Vicious-dog (Pitbull) law: Guide dog stands firm during attack by another canine

The Cincinnati Enquirer ^ | 9 Sep 03 | Jane Prendergast

[xzins]

Case calls attention to vicious-dog law

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Guide dog Sparky stands firm during attack by another canine (Pit Bull)

By Jane Prendergast The Cincinnati Enquirer

CLIFTON - Ted Chism can't see very well. That's why he has Sparky. The retired social worker and the yellow Labrador retriever were on their way home Sunday evening from their regular walk to Clifton Elementary School when a bulldog - possibly a pit bull - tore through its leash and attacked Sparky.

The 80-pound guide dog is OK after treatment at an emergency veterinary clinic, where they shaved wide swaths around bites on his right front leg and around his right ear. On painkillers and antibiotics, he spent much of Monday afternoon sacked out on the carpet and, literally, licking his wounds.

The attack comes at a time when Cincinnati is about to stiffen the penalties for harboring vicious dogs, and Chism said he hopes the incident makes people think a little more about controlling their animals.

"It's like attacking me," Chism said Monday. "He's my eyes."

Chism, who is legally blind since childhood from a congenital retinal disease, is worried about the future. Sometimes, guide dogs can be traumatized enough by even a relatively minor incident that they can't work, according to Guide Dogs for the Blind Inc., where Sparky was bred and trained.

If Sparky would become afraid of dogs, he couldn't be trusted to safely guide Chism around the city anymore.

Chism, 66, isn't sure how long the attack lasted. Probably only about 30 seconds, he said, "but it seemed like forever" until the dog's owners - they were nearby - stopped the attack. Other passersby stopped to help too.

"I was yelling, Get your dog off! Get your dog off!" Chism said.

Chism has a bit of peripheral vision, and he said he thinks the other dog bit Sparky on the leg first, then held on at his ear. Sparky didn't bolt.

"His job was to stay with me, and he did," he said.

Working dogs aren't trained to protect their masters, said Joanne Ritter, spokeswoman for the Guide Dogs agency - they're trained to guide them. And they are allowed to defend themselves, she said, but often attacks like this happen so quickly it's difficult for the masters and dogs to know what to do.

Chism said he felt terrible for the dog, who has become a trusted friend and near-constant companion. Sparky follows the blind man around his Clifton house, even when he's not working.

Cincinnati police were still working on the case Monday. A report on the incident was not available, but Chism said Officer Sabreen Robinson, who responded Sunday, told him the owner of the other dog would be cited for failing to control the animal. .

Chism and his wife, who came up the street to help after Sparky was bitten, said the other dog appeared to be a pit bull, though they said its owners described it as an American bulldog.

The city's stricter ordinance against vicious dogs goes into effect Nov. 1.

It bans pit bulls from the city limits, and says a dog can be determined to be a pit bull if a veterinarian, zoologist or animal control officer says it is. Only pit bulls registered before Nov. 1 can stay in the city. Anyone caught violating the ordinance will be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine.

For a few days, Sparky will be somewhat relieved of his guiding duties and allowed to relax and recover. The guide dog association told Chism to ease him back to work slowly.

If necessary, Guide Dogs for the Blind will send someone to Cincinnati to work with Sparky, Ritter said, and - in the worst case - will come get Sparky and take him back to California for some re-training.

Chism hopes that isn't necessary. He and Sparky have been together 15 months.

When visitors come to Chism's house, he shows off the "baby book'' of pictures taken by the couple who volunteered to raise Sparky until he was ready for training: Sparky in a plastic baby pool. Sparky asleep on the linoleum. Sparky in a lake. Sparky at the beach.

Sparky, after he got home from the hospital Monday morning, got lots of his favorite treat: carrots.

"It was the most helpless feeling in the world - just standing there while he was yowling," Chism said. "He's trained to be docile. He's trained, really, to be selfless."

[dtel]

And here is a link to Koehler

http://www.koehlerdogtraining.com/

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Irish wolfhounds are fine dogs.

Lot of idiots out there.

Strangers come to my gate and ask, "are those Rottweilers friendly?"

I reply, "extremely. But they will maim you if you come in without permission." They are my sweet little darlings but they are part of the security system too.

All my dogs are thoroughly trained so that my feeble old mother-in-law can control them with soft words. They will never pull on their leash. They will never just haul off and snap at someone. They never spazz out and jump all over the place or on people.

How do I know? I am an expert.

Too many fools expect their dogs to know how to behave and speak english. Mine have the equivelent of a college degree.

