I was reading this story about a woman who was attacked by her dog and had her nose bitten off. The story is HERE if you want to see it. I wasn't that interested until I read that her pet Greyhound had attacked her in her sleep and then I saw this photo of the dog. Then it caught my attention. I remember the first face transplant I ever read about, it was also a lady who's pet dog attacked her in her sleep. This stuff is disturbing to a dog lover like me, dogs usually want nothing more than to please you. But it does happen. When I looked at that picture, I thought, well, there's a clue right there, but, most people can't read the clues until it's too late. We trust our animals and love them and we can't recognize that some animals are mentally disturbed like humans are sometimes, it's inconceivable to us. The clue is in the dogs posture. The eyes are a trick of the flash, they don't count this time, but, when an animal puts its head down lower than it's back and flattens it's ears, it's ready to make an attack. That dog is looking at the camera, not it's owner, so maybe she didn't see what I see in that photo. Maybe the dogs aggression was aimed at the person taking the photo. That time. It's also draped over her knee, so it's hard to say for sure what it was doing, but, the picture made me shiver.*
I've never been attacked by a dog, except silly ankle biters, but, I've owned big aggressive dogs and watched them and I've been attacked by a raccoon. She had that same stance. Lowered head, ears flattened, tail tucked. There is usually no warning growl. If there is, it's low in the throat and long, but, not loud. It seems to me, if a dog barks during a growl, it is not planning on biting you. It's warning you. It's probably a little afraid of you and wants to assert dominance. The best thing to do in a case like that is to look at the ground, not make eye contact, that way you show the animal respect and you're not challenging. You can usually back away. If it advances you can use the element of surprise and yell at it and stomp. We have a lot of feral dogs around here and I run into them every once in awhile. It always works, they're really just afraid of you.
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But, that attack stance..man, that's a bad sign. Even if you manage to stop the attack, bluff, whatever..that animal IS going to go for you when your vulnerable, usually when you're sleeping. When an animal like that gets it in it's head that it wants you dead, the first thing it goes for is the middle of the face. The nose. I don't know why. Maybe someone on here can explain that. After it disfigures you, it goes for the throat, and the kill. All I know for sure is, if you have an animal who has come at you, silently, with that stance, you'd better get rid of it. It won't get better. I love animals, but, I've learned that you can't fix everything with love and kindness. Some of them need to be put down.
But, that attack stance..man, that's a bad sign. Even if you manage to stop the attack, bluff, whatever..that animal IS going to go for you when your vulnerable, usually when you're sleeping. When an animal like that gets it in it's head that it wants you dead, the first thing it goes for is the middle of the face. The nose. I don't know why. Maybe someone on here can explain that. After it disfigures you, it goes for the throat, and the kill. All I know for sure is, if you have an animal who has come at you, silently, with that stance, you'd better get rid of it. It won't get better. I love animals, but, I've learned that you can't fix everything with love and kindness. Some of them need to be put down.
28 comments:
i'm sure you read about the couple who were killed by a pack of feral dogs a few weeks ago in georgia i believe....
This is why I don't have pets. Do midgets count as pets? Then I have pets.
Pat, I learn so much from you.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge
about-well,so many interesting
things. I've learned how to dry herbs and seeds--trying my luck on Sunflowers right now. I appreciate
your site.
I didn't read that, Tia, do you have a link? A pack of ferals is dangerous, pack mentality. We see those once in awile. Someone usually takes care of the problen with a high powered rifle.
Thanks, Vicki, but, I learn a lot from my readers comments too. Sunflowers are a mess to dry, aren't they? I was putting them in tins to use as birdfood and then I thought, well, geez, the birds can eat out in the garden just as well and I left a bunch. They can pick them themselves. If it snows enough to cover them, we're in trouble.
Pat you're dead-on in your reading of that dog's body language. Also correct in that most dogs that threaten are afraid rather than aggressive.
