Dog Community

Posted : 7/19/2007 12:47:39 PM

When I was a small child I got bit once. My Aunt had a small dog (mixed breed). The dog was in the bathroom which was block off. I was told don`t put your face up to the dogs face. Well I did and she bit my nose. I learned then not to stick my nose where it doesn`t belong.

When I was a teenager we had a German Shepherd. The only time she bit anyone was when a person got out of their car with gloves and a full face mask on. Taffy bit down on his hand. He got back in his car and left. He called us from a phone latter and said what she did. She was doing what she was suppose to do in my mind. Guarding the house and her people in it. Taffy was one of the sweetest dog that has ever lived. But she also was a very good guard dog. And anyone getting out of a car with that kind of get up on deserved it. Not to go into any details but this WAS not a nice man and I know that Taffy sensed this.

Joe smith

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:02:58 PM

ORIGINAL: mollymoo
When I was a teenager we had a German Shepherd. The only time she bit anyone was when a person got out of their car with gloves and a full face mask on. Taffy bit down on his hand. He got back in his car and left. He called us from a phone latter and said what she did. She was doing what she was suppose to do in my mind. Guarding the house and her people in it. Taffy was one of the sweetest dog that has ever lived. But she also was a very good guard dog. And anyone getting out of a car with that kind of get up on deserved it. Not to go into any details but this WAS not a nice man and I know that Taffy sensed this.

No one deserves to get bit for the clothing they are wearing. It is the owners responsibility to control thier animal.

Joe smith

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:11:20 PM

I think certain breeds are predisposed to biting based on thier tempermant. GSD are protective and this can cause an unintended bite. The same characteristics that make them a good police dog can cause problems as a pet. This is not to say it is true of all GSD or that they can not be wonderfull pets with the proper training and responsible ownership. It is important as an owner to acknowledge the tempermant of our animals and take steps to control it.

mollymoo

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:14:54 PM

If you knew the whole story behind this man and why he was there you would think differently on Taffy biting him. Sorry

mrv

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:17:33 PM

Actually the stable temperments of good working dogs decrease the probability of bites. Most bites in the general public occur due to socialization issues and poor bite inhibition. There are any number of reasons behind both of those problems and those issues are not breed specific.

Joe smith

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:21:31 PM

If you knew the whole story behind this man and why he was there you would think differently on Taffy biting him. Sorry

Perhaps that is true but I only have what you provided. Reguardless of the rest of your story no one deserves to get bitten for the clothing they are wearing as you claimed earlier.

Joe smith

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:30:53 PM

Actually the stable temperments of good working dogs decrease the probability of bites. Most bites in the general public occur due to socialization issues and poor bite inhibition. There are any number of reasons behind both of those problems and those issues are not breed specific.

I agree there are many reasons behind an inappropriate dog bite. Temperment of the breed or individual dog is only one of them (and not the most significant). Are you suggesting that all breeds have the same tempermant?

hdkutz

Posted : 7/19/2007 1:33:04 PM

In the 60`s and 70`s the breed was getting really popular. The demand for pups was great so there was lots of BYB just putting dogs together to make a buck. This is a strong, fast powerful working dog and there was little regard as to hips, health or temperament. There were a lot of unstable dogs out there. This has happened to many other breeds too including Rotti`s.
Thank`s to people who love the breeds you`ll likely see less and less of this. The breeds of choice to ruin now seem to be the bully breeds

simcoe

Posted : 7/19/2007 2:40:01 PM

You know, I think hdkutz may be onto something there.

My dad bought the family a german shepherd puppy when I was a young child in the early 1970s, and that dog was professionally trained, and loved as a real member of the family for a good 4 or 5 years until one day she "snapped" and attcked my mother and my infant sister. My mother, completely unprepared for such aggression, had to fight the dog off with a hot iron, the attack was so prolonged.

My father told us kids that Muffin went to live at the police department as a guard dog... but I think we know what those stories usually mean.

I never really put much thought into the cause of our dog's episode, and I admit that since that day I, too, have been one of those people who believed "german shepherds turn on their owners." Thanks, hdkutz for giving me some new insight.

sandra_slayton

Posted : 7/19/2007 4:08:44 PM

Breeds like golden retrievers were over breed, carelessly breed, etc and it caused problems later with hip problems, allergies, etc. Possibily even the high rate of cancer in goldens. Sixty percent of goldens will die of cancer.

It is a sad situation when this happens to any breed of dog. Back then it was done for money. Today I think total jerks with no feeling are trying to breed pits, etc to be meaner, more vicious, etc for fighting, gaurding drugs, etc. In the old days you find a pair of great quail hunters and you bred them for exceptionlly good puppies. Today those creeps look for the meaner dogs to breed to get even meaner puppies. It is a sad situation.

glenmar

Posted : 7/19/2007 4:46:56 PM

No one deserves to get bit for the clothing they are wearing. It is the owners responsibility to control thier animal.

Ummm, it seems to me that she also said that this was not a good person. Regardless, if someone shows up at my house dressed like the boogey man, they are going to be treated as such. Again, I sleep very soundly with my SIX german shepherds sharing my home. If they decide to "turn on me" which I personally think is a crock, then at least there are enough of them to finish me off FAST!

JMack

Posted : 7/19/2007 5:04:18 PM

If someone shows up in my yard dressed in gloves and a full face mask, a dog bite would be the least of their problems. I'd come tearing out with a baseball bat while dialing 911 and screaming at full volume.

Candy317

Posted : 7/19/2007 5:07:16 PM

I know people are scared of them here b/c they're cop dogs.

snownose

Posted : 7/19/2007 5:14:55 PM

I must be off my rocker here, but honestly, I have never been scared of a German Shepherd, even rescues.....I was 9 when I was bit by a poodle, right in the hand, and that dog wasn't letting go, so , unfortunately for the animal I had to kick him in the chest.

Joe smith

Posted : 7/19/2007 5:19:19 PM

ORIGINAL: glenmar

No one deserves to get bit for the clothing they are wearing. It is the owners responsibility to control thier animal.

Ummm, it seems to me that she also said that this was not a good person. Regardless, if someone shows up at my house dressed like the boogey man, they are going to be treated as such. Again, I sleep very soundly with my SIX german shepherds sharing my home. If they decide to "turn on me" which I personally think is a crock, then at least there are enough of them to finish me off FAST!

Okay, [color="#000000"]No one deserves to get bit for the clothing they are wearing even if the dogs owner thinks they are not a nice person. I can not believe I have to defend this position. If you or your dogs attack someone for getting out of thier car because you do not like what they are wearing you will be in a lot of trouble.[/color]

"German Shepherds Turn On Their Owners. . ."