I own a lot of property and have too much at stake to have some ill-disciplined uncontrolled yappinsnapper get me sued.

Also like a boy, a dog that is uneducated and undisciplined can not be really truly happy.

Wolf Hybrids: Big problem with them is domestic dog's hierarchy is lifelong. Master is always equivelent to alpha male. Wolf pack the leadership is under constant stress. the alpha will eventually be challenged and beaten by a lesser and sink way down on the list.

They will then eat better and grow strong again and rise through the ranks again. People are viewed as a leader that may be weak enough to replace. A wolf hybrid with enough wolf in him will always challenge the human for leadership.

However they are often very kind and considerate to lesser members of the family.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Meanest most psycho dog i ever met was a cocker spaniel.

[SpinyNorman]

Neuter the pitbulls and their troglodyte owners.

I agree. Both the dogs and the owners (the ones that make them vicious) are possessed of way too much testosterone/agression. Making them eunuchs would calm them both right down.

[B-Chan]

A wolf hybrid with enough wolf in him will always challenge the human for leadership.

Yeah? Well, unless the wolf hybrid in question has somehow developed an opposable thumb or other means of using its paw to pull a trigger, I know which “dog” is going to end up being Alpha Male in the end...

[dtel]

Yeah? Well, unless the wolf hybrid in question has somehow developed an opposable thumb or other means of using its paw to pull a trigger, I know which “dog” is going to end up being Alpha Male in the end...

There is the problem in a nutshell.
Too many people who own dogs, even small ones, fail to reenforce who the leader of the pack is.
In the story mentioned here, it says the dog 'tore through its' leash' this should NEVER, under any circumstances, happen.
The owner here is guilty of gross negligence, and should be punished accordingly. And should never be allowed to own even a Parakeet for the rest of his life.
Let us direct our hate and vitriol in the right direction, and that is the ignorant owners, many of whom post right here on this board.

[coloradan]

I'm afraid it can be construed by activist judges as applying to the 2nd amendment.

But, unlike guns, dogs can just get up by themselves and commit violent acts.

[FlyVet]

They will then eat better and grow strong again and rise through the ranks again. People are viewed as a leader that may be weak enough to replace. A wolf hybrid with enough wolf in him will always challenge the human for leadership. However they are often very kind and considerate to lesser members of the family.

My brother had a wolf dog, 50/50 Timber Wolf/Shepherd. Most amazing dog I've ever known. He could climb tall trees, until he got bigger and his nails got dull. Very difficult to train, it took about three years. Belligerent, but not vicious. Even walking out to the kitchen, he would jump in front of you and challenge you. He never did bite anyone, but did bop me on the nose with his snout so hard once, it brought tears to my eyes. My fault, I was playing too hard. One of my brother's friends got too rough with him once, he jumped up, grabbed him by the shirt collar, and ripped his shirt right off his back. But, he somehow knew the limits, fortunately, because he could have easily killed someone if he wanted to. Too bad he got hit by a car at age 5. I've heard it's common for them to live over 20 years.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

The problem is they may even seem sweet tempered and appear to be problem free. But you know there are guys who will lose their tempers and try to kick or beat their dogs. A regular dog will suffer the punishment.

A wolf hybrid may decide to kill their abusive owner.
They are often big and tough enough to accomplish that.

I had one for fifteen years. He was wonderful. But wolf hybrids in general are just plain dangerous and should not be allowed.

[TexanToTheCore]

"I have had several labs, and been around a few more, I have never seen one attack, but I have never seen one back down. They usually won't start a fight, but will stick around to finish it."

'zactly so.

[Mat_Helm]

I walk my 1911 A1 often in the evening and keep him holstered. The Colt does'nt like dogs and avoids them unless they are running around and attacking innocent people. But he protects me and when provoked he will dispatch pitbulls and other viscous dogs with brutal efficiency.

[HELLRAISER II]

The min. Schnauzer I mentioned earlier was my pure blooded, certified bad @ss. Sir Spartacus was his paper name, but Sparky was what he went by and he was the baddest little dog I've ever seen in my 38 years. If he had been in my Bull Dog's body, I definately would've had to kill him. What some of these people don't understand is that dogs are similar to people, they have different personalities & tempers. Some are good and some are bad.

[HELLRAISER II]

As it should be.

[xzins]

I think my stinger, a Ruger .22, could make them look for easier prey.

[CommerceComet]

The only fight that my late Irish Wolfhound got into was with a lab. The entire encounter lasted a couple of seconds. I had read extensively about how formidable an Irish Wolfhound could be but it didn't prepare me for this. To this day, it is still the one of the most awe-inspiring things I have ever observed.

