Posted on 03/26/2007 11:54:32 AM PDT by JZelle
I've known of a few Akitas that bit. And they bite hard. Plus, if I recall, the breed standard requires Akitas to be "dog aggressive" [as a result of their origin as fighting dogs].
I used to live next door to one. It was a total spaz!
I have a friend with two - he NEVER allows them to interact with other people unless he is present and has them on leash. He said they are bred as guard and fighting dogs and are of uncertain temperament.
Naturally, as soon as they see me they throw themselves down and roll over, begging for a tummy rub. Its hard to view them as aggressive in that position, but I respect his knowledge of the breed.
The peacock wing is pretty hurtful too when arroused, and their beaks are sharp. Also they scream soumething that sounds like "Rape" all the time when intruders come around.
That is why we can be pretty sure that Nicole Brown Simpson's dog (a white Akita) knew her attacker.
Buddy of mine who grew up in Memorial (a very tony part of Houston) had peacocks wandering near his house.
The first time I heard one of them shriek, I almost jumped out of my skin. Scared the hell outa me! He'd been in that house all this life, and he said he was in his early teens before he got used to 'em.
In one of my few plans that worked out, I bought some baby mallard ducks at the same time and raised the picky eaters (peacocks) with the glutton mallards and it worked perfectly.
We didn't find out until they got full-size that they would go up in the trees at night and make horror-movie-quality screams at night until it was almost too late.
They were excellent pets though. The male was a real exhibitionist and would put on his show at the drop of a hat.
Ok - I've know some older folks and dogs in my day...My theory:
Dog was hungry (so it's attentive)
Old Lady - messy eater; had combo of gravy, animal cracker crumbs and prune juice drippings on her ankle.
Results - well, you read the story. LOL
As I understood the TV report on Fox, the dog was not entered in the show, it was just brought there by the owner, who didn't have it under his direct control.
I'm sorry for the lady. Akitas, in my experience, are aggressive by nature.
I just read something online from someone who was there. She said the owner knew the dog was aggressive and was asking strangers to approach the dog to see if it would be aggressive (I suppose she had been working on the problem, I'm not sure). So, it didn't sound at all like this dog was a normal, sweet dog and suddenly went on a rampage for no reason.
Additionally, apparently she had the dog on a loose lead, which is stupid at a dog show, period.
susie
Hmmm, my show dogs are trained, just not to sit and heel. They are trained to stand, to go around the ring with me at a trot, to allow LOTS of handling, looking at teeth etc, to put up with grooming and leash walking and being ooohhhed and aahhhhed by strangers. Yes, they are trained!
susie
I too have heard of Akita's being aggressive to people and definitely to other dogs.
Here's a photo of Sally Jaffe comforting the 70 year old victim.
...Ladies and gentlemen,
The monster,
Which the peasants in this area call FRUNOBULAX
(Apparently a very large poodle dog)
Has just been seen approaching The Power Plant
Bullets can't stop it
Rockets can't stop it
We may have to use NUCLEAR FORCE!
HERE COMES THAT POODLE DOG!
BIG AS A BLIMP WITH A RHINESTONE COLLAR
SNAPPIN' OFF THE TREES
LIKE THEY WAS BONSAI'D ORNAMENTS ON A DRY-WOBBLE LANDSCAPE
KEEP IT AWAY! DON'T LET THE POODLE BITE ME!
WE CAN'T LET IT REPRODUCE! OH!
SOMEBODY GET OUT THE PANTS!
The National Guard has formed up at the base of the mountain
And is attempting to lure the enormous poodle towards the cave
Where they hope to destroy it with napalm
A thousand of the troopers are now lined up and are calling to the monster . . .
Here Fido
Here Fido
Here Fido...
I spoiled my peacocks shamefully with people treats -- torn up bread (they prefer white and it must be fresh), raisins, grapes, blueberries, shelled peanuts, etc. And they had a barn where they retired at night. A fox killed their leader one night, and after that they refused to come out of the barn. One of the males would stand at the door of the barn and display his tail and prevent the females from coming out. I had them for almost 10 years, but eventually they all died. I never succeeded in getting them to hatch their eggs.If I ever adopted peacocks again, I would leave them to their own pursuits and would not try to get too chummy with them. The hens just pecked one of my males to death because he thought he was a person.
I know Memorial well. I used to live in Missouri City. Houston would be a great place to raise peacocks (if you had a bit of land) because the climate is temperate. They can practically live on their own. They are a bit more trouble in Wisconsin with our long winters.
I wasn't there, but yesterday, my beautiful 5 month old granddaughter (the world's most beautiful baby --- just ask me) had her first field-trip --- to the National Avery in Pittsburgh. It's a great place to take the kids where you can walk right amidst the birds and most are very friendly and not at all shy among people.
From what I'm told, she had a wonderful time until a peacock came close to her and said hello by doing it's 'shriek' thing. I can't blame the little darling for being scared out of her whits by that. That is one loud noise.
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