Pit bull safety: 7 attack triggers

It's no secret that dogs can bite. It also shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that pit bull attacks tend to be the most severe of all. The ongoing study of serious and fatal dog attacks conducted by the animal people organization since 1982 indicates that pit bulls, at around 5% of the dog population in the USA, account for more fatal and disfiguring attacks on humans than the other 95% of dogs combined. Several medical studies have shown that the most severe dog bite trauma seen by ER doctors is nearly always inflicted by pit bulls. A 1986 dog attack study showed that pit bulls are 600% more likely to attack their owner than other dogs - and the pit bull attack statistics have been worsening in recent years.

I won't take a side in the debate about who is responsible - bad dogs or bad owners - for the growing number of pit bull victims. That's a topic that has been debated elsewhere and will continue to be debated for the foreseeable future. What I would like to do is help bolster public safety by raising awareness of the sorts of things that can trigger a pit bull attack. A little knowledge can help avoid these scenarios, and make one less likely to suffer a pit bull attack.

Fortunately for this victim the pit bull that attacked her was only 4 months old

Here are 7 deadly triggers to avoid:

1. Attempting to discipline your pit bull. Really.
2. Attempting to intervene when your pit bull attacks another dog.
3. Slipping and falling on the ice while walking your pit bull. Really.
4. Being trapped under a car that falls on you while you're working on it.
5. Handing out peaches to passing children.
6. Going out to feed the horses.
7. Taking a walk on a Sunday afternoon.

This list of 7 triggers is fairly representative, but by no means complete. For a more comprehensive treatment, please consult this list of it bull attack triggers compiled by the fact checkers at dogsbite.org


References
"Are pit bulls different?" - Randall Lockwood, Kate Rindy
"Mortality, Mauling and Maiming by Vicious Dogs" - Bini et al
Dog attacks, deaths and maimings, US & Canada - Merritt

Sparky's story

I came across this story at Small Paws Rescue a couple of years ago but the original web page has disappeared. I'm collecting such stories out of a personal interest in the subject, which I developed after my first dog died. I've quoted the original article in its entirety here.

A few years ago a friend of ours, a really wonderful lady named Lou, was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. At the time of this sad diagnosis, it was too late for the doctors to do much to help Lou. A mutual friend of ours, named Jan, was Lou's very best friend in the whole world. Jan was also a registered nurse and had experienced being with many people, at the end of life.

Over the years, and on many occasions, Jan and I would have "discussions" about whether or not animals would be waiting for us when we die. I always contended that they would be, because the Bible says that there are white horses at the right hand of God, so it always seemed to me that if there were white horses, there would be other animals waiting for us as well. Jan firm stance was that animals did not have souls, therefore they could not go to heaven and they would not be there waiting to greet us. (Her strict religious upbringing was coming through)

As Lou became more and more ill, and grew even closer to death, Jan stayed with her day and night. Lou finally sank into a deep coma and stayed there for three solid weeks. When she died, Jan was there with her, by her side.

Jan called me the next morning to tell me that Lou had passed way the night before. But Jan didn't tell me the rest of the story for several weeks to come. You see, it seems that on the night that Lou died, she awoke suddenly from her coma. Her eyes opened and she said one single, solitary word. Lou exclaimed in a quiet, weakened whisper, "SPARKY!" And then just as suddenly as she had awakened, she died.

None of Lou's family knew who "Sparky" was. Not her husband of 45 years, not her grown children, not Jan, no one. A couple of weeks later, Jan got a call from Lou's family, asking her to please come to their home as soon as possible. It seemed they had something of great importance to show to her. When Jan arrived, Lou's family greeted her with a smile, and then put something in Jan's hand.

