Dog attacks ...

[Snorey]

Hi, i am a very devoted rottweiler owner myself, this thread is purely to gather the thoughts of others.

i live in england and am saddened to hear that today a 1 year old boy has been attacked and killed by a rottweiler. Also this year/or late last year there was an incident not far from me where 2 rottweilers took a baby from its pram and she died due to her injuries. These 2 rottis were actually being used as guard dogs though. Also a 12 year old needed skin grafts this year after a staff mauled his face..... then there was a 5 year old Ellie who was killed by a pit bull.

Because i now own a rottweiler i pay more attention to dog attacks i hear on the news etc... and just want to ask other people if they find they are hearing more about dogs (specifically rottweilers as this is a rottweiler forum) attacking people these days or is it because i am more tuned in to it and i am listening more?

if there are more dog attacks, is it due to the breeding becoming worse or are people becoming more haphazard about training? Are there more rottis around now?

i cringe when i hear the news about the attacks sometimes - it makes me sad on behalf of the victim and the dog - it makes me feel like hiding sasha in the house sometimes to protect her too. i spend so many hours training her in obedience and other sports she likes, to focus her mind on having fun, and i feel that people in my village look at me and type cast sasha before they have met her. Let me just add she isnt always perfectly well behaved but she is a good most of the time.

i am waiting for a hurl of abuse from someone for having a rottweiler myself.

Any thoughts on the above will be nice to read - i feel very lonely here as a rottweiler owner as there are not many about....

Many thanks.

[alfie07]

Hi, I know exactly what you mean and more to the point how you are feeling. I live not to far from you in Nottingham, and I don't know anyone else that owns a Rottie - and Alfie is my 3rd in 5 years.
Just recently I have had people cross the road to avoid me when I am walking Alfie but I must admit that that is the worse that has happened. Alfie and I had a lovely experience yesterday when out for our daily trek - a grandfather was walking with his grandson and asked me if the boy (he was about 10 yrs old) could stroke Alfie. He explained that he felt that Rotties, in his opinion, were a mis-understood breed - and he wanted his grandson to learn to respect all dogs irrespective of breed and to always ask before stroking any dog. As you can imagine I was more than happy to oblige! Alfie sat calmy and the lad stroked Alfie between the ears and under his chin and was rewarded with a big sloppy Rottweiler kiss! We walked home proud as punch and with big grins...
I too am more alert to dog attacks, especially Rotties. The latest one on the baby in Wakefield Yorkshire, is terrible. In the Sun tabloid today there is also a report on a Rottie attack in Australia on a new born baby.
My heart goes out to those families.

[peterbann]

I know what you mean and it makes me so angry because after every bit of news like this the same old 'dangerous dog ban' gets thrown up and it gets me so angry and annoyed. When i'm out walking with our rotty, i just know what people are saying/thinking, usually people with little dogs stereotyping rotties as dangerous or 'is he viscious?'.

All breeds are animals, then dogs, then the breed. No dog is born to be nasty, to kill etc. its the way they are bought up. Such a big dog needs plenty of exercise and things to do. Ours gets 2 hours morning, and 1 hour walking in the evenings every day without fail, in all weather. makes for a perfect house dog because it puts him in a calm submissive state all day.

Its all the idiots who have rotties, and any large breed for that matter, who can't handle them properly, don't have the time to devote to them etc. Never ever leave young kids with any breed of dog, everyone knows that. We need to educate people, educate the armchair dog haters because of what they read in the papers etc, the idiots who cross the road when they see a rotty, the idiots who pick up there dogs when they see a rotty etc etc. These are the sort of people who also need educating but these are the idiots who complain that rottweilers should be banned etc.

All these people are doing is failing the breed, bringing bad publicity. Thank god there are plenty of owners clubs and the kennel club supporting the rottweiler so i'm certain they'll never be banned.

I am sorry to hear of the death of that young boy but we also don't know the curcumstances of how the dog was kept? 6 months old, no exercise, mis treated, could be anything but we're never told that.

ANIMALS, DOGS then Rotties.

[bessy-senior]

Hello,

I read the news about the 1-year old boy who was killed by a Rottweiler. Worse were the comments posted by the readers - the usual ones about how Rottweilers are evil killing machines and etc. It made my blood boil.

That said, I have realised a long time ago how more important it is to be a responsible owner of a breed like our beloved dogs. My girl Bessy gets lots of exercise, plus lots of training classes for the both of us.

The most harm Bessy will inflict on anyone is tonnes of wet licks.

Reading all those stories in the news about those dogs hurting children make me afraid for my own girl. Like you said, sometimes I just want to hide her at home to protect her

[Snorey]

Really nice comments to read - i am not alone.

Please go and read the story on the rottweiler news section

''Rottie and Staffie save boy from drowning...''

It may lift your spirits, it did for me and i emailed it to every one i know. this wont hit the press like the bad stories so i will make my own press!

[alfie07]

Originally Posted by peterbann

but we also don't know the curcumstances of how the dog was kept? 6 months old, no exercise, mis treated, could be anything but we're never told that.

