Anchorage girl in critical condition following dog attack
Published Saturday, August 16, 2008
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Stumble It!ANCHORAGE -- A child that was attacked by a pit bull in Anchorage earlier this week remains in critical condition.
The girl's family says Isis Krieger's father is making his way home from Iraq to be with her.
The 6-year-old is in critical care at the Alaska Native Medical Center.
The attack Tuesday by the family's pit bull left the girl with severe neck injuries.
The dog attacked both the girl and her baby sitter, 20-year-old Kristine Smith, while the girl's mother was at work. A neighbor shot and wounded the dog, which later was put down.
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How I knew just by reading the headline that was a pitbull? We shoud ban this kind of dogs. Kill them all.
The news last night said the girl is brain dead and on life support. They are waiting for her Father to get here before they remove the life support. It's a sad story and I'm glad they were able to find the dog and put it down.
Our thoughts and prayers will be w/the family.
Go to ADN and read the rest of the story.
The dog had bitten the mom a time or two, the great grandma had called animal control, the dog had attacked the other dogs...
our prayers are for the little girl and her family, may they be given support and strength to get thro the rest of their lives, the guilt will be with them always.
It's unfortunate that this child's life has been lost simply because her father's senseless bravado. Now his daughter has to pay for it with her life. I wouldn't be surprised if the state files charges against the parents for child endangerment, especially if what is said to be true that the dog had previously attacked the mother twice before and she still allowed the dog to stay in the home. What senseless loss of life.
Just like a bear, first time a dog attacks a human, it is put down.
Hopefully others will learn from this. You need to know about the breed of dog you have and you need to be sure the dog has been trained. Dog ownership is a responsibility to your family and others, as well as the dog.
No words can express the sorrow that this family must be feeling.
There are so many wonderful dogs that would never bite anyone. I cannot understand what anyone would want to own a pit bull. Is it a status symbol of some kind? Makes people look tough? Maybe people want a dog to protect their family. An agressive breed is not the answer. A dog that warns the owner to take action is the way to have protection. A dog that would bite an intruder would bite a family member, under the right circumstances. Dogs should be trained from puppyhood never to put their teeth on a human.
From reading the comments on the ADN's story it sounds like the family had taken precautions to separate the dog and children and the babysitter may have not respected those.
Alaskaflower - I don't think you aren't giving dogs enough credit. They know who "their humans" are and who strangers are, and I think that with the proper training a dog could be trained to attack an intruder and not the family. Look at police dogs. They certainly don't attack their handlers, but can take a suspect down. I think the biggest problem is that people aren't willing to put in the work to properly train these harder to manage breeds.
I also don't think you can lay all the blame directly on the breed of dog. One of my friends has a dog that is 1/2 rottweiler and you would be hard pressed to find a nicer, friendly dog. He looks big and scary and has a loud bark, but he's your best friend once you pet him.
Yeah, Marie, except that's what almost all the owners of these certain breeds of dogs say.
They're unpredictable.
Gotta chime in on this. As a Pit and Rott owner AND a former dog handler ("aggressive" breeds and quarantine dogs were my specialty), I can say that anything with teeth can and will bite when any one of their tolerance thresholds is reached...even people, remember Mike Tyson?
Professionally what I saw over and over was the wrong person choosing the wrong breed and doing all the wrong things. It is MY responsibility to learn each of my dogs thresholds and characteristics. It always amazes me how totally ignorant so many dog owners are about dog behavior and dog language. There are tons of books written by excellent behaviorists, there's just no excuse for not educating oneself.
Personally, I will not own a dog I have to muzzle. Again from experience, I've had to euth my own when it became apparent they were dangerous. These were adult adopted dogs with unknown histories.
And as a rule, Pits make lousy guard dogs, they tend to love people too much. Rotts on the other hand...great, but if the owner can't call the dog off they shouldn't own this breed.
I've seen many, many bite cases. And most were not these breeds but small yappy high strung breeds. The vast majority were preventable.
MrsS
I think with my friends dog the lab 1/2 has mellowed out the Rott 1/2 enough that the dog hasn't needed aggressive training and handling. Not that he isn't well trained, he just hasn't needed any training in not being aggressive.
Pure bread dogs were bread for specific activities and temperments. Each breed is different. How many people bother to research what the dog was bread for and what behaviors are associated with a breed. They buy the dog generally for the wrong reasons and then try to break all the instinctive behaviors that took generations to breed into the dog. You have to learn to drive a car, you have to learn how to handle specific breeds of dogs. You need to know how to modify your behavior as not to get an improper response from the dog. Mix breeds, you sometimes can not tell what you'll get. People somethings see a cute puppy and when it becomes older realize it was not want they thought it would be. Reason the dog pounds are full.
