Our standard poodle was attacked by a pit bull yesterday

[Mama Geek]

We are fortunate that he is going to be ok.  We were at a friends house and someone in there extended family had their 9 month old pit bull there.  No one saw it start and the pit had my dog by the neck when they were first seen fighting.  I spent the afternoon at the emergency vet, we were pretty concerned about his eye.  He walked in on his own, they shaved the area around his neck, gave him pain killers, antibiotics, and did an eye scan on him.  He has several puncture wounds one of which was has still been bleeding some.  They say his eye will heal and that it doesn't look like any long term damage after doing a scan of it.  

 

Our friends were really upset and sorry that it happened.  Unfortunately the owner of the dog was making up excuses and was pretty much proud of the pit.  There are some family dynamics there that I am staying out of and won't get into.  I didn't realize how much our friends disliked and distrusted the dog, we had been around it 1 or 2 other times.  They are now keeping their dogs entirely separate from the pit.

 

I now get to nurse my fur baby back to health and field lots of questions from my 4 yo dd about dog fights and about will our dog be ok.  Our dog will not go back out there with us if that member of her family is there and last night dh was saying he is figuring that we shouldn't be there when that family member is there either because of dd and I have to agree with him. 

 

It is really a sad situation, they live on a small farm and we have been able to give our dd and dog a fair amount of freedom while out there that they really don't get anywhere else because we live in the city and the dh and wife are really good to us and love my dd like their own grandchild.

 

I feel bad for my sore beat up dog.

 

ETA:  When I take my dog into my vet tomorrow I will talk to them about reporting.

 

[Lisbeth]

I'm sorry this happened. I don't care what anyone says, pitbulls are a menace. I would never allow anyone to bring a pitbull to a gathering of mine, especially one with children and other animals. Did the owners pay your vet bill? Were authorities notified? What if next time it attacks a child?

[kiwik]

Yes. What if next time it is a toddler that upsets it. It is worrying that a puppy took on what I assume was an older dog - usually they are still a bit respectful at 9 months.

[Alessandra]

I am sorry this happened to you. I agree with Lizbeth that pit bulls are a menace. I would want to look into reporting this. Does your vet have any advice about reporting?

[RoughCollie]

I would report it too.   I would report any dog that attacked my dog or another member of my family, regardless of the breed. 

 

I would also file an insurance claim against the farm owner's property/homeowner's insurance policy. It may cover that, and I think since you  "didn't realize how much our friends disliked and distrusted the dog, we had been around it 1 or 2 other times", they had a duty to warn you of that before you took your family (including the dog) over there.  Regardless, the liability section of their policy will likely cover this. 

 

I am so sorry that this happened to your dog.

[Mama Geek]

The emergency vet didn't say anything about it and my friend was there will me at the time.  They said to take him to his regular vet on Monday and have his eye checked again.  I will talk to dh and see what he says.  I don't know the last name of the owner, so if we do report it I will have to go back and get the information through my friend to do so.

[ktgrok]

I'm a vet tech (certified, have a degree, and worked in the field for 20 years), also a certified dog trainer, although I've let that lapse lately. What you are describing is incredibly disturbing. A mentally stable 9 month old puppy doesn't attack an older, larger dog like that, causing that kind of damage. Very scary. 

 

And although I HUGELY disagree that pit bulls are a menace, they ARE more prone to have dog on dog agression, due to years of being bred for that specific behavior. (that has nothing to do with agression towards humans). I have no idea if that is what is going on here, if this dog is from fighting lines, or if the dog has been encouraged to fight before/trained to fight, or what. But unless there was some incredibly weird other issue going on (puppy in pain, got hurt,etc) I'd reccomend putting that puppy down. I've only advised that a few times in my life (and oddly, never with a pit bull before, once was an Akita and once was a Labrador), but this sounds very dangerous. Don't expose yourself or your pets to that dog again. That behavior is "not right". Just like some people have mental illness, dogs can have it too. Stay way. 

 

(but I still love pitties. Most vets and vet techs I know own at least one)

[WestHoustonMom]

Yes. What if next time it is a toddler that upsets it. It is worrying that a puppy took on what I assume was an older dog - usually they are still a bit respectful at 9 months.

