No Excuse for Dogs on the Loose
She Said: I've heard all kinds of horror stories about Pit Bulls at large, indiscriminately attacking children and other dogs in their paths. When I was a little girl, my neighbor on the corner was walking her Pomeranian when a Pit Bull came out of nowhere and basically ate the tiny dog's head on the spot.
But I also have many years experience in animal rescue and veterinary work, and have taken a liking to this particular breed which, when treated properly, is one of the sweetest and most loyal of them all. I feel the breed has earned a bad rap, which is understandable given the number and severity of attacks one hears about in the news. But if it weren't the Pit Bull, it would be the Doberman or the German Shepherd, or some other such strong, energetic breed that requires discipline, consistency, stability, positive reinforcement and leadership. (Hmm, kind of sounds like parenting...but children run amok is a topic for another day.)
I love these dogs so much that when I decided to adopt a canine friend for myself, I looked specifically for a Pit Bull. And boy, I found a great one. Sure, he's big and tough, but he's also gentle and affectionate. As much as I love him, though, I don't delude myself about the potential damage he could inflict on a person or another animal. So I work with him on behavior issues and always, ALWAYS keep him on a leash when in public.
To those of you who let your dogs run rampant in parks and neighborhoods: What are you thinking? Your dogs need your trust, but to assume they will be perfect angels all the time is to ignore the very nature of the beast and, frankly, downright irresponsible.
Tony walked Casey in our neighborhood the other evening, as he often does. Upon returning home, he told me Casey had been in a scrape. Apparently, an agressive Pit Bull came running up, unleashed and intent on attacking them. Casey responded appropriately, becoming defensive and protecting his leader. Tony immediately commanded Casey to sit behind him, and kept control of the leash as he kicked the assailing dog away. A young man appeared and grabbed the dog by the scruff, holding on to it as Tony attempted to determine whether this was the person culpable for having a raving animal on the loose. (He said that was not his dog.)
At first glance, everyone was OK. Casey seemed tired and Tony had a couple of scratches, but nothing major. About an hour later, I noticed the area above Casey's right eye was quite swollen, much like the egg I developed on my forehead a few weeks ago. His conjunctiva (the white parts of his eye) were bloodshot and his eye was partially closed. Thankfully, he is responding well to treatment with ice and aspirin. But his injuries (and Tony's) could have been much worse, as previous stories illustrate. The fact that this dog was running around unrestrained and unsupervised is absolutely inexcusable.
Comments
A neighbor down the street was caretaking for a female pit bull a while ago and he used to walk the dog, on a leash, several times per day. She was a sweetheart of a pooch.
I agree with you about irresponsible dog owners. For the most part I don't mind owners who unleash their dogs while walking them. I encounter them a lot at the Elk River trail, at Cooper Gulch park and and at the local beaches. Most of these dogs are friendly or at least non-threatening. But every once in a while I will encounter an unleashed dog that is aggressive. I've have a few chase me while running, growling, nipping at my legs, etc. The owners of these dogs know better than to let them off a leash. Owners know when their dogs have an aggression problem. By being irresonsbile they make it difficult for repsonsible dog owners to have their pets in public.
Posted by: Andrew Bird | April 9, 2008 11:41 AM
I agree, Andrew, there are some dogs that behave off leash. This tirade was not directed at the owners of those dogs. However, even well-behaved dogs will respond when provoked by a loose, aggressive dog. In my husband's case, the leash allowed him to keep our dog at a safe distance from his assailant.
Posted by: She Said | April 9, 2008 11:46 AM