The boy, who Alaska State Troopers haven’t named, was riding his bike after 6 p.m. Tuesday on Reliance Drive, near his home, when the dog attacked.
The boy suffered multiple puncture wounds to his torso and upper and lower extremities. Trooper spokeswoman Megan Peters said the boy’s injuries did not appear to be life threatening.
When troopers responded to Reliance Drive, located on the north side of Chena Ridge, the dog stayed close to the boy’s bike. It then became “extremely aggressive” and attacked a patrol car. A trooper shot and killed the pit bull. The trooper has not been identified.
Troopers have not released any information about the dog’s owner, who could be subject to a criminal investigation.
Greg Wilkinson, spokesman for the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, said the dog did not have current vaccinations. It did not test positive for rabies.
The boy was stabilized at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital before being transferred to Anchorage for treatment.
Pit bulls have gained a poor reputation nationally in recent years, even being banned in some municipalities.
Peters recommended that neighbors take a case-by-case approach to canines.
“Talk to owner and find out about the dog,” she said. “And if you don’t know the dog, don’t approach it.”
I've also read that it was the bulldog that was the one bred by some tribe. Thus how bulldogs, not pits, were used for bull and bear baiting. It wasn't until baiting became illegal that bulldogs were bred with terriers to get pit bulls. That the original reason for breeding was for the vermin hunting, but some *insert sarcasm here* nice and ingenious people got the idea to start throwing them in pits. It was a contest, one dog holding a record that is still held today I believe, for killing over 100 rats in half an hour.
As a pit bull owner, I have to say that there are a lot of points that I agree with. But, also as a pit bull owner there are a lot of things that I do not see either.
If you came in to my house right now my dogs MIGHT wake up. If they woke up they would probably run for you. WITH tails wagging and tongues hanging out. All of my pits have been taught that people, all people, are more alpha than they are. All have been taught that they do not protect, the people do the protecting. I have done my part to ensure that short of tugging on a frisbee with you, there is NO aggression allowed. Pits are explorers. I live on 10 acres, we go for walks, we wander around, they smell and they play. They are dogs. They love kids. My previous apartment had a police officer next door, she had a 10 year old kid. That kid gave my dogs a lot of attention, throwing the tennis ball etc. Another neighbor had a 4 yr old. My dogs didn't even jump on her.
When we learn to stop JUST looking at the breed and to start REALLY looking at the owner, maybe then we will have made progress. As for me. Well, I'll just keep doing what I do with my dogs. Other than when we are at home they are leashed, I carry the bags for picking up the evidence.
To date I have only had ONE pit bull who went hackles up, teeth barred and growling at anyone. He did it one time, to one person only. It made no sense to me. I scorned and let the dog know this was not acceptable behavior. I then felt like a total ***** later that same day. The guy my dog growled at? Yeah... registered sex offender. Liked little kids. A lot.
Everyone says it's the breed, it's the breed. You kick a dog, any dog, there's a reaction. People see pits, they have this preconceived expectation about what is going to happen, how it's going to act. I wonder how many of those dog bites occurred after some kind of instigation from a person? How many of those dog attacks were because the people that owned the dog(s) were some kind of thug? Or thug wanna-be? Or just someone who went "oh! It's a puppy! I must get it!" and then did nothing with it. Dogs, all dogs, will act out just like children, to get attention. And sadly, just like children, any attention is better than no attention at all. And when things like this happen, when people says pits are worthless or should all be put down, I want to take my dogs to them and say "Look? See? This is how they can be!"
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Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona , who painted the jail cells pink and made the inmates wear pink prison garb, also took action regarding animal control.
Maricopa County was spending approx. $18 million dollars a year on stray animals, like cats and dogs. Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over, and the County Supervisors said okay.
The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners. They feed and care for the strays. Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily. He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior. They give great classes for anyone who'd like to adopt an animal. He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given them to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.
The best part? His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million. Teresa and I adopted a Weimaraner from a Maricopa County shelter two years ago. He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day we got him. Cost us $78.
The prisoners get the benefit of about $0.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day. Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc. He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals.
It was used for dog fighting, bull baiting and in war.
After animal baiting was made illegal owners of pit bulls would throw them in pits with a varying number of rats. The dog that killed the most number of rats in a specified time won. This is where the belief that they were bred to control vermin comes from. History tells us otherwise.
The pit bull was developed by a group of people who were fierce warriors and wanted equally fierce fighting animals.
I think the bottom line here is to recognize that different breeds of dogs have certain inherent characteristics. For the pit bull one of those traits is the ability to be dangerously aggressive.
