Video Driving Horse attacked by dog in the US

[scruffyponies]

I don't believe large, aggressive breeds should be bred at all. The consequences of an attack by an animal with such big jaws, in combination with aggression is too dangerous.

Define agressive. Unless owned by complete retards, most big breeds are of the gentle molosser type - Rottweilers, Labradors, Mastiffs are all known for comparative lazy gentleness. (full disclosure: I am biased. My 10yo Rottie x bullmastiff is the best, softest, most loving and generally perfect peaceable beast in the world, ever).

My friend had a a pit bull when my children were small, and they played together regularly. Lovely dog, steady and absolutely not agressive. It lived on a smallholding with horses, pigs, chickens. The only thing it was a danger to was footballs.

 

[Caol Ila]

On a lighter note, when I worked at a dressage barn many years ago, my boss' Jack Russells liked attacking my truck, especially when I was trying to leave the barn on my lunch break or at the end of the day when I was really fkucking tired and wanted to go home. They would run around the wheels, snapping at it, and I couldn't move the truck without squashing one. As squishing your boss' dog is not a great career move, I'd sit there, trapped and annoyed.

 

[Mule]

Define agressive. Unless owned by complete retards, most big breeds are of the gentle molosser type - Rottweilers, Labradors, Mastiffs are all known for comparative lazy gentleness. (full disclosure: I am biased. My 10yo Rottie x bullmastiff is the best, softest, most loving and generally perfect peaceable beast in the world, ever).

My friend had a a pit bull when my children were small, and they played together regularly. Lovely dog, steady and absolutely not agressive. It lived on a smallholding with horses, pigs, chickens. The only thing it was a danger to was footballs.

Dogs on the banned list. I understand that individual dogs may not be aggressive but the large size and large jaws enable those that are to inflict serious injury or death.

 

[Rowreach]

Didn't anyone else notice that in the aftermath they were paying far more attention to the effing dog than to the poor woman who, it turns out, was seriously injured?

I'm full of admiration for the behaviour of the horse and the handling of it by the driver and assistant.

 

[Shilasdair]

I've had a healthy dislike of dog owners since the day I was walking, alone, on a public footpath when two black labs ran up to me, loose.

The owner shouted 'watch out - they bite!' so I stopped with my arms up against my chest, and waited until they had gone by.

What I really should have done was punch the owner in the face.

 

[PurBee]

Pretty sure this is wrong PB. The stats I have seen are very different, and as you would expect, correlate much more closely with the number of each breed actually in the country. Pit bulls aren't that common. Labradors attack far more people, just because there are loads of them around.
There are more attacks by Pit Bulls in the US because they are very very common there.

In terms of attacks on people, the biggest common factor is non-resident people (usually children) being attacked by resident dogs. Typically it is grandma's perfectly quiet little pooch which goes for the grand-kids. From the dogs point of view it is often either resentful of the intruder, or attempting to 'discipline' what it sees as an uppity puppy... and that's assuming the child didn't actually cause the attack by hurting a dog which isn't used to children.

As far as carriage driving goes, my personal experience is that it's terriers who are reactive, and will snarl/bark/lunge at a carriage horse. Fortunatley most are on a lead because they usually have poor recall too. I always complement an owner with a well behaved terrier. They are either very lucky or have put in a lot of work.

I'm very surprised by that, even more so as pit bulls are a banned breed in the UK. I haven't been able to find the link you mention - do you have it to hand? I've found an incomplete list of fatal dog attacks in the UK, which shows an interesting change in the breeds involved. In the 90s and early 2000s, the most reported are Rotties. In the late 2000s and 2010s, it's mostly bull terriers/Staffies/bulldogs/mastiffs. I have no idea whether this shows a change in the fashionable snarling-dog-on-a-chain, a change in media bias, or simply that there are more bull-types around.



I absolutely agree with you on that, although it's quite alarming that at least two of the fatalities on the list involved Jack Russells.

sorry folks - i forgot that the wiki link from the other thread was for fatal dog attacks in the uk , not all types of dog attacks. And of course it wont list ALL fatal attacks as stats can rarely be 100% accurately compiled

found the link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_dog_attacks_in_the_United_Kingdom

From the list, the dogs most mentioned are a ‘bull’ blend.