It was an old black and white picture of a little girl and a German Shepherd. On the back it was hand written in faded ink: 'Lou, age 10, and Sparky'

URL of original article

The story of Kuma

Note - I came across this story on Barbara Bouyet's Akita rescue site and felt it was interesting on several levels. As a dog lover, I'm a sucker for stories of loyal dogs and I've long been fascinated by accounts that indicate dogs are aware of more than just the physical world we inhabit.  Ms. Bouyet graciously granted permission to re-post this.

The following true story occurred in 1987. It typifies the Akita's loyalty and explains why Akitas have secured a special place in my heart. Their devotion is unquestionable when the bonding is strong; their intelligence is remarkable, and each of you with an Akita living in your home know they have a marvelous sense of humor and fun. They are sensitive and intuitive to their families, seeming to read one's mind. In other words, this is a singularly unique animal that we, as guardians of the breed, must protect and value for all of their captivating characteristics.

Kuma was a large, 4-year-old, brindle male when he first came into ARSA. Unlike most other Akitas, Kuma came to us because of the death of his owner, a man of 36 who died unexpectedly of a heart attack. While Kuma's owner was alive, the man and dog were devoted companions sharing a deep love for each other. The man's free time was spent with Kuma on walks, hikes - all the things a dog enjoys, activities that cement the human/dog bond.

Perhaps if Kuma had been placed in a home immediately or had been allowed to remain in his own home with the man's wife, the dog may have eventually adapted to the loss of his beloved owner. But the man's wife had never wanted a dog and admittedly was jealous of the time her husband spent with Kuma. As an act of revenge or perhaps, simple indifference, she brought Kuma to ARSA as soon as her husband was buried.

From the first day with rescue Kuma was deeply depressed. The confusion and sudden changes in his life must have been unimaginably frightening for him. Adding to his distress, Kuma was now in a kennel surrounded by strangers and other Akitas.

Everyone tried to penetrate through his apathy, but slowly during the next few months Kuma deteriorated. He lost weight but barely touched his food. His coat became dry, brittle, unhealthy looking as his broken heart affected his health. He was unresponsive to affection or attention though he seemed to favor one ARSA volunteer--Stephanie. Stephanie and the other volunteers worked hard to bring Kuma out of his depression, to interest him in a new human relationship, but he continued in a state of unhappiness--he was pining for his owner. Kuma's tail had ceased to wag, his ears never went back in greeting, and he did not solicit attention but accepted it with resignation when he was petted or brushed. We all felt a sense of failure; it was the first time we were actually unable to penetrate the barrier of indifference Akitas can use as a cloak for their feelings.

One day, Kuma went into his kennel house and refused to come out. Any attempt to force him out resulted in growls. Stephanie was called and arrived to take Kuma to the vet to see if there was some miracle medicine to help him through his depression, or perhaps he was suffering from an illness.

Kuma went with Stephanie maintaining a subdued silence during the drive. As she walked him outside the veterinarian's office, he showed no enthusiasm for the walk or his surroundings. He followed Stephanie when she brought him into an examining room. The dog remained quiet while Stephanie discussed his case with the vet. They agreed it would be best to run a complete blood panel to see if his declining condition was physical. The focus of the conversation was to try in some way to stimulate his appetite to keep him alive--Stephanie offered to take him home with her if that would help.

When the vet and two assistants attempted to place Kuma on the examining table, he became extremely hostile. In spite of a muzzle and four people trying to subdue this dog, Kuma fought with incredible strength. Finally, the vet called a halt to forcing Kuma onto the examining table. He was placed back on the floor where his heavy breathing was the only sound in the room.

Stephanie and the vet discussed Kuma's behavior and situation at great length. Looking at Kuma, the vet told Stephanie he felt the dog did not want to live without his loved owner. It was time to be unselfish and truly humane by letting Kuma go.

While Stephanie tried to think it thorough to make the right decision, Kuma quieted down. His eyes on Stephanie, he waited. It was difficult not to feel a sense of failure. It was even more painful to decide to kill a young, otherwise nice Akita simply because he was unhappy. Once again, the vet pointed out that Kuma had already made the decision to die. Stephanie finally agreed to put him to sleep.