People need to do research on the type of dog they are thinking about acquiring. I politely, but firmly, shut the door on someone who tells me that just always wanted a husky or a Malamute. We also contract with people to bring the dog back at any point, for any reason. As a result in 20 years of working with these animals only 1 has ever been returned to me because of a family breakdown. I continue to get emails and photos from people even though the dogs are now geriatric or passed on to wherever it is that dogs go when they die.
People need to be honest about why they are considering a specific breed. How many Dalmations ended up in pounds after 101 Dalmations hit the theaters? Or how many huskies after Snow Dogs and 8 Below? Stupid, stupid people and equally stupid breeders.
Another point to note is some of the best dogs I've ever had have been mutts straight from the pound. They've lived long, happy lives and were easily integrated in the kennel routines. My old Border Collie cross spent many happy hours running along side the sled barking his head off at it, trying to herd it in the direction he felt it should go. He also played the role of babysitter to a litter of very ill rescued pups and the role of mom to a litter of days old orphaned pups (I bottle fed them and he did everything else). Despite his easy going personality I always remembered that he was still a dog and needed to be supervised when outside, whether that was in the yard or in town.
Pet ownership is a responsibility and a privilege. We owe it to ourselves, our community and our pets to ensure that we are well educated, ready to deal with breed specific traits and equipped to supervise our animals at all times (leashed when away from home, contained in a human manner when we are not around etc). If we do this we lessen the chance of another child being so terribly injured.
Citation, please.
This study clearly refutes your allegations, Vincent, in the link below.
Another study (new window)
As someone who has actually been through a dog attack, maybe I have a different outlook on this.
First, pit bulls were NOT originally bred for fighting. Pit bulls were a breed developed from terriers and bulldogs. They were bred for hunting vermin. That was the original design of the dog.
Second, dogs don't just snap. To say a pit bull will just 'snap' is ignorance. My previous pit bull only ever growled or snarled at ONE person. I found out later, that one person was a child molester. But, at the same point, Musher made a good point about the people that breed/sell pit bulls and those that buy them. I just think the idea should be take a step further. It's not just pit's, it's ALL dogs that are likely to be or have been bred in the different fashions.
Those statistics everyone likes to roll out about pit bulls and dog bites? Yeah.... Did you actually look at the report? Pit bulls are the ONLY breed where they roll in ALL bites for pit bulls AND dogs showing pit bull characteristics. They don't do that with ANY other dog.
It's really sad. A cover on a magazine years ago started this whole terror. Yet, to DATE pit bulls are still the breed that has the MOST medals of commendation. 3 cheers for the media and sensanalization of the negative and little to no thought to the positive.
Then again, I was attacked by a dog while walking on a road. The dog that attacked me? It was a collie. Not a pit bull, not a german shepherd, not a bulldog. A COLLIE.
NPIcepop: Just a side note. Having overweight dogs is not a sign of love or good care. They can develop the same issues as overweight people and because of their size relative to people 3 or 4 extra lbs on a canine poses potentially significant health risks. I'd also be quite concerned about behavior changes. Dogs becoming aggressive with the vet or groomer when they haven't before is a serious issue. Needles given correctly and nails trimmed properly do not hurt.
Our vet will come to our kennel and administer vaccines with no behavior issues from the dogs. I trim nails on a regular basis, again with no issues. We have both Alaskan Huskies and Malamutes and do not tolerate aggressive responses. We have established the correct pecking order with us being at the top. The dogs understand that we are consistent and loving but also swift to deal with unacceptable behavior. The majority of our dogs are spayed/neutered and any breeding we do is carefully considered for temperment.
We've done a fair bit of rescue work (both working and pet dogs) and sadly have had to euthanize some animals who were simply beyond rehabilitation. I simply will not have a dog in my home or kennel I don't trust and certainly will not re-home one that raises that intuitive red flag inside of me.
Different breeds of dogs also come with different inherent traits. Our Malamutes for instance are loyal, loving, people oriented creatures. They are protective of their families, particularly children. They are also stubborn, intelligent and given the opportunity will have rip-roaring fights with other dogs - particularly if the human has not established himself as the clear authority figure and if they have not been well socialized.
We are ultimately responsible for our dog's behavior. The owner of this pit bull failed on many levels. The dog first and foremost was allowed to roam free. The boy's seemingly mundane movement of riding a bike triggered a response I've seen in many dogs - predatory. The problem is that a predatory Yorkie for instance is not likely to inflict the same amount of damage and in the end the Yorkie should be under the care and control of a responsible person at all times.