But as you say pippity, the trends over the years have changed public perception about breeds, and the ones wanting a ‘tough dog’ rarely take seriously how training to be a guard dog can be encouraging aggressive instincts.

 

[conniegirl]

If the horse is in a carriage the result could be fatal either way. A bolting horse with a carriage behind it could kill itself and several people quite easily.

Yes but generally one good kick and the herding types back off.

 

[SusieT]

Those who think 'certain breeds' shouldnt be pets- remember the dog in a london park chasing a deer- that was I think a retriever I think of some sort? And the one that brought a deer down recently and had to be shoved off on a main road- a labradoodle..

Any large dog is capable of inflicting serious injury temperment, environment, owner depending.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

That’s true but there are definite breed characteristics in animals.

You get nappy, sharp cobs who have been badly produced by ignorant owners, and you get fabulous, well produced OTTBs who hack on the buckle and you would let a child ride.

But if someone was considering buying their first horse, on the whole, we’d be recommending they shop in the cob bracket rather than get an ex racehorse.

My collie won’t herd, is terrified of sheep, has no working drive whatsoever and isn’t neurotic or hard work in any way. But I appreciate he is the exception not the rule, and I wouldn’t be arguing that collies, as a breed, don’t have a herding drive and are laid back, lazy dogs.

Breeds that have been specifically created to be attack dogs, security dogs, fighting dogs etc will be more aggressive than racing or herding breeds.

 

[Wishfilly]

That horse is an absolute saint, and it's incredibly lucky that no bystanders were hurt. The driver is an absolute hero, too.

I am very much in the "deed not breed" camp, but I do think there are breeds that need more responsible owners and more close control.

FWIW, I find the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and work really hard to make sure their dogs don't bother the horses when we are out hacking.

 

[scruffyponies]

Yes but generally one good kick and the herding types back off.

A bolting horse doesn't hang around to kick the thing it is running from.

Breeds that have been specifically created to be attack dogs, security dogs, fighting dogs etc will be more aggressive than racing or herding breeds.

This just isn't true. The most agressive dogs ARE herding dogs. Armies and police everywhere use GSD, Mallinois etc.

 

[LadyGascoyne]

A bolting horse doesn't hang around to kick the thing it is running from.


This just isn't true. The most agressive dogs ARE herding dogs. Armies and police everywhere use GSD, Mallinois etc.

Sorry, should have been more clear. You’re right, I was thinking collies rather than shepherds. Most of those breeds are bred for security these days rather though, rather than active working. It would be interesting to see whether those that are “working lines” are less protective/ defensive / aggressive.

 

[scruffyponies]

LG - I do remember reading that there is a marked difference between the GSD bred in former East Germany and those we are used to. They were effectively banned for all but police and army use, for which they were bred specially... and apparently it shows.

 

[Rowreach]

Any dog is a liability if it isn't effectively controlled.

I was utterly charmed today by a young lad I met out on a circular walk today. The first time I had taken my 3 off the path, and he took his dog past on a short lead, keeping its attention on him.

The second time I was at the top of some steps as he came to the bottom, and he diverted, stood well off to one side with his dog, and let me come past.

He was about 12 years old. We need more dog owners like him.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

The problem with these dogs is that they just don't stop. They will go until they are dead and seem to have no self preservation.

I don't doubt that there are many wonderful pit bull types, however when they see red, they fight to kill. They have no mercy and the damage they can inflict is catastrophic.

They are a ticking time bomb in the wrong hands.

 

[marmalade76]

A bolting horse doesn't hang around to kick the thing it is running from.


This just isn't true. The most agressive dogs ARE herding dogs. Armies and police everywhere use GSD, Mallinois etc.

Rubbish, they are used because they are highly intelligent, love to work and live to please their handlers which makes them incredibly obedient.

 

[twiggy2]

A lot of herding breeds are used as security and personal protection dogs and herding is after all just controlled hunting.