As soon as Stephanie voiced her agreement to euthanize Kuma, the dog's tail began wagging! He knew! He absolutely knew! Without any fuss at all, he allowed himself to be lifted onto the table. As Stephanie gently removed his collar, Kuma leaned forward and kissed her face, his tail wagging enthusiastically for the first time. As he was injected, he stared at a spot beyond the vet, his tail wagging furiously, ears flat back in typical Akita adoration. Stephanie could never prove it, no one can, but the big Akita behaved as if his owner had finally arrived to take him home.

They're together now for eternity and we know that at last Kuma is happy. He was one of those Akitas who did not want to live without his special person and rather than prolong his suffering, we led him go. If ever you have a moment of doubt that the dog you loved and lost will be there, wherever "there" is, Kuma proved it's true--there will be a reunion.

That's why, whenever an abandoned Akita dies in a shelter, or when an ARSA dog dies while waiting for a home, I pray for the dog's soul to enter the light. I claim the Akita as one of my own so the dog will have someone to wait for. I believe the Akita waits with Mandy, Kody, Tootsie, Patty, Rocky, Kato, Toshi, and the countless other Akitas abandoned to streets and shelters. Most of you feel as I do, you have never met an Akita you could not love.

(c) 1987 Barbara Bouyet

Article source URL http://www.akitarescue.com/Kuma.htm

Akita image courtesy of Professor Pemzini at Deviant Art

Thoughts on "canine racism"

Apparently it's quite unfashionable these days to take any notice of breed specific behavior characteristics, especially when it pertains to pit bulls. Genetics has a profound influence on canine behavior - border collies and other herding breeds herd, pointers point, retrievers retrieve - and fighting breeds fight. This blog entry further discusses some of the genetic factors.

But even in the face of these indisputable facts, if anyone should let it slip that they would rather not be around a pit bull, or states the obvious about the dangerous, violent and unpredictable behavior of pit bulls, that person is derided and condemned by members of a shrill, strident pit bull lobby. The idea that a breed specifically created to rip apart animals in the pit, and is still being selectively bred by dog fighters for maximum violence, could be dangerous by default seems to be beyond the reasoning capabilities of some of these pit bull advocates, who slap a "canine racism" label on any negative opinions of pit bulls.

Introducing that magic buzzword - racism - is meant to instantly silence all debate and muzzle any dissenting voices - but should it? Let's think about this for a moment, shall we? On the face of it, it sounds to me like the goal is to paralyze any critical thinking and decision making - to keep everything vague and fuzzy, and repeat memorized buzz words and catch phrases, rather than engage in any substantive discussion about the issues at hand.

When a pit bull apologist utters the word "racism" in response to any discussion of facts which reflects negatively on pit bulls, they fail on two counts. First of all, they fail to explain how thinking and speaking clearly about the facts of a matter equates to racism, and secondly, they fail to explain how thinking and speaking clearly about the facts of a matter is a bad thing.

Personally, I think that speaking of "canine racism" demeans and trivializes the suffering of people who have actually been victims of real racism. A dog has no concept of racism, and wouldn't be the least bit aware of racism even if surrounded by it. That's fairly basic, common sense.

More troubling to me is the anti-intellectual tone of this mindset, of which the rallying cry seems to be "turn off your brains, don't seek information, don't analyze, don't compare, don't discriminate, don't think, just accept that dogs are dogs and it's all in how you raise them."

If the concept of racism is to be universally applied in the way the pit bull advocates seem to be saying it should, then it would be wrong to discriminate in any matter. Although the word "discrimination" has negative overtones because of it's association with human rights issues, the actual word connotes a choice based on facts, and in fact discrimination is not evil, but absolutely necessary for survival.

