S. With the 2 Rotties in the SPCA we did take up a petition to save the dogs lives and of course, the SPCA didn't want to put the dogs down anymore than we wanted. The dogs were detained and treated well at our SPCA, but unfortunately the media showed the damage the dogs had done to the child's face and it was pretty bad. I have no doubt the Rotties were provoked to some degree (possibly by other children in the area where the bitten child was) and these dogs had not bitten or bothered anyone before (not even the mailman.) Like you I believe there is a place for most animals and there are people out there willing and able to give the time to animals that have bad habits or have been abused. I got my Shawnee from the SPCA and she was found on an Indian Reservation half starved and had just had puppies and she was hunting for food elsewhere and was picked up by the SPCA. She wasn't the prettiest of dogs, but there was just something about her I liked. We had to train her and she was extremely possessive of anyone touching her cushion she laid on or any of her toys and very possessive of us. My husband and I took the time with her and she turned out to be one of the most fantastic dogs. During the time of training I asked our friends not to bring their children along just to be on the safe side. Many of our friends thought we were crazy, but after several months of intensive training and gaining this dog's trust she turned out to be a beautiful pet.
As far as spoiling our pets is sure is hard not too. LOL
Marcy
This is unfortunate indeed. The dog is young, and was probably startled by the child. You are lucky the damage wasn't worse. There is of course, good training programs where your dog listens to commands and I suggest you do so. This is vigorous training and you or both you and your wife have to be there! Be sure the dog is never left near a child at any cost.
The breeds in your dog are unpredictable. Both breeds are great dogs, but aren't suitable or trustworthy with children.
German Shephards have been bred for many years as Police dogs, guard dogs, and used during WWII. They are agressive in nature. The odd dog may slip through the cracks and be quite docile, but it isn't common. However, much to my surprise I found out that Rottweilers were bred as herders and often herding the cattle/sheep into a small town. The rancher/farmer would put a leather pouch with money in it around the Rottweilers neck. Once the herd was delivered to market, the person who bought the herd would open the pouch, put the money in and the dog would take it back to it's owner. What many people don't realize today is that many popular darks (especially large dogs) are either bred for many years and the breed grows weak (either leaving sickly dogs or aggressive ones) and it also depends what the dog is bred with.
Once a dog (any breed) bites a child, owner or anyone else it's best to give the dog away to a suitable person (no children) who lives out in the country. What some people also don't understand about small or large dogs is they are extremely territorial with their family and surroundings (even the car, truck or camper they may be in.) For instance, say your dog was just great around your family and a friend came over for a BBQ; the friend gave you a playful slap on the back, and 9 chances out of 10 your dog will go for that person. I've seen it happen twice and I've also seen 3 children badly mauled by these large dogs. It's not really the dogs fault and it's only what comes naturally.
DON'T GIVE THE DOG TO THE ASPCA because large dogs can sit there until no one adopts them and often they are put to sleep. Advertize in the paper and be sure you add that this dog is a guard dog, not suitable for children.
I am sorry this had to happen to you and it's heartbreaking, but let the dog go to a good owner with lots of property, no children, and then start reading up on your dog breeds and buy yourself another dog, or better still, go to the ASPCA to get yourself another dog.
Good luck Marcy
Answer
Neither of you bothered to read my post correctly! Did I say they weren't a good dog or that they shouldn't receive proper training and in the incident of the poster asking the question I gave good advice of proper training or giving the dog to a family without children. Who in their right mind wouldn't even though the dog (as I said and defended the dog) was startled by the child! The first poster is extremely rude and name-calling is not necessary and we can agree to disagree. To be fair to you both I re read my post and there is nothing arrogant about it, and instead of learning something about the breed (which I put in my post) and also about German Sherpherds is the truth! I support the SPCA here in British Columbia Canada and have gotten several of my dogs from there. I own two smaller pets and a cat, so I hardly feel I'm one bit arrogant, but do my research so I find a dog that is best suited for our family. If you aren't impressed with my answer so far, just look at the news or the paper and get a gander at some of the kid's faces that recently (2 Rottweillers) chewed up! The courts sentenced the dogs to be destroyed. Did I feel good about it, of course not, but any intelligent person couldn't trust dogs like this that have mauled a human. Ask a dog breeder, better yet, ask your vet and anytime you think these two breeds are so safe go to the pound and see how many of them are there. Do a little homework because I have! Problem dogs are given a chance to some degree, but you phone your SPCA or ASPCA and ask! They will set you straight! By the the poster who called me arrogant be sure you know what you are talking about. SPCA is Canadian and ASPCA is American. I have no idea from what country the person is posting from when I answer a post and there are a lot of Americans on this board.