OP, I'm so sorry this happened to your fur-baby. It's so infuriating when others are bad dog owners and think it's acceptable.

 

I don't know about pitbull puppies being respectful of older dogs though. The only time I've ever kicked a dog was when I was walking my Standard Poodle (who was 7 and quite large) and we were chased by a small pitbull puppy who was loose in our neighborhood and kept trying to attack her. He wouldn't give up until I kicked him in the nose a few times. If he'd been any bigger, I'm not sure what I could've done. They are such aggressive dogs.

 

It really irritates me that people who don't take good care of their dogs and train them properly always seem to be the ones with pitbulls, rotties, and dobermans. My next-door neighbor has 2 dobermans that never get to be inside, and they just got a schnauzer/pin mix for their little boys to"teach them responsibility". Puh-lease. I can't even let my son play in the backyard by himself because they guard the fence and go nuts whenever anyone is in our backyard. I've started bringing a taser out there with me just in case one ever gets over the fence.

 

I HATE bad dog owners.

 

I really hope that your poodle has a very speedy recovery.

[Mama Geek]

I'm a vet tech (certified, have a degree, and worked in the field for 20 years), also a certified dog trainer, although I've let that lapse lately. What you are describing is incredibly disturbing. A mentally stable 9 month old puppy doesn't attack an older, larger dog like that, causing that kind of damage. Very scary. 

 

And although I HUGELY disagree that pit bulls are a menace, they ARE more prone to have dog on dog agression, due to years of being bred for that specific behavior. (that has nothing to do with agression towards humans). I have no idea if that is what is going on here, if this dog is from fighting lines, or if the dog has been encouraged to fight before/trained to fight, or what. But unless there was some incredibly weird other issue going on (puppy in pain, got hurt,etc) I'd reccomend putting that puppy down. I've only advised that a few times in my life (and oddly, never with a pit bull before, once was an Akita and once was a Labrador), but this sounds very dangerous. Don't expose yourself or your pets to that dog again. That behavior is "not right". Just like some people have mental illness, dogs can have it too. Stay way. 

 

(but I still love pitties. Most vets and vet techs I know own at least one)

 

I have not been afraid of dogs and generally get along with most dogs.  I am not the owner and would guess by the way responded to the whole thing he will not wiling have his dog put down.  The pit was not injured before the fight as far as I know and didn't seem injured after the fight.  I know nothing of the bloodline and next to nothing about the dogs homelike other than the owner wasn't upset or really even remorseful about it.  For my friends sake I am not going to speculate about how the pit is being raised.

 

Like I said dh and I were coming to the conclusion last night of not visiting out there when the owner is there, because his dog likely will be there as well unless there were decisions made by our friends last night after we left.  

[Mimm]

That's really sick to be proud of your dog for that behavior. Anything but horror at your dog attacking and wounding another dog is fairly inappropriate. I'm sorry for your dog and I hope he heals up just fine.

[Lolly]

I urge you to report it, and make sure they pay for your vet bills. If you do not report it, when the dog does it again, it will be considered a first offense. Making them pay for the bills might somehow let them realize how serious an issue this is.

[kewb]

I am very sorry your dog was attacked. The other dog sounds like a menace and should not be around other dogs. The owner should certainly be paying your vet bills.

 

As someone who has always owned so called "bully breeds" I can not stress enough how wrong breed prejudice is. Calling all of any breed a menace is the animal equivalent of all all Blacks are criminals, all Latinos are illegal immigrants, all Jews will rip you off, all Roma are thieves.

 

It is the dog owners responsibility to train their dog. If they do not the owner is at fault. This was a horrible incident with one dog and I hope the owner is stepping up and taking care of the situation. Either way the incident should be reported to the proper authorities so if it happens again there is a paper trail.

Where I live there is someone who owns 3 pitbulls that get loose frequently. They are a menace when they get out. For the longest time no one reported it. When ans incident finally was reported there was no real recourse because it was the first offense. The sooner the paper trail is started the better.