If I understand the pit bull apologists correctly, it would be wrong to reject the notion of a service alligator because that would be racism. After all, reptiles are reptiles. It would be wrong not to allow a python to sleep with the baby,  because that is blatant anti-python racism. Most of all, it would be be very very wrong to avoid eating poison mushrooms, because that, after all, would be botanical racism!

Great Moments in pit bull history - March 2009

Part of the problem with pit bulls is that the breed is frequently defended by a cacophony of strident voices claiming that pit bulls are just harmless, misunderstood little wiggle-butts; that they'd have to be mistreated or abused to make them even think about attacking anyone.

It's one thing to opine about pit bulls when you have no skin in the game, but here we look at an event which shows just how far pit bull advocates will go to cover up the danger of the breed and the violence regularly inflicted by these animals - even when they've been mauled by their very own "family pit bull".

A Pullayup, Washington couple who have so far gone unnamed in news reports were hospitalized after being mauled by what they claimed was a mountain lion. Wildlife agent Bruce Richards visited the hospital to record the testimony of the victims as part of his investigation of the attack. Richards then took a tracking dog, Mishka, to the couple's home in an effort to locate the mountain lion, but no trace of a mountain lion could be found. Instead, Mishka led Richards back to the house. They encountered a white pit bull, with the dried blood of the victims on its coat, lurking there.

The agents credited their tracking dog, Mishka, with preventing the department from spending hundreds of search hours, thousands of dollars in resources and saving the public a lot of turmoil for a mountain lion that didn’t exist. The wildlife agents would not say why the couple said they were attacked by a mountain lion.


After reading this, I have to ask myself, what is wrong with these people? Why did they go to such lengths to mislead authorities about the attack by their pit bull? Now ask yourself, when people like this tell you that pit bulls are sweet, loyal, safe, dependable family pets, can you believe them?

Links to original story -

Dogsbite.org - "Major Mauling" on Two People
Kiro TV - Couple blames cougar for attack

Dog movies: Hachi

Some months ago I watched the movie "Hachi - a dog's tale" which was based on a true story. I had been only vaguely aware of the existence of the Akita breed before that, so I found it rather informative. The movie is sure to bring a tear to the eye of any dog lover. I'm not doing a proper movie review here, just sharing some thoughts. 

In a nutshell, a college professor (Richard Gere) returning home by train one night happens upon a lost puppy at the train station. He initially tries to get rid of him, asking around and putting up posters. The professor's Japanese friend identifies the puppy as an Akita and explains a little bit about the breed, also identifying the tag hanging from his neck (the number 8 - "hachi") and that becomes his name. Before long the professor falls in love with Hachi, decides to keep him and they become the best of friends.

After Hachi is past the puppy stage, he eventually begins accompanying the professor to the train station in the mornings to see him off, and returning to the train station at night to meet him when his train arrives. One day, while delivering a lecture, the professor dies, and the poor dog waits for him long into the night. Hachi returns to the station to wait the next day, days turn into months, and months turn into years. As Hachi grows old he continues to return faithfully to the train station every day just before the arrival of the train. After 10 lonely years, Hachi, waiting in the snowy night, breathes his last. Those of us who've suffered the loss of a beloved dog can appreciate the Rainbow Bridge reference in that final scene.

At the end of the movie there is a tiny blurb mentioning the historical Hachi, who lived in Japan during the years 1923-1935, and a picture of the Hachi statue at the Shibuya train station where he watched and waited. I was a bit disappointed to learn that I'd just watched an adaptation, rather than the real story. I eventually discovered that a Japanese movie had been made about Hachi, and so I tracked it down. The 1987 movie, Hachiko Monogatari, was ranked #1 at the Japanese box office that year.

The movie was not terribly easy to find - it wasn't on amazon or at any of the usual places I buy movies, but with the help of google I was able to find a vendor, and ordered a copy for my collection. Hachiko Monogatori had subtitles, but being already familiar with the basic story, I could get the gist of the movie without them.