There are plenty of dogs with mental/physical problems that will translate into problems for people/kids/other animals. The physical problems can't always be helped, in those cases those dogs need to be put down. People hate hearing that but the truth is, it's better for everyone ESPECIALLY the dog.
The dogs with mental problems are almost always ruined by people - whether through inbreeding or more usually, people treating them like fur babies instead of what they are -DOGS. Those dogs can be saved by the right person but the right person doesn't always come along.
IMO, understanding dogs should be taught in school from an early age along with things like proper sex education, common-sense finances and other things that most of us only learn through trial and error.
also, a pack of feral dogs is extremely dangerous, even much more so than a pack of wolves.
Up in the Northern Ontario country where we have our cottage, the locals will shoot feral dogs on sight, without discussion or remorse. For that reason there aren't many but it does happen. They are killers plain and simple. Yes they're just trying to survive but they'll do so by killing and eating you, your mother, your father, your kids and your own pets.
Because feral dogs were once domesticated, they have little to no fear of humans like wolves do. Don't feel sorry for them, they sure as hell don't feel sorry for you.
My boyfriend had a Doberman once that was the sweetest thing and he had raised her from a pup. One night while laying next to him on the floor she suddenly bit him in the face. He was stunned and upset but let it go. A couple of weeks later they found out that she had brain tumor and had to put her down. The vet said that the tumor probably caused her erratic behavior.
I read a couple of years ago, it was on TV also, about a lady that had taken some pain pills and gone to sleep for a long time and her dog chewed her nose and most of her lips off. She woke up and didn't even know it, until she went to light a cigarette and it kept falling out of her mouth. She went to look in the mirror and her face was gone and there was blood everywhere. She must've been on some strong shit; she didn't even FEEL IT or notice the blood all over her?!?! She got a face transplant and is ok.
I worked at Kennedy Airport many years ago and the flats around the airport, there were ferral dogs. About once a year, they'd put a bounty on them and they were fair game to anyone who could shoot them and bring them in.
http://tinyurl.com/nmxryz
I also knew of a standard poodle that attacked a woman when she was sleeping. They had to shoot it in the house.
I had a friend who had 3 adopted greyhounds. Out of the blue one attacked another and almost killed it.
I'm a dog lover and have two big ones, myself. They are the loves of my life.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090819/ap_on_re_us/us_deadly_dog_attack_11
you don't even need to take down your sunflowers...just keep them up and the finches and other birds will eat them as they dry!
Pat, I was going to leave the plant itself alone and only take a few flowers to dry but the rain/wind we had Friday completely knocked over the plant (It came up on it's own) and I couldn't back out of the Garage without it getting ran over (It's stem was broken in it's fall) so I took off all the flowers to dry. And yes, they do seem messy, but I'm trying anyway--along with dill, rosemary and other herbs.
I kept some for Bee, but, she prefers the store bought ones for people. The winter birds will have a feast here, I left corn up for the squirrels too.
BTW, that raccoon..she got me in my sleep. Went for the face, then the throat.
understanding dogs should be taught in school from an early age
I totally agree. We're taught from an early age to anthropomorphize animals. Well they aren't human and they don't have human behaviors. It's dangerous to imagine their behaviors are just doggie ways of expressing what a human would. Instead we should be taught that animals are motivated by a completely different set of rules than we are. It would save a lot of people the problem of dealing with animal behaviors that too often end up in tragedy. It would save a lot of confusion and mixed messages we foist upon our pets also. Yes they're part of the family but never forget they are an animal with an animal's perspective.
I find your insights so interesting dd. Are greyhounds more suseptable to these problems? They seem to be in the news a lot with regard to attacks on people or having mental issues? There had a racetrack (greyhound) in a nearby town where I lived and many people would adopt the dogs who couldn't race anymore. I often chatted to these owners as they walked their dogs past my house and they often mentioned their dogs were very high maintenance, temperamental and not good with children at all.