Any person with a dog needs to be in control of the dog at all times. Do not ever think just because it has never bitten anyone, that it will never do that behavior. Thousands of people, many children are bitten every year in the US. Many of them by their pets. Prevent a tradegy like this from happening to your family.
Corrine,
Please explain how you would define "unpredictable"? I've handled thousands of dogs and never yet found one that I couldn't "read".
MrsS
First of all, let me say that I have been a professional dog trainer for decades. I have also been an expert witness for court cases involving bite cases. For many years, I was involved in hearings for bite cases – hundreds of them.
Marie, I agree with your statement that dogs know the difference between their humans and strangers. But that fact has nothing to do with my previous statements.
Yes, it is possible to train a dog to attack an intruder. But what if that “intruder” happens to be a child? Or a mentally handicapped person? Dogs trained to attack intruders cannot distinguish between a genuine threat and an innocent person.
In contrast, it is possible to train a dog to attack on command. This at least puts the burden of judgment upon the human and not on the dog. You mention police dogs. True, police dogs rarely attack their handlers. Normally they attack on command. But those who train and handle attack dogs also know better than to take the risk of bringing such a dog into unsupervised contact with children.
I stand by my statement that the only safe dog to have as a “guard dog” is a dog that will alert the owner to a possible problem, so that the owner can take action. They are called “watch dogs.”
I came away from my years of dog bite hearings with the firm conviction that one dog that is never safe to own is a pit bull. Certainly, they can be loving and gentle. But they can also turn on their owners in an instant, and often do. More often, however, other people, and very often innocent children, are their victims. Over and over, testimony was given that the biting dog was sweet, loveable and gentle, even with children, until it suddenly and viciously attacked.
In my decades as a dog trainer, handler, breeder and exhibitor, I knew only one person who had truly gentle, dependable pit bulls. And, sadly, even that individual eventually encountered problems with agressiveness and the inability to trust the dogs. This person did everything right, from puppy socialization to responsible pet ownership and meticulous training.
The same can be said for Rottweilers. I actually considered owning a Rottie at one time. They are beautiful, intelligent animals. But, again, I knew only one breeder who was responsible enough to never breed an aggressive animal, and who also did everything right. Even this individual eventually had problems with some dogs becoming aggressive.
Very surprisingly, one of the most common breeds involved in the bite incidents, in addition to pit bulls, was Labrador Retrievers. You would think a Lab would be gentle like a Golden Retriever. Both are hunting dogs. Both are normally happy and friendly. But many Labs are very exciteable, unlike the laid-back Goldens. That, coupled with lack of responsible training and dog ownership, resulted in many dog bite cases. Most Lab bites, however, were possibly accidental – the result of not being trained not to grab at hands and feet and pants cuffs. The pit bull bites, on the other hand, were all deliberate attacks.
While we saw a lot of bites that occurred from herding-type dogs chasing and biting kids on bicycles, we rarely saw, in contrast to Mrs S’s observation, many bites from “small yappy high strung breeds.”
A dog is not a toy. It is a responsibility. Please take the time to educate yourself before making a commitment to obtain a dog. (Note the word “commitment.” Dogs are not disposable toys.) Learn about the various breeds, and choose one that is right for your family, your activities, your home, and your willingness to provide proper training and supervision. Then seek out a responsible breeder. NEVER buy a puppy from a pet shop. Listen for a breeder than understands the importance of puppy socialization. Look for a breeder whose puppies are part of the family – well- socialized, ideally wincluding exposure to children, and already somewhat trained. Talk to the breeder about temperament. Never get a dog from a breeder who does not place a heavy emphasis on temperament. Avoid getting a dog on impulse. And never get a dog from someone who is anxious to “get rid of” their puppies. Take time to find a breeder who knows the importance of matching up puppies with the right potential owner. The hyper puppy is not a good fit for the elderly couple looking for a laid-back companion. And the lazy puppy won’t be happy with an avid hiker and backpacker.
Finally, no matter how sweet and loveable Fido is, never, never forget that he is a dog. Dogs are prey animals. They instinctively chase and capture prey – whether it be a mouse, a cat, a rabbit, or a small child. They are running on instinct and adrenalin, and it is a rare dog (although there are some) that will put on the brakes in mid-chase and realize that his prey may be a child. NEVER, EVER, leave a baby or a small child alone with a dog, however gentle the dog may seem. This is just plain common sense. IT IS NOT WORTH THE RISK! Remember their nature is to chase and capture prey. Along this line, teach your children not to run from a frightening dog, but to slowly back away. And teach your child that there are certain dogs that are natural herders – Collies, Shelties, etc., that will chase them on their bicycle and try to bite at their pants legs or their feet. Stopping and getting off to walk the bite may avoide a confrontation. Common sense and a little education goes a long way when it comes to dealing with dogs.
