Question:
I was watching the news today and saw a story about a 2 year old boy who was attacked by an Akita. It wasn't their dog and apparently he was either 1) playing in the dogs water bowl or 2) trying to take back a piece of pizza he had given the dog (stories vary, the news gave the pizza version) right before he was attacked. Now the dog is being destroyed.
Maybe I am off my rocker here but I feel that the owner of the dog and the parents are to blame for this incident...why should the dog be put down? Akitas are KNOWN to be protective dogs (especially over their own things) and are NOT recommended if you have children. What gives?
Anyway, I am very upset by this as you can tell...what do you all think?
Here's the story if you want to read it.
http://www.canada.com/edmonton/story...F-C32950C5D46C


Answer:
I agree that the dog's owner and the child's parents are to blame...not the dog. The health department requires any animal that has bitten to be quarentined for 10 days but I don't think the dog should be euthanized...but I think that is exactly what will happen. You NEVER leave a child alone with a dog...where was his parents?


Answer:
I also side with the dog. Children should not be left alone with pets. The dog should not be euthanized.
It is so sad how we make animals acting on instinct pay for HUMAN mistakes......


Answer:
Candice, I am in complete agreement with you! It is always the animal that suffers from a human being's ignorance. It is an outrage that an innocent animal has to die because of the owner's negligence of allowing an animal that is so fiercely protective to be around children.


Answer:
That's why I NEVER, EVER allow my animals to be around children. Hank has displayed aggression towards a child in a stroller once when we were having a walk, & now I politely tell people with kids outside that it is NOT alright for them to touch her.
If any of my pets were to be destroyed because a child teased them.........


Answer:
This is a touchy subject. The only problem I usually see is the pet owners not taking responsibility for an "attack" type dog. I have heard of plenty of repeat attacks and the owner not doing his/her share to prevent repeat attacks. I guess each case is different.
I still cannot understand how anyone can get a known attack dog and not foreseeing something like this. Pitbulls scare the hell out of me. I have heard people say they are so cute/big babies/etc. but then I hear yet another story of a "cute big baby" taking a toddlers throat out and I wonder.. Each case is different and unique, yes..I dont' debate that-just my opinion.


Answer:
I agree Ilse, repeat attacks complicate things a bit. But I still feel that the owners should be able to keep their dog in the yard, not let strange people approach the dog, etc.

It is true, there are breeds that are more inclined to attack because that is how they have been bred for years. I'm not sure where I heard it but apparently the most dog bites in the US come from golden retrievers...granted there are more goldens than most other dogs but it's still food for thought.
I have met several pitbulls in my life and only one has actually scared me. He lunged at my dog as if he was going to attack him. Thankfully the owner got control of the dog. The other two that I have met were my aunt's dogs and they were both really friendly. The one was especially nice, all he wanted to do was play and be loved on. On the other hand, my golden wouldn't hurt a flee but I do know some very agressive goldens that I wouldn't want to be alone with.


Answer:
I don't agree. While it was extremely stupid of the parents to leave a child alone with a dog, a dog that shows a propensity to biting HARD will always have a propensity to biting HARD. The dog is a ticking time bomb, that it has no bite-sensitivity, and is possessive aggressive to this extreme. This dog sounds dangerous, and I don't like dangerous dogs being out in the community.
Has anyone here ever been bit? If you were bit by a dog with a "soft mouth", the dog probably barely pierced the skin. If this akita was of a better temperament and better socialized, it wouldn't have bit so destructively to teach the child a lesson -- it would have snarled, or snapped. Not attacked.
Yes, it's the parents' fault for leaving their child alone with a dog. But that dog proved itself to be dangerous, and shouldn't be trusted again. What's sad is, the dog probably showed many signs of being dangerous, but its owners didn't take heed.


Answer:
Whoa! Did you see that kid's face? I really should read the link before I respond...that was a pretty severe bite! I agree with GC..that dog is dangerous. I still blame the dog owner because they should have known that their dog was capable of inflicting that kind of damage...


Answer:
Oh, btw, I didn't mention it in my earlier post but I definitely agree with that dog being put down.