[Dailydrool] Thunder and dog bites

[Maura DeYong]

There is an article in "All Animals" magazine by the Humane Society of the US that covers the problems with dogs that are scared of storms and suggestions on how to deal with it. If anyone is interested in reading it, I can send it to you, just email me at my address. One of the vets that wrote the article is a vet behaviorist here in S. Florida. I am taking my bloodhound Tank to see her next week. According to my vet, she is excellent, so I hope she can help him. He has dog aggression issues, not storm phobia. 
 
As for the Florida drooler who's dog bit the 2 year old (I'm sorry I can't remember your name, I deleted that email), I have to say that the dog sitter is a complete idiot and not a professional. You and I both live in Florida, where if the dog bites, it is going to be the dog's fault. I just completed 5 months of hell dealing with my home owners' association. My dog, Tank, bit one of my neighbors back in December. She and her husband were standing at the end of my driveway having a drunken domestic fight, yelling and screaming at each other. Well, Tank is very protective of me, and he thought they were a threat, so he pulled and pulled on his leash (I didn't get him in the house soon enough) and popped it and off he went to chase those people away. Well, he nipped the woman in the butt, and all hell broke loose. The husband actually assaulted and battered me. He was poking me in the chest telling me that he wanted my dog destroyed. The husband was
 drunk, cops called, animal control called. No medical attention for her, just a small nip, so small that animal control didn't bother to even take a picture of it. The woman didn't sue me, but my home owners' association did. The homeowners' association came after the dog, not the guy that has a police report for assault and battery. Tank is now a "threat" to the neighborhood, even though he thought they were being disruptive and a threat to me. Tank was actually right in this situation, but it's always the dog's fault. The HOA wanted Tank to go and gave me 2 weeks to find a new home for him, but I fought them, and we settled in mediation. Tank is staying, but it cost me around $5000 in legal fees to fight them. I would have rather spent $5000 giving it to rescue instead of greedy lawyers. 
My point of this story is protect your dogs! Keep them from situations where they might get in trouble because even though someone else starts some S#%T, the dog will be the one that gets blamed, ALWAYS. Dogs are dogs, and you may think my dog would never bite, but never say never. If pushed hard enough, and in the wrong situation, your dog could bite. You just don't know. I don't believe in dog parks, and I am very cautious about whom my dogs are around if I don't know them personally. I've changed all of my leashes as well to make sure he can't pop his leash again. Tank has some issues, and I am extremely careful with him, but even with my other dogs, I am very careful about whom they are exposed to, human or dog. Especially humans because most don't know squat about dog behavior. I don't take the chance anymore. 
Kid falls on dog = dog's fault
assault and battery from drunken idiot = dog's fault
You get the picture. Tank hasn't been labeled a dangerous dog by animal control, but now he has a record. So please protect your dogs and keep them safe from idiots because you and your dog will pay the price, not the idiot. 
Maura 


      
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