So very sad - and terrifying!

[fanatic4yorkies]

I always felt my babies were safe in my arms, but I now am going to start carrying pepper spray on walks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcRu_7LF7BA

[lovestiny]

I honestly had to stop watching when the wife started speaking about the injuries. I understand people say pits can be very loving, I am sure it is true. Still, locally and nationwide, I see stories every week on pits killing or severely injuring dogs.

[Jkpal]

Piper was grabbed out of my arms by neighbor's Akita--truly terrifying and truly miraculous that I somehow grabbed her back, unscathed. It happened in less than a second, I swear--quicker than a flash. Anymore, when anywhere near a big dog, I pick her up and turn the other direction. Piper is fine, but now very, very wary of all large canines--and rightly so! I hope that loving gentleman can heal with a new little love someday...By the way, members here have posted that wasp spray is a more effective deterrent to attacks than pepper spray, etc.

[matese]

Absolutely terrifying, I know ppl with Pit Bulls,I have been smothered in wet sloppy kisses from them, I LOVE pit Bulls. One must be very careful when they buy a Pit, know where the parents have come from, and TRAIN, SOCIALIZE their pits as puppies around ALL dogs and ppl. Many ppl get this breed because they want a bully dog. I am always sickened when I read something like this. This attack could have been avoided if the owners had trained their dogs properly. Now a family has been destroyed and their beloved baby died a horrible painful death, just tragic for the owners of that wee little baby.

[Imissu]

We have developed a bully society and I don't mean pitbull. I mean a violent, angry, "gotta get them before they get me" society.
I read a report yesterday about an 80 yr old man in Jacksonville who was literally torn apart by four nasty dogs that had previously been investigated.
Their owner said the 80 yr old was harassing the dogs.

[Bamboo15]

Originally Posted by Jkpal

Piper was grabbed out of my arms by neighbor's Akita--truly terrifying and truly miraculous that I somehow grabbed her back, unscathed. It happened in less than a second, I swear--quicker than a flash. Anymore, when anywhere near a big dog, I pick her up and turn the other direction. Piper is fine, but now very, very wary of all large canines--and rightly so! I hope that loving gentleman can heal with a new little love someday...By the way, members here have posted that wasp spray is a more effective deterrent to attacks than pepper spray, etc.

So scary! There is an Akita in my neighborhood that is always tied up in the backyard. I'm always afraid to walk past there in case it's able to get loose. It always barks at us when we walk around there. Most of the other dogs in my neighborhood are fairly small and most are friendly. There's one chihuahua that's not so friendly but it is tiny, probably around 4 or 5 pounds. It's always loose and out and about. That God it's not a big dog.

[Bamboo15]

Originally Posted by matese

Absolutely terrifying, I know ppl with Pit Bulls,I have been smothered in wet sloppy kisses from them, I LOVE pit Bulls. One must be very careful when they buy a Pit, know where the parents have come from, and TRAIN, SOCIALIZE their pits as puppies around ALL dogs and ppl. Many ppl get this breed because they want a bully dog. I am always sickened when I read something like this. This attack could have been avoided if the owners had trained their dogs properly. Now a family has been destroyed and their beloved baby died a horrible painful death, just tragic for the owners of that wee little baby.

I know a lot of people who have pit bulls that say they are friendly and love people. Even so, isn't it their instinct to kill small animals? Even if they are good with people I wouldn't trust them around my small dogs.

[gemy]

Unfortunately pit bulls suffer from many incorrect breedings. You have the dog fighting contingent, your drug folks, your folks that want an aggressive dog. Having said all of that I too do not trust pits. With either size of my dogs I give the pits a wide berth. I don't like Cano Corsos nor Dogo Argentinos either.

Last time I went to the leash free park 2 Dogos came in after we had been there some time. Thankfully I had my female Blackie with me, and not my male! But the owners were very watchfull and right on top of things. I gave them two trainers names and with the internet one actually looked them up right then. Gives me hope that they will get some pro training!

And while I know a lot of you want to pick up your Yorkie when a big dog approaches that should be the last resort as it invites the other dog to jump up on you. My first choice is to create distance, then if that can't be done loose lead into my body, if the attack is coming from the front I step in front of my Yorkie and if from behind I step behind him. The umbrella trick can work well too.

[Jkpal]

Originally Posted by Bamboo15

I know a lot of people who have pit bulls that say they are friendly and love people. Even so, isn't it their instinct to kill small animals? Even if they are good with people I wouldn't trust them around my small dogs.