[Slartibartfast]

I would report it even if it is just to establish there is an issue if this happens again.

 

IMO a dog that does this will do it again. 

 

I don't believe that distrust in a breed is remotely on the same level as racism. First of all they are people and they are not deliberately bred by others to emphasize certain traits. That *does* happen with dogs, particularly pitbulls. If one goes to petfinder for a  big city there will always be pages and pages of pitbulls that likely won't be adopted because people don't have any way of knowing which ones have been exposed to fighting. Second of all it is really insulting to be compared to a dog. 

 

[celticmom]

The really sad part of the situation is that the puppy might have been a much better behaved dog with different owners. It really sounds like the source of the problem is the owner if he was proud of that sort of behavior.

[Mama Geek]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.  

[Kebo]

So sorry that this happened to you. Please keep a close eye out for any sign of breathing difficulties -- neck wounds can sometimes progress even if things looks minor from the outside.

[Mama Geek]

He has not had any breathing difficulties since right after the attack yesterday afternoon.  Thanks, and we are keeping an eye on him.

[wintermom]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.  

 

I would really, really push to have the owners take full responsibility right now - financially and legally. This will set the standard for what they will have to do if they keep this dog. The dog is very young, and the owner will have many more years of dealing with this. 

[Lolly]

I am very sorry your dog was attacked. The other dog sounds like a menace and should not be around other dogs. The owner should certainly be paying your vet bills.

 

As someone who has always owned so called "bully breeds" I can not stress enough how wrong breed prejudice is. Calling all of any breed a menace is the animal equivalent of all all Blacks are criminals, all Latinos are illegal immigrants, all Jews will rip you off, all Roma are thieves.

 

It is the dog owners responsibility to train their dog. If they do not the owner is at fault. This was a horrible incident with one dog and I hope the owner is stepping up and taking care of the situation. Either way the incident should be reported to the proper authorities so if it happens again there is a paper trail.

Where I live there is someone who owns 3 pitbulls that get loose frequently. They are a menace when they get out. For the longest time no one reported it. When ans incident finally was reported there was no real recourse because it was the first offense. The sooner the paper trail is started the better.

 

As someone who has owned many dogs and had one who was aggressive, sometimes it is just the dog. It is not necessarily the way they are treated or trained. My aggressive dog was extremely well cared for and well trained. He was exceptionally gentle and obeyed every command. (As have all our dogs before and after him.) But, if we were not around, things were different. We had a really hard time believing other peoples' reports about his behavior because we never saw it. But, they were right. 

 

And, sometimes it IS the breed. Different breeds of dogs have different temperments as a breed. For example, Jack Russells are high energy. Labs are pretty demanding until they are a few years old. They are bred for traits. It shows. Is every dog of the breed the same? Of course not. A breed bred to fight tends to be more inclined to be aggressive. Why? The more aggressive dogs are the ones that were bred. The more docile dogs were killed in a fight. Does being handled with gentleness and being well trained help? Yes, of course, but it might not be enough to override a natural disposition.

[kewb]

I would report it even if it is just to establish there is an issue if this happens again.

 

IMO a dog that does this will do it again.

 

I don't believe that distrust in a breed is remotely on the same level as racism. First of all they are people and they are not deliberately bred by others to emphasize certain traits. That *does* happen with dogs, particularly pitbulls. If one goes to petfinder for a big city there will always be pages and pages of pitbulls that likely won't be adopted because people don't have any way of knowing which ones have been exposed to fighting. Second of all it is really insulting to be compared to a dog.

I did not compare anyone to a dog. I compared prejudice to prejudice. Distrust of an entire breed of animal is no different then distrust of an entire race of people. It is exactly the same thing.

 

City shelters are full of pitbull mixes because people get one wothout researching what the dog needs. They treat it like a possession not a living thing with needs like any other living thing. When Fraser was on TV people started running out and getting Jack Russel Terriors without any thought to what kind of environment those dogs need (they are high energy dogs). 101 Dalmatians, the same thing. People see a cute dog in the media and they want one. Dog ownership is a big responsibility and commitment and too many times people go into it without any idea of what it means.

