Daughter Jumped by Two Staffies

[Nigeyy]

First, what a nasty experience. I hope Heltor and your daughter are OK. That is such a horrible thing to go through.

 

[PaulSB]

@Heltor Chasca I'm glad to read your daughter is OK.

I agree with all who say owners are to blame for failing to control their dogs. However this should not disguise the fact some breeds exhibit more aggression than others and have greater potential to launch an unprovoked attack.

I'm in complete disagreement regarding Jack Russells, Staffordshires etc. These dogs may make wonderful pets and be very soft but for me it's hard to disguise the fact they are more likely to be aggressive towards and attack people and other animals. I wouldn't give them house room.

As a child I was attacked by a Jack Russell which ran the length of a tennis court to do so. My father had to run the same distance to haul it off!!

About ten years ago a Jack Russell came in to our garden and bit through a chicken wire cage to get at and slaughter one of my lad's three guinea pigs. I was bitten as I tried to remove the animal. Asking around I discovered this was the third attack by the same animal in our village.

Last Autumn I was pedalling past a working farmhouse when a Jack Russell flew out of the farmyard and bit me on the ankle.

In the last two instances I challenged the owners who both admitted their dogs could behave in this way and they "tried to keep him in."

So yes irresponsible owners do fail to control their animals BUT those animals also have the potential to launch an unprovoked attack. Keep them as family pets if you wish but you run a risk to the safety of your own family and other people's.

I realise this view will upset some owners, and that isn't my objective, but there is no reason to keep an unrestrained animal with the potential to attack others.

 

[Slick]

@Heltor Chasca I'm glad to read your daughter is OK.

I agree with all who say owners are to blame for failing to control their dogs. However this should not disguise the fact some breeds exhibit more aggression than others and have greater potential to launch an unprovoked attack.

I'm in complete disagreement regarding Jack Russells, Staffordshires etc. These dogs may make wonderful pets and be very soft but for me it's hard to disguise the fact they are more likely to be aggressive towards and attack people and other animals. I wouldn't give them house room.

As a child I was attacked by a Jack Russell which ran the length of a tennis court to do so. My father had to run the same distance to haul it off!!

About ten years ago a Jack Russell came in to our garden and bit through a chicken wire cage to get at and slaughter one of my lad's three guinea pigs. I was bitten as I tried to remove the animal. Asking around I discovered this was the third attack by the same animal in our village.

Last Autumn I was pedalling past a working farmhouse when a Jack Russell flew out of the farmyard and bit me on the ankle.

In the last two instances I challenged the owners who both admitted their dogs could behave in this way and they "tried to keep him in."

So yes irresponsible owners do fail to control their animals BUT those animals also have the potential to launch an unprovoked attack. Keep them as family pets if you wish to run the risk to your own family and other people's.

I realise this view will upset some owners, and that isn't my objective, but there is no reason to keep an unrestrained animal with the potential to attack others.

I agree with the last line but the rest is just your unfortunate experience that has obviously affected your judgement. Understandable I suppose but no real basis for an opinion like that on an entire breed. I feel the most common mistake for dogs like a Jack Russell is not putting them to work. I don't mean hunting or the like but they do need surroundings to make them feel like they are contributing to the success of the pack. The behaviour you describe is just another example of a bad owner I'm afraid.

 

[Bazzer]

I have just seen this thread. Really sorry for your experience @Heltor Chasca . I hope the police trace and deal with the moron.

From personal experience, whatever the breed, it is down to the owner and how they train, or not, the dog. My parents ran boarding kennels for many years and one quickly learned to remove preconceptions about breeds: something child 2 is currently learning, as she is part way through over a 100 hours of work experience with a dog behaviourist.

 

[fossala]

I wish more people would understand their dogs behaviour. I've got two dogs including a rescue Staff. He was beaten with a metal pole and has the scars (emotional and physical) to show for it, due to this he get nervous easily and it presents as aggression. More bark than bite but never the less could be quite scary. To combat this problem he is ALWAYS kept on a lead and only walked in the early hours (5am) before work.

@Heltor Chasca Hope your daughter is OK.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Dogs should be kept on a lead at all times in public places.

Sorry I have to disagree with this, if you ban allowing dogs to run free then you are just going to build up more problems, dogs need exercise they need to burn off energy. I raley put my dog on a lead except walking down busy roads, but I don't need to as she is well behaved & been trained properly. As has been said in multiple posts, in probaby 99% of the cases the problem is not the dog.

 

[raleighnut]

What is it with dickheads and Staffies

 

[PaulSB]

I agree with the last line but the rest is just your unfortunate experience that has obviously affected your judgement. Understandable I suppose but no real basis for an opinion like that on an entire breed. I feel the most common mistake for dogs like a Jack Russell is not putting them to work. I don't mean hunting or the like but they do need surroundings to make them feel like they are contributing to the success of the pack. The behaviour you describe is just another example of a bad owner I'm afraid.

