If you've watched the news with any frequency in the last 10 years it seems like dog attacks on children are certainly on the rise as compared to say 20 years ago. Around here it seems there are 5 attacks every week with enough severity to make it on the news.

As a consequence I had simply assumed that there were far more aggressive dogs roaming around attacking children than there was 20 years ago. Like most people I felt something needed to be done about the "roaming hoards" of unsupervised and aggressive dogs that "must" be the cause of the problem.

Well today I learned it could be something else.

I'm sitting on the front porch with my German Sheppard watching the planes from a local airshow fly by the house. Everytime I hear those radial engines I just need to go outside and watch (obviously I watched way too much Black Sheep Squadron as a kid.)

Now I'm in my yard and I have a very obidient and controllable dog. If a cat walked down the street she would obey the order to stay. All the same, being a responsible type, I had her on a leash.

Anyway about 15 minutes later a kid of about 6-8 who I don't know and have never seen before comes running up the driveway yelling "Doggie!" My Sheppard moved quickly to intercept what she believed was an aggressive action and was all teeth and barking and quickly drew the leash taut. Now despite the OBVIOUS signs of imminent attack on the part of my somewhat large dog this complete moron of a kid continues up the driveway.

I had to yell at him (so he could hear me over my dogs barking and snapping) to stop and go away before he gets hurt bad. So the dumbass walks back down my driveway then walks down the street as close to my yard as possible without actually being in the yard still yelling "Doggie!" At this point I'm doing eveything I can to keep my "doggie" under control.

Had I not had her on a leash my "doggie" would have fucked this kid up really, really badly. The parents of this stupid ass moronic kid would have probably sued me. I would have probably lost my home and the county would have probably ordered my dog to be killed. All this would have likely happened even though the attack would have been provoked by this kids sheer stupidity and despite the fact that it occurred on my property (where he shouldn't have been) and despite the fact that my dog was clearly protecting me and my property.

I feel like finding out where this kid lives and punching the shit out of his parents for raising such a stupid ass fucking kid whose stupidity risked the life of my dog and my future.

I was not the brightest kid on the planet at 6-8 but I knew basic stuff like don't fuck with strange dogs and a dog that is barking and gnashing teeth does NOT want to play.

I am now confident that probably 75% of reported animal attacks are the result of somebodys moronic fucking kid going up to a dog they don't know and screaming something along the lines of "Doggie!" And while I don't wish a severe dog attack on any child these dumbass kids should really know better.

I knew kids were stupid but I had no idea some were this stupid. I'm still in awe.

Children are now taught that animals are like cartoons.  They are cute and cuddly and won't harm them.  Animals are good and human are bad.  All animals are like bambi.  Except they are not being told the truth that bambi will kick your ass if it gets a chance.  Ask the poor guy who raised deer and got in a cage with a buck in rut.  Rectum, hell....it kill'em.

Quoted: agreed the kid was stupid, but why did your dog perceive some little kid as a 'threat'? i had 2 dalmations, who are extremely protective of their owners, but they always could tell the difference b/w children and people trying to break into our yard......

I think a unknown kid sprinting up the driveway screaming "Doggie" would initiate and aggressive response in 95% of German Sheppards. Dalmations are a different breed altogether. It is like comparing Labs to Rotties. If I had a lab it probably would have rolled over for a belly rub. If it had been a Rottie I'd probably still be trying to get the dumbass kids ass out of it's mouth.

Quoted: Who the fuck lets their 6-8 y.o. alone on the streets unattended?? SGatr15

He was with 2 twelve year olds.

Quoted: Both of my dogs arent allowed to bite human, I have made sure they know humans rule and they dont.  The dog is a great deterent against those who might rob, or threaten another human but I dont need a lawsuit or one of my kids getting bit...period.   If my Heeler or border collie ever bit a human Id take it out back and shoot it.  I love both of them but that is just the way it is in my house. Now cats on the other hand......they taste just like chicken to a border collie.

My dogs have been specifically trained to search for and attack humans who do NOT belong in my home. That training and mentality extends somewhat to the property.

I couldn't conceive of killing a dog who followed it's natural instinct of protecting it's home and family. You should get a cat, you don't respect a dogs instincts or repay it's loyalties.

Agreed

It's the uncontrolled, unsupervised and aggressive children that are much of the problem. I had the neighbor's kid ride his bike into the two car side of my three car garage like it was his own. I was on the third car side where my work bench is ... so was my little guard dog who went from zero to faster than the kid could wheel his bike around and leave. I shouted the dog back ... once she gets going it's hard to call her back and then went after the kid to warn him never ever to even think about going back into my garage now that my dog had his scent she would want to bite him.

What the kid was thinking I don't know but I do have all my camping gear on the shelves that are visible when that door is open.

Yep. It's always the kid's fault.

No doubt about it.

It has nothing with anyone owning a dog they 'can barely control' in a residential area populated by lots and lots of kids.

That must be it.

Eric The(Facetious)Hun

No rocket science here guys!

Kids like to pester dogs as a result some dogs don't like kids.  I've seen kids that would stick their hand into the mouth of a snarling dog and dogs that would nail a kid for just standing there.

It's that simple.

Tj

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Both of my dogs arent allowed to bite human, I have made sure they know humans rule and they dont.  The dog is a great deterent against those who might rob, or threaten another human but I dont need a lawsuit or one of my kids getting bit...period.   If my Heeler or border collie ever bit a human Id take it out back and shoot it.  I love both of them but that is just the way it is in my house. Now cats on the other hand......they taste just like chicken to a border collie. My dogs have been specifically trained to search for and attack humans who do NOT belong in my home. That training and mentality extends somewhat to the property. I couldn't conceive of killing a dog who followed it's natural instinct of protecting it's home and family. You should get a cat, you don't respect a dogs instincts or repay it's loyalties. Sounds like your the one that needs a cat,  You trained your dog to eat kids then say the kid is stupid, I will let you in on a secret, Kidsare stupid! they do dumb stuff and as an adult you and your dog dont get the pass.  So when it happens that a kid gets mauled I will read the story and think "not bad dog, bad owner"   You take the responsablility as a owner of a trained dog and it is on you...not some dumb ass kid. If you think your dog is so smart why not train it to defend you in court.

No I trained my dog to protect my home and property. The dogs were not specifically trained for children but anyone with a brain knows a dog trained for security doesn't make allowances for children or idiots from California.

And I DO take responsibility for my dog, remember I had it one a leash. Also this kid was running up MY driveway. I suppose if this kid snuck in my yard and drowned in my pool it would be my fault as well?

100s of kids walk by my yard all day and my dog ignores them. But when they run up the driveway towards the house they will get a dogs attention, trained or untrained. The fact that my dog was trained means it was more controllable. Had I had a regular dog it probably would have fought away from me and fucked that kid up bad.

Quoted: Yep. It's always the kid's fault. No doubt about it. It has nothing with anyone owning a dog they 'can barely control' in a residential area populated by lots and lots of kids. That must be it. Eric The(Facetious)Hun

Every other kid that day managed to walk past my yard without incident.

Editted to add: Missed the facetious.

I sure wish I had more time.....