I was walking two dogs off their leashes in the country when a large lab appeared. Before I could get ahold of my dogs, the IW approached him cautiously and they sniffed noses for a moment and then the lab lunged at the IW. Knocked backward, the IW regained his balance and then leapt back at the lab leading with his shoulder. A second later, the lab was flat on his back in full submissive position while the IW stood over him displaying a mouthful of teeth and growling the most menacing growl I have ever heard.

In the meantime, my other dog, a minature poodle-Lhaso mix, became agitated by the fight and started to nip at the lab. I raced up as quickly as I could to control the little mutt knowing that if the lab responds to the little guy, the IW would have killed lab. Both I and the labrador were convinced that he was in a life-threatening situation. As soon as I got control of the IW, the lab light out of there like he was being shot at. Examination of IW showed the reason for his reaction: a 1" gash in the soft portion of his nose. In describing this encounter to my friends, I told them to visualize me walking up behind Mike Tyson on the street and sucker-punching him. That was how quick and decisive this fight was.

I later met the farmer who owned the lab. I never told him about the dog fight even when he commented about how out-of-character it was for his lab to cower when my IW walked by him. For his part, the IW completely ignored the lab which was totally out-of-character for the IW who always tried to be the best buddy of any living thing he could find.

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

Only an insane dog would ever kill or severely damage another that had exposed his throat.

When dogs fight, the best response is to back away and wait until one has the clear upper hand, before trying to break it up.

Then, the victor's owner should be the one to make the attempt by carefully pulling at the top of his dog's head, grabbing the skin above his eyes and while talking to him draw the dog back.

Don't grab it's tail or hind legs and pull, all of a sudden.

The proximity of it's humans, especially when that human is in an agitated state, (yelling, kicking, jumping up and down)will drive the fight on way past what they would do on their own.

There is no survival advantage in damaging a fellow dog. Healthy females(bitches) will do a bit more damage than males, but having their owners close to the action, yelling and jumping around like idiots only makes them fight harder, as does pouring anything but ICE COLD water on them.

Had an idiot friend who nearly got his dog killed because he and his neighbor(other dog) kept pouring hot water on a dog fight.

If one dog wants to give up but the winner is being scalded, kicked, whipped, etc, he won't let the loser quit, and the loser can't quit because the winner is choking him without letup, despite the loser's obvious signals of surrender.

Sometimes nice dogs who belong to nice people fight, just like little boys. That's what I'm addressing above.

On the other hand, if some looney punk trash dickhead sics his psycho beast on your little buddy , I suggest you shoot him first and his dog second.

[Feiny]

By skinhead, do you mean the follically challenged?

My better half shaves his head and he walks our "pitbull" here in Soviet Monica. I cannot tell you how many times the cops have profiled him. He looks like a "skinhead" because he has no hair, tattoos & is very muscular...kinda looks like a pit himself. But, he is no criminal and is actually (gym) friends with the police chief. His brother is also a cop.

If you saw him coming down the street, you would probably get out of the way....but if you bothered to talk to him, you would find that he is kind, funny, intelligent and a fabulous story teller (Irish).

[MissAmericanPie]

I have to agree with your fine analogy. The owners should be subject to stiff fines and even jail time if a fatality results from their ownership of an animal large enough to kill or maim.

[keri]

You and xzins are both wrong. Xzin's myth is ridiculous and should once and for all be laid to rest. Pitbulls are canines, not crocodiles...their jaws do not lock, they do not exert "x" (fill in the blank) number of lbs of pressure, yadda yadda.

Actually the reason pitbulls are more inherently dangerous is that they have a (often, genetic) built in lack of tolerance for pain.

This is completely and utterly false. Pitbulls are dogs and have no such "gene." This is a myth that rivals the "locking jaw" rumor and it about as stupid. Pitbulls have certain qualities called forbearance and courage. These qualities, in certain situations, may make it seem as if pitbulls are impervious to pain, but they are not. They have nerve endings like all canines.

Sorry if I seem rude, but this crap is tiresome.

[keri]

It bans pitbulls from the city limits, and says a dog can be determined to be a pit bull if a veterinarian, zoologist or animal control officer says it is.

Lovely. Just lovely. Who gets to determine if a dog is "vicious"? I missed reading that part. Seems to me that would be more important than who gets to identify the breed. No agenda here, though. (It makes me ill.)

This hits my town and we go to court.