MrsSaenz, I think you answered your own question. You've handled thousands dogs; your experience allows you to interpet the signals others cannot see. I agree wholeheartedly when you say there is no excuse for not educating yourself about the animal you choose to adapt; accidents happen through ignorance, not preparation. It is unfortunate so many people either ignore the needs of their pet, or attempt to train it and fail. This creates the "unpredictability" which leads to unfortunate situations such as this family now endures. It should stand as a lesson to all of us.
My sympathy to the Krieger and Smith families.
Very good information akflower. I really like my blue heeler but I have to watch him around children. As stated sledding biking and the like gets them very excitable.
Pat
Another thing to take into consideration is that many dogs become more aggressive when they begin to approach sexual maturity. This varies according to the breed of dog, and may be anywhere from 14 months to 24 months. For most dogs, this probably occurs around 18 months of age. They begin to become more territorial. I have observed this to be especially true with wolf hybrids. May of these “dogs” are friendly and laid-back as pups and teenagers, but will go through a distinct change in temperament as they begin to mature. Most attacks by wolf hybrids thatI have heard about were at this time in their lives, and were usually directed at their owners. Sort of a power play, an assertion of dominance against another in “the pack.”
MrsS and Akflower, thanks for the good info!
DenaliGuy, what you say is true. But there are some dogs that are by nature unpredictable. Their temperament can be sweet and loveable one moment and snarly or outright viscious the next. These characteristics are more common in some breeds than ibn others. Having said that, I guess that makes them somewhat "predictable."
The sad thing is that humans bred pit bulls for their own grotesque and selfish reasons - for dog fighting. Unfortunately, now ignorant people are taking these dogs in as pets. A very bad idea, especially when there are small children around. I feel very bad for the breed and very sad for this family.
I guess my pit was the exception,i raised him since he was 8 weeks old and never had an incedent,he was raised as a family member and treated as one untill he passed away,he was around 5 when my daughter was born and as a baby she would crawl all over him,the only time he ever showed aggression was toward another stray dog while it approched my mother and daughter.I never taught him to jump or lock his jaw like you see these idiots on tv.He was a perfect family member untill he passed away at 13yrs of age.
ak flower and eumesmo are misinformed you ever see the show dog wisperer? He`s got a giant "loving trustworthy pitbull.Did he get his show from being uninformed like you two? IT`S THE TRAINER NOT THE BREED! akflower --you are in denial]]] YOU are NOT a "professional".(
Average Joe - I do think that the breeder and what dogs they breed together has a lot to do with it too. I think for dogs like Rottweilers and Pit Bulls it's a combination of nature and nurture that will produce either a mean dog or a friendly dog.
Just another thing I wanted to add - My friend found his Rott/Black Lab as a puppy. It, along with it's litter-mates had been dumped and it was one of the two puppies that were still alive when found so we have no idea what his pedigree is. It was only after a chance encounter with someone who owns a 1/2 Rott 1/2 Black lab mix that looks identical to his dog that we figured it out. Now that we know you can definitely see the Rottweiler in him, even though it hasn't come out in his nature.
"giant "loving trustworthy pitbull", they are very nice until they snap. How do you suppose that I knew that was a pitbull just reading the headlines? Because the story is always the same. Every time you hear of somebody being killed by a dog (and that happens a lot lately), guess what the breed is?!!! Look at the numbers.
http://www.swivel.com/data_columns/sprea...
MrsS-Thank you to you and the others who have posted lots of great information here. I hope someone takes it to heart and thinks twice before making a impulse decision that could have serious repercussions.
I can second your comment about Labs. I've seen them be very aggressive and come after children. I never have understood people who justify allowing their dog to run loose through the neighborhood because "they won't hurt anyone". Dogs behave completely different when they are not on your property and around their owners. There is a leash law for a reason.
My neighbor's roly-poly shepherd, nine years old, and in my experience nothing but a big ol' ball of fur and love, up and killed a duck the other day. You just never know.
I've had nothing but black lab mixes since I was eight years old, and nothing but good luck with them. They aren't brain surgeons, but they tend to be good-natured. Still, when the kids were young, they weren't allowed to be around our dogs unsupervised. It's just simple caution.
And I second Sweet71 on leashes. My dogs do not belong in my neighbors' yards. Especially if I'm not there to supervise them. Dogs are like kids. The grownups are responsible for them.
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