Hachiko Monogatari, being a Japanese film, moves at a different pace, and has a quality distinctly different from the remake. It begins with the birth of a litter of puppies one snowy night in Odate, Akita prefecture, and ends with the death of one of those puppies one snowy night near Shibuya station, Tokyo, some 12 years later. 

In between is the story of a bond between man and dog which is at once edifying and saddening. Just as shown in the remake, the professor, who initially didn't want the puppy, soon fell in love with him and they became the closest of friends. The dog soon began to accompany the professor to and from the train station, and waited each evening for the train to return.

Professor Ueno, although cordial, was reserved and cool towards other people. Yet in this dog he saw something that prompted him to love without reserve. He literally fell in love with Hachiko, his pride and joy. While Dr Ueno was calmly inscrutable around his co-workers, acquaintances and family, his face lit up when he saw Hachi, and he seemed to come alive during the time they spent together. Hachiko had 18 happy months until the day Professor Ueno suffered a fatal stroke while delivering a lecture. The remainder of Hachi's life was a lonely, dangerous vigil. 

Dr Ueno had regularly groomed Hachi, carefully removing fleas and bathing him, but from all appearances it's likely that Hachi was never groomed again after the professor's death. Increasingly feral, Hachi grew old on the streets, returning to the train station each evening to wait for his master. Some some years later the widow, who had moved away, read a story about Hachi in the newspaper and traveled to Shibuya to see him. Moved to tears at his condition and surprised that he continued to wait, she hugged him: "Oh Hachiko, how you must have suffered!". She wanted to take him home to care for him but after so many years on his own he was elusive and street wise, and determined to wait near the station.

I was struck by how quickly the professor was forgotten after his death. His house was sold, his possessions divided and disposed of, and his family and friends went on with their lives. But Hachiko was heartbroken, and would spend the rest of his life longing to see his friend again. 

The producers of the 2009 remake did a good job of conveying most of the core themes from the original story, and I appreciated the tribute they gave to the actual events through the various Japanese connections in the movie. But subtle details were definitely lost in translation. The American film tended to smooth over some things - the friction between the professor and his wife over the dog, his lack of real friendship apart from Hachiko, and the dog's troubles after the death of his best friend and guardian, which left him alone in a world of people who were at best indifferent to him.

While the remake was decent in it's own way, and will reach a relatively wide audience owing to the star factor, I feel that Hachiko Monogatari more fully and properly portrayed the bittersweet tale. In a word, I found Hachiko Monogatari haunting.

After seeing these films I wanted to know more, and started gathering information on the Akita breed. They will bond with their humans and be incredibly loyal and protective, but are wary of outsiders. Normally calm and docile, they can however be quite strong willed and, at well over 100 pounds, a handful for anyone. They can be aggressive towards other dogs, and are not afraid of a fight. Clearly not a dog for just anyone - and the last thing I want to do is encourage a fad among the irresponsible which will end only badly for the dogs - but I could certainly see an Akita in my home.


Interestingly, the so-called "American Akita" is now considered a distinct breed from the "Japanese Akita". The American Akitas all came from Japan after World War 2, and were representative of the dogs popular in their namesake Akita prefecture at the time. 

The ancient breed was a prized "hunter's dog" (Matagi Inu) for many centuries and was popular with the Samurai, who also used them for combat. They were crossed with Mastiff and other foreign breeds to increase their stature.

During World War 2, the hardships on the populace contributed to a near extinction for these beautiful dogs, who were killed for food and for their fur, which was used in military clothing. Some were crossed with GSDs, a protected breed, in a bid for the survival of the puppies. But for the courageous actions of a small number of Japanese dog lovers who helped to preserve the breed in remote locations, they might well have been completely wiped out. 

American GIs stationed in post-war Japan loved the Akitas, and many bought these dogs and returned home with them. Japanese breeders worked to meet the demand, and as more Akitas came to the US, American Akita breeders grew steadily in number. At the same time, a concerted effort was made in post war Japan to restore the original characteristics of the breed to what was considered the ideal; to weed out the influence of the foreign breeds and restore the original Matagi Inu.