Pit bulls were bred to protect and fight. This is written into their genetic makeup. I've met some wonderfully friendly and well socialized pit bulls. Does that mean I wouldn't continue to respect the fact that they possess this DNA that can drive them to attack or fight? Of course not.
The problem is that many pits tend to be owned by people who have absolutely no idea how to live with a dog that has such a propensity for aggressive behavior.
The owner of this particular dog was clueless, irresponsible and malicious. The character of the dog and its training (or lack thereof) was demonstrated in the attack and then the guarding behavior of the dog.
The police officer did the right thing. This dog had no place in the community and the owner must be held accountable.
I hope this little boy recovers not only from his physical wounds but also the psychological trauma of the attack. It would be an absolute shame if he could never know what it's like to have the positive companionship of a good dog.
Hey LostAlaskan99712,
I would like to know more about that photo you posted. I have a friend who is in Saudi Arabia photographing dessert wolves and hyenas. Do you know what country this was photographed in?
We have to be honest, not romantic, about dog breeds.
Different dog breeds are categorized by the job that breed was selectively bred to do (sporting group, hound, working, etc). You do not choose a yorkie to pull a sled. You do not choose a golden to be a police dog. You do not choose a newfie to run races. You do not choose a greyhound for dog fighting. Each dog breed was developed for SPECIFIC traits--physical AND mental.
Some breeds are naturally good natured, open, friendly. They are the kinds that will "lead a burglar to the silver". They instantly roll over on their backs (submission) for tummy rubs. They will let you take food from their bowl and even their mouth without question. They do not require a great deal of training to prevent them from being dog/food/resource/or human aggressive. Of course, there are always bad apples. However, as a GENERAL RULE TO THE BREED, they are easy going.
Some breeds, though, are naturally reserved, sometimes suspicious, and have a drive to challenge in order to achieve "alpha" in the pack. EVERY HONEST DOG PERSON WILL TELL YOU THIS. Some breeds require MORE work than others, will specifically state in dog breed bios that they need "strong alphas" in the house. They must have constant socialization from puppy hood. That they are not for inexperienced dog owners. New owners start to learn lingo like "alpha rolling" and hand feeding to prevent food aggression, etc. Dogs from these breeds are not ALL vicious. However, their breeds were BRED ON PURPOSE to encourage the personality traits to defend property and people, fight bears/boars/dogs/intruders. It is unwise NOT to recognize that.
Now, you have the pit bull breeds (which is actually a generic term for several different "pit bull types" like bull terriers, Amer. staf. terriers, etc). In this group, you have three types of "breeders"--the show-ers, the fighters, and the reckless.
The show-ers (as in dog shows, etc) are the good breeders. They live for their dogs and bettering the breed. They are cautious and examine EVERY potential owner carefully, have lengthy contracts, and test their dogs for temperament, etc. They have one or two litters (or none) per year.
The fighters are the testosterone driven men of all walks who just want a "tough dog". They might breed the dog to fight, SELECTIVELY choosing dogs WHICH SHOW more aggression to breed (to ensure the pups are more likely to fight).
The reckless are either capitalizing on the price that one can get for a pit, and sell to anyone, OR their dog got pg by a stray. Think puppy mills and backyard breeders. The people who buy these dogs from these breeders often want a scary dog, not a labradoodle or a golden. The reckless probably will not spay or neuter, nor invest time in careful training or genetic evaluation.
Now, with the show-ers breeding once, maybe, a year, and the fighters and the reckless breeding constantly, whose dogs are going to be flooding the market? NOT the ones that have been hand selected for positive traits.
It just makes sense, folks, that we are going to be running into dogs from poor stock, not the show-ers dogs. The dogs at the pound or pet store are NOT going to be the ones from good stock (as most good breeders will take back their dogs at any time).
Pit bulls, rotties, dobies, and any other dog breed that has been selectively bred through generations to be suspicious and protective need to be controlled. Eliminated as a breed? No. But one must be required to be licensed and checked out as much as one would be for keeping rattlesnakes or bears as pets. Too often people fall in love with a puppy at a store and have NO idea what that breed is about or what that particular dog's background or genetics are. They just see a cute puppy. We have to admit that this happens and that this is part of the problem.
This is unreasonable...like letting just anyone keep baby tigers, wolves, bears. While cocker spaniels might be worse biters, they do not have the strength or the size to be maulers. The differences between being attacked by a cocker and being attacked by a pit bull is like the difference between being run over by a bike and being run over by a freight train--you are going to be more likely to survive one than the other.
And because the pit-type breeds were bred to be fierce and stoic in a fight against boar and other vicious animals, they will not bite and retreat. They will stay in the fight--not even listening to their human. THAT is why the thugs choose pits, not retrievers or spaniels, to be their fight dogs. To not admit that makes no sense.
