I have been a wreck all day. My puppy – a 10 month old Labradoodle, possibly the cutest dog ever and certainly one of the gentlest – was attacked by a pit bull this morning. Let me reassure you that he is okay, albeit with a large puncture wound on his snout. This is what happened. I was taking him to the groomer’s this morning. I had him on his leash beside my van and I had just lifted my three-year-old son out of his car seat. Barkley was sitting beside me, not barking, not doing anything. A pit bull, on a leash, pulling his 90 pound owner, ran at him and attacked his face. The owner could not call him off. I had to kick the dog in the head several times before he would let go of Barkley.
Now that was traumatizing enough. But the thought of my three-year-old, standing right beside me, and the thought of what could have happened if that pit bull had attacked him instead of the dog…well, I guess you can imagine how I must feel.
I know any dog can attack if provoked. I know any dog is protective of its owner. But what about unprovoked attacks? I know that many people say it is not the breed, it is the owner. However, this owner really seemed…well, nice and very apologetic. Apparently this dog had never been aggressive before. Even if that is true, which it may be, that is exactly the point. If a dog has never been aggressive before, and then suddenly shows aggression, then I’m not sure the owner is to blame. It feels like that is something that is in the dog, which cannot be taken out.
Thoughts?
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