Texas News 12/31: Rottweiler attacks 9 year old boy

[Mary Bouchard]

I was up late last night and watched animal control in Texas shoot and sedate a rottweiler that had attacked a 9 year old boy.

Nothing was said about the owners or the situation other than showing the rottweiler being captured.

Has anyone in Texas seen an update on this story?

Hope and praying for the little boy.

[michaelm]

This is tough...now I will have to deal with my mom and the rest of my family calling me about my Rott. I just saw the updated preview on the news and found the link on the website. Those captivating eyes on that Rott looked just like my Baby. I'd like to here more details. Here is the link..


http://www.nbc5i.com/news/2756584/detail.html

[Mary Bouchard]

Thank you for the update on this story, I prayed the little boy was recovering but could not find any follow up on his condition or how the rottie got loose etc.

Makes you recheck your fences.

[debbiej]

I've looked at this post about 10 times, hoping to read something that would explain how or why something like this happened. All I can think about is what if it were my child, or my dog. It is so tragic and so frightening. I guess being a new rottie owner, I want to know what happened and why. I want to be reassured somehow that a well tempered dog wouldn't just attack a child for no reason. not that the reason would matter or justify, but to know why. I guess the only reason I need to be concerned about is that the dog was out, unsupervised. I know lots of breeds of dog are perfectly capable of such behavior, but our dogs are stronger than lots of breeds. so troubling to read of such things.

[spidey]

I want to be reassured somehow that a well tempered dog wouldn't just attack a child for no reason.

There is ALWAYS a reason, sometimes we don't know what it is, but there always is one. Any dog will bite if the right set of circumstances are put together. I believe Jean Donaldson talks about stress factors, how each dog has them, and that they're different from dog to dog, if enough of them exist in any one situation, even the best-tempered dog will bite. This is how she explains the "he never showed any signs of aggression" bites. Say you have a dog who feels a bit stressed around children, and around other dogs, and when people come near its food at mealtimes, and who's a bit startled by loud noises. Any one or two of these stressors in a given situation may not cause a reaction, but put all of them together, and you could have a bite.

[Burnsway]

Originally Posted by spidey

There is ALWAYS a reason, sometimes we don't know what it is, but there always is one. Any dog will bite if the right set of circumstances are put together. I believe Jean Donaldson talks about stress factors, how each dog has them, and that they're different from dog to dog, if enough of them exist in any one situation, even the best-tempered dog will bite. This is how she explains the "he never showed any signs of aggression" bites. Say you have a dog who feels a bit stressed around children, and around other dogs, and when people come near its food at mealtimes, and who's a bit startled by loud noises. Any one or two of these stressors in a given situation may not cause a reaction, but put all of them together, and you could have a bite.

I can't agree more. I think this is the hardest thing for some of our members and dog owners in general to swallow. Yes even very well tempered dogs can and will bite and even attack if put in the situation. All dogs have limits. Its up to us to know these limits and keep the dog from getting into a situation he/she feels they need to use teeth to get out of. The one thing I hear over and over that makes me cringe is My dog would never(Fill in the blank).

As the article said, this dog lived with 3 children, never showed aggression and often escaped the yard and never mauled a child before. I tell you what I think. The more I hear these my dog would never "sayings" and the more I see these dogs roam and be with children unsupervised and allowed to fend for themselves the more I am actually amazed the bite statistics are as "Low" as they are.......

One thing could have kept this from happening, proper confinement. The article said he often roamed. This wasn't an ooopps gate got left open one time ordeal. this was an outside, left to his own resources dog. It was only a matter of time.....

[debbiej]

thanks for the answers. I wouldn't say my dog would never (fill in blank). I've had too many dogs. but I can say I will never let my dog (fill in blank). I haven't had my pup since babyhood. I watch her constantly to see what her reaction to new situations is. That very upsetting article just enabled me to visualize way too much. Maybe to realize just how perfectly trained and managed my dog must be. I once had a very dog aggressive dog, that was a bit like the responsibility of knowing how to take care of a loaded gun. Every dog will be around children sometimes, I have a new grandaughter. Hilda hasn't been around children that I know of and we introduce her to them very watchfully. She is excited by them, and wants to play but she is too big and rambunctious. So I could just picture a kid frightened by her, running away.... no I love her too much to ever let her get in a situation like that.

[Mary Bouchard]

At our old house everyday a little 10 year old boy would walk by and throw rocks at our rotties. I even went to the boys house and told his mother. But I always worried what would happen if my dogs got loose when he was around!

I even told his Mom that her child had a false sense of safety if she thought a fence could keep any dog in!

We ended up bringing the dogs in and moving the kennel during times he would be going to and from school because he would not stop.

So you don't know what incident may have precipitated but as a owner you try to protect you dogs and family and neighbors from going through a tragedy such as this.

We actually put the dogs in the garage locked or the house when we leave with the tv on for company, we would never trust the kennel or fence to keep these in. And they get pet sat over long times because you don't know what happens when you are not home.

[Brooke&Ryan]

:( :( :( :( How sad....

:(

[rottie_mama]

Here's another story related to the one listed above.

http://cbs11tv.com/siteSearch/local_...012163442.html

Rachel

[Burnsway]

A Lancaster child admits he and his friend taunted an 80-pound rottweiler before the dog attacked them Saturday night.

Shamarie is the dog's owner and the mother of three young children. she says bear is 5 years old and very docile .. And stays chained up in the back yard

The dog’s owner told us, “ i don't know exactly what happened that's scary don't know what happened.”

Well I see what went wrong here..... :(

[debbiej]

yep. so sad poor dog, poor kid, bad press

[rottie_mama]

It's a real shame that the dog was put in a position where he felt he needed to protect himself and that he ultimately paid the price for having an irresponsible owner.

I feel sorry for the child as well. This is a hard way to learn that you shouldn't tease dogs.

Rachel

[Mary Bouchard]

I know you can't go back and change what happened but it does help to know that there was more to the story than originally reported.

It is very hard lesson and sad, hope everyone recovers.

On the other side I was very impressed with how well animal control humanely handled the dogs capture. They sedated her and captured her with a loop.

Here in NM they recently used pepper spray on a pit bull recently and then shot him and killed him it was the second incident handled this way.