 

To Lolly's point, sometimes it is the dog which is why I said the incident needs to be reported and a paper trail initiated.

[Slartibartfast]

I did not compare anyone to a dog. I compared prejudice to prejudice. Distrust of an entire breed of animal is no different then distrust of an entire race of people. It is exactly the same thing.

 

City shelters are full of pitbull mixes because people get one wothout researching what the dog needs. They treat it like a possession not a living thing with needs like any other living thing. When Fraser was on TV people started running out and getting Jack Russel Terriors without any thought to what kind of environment those dogs need (they are high energy dogs). 101 Dalmatians, the same thing. People see a cute dog in the media and they want one. Dog ownership is a big responsibility and commitment and too many times people go into it without any idea of what it means.

 

To Lolly's point, sometimes it is the dog which is why I said the incident needs to be reported and a paper trail initiated.

 

It is not exactly the same thing, absolutely not.

 

I find that extremely offensive.

 

We lived in a large city that had a dog fighting problem, there is no way I would ever have trusted a pitbull from the shelter. I know the issue with people being stupid and getting pets they can't care for but that isn't the same as animals you aren't certain you can trust. I have adopted rabbits from the local no kill shelter, they have more than they know what to do with since people have no clue how long rabbits actually live.

 

I have been around lovely pitbulls from responsible breeders but that wouldn't be the same as one whose background I didn't know. But I have sure as heck never said, "I don't know where that black person is from so I am not sure I can allow them around my kids."

[Pawz4me]

sometimes it is just the dog. It is not necessarily the way they are treated or trained

 

Yes.

 

The phrase "there are no bad dogs, only bad owners" is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard.

 

There are bad dogs.  Dogs who are temperamentally unsound from the time they become sentient. Thankfully they're rare.  But they do exist.

 

I don't think the bully breeds as a whole are unsound (nor is any breed as a whole).  Certainly some of them are "born wrong" just as other dogs are.  And, unfortunately, the bully breeds have suffered from their relationship with humans much more than many other breeds have.

 

[Slartibartfast]

 

Yes.

 

The phrase "there are no bad dogs, only bad owners" is one of the most ignorant things I've ever heard.

 

There are bad dogs.  Dogs who are temperamentally unsound from the time they become sentient. Thankfully they're rare.  But they do exist.

 

I don't think the bully breeds as a whole are unsound (nor is any breed as a whole).  Certainly some of them are "born wrong" just as other dogs are.  And, unfortunately, the bully breeds have suffered from their relationship with humans much more than many other breeds have.
 

 

I agree.

[KungFuPanda]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.

 

If you can't afford vet bills you shouldn't even have a dog!

[Slartibartfast]

If you can't afford vet bills you shouldn't even have a dog!

 

They certainly wouldn't be able to pay the Dr bills for when this dog bites a person.

[AimeeM]

I have not been afraid of dogs and generally get along with most dogs.  I am not the owner and would guess by the way responded to the whole thing he will not wiling have his dog put down.  The pit was not injured before the fight as far as I know and didn't seem injured after the fight.  I know nothing of the bloodline and next to nothing about the dogs homelike other than the owner wasn't upset or really even remorseful about it.  For my friends sake I am not going to speculate about how the pit is being raised.

 

Like I said dh and I were coming to the conclusion last night of not visiting out there when the owner is there, because his dog likely will be there as well unless there were decisions made by our friends last night after we left.  

If they were proud of their dog, you don't need to speculate as to how the pup is being raised - it's clear.

 

I am SO sorry this happened to your beloved pet!

[unsinkable]

Mama Geek,

 

How horrible! I hope your doggy heals quickly and without complications.

 

I'm so sorry this happened.

 

I agree with the others who are encouraging you to report it and to present the owners with the vet bill, whether they have the money or not. I hope this won't impact your friendship with dog owner's relatives but the dog owner needs to address this.

[I talk to the trees]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.  