As far as being ignorant to the other poster I explained well about Rotties. Even in Canada there is a "no kill" law (to a point) at our SPCA and they are not mistreated while there and nowhere in my post did I say such a thing, but, ask them or your vet if dogs that have bitten people are easily adoptable, or, in most cases the courts decide if the animal should be put down and it's almost always a "yes!" They can't afford the risk! Ask any court whether American or Canadian what they do with dogs that bite or maul a person. PLEASE go to your local pound and get a good look at all the dogs (all big ones) that no one wants and some are extremely vicious. When you've worked at the SPCA as volunteer then you know what goes on. Yes, no kill is used highly, but that doesn't mean NO KILL for dogs that have bitten or are violent and even the elderly to sick or badly injured are put down. When both of you do your research better then you can come back and call me ignorant or arrogant, but it's simply easier to agree to disagree instead of name-calling.
Marcy
That's a rather ignorant comment - most SPCA shelters (not "ASPCA" unless you live in NYC) are no-kill shelters. They have staff who can do temperament evaluation and training. Large dogs do sometimes take longer to get adopted but they are cared for in the meantime, and adopters are selected based on suitability. A lot better than just sending the dog out to the country!
Advertising in the paper will often get you a person who wants to train a dog for fighting. If you would not trust your child with the person who answers the ad, then don't give them your pet.
Breed rescue (and mix-breed rescue) groups may be able to help. Some will not take dogs that have bitten, under any circumstances; others weigh each case on merit. A Google search should turn up some good agencies near you.
Answer
Thank you to the poster that apologized and I must do the same back. Just a bad day. We appear to be two dog lovers and believe there is a place somewhere for most dogs. I love animals and I am always for "no kill" and blame the owners of these pets. I was looking for a dog after I had a 17 year old sweetie of a dog put down and I went through the pound first. I was in tears at the sight of so many big dogs caged up (most German Shepherds, Rotties and Dobies" and I was so angry at the owners. Some of these dogs had scars (obviously beaten) and several came lunging against the cage with teeth bared scared out of their wits or defending themselves after cruel treatment from their previous owner. I talked to the attendant on watch (nice man) and he shook his head sadly and said, and I quote, "Most of these dogs will be put down and it should be the owners that suffer for the likes of this." I agreed.
Your post is correct and you made a lot of sense and I totally agree with your thoughts about these breeds. Unfortunately (wouldn't you agree) that a very low percentage of people wanting to get dogs never do their homework and want the "in breed" such as when the 101 Dalmatian movie came out. The SPCA had an influx of unwanted Dalmations to find homes for. I also go to the doggie beach not far from home (good place to introduce your dog to other dogs) and I see almost every breed possible there and all get along like kids having a blast and not one dog fight has broken out. Big dogs get along with the small ones. My husband and I sit there and just watch them, laugh our heads off and take pictures of them. Twice we saw responsible dog owners bring a Dobie and a German Shepherd to the doggie beach, but they were leashed and had muzzles on them.