I really don't know, Frim. I had a retired Greyhound as a kid, my dad brought it home from the track. She was really sweet. But, I had a St. Bernard pup once that was just born mean and I could never trust him. He was just born dangerous. I had a German Shepherd who was a retired Army sentry dog, I got her when I was 12 and my stepfather took her to impress a client. He warned me she was dangerous, but, by then I'd already hugged the crap out of her outside. She was really well trained and never a problem. The step fuck and my brother wouldn't go near her though. This is long, but, my point I guess is that all animals are different. You learn to read their signals and trust your instincts.
Has anyone noticed the feral dogs are usually big dogs? I think it's because idiots think big dogs are cool and don't understand the responsibility of socializing them.
I think I'll stick with my cats !!!
I definately think animals can suffer from mental health issues just like humans. I am quite sure my cat suffers from schizophrenia. Ever since she was a kitten she has run after things that aren't there (I don't mean playfully, I mean agressively pursuing *nothing*), and while she runs down the hall she will look over her shoulder as if she is sure somebody is following her (when no one is). I have other cats and she simply cannot stand to be in the room with them because it freaks her out. I even put her on anti-anxiety pills, but they didn't do anything.
One-on-one, she is a very loving and happy cat, so I have not put her down. She usually hangs out in the bedroom with me, purring.
If she ever becomes totally consumed by her fears I will have her put to sleep b/c that's no way to live.
I think the Greyhounds have been ruined by the inbreeding. We used to have a track in this town too and there's still alot of them around. I see them quite a bit at the dog park and they skeeve me out. Don't like their body language or their eyes.
please excuse. test. lost a post.
Socialization is key as Pat mentioned. The prey/predator relationship applies here.
I was chased down by a rancher's "Hog catcher"- usually a Pit Bull or Argentine Dogo, or a large headed dog they release after the other dogs bay a pig someplace in the bush. The catcher bites down on the wild pig and holds until the hunter stabs or spears or shoots the pig, though shooting is not recommended because of the chance of hitting a dog.
This guy's catcher was an enormous Argentine Dogo that he released and immediately turned and charged me!.
I was in a forward vehicle and noticed the dog as I dismounted the rear of the truck. As soon as I hit the ground I noticed the dog's attitude change and he lowered his head and accelerated. The owner of the dog yelled "Shoot him or he'll git ya!"--I was so mad I thought about the plugging the silly son-of-a-bitch, but my attention was on the animal who was still trying to get me even though he was mortally wounded and on the ground. I was amazed at his tenacity and will to kill me.
My buddy that owns the ranch said that these guys fed their dogs horse feed to get them big and they don't socialize the dogs. The pack of hunting dogs even leave when the catcher gets there.
jarhead
Jarhead, that's such a sad story about the way they treat their dogs. Dogs are such good..people. Hunters here keep these stupid bird dogs and I hate the way they use them once a year and keep them like a pet rock. They're mostly really stupid because of it.
And they brag on them, like, "yep, old bessie is the best bird dog in three counties!" Yep, old Bessie just pissed on my couch.
I have never had an animal attack me until recently and it's the cat next door. He's done it the last 3 times I've seen him. He wants to come into my house and if I try to stop him, he attacks my legs. I have never been violent towards him or even picked him up. I just stop and wait for him to finish brushing against my legs and then start walking again. It's when I start to walk that he bites and scratches. I'm not sure what to do. He's a mostly outdoor cat and asking the neighbor to keep him inside seems cruel and I certainly don't want him put down. I just need him to stop attacking me. It's upsetting because animals usually love me and he used to too.
The lady who got the first face transplant had apparently taken an almost lethal amount of drugs (on purpose, it is suspected - apparently she was suicidal)and was unconscious for the whole dog-chewing-face thing. It's thought that her dog was trying to revive her initially and when she wouldn't come to, it became more and more alarmed and finally freaked out. Gross story...and yes, I do feel bad for the dog.
Lu
Hmm while sleeping? I wonder if the women snored? Would snoring resemble growling to a dog, causing it to attack?
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