ANIMALS, DOGS then Rotties.

The dog that attacked then killed the 13mth old baby in Wakefield was a 2.5yr old bitch that knew the family well, but lived outside in the yard. Probably more details will come out when the Sun puts it on their pages tomorrow....

[Inga]

It always makes me sad to hear my favorite breed being made out to be a killer. I have owned Rottweilers for 28 years now. I have rescued, trained and otherwise known over 100 Rottweilers. I have taken some of them out of some unimaginable situations. I have yet to meet the killers that the press writes about. Now, I am not saying it is all made up. There have been a lot of unfortunate attacks. I feel so bad for the people who became vicitims to these powerful dogs. In most, if not all of the cases there were facts that were left out or were quietly reported. The facts are, these are not the well socialized well trained family dogs that are doing these attacks. Rottweilers are also the victims of over breeding. It seems like about 20 or so years ago everyone that had an intact Rottweiler decided to profit from it. After Hollywood started to show this breed as evil all the crummy people crawed out from under their rocks and had to get a Rottie. I do, in part blame Hollywood for the bad rep this breed has taken on. The movie The Omen was the first movie I remember Rottweilers being in. It was NOT positive for the breed.
I agree, that the best thing that we can do for our breed is to represent them well. Train, socialize and show them off in a positive manner. On a light note. Yesterday I took my boys to a big chain pet store. It was pretty busy for a Friday. There was a couple there that wanted to know what kind of dog it was. (my friend had my 2 year old in another area of the store) I had my 13 week old puppy and was practicing sits, downs etc... They were very impressed with how well behaved he was. When I told them he was a Rottweiler they were shocked and said, "WOW! I thought they were much bigger then that." I laughed and explained that he was only 13 weeks old. They told me how bad they had heard the breed was. I talked in length about how wonderful the breed can be if they are trained and socialized. The couple played with my puppy for about 10 minutes. Then my 2 year old came around the corner with my friend. The couple though, nervous spent another 10 minutes getting to know him. After about 2 minutes my boy was sitting on their laps and loving on them. They Thanked me before they left and said it was a delight to meet such wonderful friendly dogs. They said from now on when they hear the bad things they will remember my 2 boys and how wonderful they were. The truth is the thing that makes the biggest difference is our individual dogs selling themselves. I for one, enjoy being an advocate for our breed. We can all do our part.

[lilybug]

I am also sad to hear about the attacks. I feel for the victims and the dogs.. As a dog owner I feel it is my responsibility to keep control of my dog. I take time with her to keep her happy with exercise and discipline.. You always hear how the big breeds bite people but what about the Chihuhuas and the little dogs of the world. They bite as well. I was bit by a Beagle when I was a kid and have a tooth missing because of it. My husband was bit by a Chihuahua when he was a kid and has a scar.. All dogs are capable of biting it is up to us as the owners to control them.. There are owners who do not care just like there are parents who dont take care of the children..... I hate that there are breeds who are judged by the type and not the dog itself. I know some nice Pit Bulls and I also know some mean Poodles...I could not ask for a better dog with my Allie.. Diesel was a great dog as well.. I would not have any other breed.....I think there needs to be more education regarding breeds. People get dogs without researching and learning what the dog needs. People buy a dog because they like how they look or the way the breed makes them feel..That is why dogs get the short end of the deal they cant say " no I dont want to go home with that idiot..." It is up to us to educate people about Rotties.. We can make a difference by showing how responsible we are as owners..And how great our dogs are....Allie would rather drown you in doggy drool than hurt you.. However do not threaten us because she will stand up....Just like I will stand up for her and all the Rotties in the world...

[hennie400]

I live in a country town in Australia where commonly owned dogs are kelpies, border collies and cattle dogs and their crosses, staffies and Rotties.

I was out walking my Border collie when a large uneutered Rottweiller walking on the otherside of the road being walked in a body harness rather than a collar broke his lead and came aggressively towards my dog, snarling.

I stood totally still at first but he was going after my dog and I thought he was going to kill her. Fortunately she was much faster and was running for her life, I managed to scale someones backyard fence and my BC being very athletic, managed to leap over the fence with me.

It was very very scary.
All the time the owner was saying he wont hurt you. Yeah sure, the dog was growling and pouncing and was completely out of control. The owner didnt apologise just eventually grabbed his dog and ran off. A similar incident occurred on the local beach with another un neutered male except the owner managed to regain control. A friend of mine had her toy poodle killed by one in similar circumstances.

Ever since then I most certainly crossed roads when I saw one coming if I was walking one of my dogs. Rotties were a breed I was very wary of.

My interest in Rotties came about when my partner got one and we joined the local dog club. There are 2 breeders there and I learnt more about the breed and saw what terrific dogs they could be if properly bred, handled and trained. Our Rottie is a lovely good natured animal and part of our doggy family of a BC and ACD with no problems. We exercise, train, make sure our fences are secure and always supervise any kids that visit even with our child loving border collie.