I again apologize to you. I just get very passionate about all breeds of dogs and I too believe in finding good homes for every dog. That's why I suggested to the poster to find a good home for the dog and find another more suitable for their home. Although I have a love of people I do have a sticker on my license plate that says "The more I get to know people the more I love my pets." LOL
Marcy
* THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO MARCY: Apology accepted LOL.... and I do agree with you when you say that a very low % of people seem to do their homework or maybe they do but just don't care.... At least it would seem that way.... * THIS IS AN AFTER NOTE TO ALL DOG OWNERS: Don't get me wrong I not saying that every incident like this occurs because of uninformed people owning the wrong type of dog for their lifestyle...Afterall you can be the most well educated person in the world when it comes to dogs and still have an accident occur... They do happen.... All i am saying is if more people took the time to really get to know the breed and or individual dog that they are consdiering in owning the rate and amount of attacks would probably greatly diminish......
- I apologize to Marcy *if the comments made in my previous post* upset you, it is not that I did not bother to read it correctly, it is that I am finding parts of your post hard to understand and/or follow.I did not mean to offend you in anyway: It is just that I feel no dog should be label unsuitable based solely on their breed. "Although I do agree that some breeds may be predisposed to certain behavioral issues because for their breed and that you should take this into consideration before getting a dog" I do not feel that this makes all dogs of that breed unsuitable, or for that matter, that it is uncommon for them to be docile or "non-aggresive". I feel that people should really pay more attention to the overall picture... What is the dog's history??? Has it ever done anything like this before?? What were the circumstances under which the inccident occurred??? Has the dog had any form of training???? How old is the dog??? ETC....... These are just a few of the questions, that I feel a person "as an owner facing a decision like this should ask themselves before making a final decision" I am not saying that the person should keep the dog if they feel at all uncomfortable doing so.... That would just be asking for problems.... By all means if you feel uncomfortable keeping the dog definately find it a more suitable home.... Your best bet would probably be to place it in a home without children. All that I am asking is that the owner or owners base their decision on what they learned about the dog after having looked at the entire overall picture... To Please not base their decision solely on the fact that the dog is a Shep/Rotti cross.... Afterall, I base my answers around my own Thoughts and experiences " I have owned dogs of various breeds all my life and have worked in Vet/Shelter settings for over 15 years" so you see I have done my homework... I admit I am no expert however, I would like to think that I have learned a little something over the years ... Three Quarters of the dogs that I have worked with or owned over the years where considered breeds "unsuitable" for family life... At least 60% of them currently live or lived in homes with children...Without any problems.... Again, I am sorry if my post offended you it was not meant to....
Answer
Although I agree with a great deal of what you said (back you on children abusing animals or anyone else abusing an animal) I thought all posts were made quite clear. Nowhere did we call SHEPHARDS "maulers." It is a fact, that this breed and some other breeds if well trained can be wonderful pets, but, they also can be vicious if not trained well or not bred well. Here's a story for you. We have a friend that had a police dog. The dog was part of the family for 5 years. One night the officer came home and threw his leather gloves on the dining room table. His wife was expecting guests and wanted to set the table and took his gloves off the table. The Shephard lunged at her and half tore her arm off. It tooks months of pain and rehibilitation for her to use her arm and she doesn't have 100% mobility in it. This proves a point, that a dog that is well trained in police work can also flip out and people need to find the breed of dog that suits their needs.
I also learned that Pitbulls do not swim well. We take our dogs to the "doggie beach" (a lake) and all breeds and sizes are there and all seem to get along well (although there are 2 dogs that come ... one a Shephard and one a Dobie) with muzzles (responsible owners.) There were 2 black labs running in and out of the water and a Pitbull. The 3 were chasing a stick being thrown out in the water. Of course the labs swam like seals, and the Pitbull looked clumsy in the water. He got to the stick and was bringing it back when one of the black labs used his paws to push the Pitbull's head under the water. The poor Pitbull came out of that water gasping and spluttering, but his stubby tail was going. All was fine until the owner (a young man in his mid-twenties) scolded the dog for being such a timid creature. There you have it! See a Pit Bull and you see a man! For some reason I find that many men (not all) like the idea of people seeing them with a Pitbull and it's obvious these men are sending a message of "don't mess with me." I agree with this behavior breeds such as the Pitbulls get a bad rap. It's the owners!