 

I am so sorry your pup (and you!) had to endure this! You are being so very much kinder than I would be in this situation. I'd let the owners know in no uncertain terms that they could either open a line of credit with the vet to pay off the bills, or reimburse you immediately for the entire cost of the treatment. There is no reason whatsoever that you should have to absorb the cost of vet care for your dog. (Can you tell I have no tolerance for irresponsible dog owners?)

[Danestress]

So weird. I essentially posted the same thing twice, forgetting I already had posted. So comments are down-thread.

[Dory]

If a dog is attacking at that age it needs to just be put down. Large dogs, of any breed, are too big to play around with things like that. I had a golden retriever come here who was doing the same thing. Attacked my sons pit bull. He was immediately put down. That sort of behaviour WILL end in someone getting hurt.

 

I'm so sorry about your poor boy. That is so hard to watch something like that happen. Dog fights are rather hard to see happen when it's your dog getting beat up. Owners who make excuses for an aggressive dog need a chair upside the head.

 

 

It's not just the breed. I've been around enough dogs I will say some breeds need a MUCH firmer hand right from the beginning then others, but I have seen a lot of dogs snap and become unsafe.

[kewb]

It is not exactly the same thing, absolutely not.

 

I find that extremely offensive.

 

We lived in a large city that had a dog fighting problem, there is no way I would ever have trusted a pitbull from the shelter. I know the issue with people being stupid and getting pets they can't care for but that isn't the same as animals you aren't certain you can trust. I have adopted rabbits from the local no kill shelter, they have more than they know what to do with since people have no clue how long rabbits actually live.

 

I have been around lovely pitbulls from responsible breeders but that wouldn't be the same as one whose background I didn't know. But I have sure as heck never said, "I don't know where that black person is from so I am not sure I can allow them around my kids."

I am sorry you are offended by my statement and I appreciate that you feel differently but that does not change the fact prejudice is prejudice.

 

However, this discussion is not relevant to what the op is experiencing so I am going to stop now and just reiterate that the op should ve reporting the incident and insisting the owner of the other dog pay the bills.

[elfgivas]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.  

 

hugs.  your poor poodle.  i would be devastated if this happened to our standard.  

 

i think its not about whether or not he can pay, its about making sure the incident has some repercussions for him.  its easy for him to shrug it off or be proud of it up until it comes back on him.  so if its money or if its a police report where a police officer will interview him doesn't matter so much as long as he has some consequence for his dog's actions.  otherwise, nothing will change.

 

and its for the next person it happens to.

 

hugs,

ann

[HSmomof2]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us. I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.

Even if you don't ask the owner to pay the bills, it should still be reported to Animal Control. In our area, the dog would be considered a 'dangerous dog' after attacking another animal or person unprovoked. The owners pay a higher fee to own these dogs and have stricter rules about how and where they can keep/bring these dogs. This dog will likely attack again, and I would want it documented that this has happened before to potentially try to protect the next victim.

 

I do not like pit bulls at all and see absolutely no reason a person would want to own one. I know they're not all bad, but they are unpredictable, and the damage they cause when they do attack is often worse than other dog breeds. And, sadly, it is frequently irresponsible people that have no business owning any dog that choose this type. Anyway, this owner needs to be held responsible for his dog's behavior---even more so that he's 'proud' of it. That's just sick.

[Cricket]

I'm sorry this happened to your dog! We were just involved in an incident (as bystanders) where a man's dog was attacked by two pit bulls. The owner of the dog attacked drew a gun because he couldn't separate the dogs and is now charged with aggravated assault (because the pitbull owners claimed he was threatening them, not the dogs) while the dogs that attacked in the first place were never removed by animal control. ("They 'only' attacked an animal, not a person." But, legally, their hands were tied.) They were in a fenced yard and jumped it to attack the other dog that was walking by. The owners of the pit bulls watched and laughed until the other guy threatened to shoot their dogs. I wonder, too, why idiot people are most attracted to the aggressive dogs. I hope your dog is okay!

[Cricket]

....that does not change the fact prejudice is prejudice.