We have to understand that people will continue to call for the elimination of breeds that cause generally unprovoked attacks and death. These are the breeds that are, by nature, more likely to recognize foe instead of friend, or prey instead of not-prey.
So again, we must ask ourselves: what sort of pit are we MOST likely to run into at our neighbors or at the pound? The excellent, docile type? Or the one that was bred recklessly or to be deliberately aggressive?
You want to ban dogs but not stupid people. I say keep the dogs get rid of the people. Dogs react, again I repeat myself which I don't like to do,based on the treatment they receive and the way they are trained. The issue is not all on the dog it is the owner as well and the training or lack thereof.
Once the people learn how to respect the animal it will be soooo much better. The animals don't ask for much just a little love and attention and food and water. If you can't give that then DO NOT GET THE ANIMAL!
Sorry but the dog cannot take itself to the clinic!
That is the best comment I have read here yet.
NPIcepop:
A dog to human analogy is ridiculous.
Between my spouse and I, we have owned: komondor, mal, mal mix, GSD, GSD mix, golden, yorkies, hound mix, and an australian shepherd.
It is not ALWAYS about "bad owners". We had one dog that had to be put down because she was SO progressively aggressive (fear/food/dog/resource/territory/then people), even after extensive training and classes, that even the very good breeder said "Yes, put her down, there is a problem.".
I know of two other dogs who were born to a sick mother and had had a difficult birth (and were owned by two DIFFERENT families from puppyhood) who both had problems with aggression. The problem was obviously genes/brain damage, as neither family knew the other family at all and the family I knew took good care of the dog (puppy classes, etc).
Sometimes it really is the dog. Dogs are NOT NOT NOT angels in fur. Really, they aren't. (I know "dog spelled backwards is God"...but in spanish "perro" spelled backwards is not "Dios" and in french "chien" spelled backwards is not "Dieu". Dogs are not divine creatures.).
They are not demons in disguise, either. They are just animals. Like any other animal, they are affected not only by the way they were trained, but by their genes. Nurture AND Nature both have a part to play. If you raise every single dog "perfectly" you will still have dogs that are too aggressive to live and some that are friendly even without deliberate socialization.
AND SOMETIMES it is not a "bad dog" thing but a "just a dog" thing. Sometimes it is not that the dog is evil incarnate, but is just not able to make "human" decisions under pressure!!! The thing is that these dogs are DOGS--they are relatively intelligent, as far as animals go, but they are still not like humans. They do not always know that a kid on a bike is not a danger. They do not always recognize that a baby child is not prey. Sometimes they are just wrong, with devastating results. This is the "he has always been friendly!" (until he isn't) situation. The dog, just that one time, acted on instinct, not training, and did not have the ability of higher cognition to understand. We MUST recognize that that happens. Often.
So if a breed of dog is more inclined to defend (rather than retreat or make friends) then that dog's genes/personality will come into play during moments of confusion, excitement, fear, or anger. The dog can be taught to try to overcome that instinct, and I have seen a dog try mightily to do that (low growling, but quivering forcing itself NOT to bite). But can we depend on a dog to be successful each time? No. That is why some dogs are more likely to be on the list of dangerous dogs than others--maybe the owner was honest, good, and did great training, but when the time came, the dog folded and retreated back to personality and instinct.
THAT is why it is proper to look at the breeds and say "Ok, what is this breed of dog more likely to do? Is it by nature a laid back breed? Or was it bred to be more suspicious and guarding?".
It is disingenuous to say every dog in a breed is evil. However, it is equally disingenous (and tragically wrong) to say it is ALL owner and never breed or temperament of dog.
Look at how the dogs are treated and ask yourself if that were you would you want to be short leashed? Kept from food and water? Locked in a fence with minimal contact? Also, look at how the neighbors treat the dogs that are in the fenced areas. I have seen more than one person (adult no less) taunt a fenced dog so the dog would growl or become aggressive.
My dogs are chipped, vaccinated, leashed when out of the yard and my responsibility. If my dog bites someone who is on my property uninvited their fault, if my dog bites on someone elses property because he was uninvited my fault.
There's a leash law, Why wasn't this dog restrained if it was running loose?
As a pitbull owner and I rescue stray Pit bulls I feel for the Breed this will inpact on this community towards this breed. I promise as a responible owner we keep our dogs on leash, go to the vets, and allow our dogs to become part of the family. but this is about what a responible animal owner does but All Dogs bite!!
My thoughts and Prayers for this family as his summer will filled with trips to the doctors and Physical Therapy .. ..