As a result, the breed characteristics have diverged over the past 60 years. American Akitas are larger and heavier than their Japanese counterparts, reflecting the influences of the other breeds, and tend to have large, bear-like heads, in contrast to the cute, fox-like heads of the new Japanese Akitas. The American Akitas also have greater variation in colors, often sporting a dark face mask which is considered a defect in the Japanese Akita. 

Representative modern Japanese (L) and American Akita

There is more information below on the history of the breed, the split between the American and Japanese Akitas, and the Akita standard in general. 

Hachiko was an unusual dog, tremendously loyal to his human companion, and that kind of loyalty is the stuff of legend. This story, however, transcends breed - it made me value my own dogs all the more, and raised the question of what would happen to them if I were to die. Would they be dumped off at a shelter, perhaps to be taken home by someone who would never love them as I did? or by someone who might despise or mistreat them? I really need to start thinking about a good plan, and it's something every dog owner should think about.


I've seen my fair share of dog movies, but to me the story of Hachiko stands above the rest - but do feel free to suggest other inspirational dog movies. If I find a good one I'll mention it here.


Further Reading -
Behind the film "Hachi: a dog's tale"
The Amazing And True Story Of Hachiko The Dog
Hachi: a dog's tale on wikipedia
Hachiko Monogatari on wikipedia
General information about the Akita breed
The Akita Dilemma - One Breed Or Two?
Book - Dog Man: an uncommon life on a faraway mountain

Great Moments in pit bull history - Sept 2008

This would be the height of irony were it not so predictably infuriating. Members of Seattle pit bull lobby pressure group FABB attended the grand opening of a pet store in Phinney Ridge Washington, to pass out pro-pit bull propaganda and "educate" people about pit bulls. At least one of the activists brought his gripping dog to the event, which was not a smart move. The pit bull happened to spot a docile yellow Lab in the crowd and violently attacked him, clamping his jaws around the Lab's neck to choke him to death. It took several of the group to pry the mutant off of the Lab, and but for their intervention the Lab would now be dead.

The owners of the Lab, named Sam, recount the incident:  "After minutes (which seemed like hours) of watching our dog scream while their pit bull held Sam’s neck in his jaws, while no one, not even the dog's owner was able to release him, finally somehow he was freed. We immediately took Sam to a quiet place nearby, where he stood shaking uncontrollably for nearly 1/2 hour, with a racing heartbeat. " The vet afterwards found puncture wounds on Sam's neck. Sam's owner was not reimbursed for the Vet bills BTW. 


The local media report is here

For some reason the article linked above includes a carefully staged shot of a pit bull under a blanket, with a toy placed near it's head - obviously intended to make the creature appear cute and harmless, but as the crowd at the pet store opening were so graphically reminded, pit bulls are unpredictable, violent and aggressive. 


The disturbing part of the story is the this: while pit bulls continue to cause the most injuries in Seattle, FABB continues it's activities - spreading misinformation about pit bulls, and intimidating victims. In the aftermath of the incident, the following was reported:


A group working to ban potentially dangerous dogs from Seattle has abruptly canceled plans to submit a citizen initiative after receiving threatening e-mails from pit-bull enthusiasts, group members say. "You should be publicly executed for your actions against our beloved pets," one e-mail reads. "You all ought to be neutered," says another.

"The harassment was so bad, we decided it wouldn't be safe to send out signature gatherers," says Ellen Taft, a spokeswoman for Families and Dogs Against Fighting Breeds (FDAFB).


So, the pit bull activists get a pass - how can that be? Is it really down to the law of the jungle in Seattle now? Whoever yells the loudest, and is most willing to resort to violence and intimidation wins the argument, is that it? Does anybody think it's getting better? 

Further info on the above incident from dogsbite.org