I can state unequivocally that one cannot comprehend the speed in which an attack/grab happens. I mean, in a blink, that Akita jumped and grabbed Piper from my arms. I don't have words for how lightning fast it happened...Anymore, no matter how reassuring owner is, no matter how goshdarn mellow and sloth-like that big ol' canine appears, I always, always know that in one split, nano-second those jaws could be around & crushing Piper. On my own, I have no problem with large dogs (though not keen on pits or Akitas), but I will never ever ever trust a sizable dog, any breed or no breed at all, near Piper. NEVER!!! You know those documentaries of a snake striking--they always have to slow it waaay down so it can be seen by our little eyeballs? Yeah, that's pretty much how fast a grab can happen.

[matese]

Originally Posted by Bamboo15

I know a lot of people who have pit bulls that say they are friendly and love people. Even so, isn't it their instinct to kill small animals? Even if they are good with people I wouldn't trust them around my small dogs.

If breeders check several generations back, know that parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on were NOT USED for FIGHTING they have a good chance if they train their puppy socialization skills at a young age to NOT be AGGRESSIVE. But in all honesty if I OWNED one I would never take the chance of letting MY pit near any small animal. As much as I LOVE the breed, and as much as the ones that slobber me with kisses I would never let that pit near a small breed. My Cody is not dog friendly so I don't allow him near any dog let alone a pit. I have several friends that have Pits, they also have a poodle and a yorkie, and the two smaller breads command that home lol. That is NOT to say this is common, it all depends on the Pit and training it has had. Several years ago I read where a woman had two Pits, raised them as puppies,they slept in her bed with her, one day she had them in the back yard, she tripped, fell to the ground, one Pit started to attack her, then the other
joined in, husband and son came out, could not get them off her, they shot both dogs. Horror story for sure, it still goes back to the breeding parents and their history. We have a member or two that had pits, would be so nice if they offered up their experience. All in all, it is up to the buyer of a pit puppy to make sure they are buying from a breeder that has done their home work and checked generations back for temperament of all their breeding pairs. I am by NO means an expert on Pit Bulls, my passed 4 girls had wonderful temperaments, LOVED all animals, I would NEVER let them near a friends Pit Bull or any LARGE bred. They are ANIMALS and we never know what may trigger them off. Better to be safe then sorry. Always be a responsible dog owner, no matter what breed you own.

[Jkpal]

I agree and will not pick Piper up if the dog is near and watching; however, I try to keep my eyes peeled and if dog hasn't noticed us, Piper is already in my arms by the time it does...You're so very knowledgeable and I always, always pay careful attention to your advice; I've learned what to watch for and techniques to use---just in day-to-day encounters. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience and common sense, gemy; you are truly invaluable!

[matese]

Let me add this, many, many years ago a friend of a friend had a German Shepard, his dog was gotten as a WATCH dog as the owner lived in a bad area. This dog was not an aggressive dog so the owner put GUN POWDER in the dogs food to make the dog MEAN and aggressive. I did not know this person if I did i would have reported him to animal control. We never know how ppl treat or what ppl do to their dogs. Better to always steer clear of large dogs NO MATTER what size dog one owns.

[Jkpal]

And as you mentioned, we cannot know when or if or what may cause an animal, any animal, to suddenly pounce. It's just the nature of our world that we must remain ever-vigilent--not paranoid, but prepared.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by Jkpal

I agree and will not pick Piper up if the dog is near and watching; however, I try to keep my eyes peeled and if dog hasn't noticed us, Piper is already in my arms by the time it does...You're so very knowledgeable and I always, always pay careful attention to your advice; I've learned what to watch for and techniques to use---just in day-to-day encounters. I cannot thank you enough for sharing your experience and common sense, gemy; you are truly invaluable!

Thank you, I've been blessed with very good trainers and have had a fair number of experiences over the years. And of course had some difficult dogs to deal with, including razzle in his own way.

[gemy]

Originally Posted by Jkpal

And as you mentioned, we cannot know when or if or what may cause an animal, any animal, to suddenly pounce. It's just the nature of our world that we must remain ever-vigilent--not paranoid, but prepared.

There is a fine line to walk with seeming ease with your dog. Something my hubby refuses to learn! He tends to be more spatially aware, but I am better in one on one situations.

Now just given my personality I have learnt to run through various situations in my mind and say okay if this happens the n I do this. I have had a fear biter, a very dominant male,an airhead, and a yorkie lol.