 

This is why I have a problem with people saying "prejudice" is wrong. We all show prejudice in decisions we make everyday. It's common sense. Having a prejudice against people is wrong because people deserve more respect than that. Dogs don't. My dh and I manage property and you can bet that we discriminate against certain breeds of dogs. We don't want the legal trouble if someone decides to sue us after an incident because we allowed aggressive breeds in our place. Our insurance would skyrocket if we allowed pitbulls.

[SunnyDays]

I'm so sorry your baby was hurt. Our standard poodle big guy loves other dogs and wants to play with them all... He doesn't understand when one reacts to him aggressively and we've had to steer him clear, on occasion, of an unfriendly meeting.

 

Hope that he recovers quickly, and definitely make sure the incident gets reported and documented by authorities. You're absolutely right to stay very far away from this dog and his owner. :(

[creekland]

They may not be so proud of their puppy's behavior if they have to pay the vet bills.  Please make them do it even if you could afford it.  It'd be wise training for the clueless owners.

 

I'd be VERY worried about the next time something happens with this dog.  If you can train the owners at least a little bit, you'll be saving someone some anguish.

[lewber]

A similar incident happened in our neighborhood. Lots of warnings with other dogs that were not fully reported, documented, or acknowledged by the owners. It did escalate to a child the next time. It was very bad and thank goodness someone came to help or it would have been a lot worse.

I hope you will report it and take the necessary actions to help prevent another incident whether it be dog or person.

[Slartibartfast]

I am sorry you are offended by my statement and I appreciate that you feel differently but that does not change the fact prejudice is prejudice.

 

However, this discussion is not relevant to what the op is experiencing so I am going to stop now and just reiterate that the op should ve reporting the incident and insisting the owner of the other dog pay the bills.

 

It is your *opinion* that prejudiced in animals should be the same as in humans.

 

I find this extremely offensive and I do feel it necessary to speak out against it.

[gardenmom5]

I would report the pit to animal control - so at least they have a record for the future.  (as there *will* be incidents in the future given that the owner is "proud" of his nine month old puppy attacking another dog.)

 

I also agree - the owner should be the one paying your vet bills.  If you have to - I'd even take him to small claims.

[Hikin' Mama]

I am so sorry this happened. I had an incident less than a year ago with a pitbull attacking my Weimaraner. I had my dog on a leash, heeling beside me on a public walking/bike trail when the pit came running from a distance and ripped into my dog. My dog had not even so much as barked so this was totally unprovoked. I was kicking the pit as hard as I could in the ribs and he would not let up. Fortunately, his owner was able to get him off. Then I ripped into the owner. I was so upset that he had that dog out without a leash and I let him know how irresponsible I thought he was. (I am a nice person, but I can get fired up.) Many children walk/ride bikes on that path. I also told him he was going to pay for all vet bills and he did, every last penny. My dog had to have surgery and now I am very cautious around other dogs.

[gardenmom5]

and possibly someone's life.  pit owners/denfenders dont' want to hear it, but the vast majority of dog attacks that result in death are pit bulls/mixes/related breeds.

They may not be so proud of their puppy's behavior if they have to pay the vet bills.  Please make them do it even if you could afford it.  It'd be wise training for the clueless owners.

 

I'd be VERY worried about the next time something happens with this dog.  If you can train the owners at least a little bit, you'll be saving someone some anguish.

 

 

keep in mind - pits will attack without ANY provocation at. all. and next time it could easily be a child.

[gardenmom5]

I would report it too.   I would report any dog that attacked my dog or another member of my family, regardless of the breed. 

 

I would also file an insurance claim against the farm owner's property/homeowner's insurance policy. It may cover that, and I think since you didn't realize how much your friends "didn't realize how much our friends disliked and distrusted the dog, we had been around it 1 or 2 other times", they had a duty to warn you of that before you took your family (including the dog) over there.  Regardless, the liability section of their policy will likely cover this. 

 

I am so sorry that this happened to your dog.

 

the liability section of their policy will also give them an excuse to not allow that pit on their property as they could loose their insurance if they do.  (since they apparently don't have the guts to tell the dog's owner to not bring it over.)

[kewb]

It is your *opinion* that prejudiced in animals should be the same as in humans.