I absolutely agree with you about people allowing their children to annoy dogs. I have a Bichon Frize (21 lbs.) and I always tell our friends to leave the dog alone. Of course it's like talking down a gopher hole and sure enough my dog gave a quick nip (didn't draw blood.) The parents looked at us as if we'd just swatted the child ourselves. I told them I had warned them and that they should teach their kids proper habits around dogs. I can't tell you how many times when I'm out with my dogs that people allow their kids to come up to my dog's face. It literally sends shivers down my spine. Bichons are a wonderful sturdy little dog and I would trust my dog with a baby, but, I am always watching her and as you said, if the lips curl or any teeth are showing it's time to restrain your pet.
I do disagree on "spare the discipline and spoil the dog." Both my dogs are well trained and I expect them to listen to commands on a dime. If they don't they are punished by putting them in their kennels for 20 minutes. If out walking and they get too frisky and don't listen to my commands I shame them and take them back to the car and home. Dogs are smart and they get the message quick. I go through the discipline commands once a week with my dogs. My husband and I take our pets (including a cat) camping and we are around people (especially kids) so they need to know commands. We spoil our animals and they have a blast with us, but orders are orders! It stops future problems from coming around again.
Marcy
I live in British Columbia and a few months back 2 beautiful Rotties living in a neighbourhood (never bothered anyone and were in a fenced yard) bit a child. The dogs were sent straight to the SPCA to be destroyed before any investigation was done into the fact of why these dogs bit this particular child. We all signed a petition and thankfully, the dogs were given to a farmer that lived some 30 miles away.
- I guess that is the difference between Canada and the US because here in the US they do a complete investigation of the situation before making their final decision as to whether or not the dog or dogs need to be destroyed... My wife works at a Local Humane Society and I remember her telling me about a case which happened about a year ago where there was a couple of mastiffs brought into the shelter who were invovled in a supposed attack on a person.. They were kept in quarintine at the Shelter for close to 9 months (during which time they were frequently temperment tested) pending the outcome of the investigation before they were eventually returned to the owners... I'm sure that there were some precautions taken to ensure that it wouldn't happen again. However, it was considered a provoked attack and not the animals' fault.. As for sparing the disipline and spoiling the dog, I did not mean that you should not disipline the dog if it does wrong all I meant was do not be accessive in the disipline make sure the disipline you give fits the crime do not go overboard...
Answer
- I have read many answers in this faq that were so completely far off that i had to reread the question. why are we downgrading other peoples answers no matter how assenign. let's be real they are called german "SHEPHARDS." not german maulers.
Answer
First off the owners of a dog are responsible for caring for their dog when children are around. I have a Bichon Frise and also a Cockapoo male. Although they are loving and wonderful dogs, I always give commands for my dogs to lay on their pillow in the corner of the room and tell the parent's of the child are visiting and tell them that I do not want their children playing with the dog. Even if it was your child, it's up to you to be sure the child doesn't hurt the dog or startle the dog. How sad that you have to give that dog away. It apparent the dog was in a sound sleep and was simply startled, but I do understand that once a child is bit you have no alternative but to give the dog away. I hope in the future you will have another breed of dog that does love children such as a Cairn or Newfoundland (large dog.)
You can actually put an ad in the paper to either give or sell the dog. Just put in your ad this dog is not meant to be with a family with children. Try to get someone that is perhaps a single man or woman or someone without children that lives on a ranch or farm. You can also ask your local vet which organizations are around (other then the ASPCA in the U.S. or SPCA in Canada.) Don't forget to interview the prospective new owners because some don't have a clue how to raise such a dog and some may not find looking after the dog over-whelming. There are also people that want a dog just to look after their property and that's it! This dogs deserves love and kindness too. I also know that many truckers in Canada travel with dogs so this may be another avenue for your dog to find a good home.
First answer by Marcy. Last edit by Marcy. Contributor trust: 3252 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 76 [recommend question]
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