Dear Uncle Matty: I agree with you that vicious dogs may have to be put down. I have always felt dogs should be properly trained, and I think the California dogs (the Presa Canario dogs whose owners are now on trial because the dogs mauled to death Diane Whipple) should have been destroyed. What about a beautifully behaved dog that loves everyone except the person (teenager) who unmercifully teases it at every opportunity from the other side of her fence and works it into a frenzy? It really makes my blood boil when I see people of any age teasing an animal for "fun" and then whine that the dog growled or bit. — Tinker, Glendale, Ariz.
Dear Tinker: Tormenting an animal is abusive behavior, and I put it in the same pocket as hitting a dog. Sooner or later, an animal that is being abused by tormenting or hitting may try to defend itself, and what manifests is an aggressive response. This is a people problem. If someone were tormenting my dog through the fence, I'd speak to that person, and if the abuse continued, I'd report him.
I received an e-mail recently from a lady in Ventura, Calif., who wanted me to call attention to another problem: people who are warned about an aggressive dog and fail to heed the dog owner's warnings. She said, "If you go to someone's house, or you are in the park, and someone tells you to please not approach their dog or not to go into the back yard, respect the dog owner's advice . . . I can't tell you how many times I have taken extra care with our border collie only to have people blatantly disrespect my wishes and just keep coming. It's like a challenge to their ego."
If a person has an aggressive dog that is well-confined behind a safe fence on their own private property, and they have posted warning signs or have told someone not to enter the yard, that is a warning that should be heeded. What idiot is going to enter a yard that clearly is posted? I guess there are a few of them who would ignore the warnings.
However, if you have a dangerous and aggressive dog that is unpredictable, a public park is not an appropriate place to walk the dog. Even if you have good leash control and the dog is trained, there are too many unexpected possibilities: a child running by too closely or an approaching off-leash dog.
Charlotte Webb of Wausau, Wis., sent me a newspaper clipping about a 10-year-old Elroy, Wis., girl who was mauled to death by six, count 'em — six Rottweilers that were in the house the child was visiting. The child had been there before. It was her best friend's house. She knew the dogs, and her father said she was not afraid of them. But this time, the children were left alone in the house with a bunch of dogs that had a history of aggressive behavior. And the unthinkable happened.
The tragedy could have been avoided. The owners knew that these particular dogs were dangerous. Believe me, the signs are always there. They should have been concerned about their own daughter and certainly any other children. Why were these dogs allowed around children at all? Anytime? What were these dog owners thinking? They knew the dogs were aggressive, and they just said to themselves, "Nothing bad will happen."
They ignored the problem. They had the warning signs. They allowed this tragedy to happen.
Please, if you have a dog regardless of age or breed or length of time the dog has been with your family — and that dog has shown signs of aggression like growling, snapping and perhaps even biting — wake up. Do something about it. Consult a recognized, qualified trainer who knows how to deal with dog aggression. Find out what kind of aggressive behavior you are dealing with. Some aggressive behavior can be modified, but that doesn't mean it's cured. Then, understand that you are responsible for the behavior of your dog and the safety of others who may come in contact with your dog. —Uncle Matty
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