Topic : 03/30 Is This Normal?

I am sorry, but finally a different breed was on the show today!  It seems all attacks are pit related, but we all know that dalmations, chows, rott, doberman, and even cocker spaniels, plus ANY DOG can bite!   

I am a dog lover, I have three pits.  When my husband said lets get one, I said are you crazy?  I had always had german shep, rotty, doberman, never any trouble, but I was the same as every one else.  I went by what I heard, so did my mom.  But when I showed up with her, everyone fell in love with her.  Now we have three.  One weights close to 90 lbs, he is a lapdog, does not matter who you are, he wants to sit on your lap, the other two are smaller, they are shoulder babies, due to the way I held them when they were small.   

They love everyone that comes to our home, we do introduce first, we do not take chances, there is no animal you can trust ever.  Every night I spend the evening with my three pits around me, there is no fighting.  All they give is love, and get that in return.  I am so glad to see you do this show on a different breed!!!  I feel sorry for the owner, but being a pit owner,  maybe this will shed light that its not just my breed that will bite!  And mine will not.  I think he will be just fine, and yes, there are great fence places out there, have one that keeps three pits in and they are jumpers!!  So don't worry, they won't get out!!  Holding three pits in, vs a dalmataion, I think she will be just fine!! Hope she will read and understand that a fence will do the trick, and a dog is a dog.....I agree with making arrangements so they can keep the dog, and come to a commom place. 

I took mine to petsmart, someone was nasty to us, someone from my past walked up behind her and said I have know this dog owner for 10 years.  She said that I was not dumb enough to bring a dog to a public place if I did not trust it, and sent her daughter over to my very large pits, who thought she was just cute as can be.  The lady said she was sorry, she said she also went by what she read, and also came over.  My neighbors make comments as we walk.  I say the same to them, I am a good dog owner, if there is nothing on their mouth, its because you do not have to worry about my dog!!!  I invite you to come over and pet her, or him.  I know that there are dumb people that own these dogs, I don't want to pay the price for them.  I love this breed, they are so loving to us! 

Her name is Haylee and she is a second-hand dog.  I got her when she was a year and a half old.  She will be nine on April 10th.  She is a great dog.  But whenever she is going to be around kids I put a soft mesh muzzle on her.  I also use it at the vets just in case.  She has never offered to bite anyone.  But using the muzzle protects her from her own instincts if someone accidently stepped on her tail or something. 

I support Dr. Phil 100% in his handling of this issue.  I have friends with deaf Dalmatians.  They can be a wonderful pet.  But mixing them and a very young child without putting a soft mesh muzzle on the dog is not a good idea.  Dr. Phil was right when he said kids do stuff to dogs and some dogs will let them.  But some dogs won't.  Dr. Phil made a good suggestion that a secure area be built where the dad can still have his dogs and the child cannot get near them. 

I was the flip side of the story also.  As a toddler I was bitten twice by the same Beagle that had been tormented by the two boys that owned it.  Both times I was bitten in the face.  The first time I wandered over to the dog while it was eating and it nipped me in the face.  I don't remember anthing about that.  But the second time I do remeber.  I was riding on the shoulders of our next-door neighbor and I saw the dog, not remembering the previous bite, and wanted to pet it.  The neighbor bent over and the dog jumped and bit me in the face.  I have small scars from that bite. 

My dad asked them to get rid of the dog but they moved and took "Buttons" with them.  Strange twist of fate....our first grade trip was to a farm.  My mom was a classroom mother so she went with us.  There, tied to a doghouse on the hill was a grandson of  "Buttons".  Not onl had they not gotten rid of him they bred that horrible dog.   

On another occasion as a grade school age child I was nipped on the hand by a friend's dog as we ran around in her yard.  I think the dog was excited and playing with us and just nipped me by accident. 

The dad needs to step up to the plate and spend the money to create a safe area for the dogs and his child.  He can have both but he has to be willing to spend what it takes to keep both safe.    

I can't believe the comparison of a mentally challenged 10-year-old to a dog. And you better hope that your dog never bites my child, because I would make sure you are held criminally responsible for your dog's actions. You are right, dogs are not on the same mental level as humans, which is exactly why we humans must ensure they are not a danger to other people. That is why you are seeing more people prosecuted for keeping aggressive dogs that endup maiming or killing other people. How many people does a dog have to bite before you admit they are a danger? Do they have to kill someone first? You are the one that is choosing to live with that risk, not everyone that walks intoyour home or near your dog.

As to the mother setting up her child for a lifetime of fear - what about the next time the dog bitesher child? That should help her heal, right? Dogs do attack for no reason, and she is doing the responsible thing by not allowing that to happen to her child again. If she decides she wants to have a dog-free household, that is her choice to make.

As far as the husband that wants the dog that bit his daughter to be back in the house, I suggest watching a show called "The Dog Whisperer"!! It is on the National Geographic channel.   It is very obvious that he allows his dog to be HIS pack leader instead of the other way around.  He allows his dog to be the dominant one over everyone.  When no one in the house is exercising dominance, the dog instinctively picks up the slack and becomes dominant over everyone.  The site to go to for the Dog Whisperer to obtain and maintain complete control over a dog no matter what the breed is www.cesarmillaninc.com .  Maybe Dr. Phil can have him as a guest one day.