I don't feel being attacked by an uncontrolled animal is unfortunate nor do I feel it affects my judgement, especially as I've encountered numerous instances of aggressive behaviour from this type of dog - I realise there are many variations - towards people and other dogs.

Wikipedia makes comments which seem to back up my view:

"Jack Russells are an energetic breed that rely on a high level of exercise and stimulation."

"Because the preservation of this working ability is of highest importance to most registered JRTCA/JRTCGB breeders, Jack Russells tend to be extremely intelligent, athletic, fearless, and vocal dogs.[9] It is not uncommon for these dogs to become moody or destructive if not properly stimulated and exercised, as they have a tendency to bore easily and will often create their own fun when left alone to entertain themselves.[49]"

"Jack Russells can be stubborn at times and aggressive towards other animals and humans if not properly socialized."

"While socialised members of the breed are friendly towards children, they will not tolerate abuse even if it is unintentional.[16]"

I suppose it really boils down to whether or not one believes "unfortunate events" and the level of their severity are acceptable in society. I think they aren't

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I don't feel being attacked by an uncontrolled animal is unfortunate nor do I feel it affects my judgement, especially as I've encountered numerous instances of aggressive behaviour from this type of dog - I realise there are many variations - towards people and other dogs.

The issue in most instances are not the dog, they are just doing what they have been bred to do, the issue is with the owner, Dogs (all Dogs) are pack animals & need to know their place, they need to be subservient & in lots of households they aren't they are the pack leader.

 

[PaulSB]

The issue in most instances are not the dog, they are just doing what they have been bred to do, the issue is with the owner, Dogs (all Dogs) are pack animals & need to know their place, they need to be subservient & in lots of households they aren't they are the pack leader.

Absolutely I agree with you and said this earlier. The fault is with the owner not the animal. This does not mean it is acceptable for these animals to have the opportunity to attack. They should be restrained at all times which as has been previously noted creates other issues. These dogs are unpredictable.

I'm not against dogs, I enjoy their company and walking them. I simply do not find it acceptable for aggressive breeds to have the opportunity to attack.

 

[fossyant]

Sorry this happened. If the police can't trace the owner, get said person's picture on your local village's FB page. These work very well.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I simply do not find it acceptable for aggressive breeds to have the opportunity to attack.

It's not just aggressive breeds though, there's a pollywallydoodle near us that tries to attack my dog every time it sees her, it's on a lead but the owner won't muzzle it like I have asked.

 

[Accy cyclist]

"He's just being friendly" says the slavering,snarling dog's owner as it jumps up at you with its mucky paws. "Please call it back as i don't like dogs jumping up at me" replies the other person. "Oh what the f..k's wrong with you,you soft @%#!!! replies the dog's owner. I think we've all been there at some point in our lives. This notion that 'everyone should love my dog or else' is worrying. I'm a dog liker(wouldn't say lover),but i do not want a dog jumping up at me in a so called friendly manner! I think i've mentioned it before on here,where there i was with my dear departed Jack Russell up my local park one morning
when this loopy Weimaraner (stock image of such dog below) came bounding over and knocked my getting on in life JR over. Then it tried to maul her which made me see red,so i laid into the dog. The owner shouted the usual "he's only being friendly"!,but soon changed to the expected "Don't you kick my f..k..g dog"! She came over and said that she was an off duty police officer and she didn't like what she'd seen me do. I told her that my dog was old and had health problems so i was protecting her. Why did she think that because she was supposedly a police officer she had the right to let her dog run 50 yards across the park and "be friendly" with another dog? She said after our encounter that she'd be keeping an eye out for me. I said "fine,now f'..k off you little prick". I don't think she expected that! Sometimes you've just got to lower yourself to their level.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Sorry to hear this, hope it doesn't affect your little girl's confidence or love of animals.

This has happened twice with my little boy, it is not pleasant. And it is not pleasant trying to explain to a 5 year-old that not all dogs are like that. Thing is, any dog is capable of scaring or hurting a child be it their intention or not. I love dogs, grew up with them, but I don't see why everyone should be forced to accommodate the over-friendliness and sometimes mildly aggressive behaviour in a public place. Other rules are set out to discriminate against the many for the dangerous actions of a tiny minority...that's life. If your dog needs a good run and you haven't the space to do that where there are no people, that's your problem. Otherwise they should be on a lead.

 

[Pale Rider]

Dogs are carnivorous killers, both by evolution and breeding.

The dog doesn't 'go for the face', it goes for the throat because it knows that is the most efficient way for it to kill prey - rip the child's throat out.

Saying the dog is well-behaved and wouldn't hurt a fly is merely playing percentages.

Most dogs go through their lives without seriously attacking anyone, but such an attack could happen with any dog at any time.

That killer instinct cannot be 'trained out' no matter how clever and responsible the owner is.

It can only be suppressed in most dogs for most of the time.