 

I find this extremely offensive and I do feel it necessary to speak out against it.

Yes, it is my opinion that all prejudice should be called out for what it is. Your opinion is the opposite. Nothing changes if no one is willing to speak out.

[Dory]

and possibly someone's life.  pit owners/denfenders dont' want to hear it, but the vast majority of dog attacks that result in death are pit bulls/mixes/related breeds.

 

The top ten most dangerous breeds based on the amount of fatalities they have caused are

Rottweiler

Pit Bull

German Shepherd

Husky

Wolf Hybrids

Malamute

Doberman Pinscher

Chow Chow

Great Dane

St. Bernard

 

All big dogs. The thing is, if a person is going to own a large dog that is in the working class, they need to know how to train said dog. Any large dog is dangerous. They have power behind them when they snap. Dogs in the working class are often a little bull headed and require firm consistent training from the get go. Too many people own dogs that have no idea how to handle them

 

Chihuahua, Dachshund, and Cocker Spaniel are in the breeds that bite the most, but they aren't considered as dangerous because they are small and their snapping rarely ends up in someone killed.

[justamouse]

They were *proud* of it? That's your problem right there. That is NOT a good owner of that breed. That dog *knew* his owner would be proud. 

Pits do NOT attack without provocation, that is a total lie. I've had them, my family has had them, friends have them. Sweetest dogs ever. HOWEVER, the owners are responsible pet owners. That person is not a responsible pet owner. 

I would definatley talk to the authorities, and that dog needs to be rehomed and found a new owner before it hurts someone. I am so sorry about your dog. 

[gardenmom5]

The owner can't afford to pay the vet bills and the money is not a major hit to us.  I'll talk to the vet on Monday and see what they say and in the mean time we will take care of our dog.  

honestly? so what.  take him to small claims if he won't willingly pay the bills - which are PART of owning that dog.  (if he can't pay the vet bills of a dog his dog has attacked, he can't afford that dog.).  he needs to learn his "puppy" attacking a bigger dog is NOT something to "be proud of".  (unless he truly is training it to fight - in which case it shouldn't be out in public - ever.)

 

 consider this a lesson in responsibility for him.  you'd be doing him a favor in the long run.  (and possibly save someone's life.)

[northcoast]

At bare minimum report this incident to animal control.  As others have said, the next attack can and will be worse.  My MIL was fortunate that she wasn't bitten badly when she was attacked by a dog.  After the attack, my in-laws discovered she was not the first one bitten nor had it been reported before. 

[Firefly]

I admit to assuming the worst when I see/meet a Pit Bull.  I know not every single one of them is vicious but I'm going to err on the side of caution.  As someone stated up thread, most breeds ARE bred for certain traits, and a Pit's is to be dog aggressive.  Throw in inexperienced/backyard/disreputable breeders and inbreeding and you have a recipe for disaster.  Additionally, if a pit turns on a person/animal it is going to do far more damage than a smaller dog or one that doesn't have a locking jaw.  

 

OP, I'm sorry about your pup.  I agree with others that these owners need a lesson in responsibility and a wake up call.  Please do consider following up with the authorities!

 

[gardenmom5]

 

Pits do NOT attack without provocation, that is a total lie. I've had them, my family has had them, friends have them. Sweetest dogs ever. HOWEVER, the owners are responsible pet owners. That person is not a responsible pet owner. 

 

your delusion.  when a dog comes into a fenced backyard and attacks - that is without provocation and the dog had to work to get there.  when a dog comes running from down a side street to attack someone on the main street who isn't going anywhere near it (or even facing it) - that is without provocation.  (dh had that happen to him - the dog escaped and fortunately, he wasn't badly injured.)

 

I've talked to too many "former" "he's so sweet" pit owners who used to agree with you - but learned otherwise.  and too many pit owners are irresponsible and treat their 'baby' like it's the sweetest thing on earth with no regard to how potentially dangerous it can be.

 

 

eta: it was a main, busy arterial, that dh was on when he was attacked.  the probable owner denied it was his dog  (gee - I wonder why?/) and was no where to be found as dh did call the police.