Trouble is, out on the streets and beach it is hard to know what you are dealing with. There are also a few backyard breeders in town.

How do ecucate people about responsible ownership of any dog. Our rescues always seem to be overflowing with dogs.

I dont know what the answer is. There are 2 very aggressive Jack Russells on our local beach and I do a big circle around them too. But I am not afraid that they would kill my dogs.

[skigod377]

Its very sad, but those breeds are what sell papers. In several papers in the states you will read about an attack by a pit bull and the dog pictured is not a pit bull. They have also taken a witnesses word about a breed of the dog when the witnesses were children or not in any position to identify a breed of dog. The media is disgusting. The popularity of the breed is also a factor. Its too sad.

[bessy-senior]

Originally Posted by skigod377

Its very sad, but those breeds are what sell papers. In several papers in the states you will read about an attack by a pit bull and the dog pictured is not a pit bull. They have also taken a witnesses word about a breed of the dog when the witnesses were children or not in any position to identify a breed of dog. The media is disgusting. The popularity of the breed is also a factor. Its too sad.

Your comment reminds me about a story that was reported in my local newspaper about "2 Rottweilers who ran out from their home and attacked 2 boys walking by".

Turns out, the real truth in the story was like this: The 2 boys were throwing stones at the 2 dogs, who were playing in the garden. When the maid opened the gate to throw the trash, the dogs ran out and attacked the boys. Oh, and the 2 dogs weren't Rottweilers - one was a Jack Russell Terrier, and the other a mixed breed.

The newspaper admitted the error. But that didn't help stem the prejudice toward Rottweilers from the wrong story

[Snorey]

it is really wrong andmakes me so angry.....

i was talking to someone today who i know does not hold alotof experience orknowledge about the rotti breed and its true characteristics and she sounded like she was talking from experience when she said of her thoughts on the dog attacks today....

There are so many ''Rottweiler Experts'' raady to give you their opinion.

this is completly freaky but my dog trainers university lecturer knows the woman that lives next door to the house where the little boy was killed this week!! this is what the lady said to theresa's uni lecturer below

.....Apparently this rottie girl was chained up in a mesh run, was not walked, was never allowed in the house (although their other dog was) and all the owners (and their kids) did was shout at her all the time for her to shut up as she was crying all day. Accident waiting to happen ..........

they need excercise, mental stimulation and to be part of something...

[lilybug]

To me it is common sense to exercise and love your dog.. Think about it, if we were kept in a cage or chained in a back yard with no contact, no toys, no way to vent excess energy, no love, no proper care would we not go "crazy" or get aggrivated.. Once again it is a tough problem because the owners need educated on owning any kind of dog and how is that done.. I agree with what alot of people have said that it is up to us to make our breed better known for the great things they do... I would never own any other breed but my Rottie girl....It is sad because there was 2 Rotties who lived behind me and the people never worked with them. When they would get out of their yard they would terrorize the neighborhood. It took 3 long years to get everyone to see that my Rottie's are not like that...When my Diesel passed away I had people in the neighborhood I never talked to ask me where he was at because they got used to seeing his happy face when they went for walks.. Now I have my New girl Allie and people come up to me and ask questions about her.. I tell everyone she is a great dog, but before you get any dog do your research. Learn the breed, try to find someone who has one so you can be in contact to see if it is really what you want..Rotties are not for everyone, but they are great dogs!!

[alfie07]

Originally Posted by Snorey

.....Apparently this rottie girl was chained up in a mesh run, was not walked, was never allowed in the house (although their other dog was) and all the owners (and their kids) did was shout at her all the time for her to shut up as she was crying all day. Accident waiting to happen ..........

they need excercise, mental stimulation and to be part of something...

The family had also only had the dog for 6 months.
A 16 year old girl had been left in charge of the baby, a 7yr old child, and a 6yr old child, as well as the dog. The 7yr old CARRIED the baby into the yard to see the dog and for some reason the dog attacked. The 16yr old, who was babysitting, was upstairs in the house. The 17yr old mother was not around - she had left the baby at the grandmothers for Christmas, and had not seen the baby since Boxing Day. The grand parents were not around either.
Like Snorey says - a tragic accident waiting to happen......

[alfie07]

Originally Posted by Snorey

.....Apparently this rottie girl was chained up in a mesh run, was not walked, was never allowed in the house (although their other dog was) and all the owners (and their kids) did was shout at her all the time for her to shut up as she was crying all day. Accident waiting to happen ..........

they need excercise, mental stimulation and to be part of something...

The family had also only had the dog for 6 months, although the animal was 2.5 years old.
A 16 year old girl had been left in charge of the baby, a 7yr old child, and a 6yr old child, as well as the dog. The 7yr old CARRIED the baby into the yard to see the dog and for some reason the dog attacked. The 16yr old, who was babysitting, was upstairs in the house. The 17yr old mother was not around - she had left the baby at the grandmothers for Christmas, and had not seen the baby since Boxing Day. The grand parents were not around either.
Like Snorey says - a tragic accident waiting to happen......