[nagdu] How would you respond?

Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com
Tue Apr 24 15:08:26 UTC 2012


I'd agree with this. If the handler of the attacking dog was doing things that the folks in The Red Zone (true story) were doing, then yes, that handler doesn't need any more dogs. The interesting thing about The Red Zone is that the neighbors all reported the dogs were aggressive, the owners of the dogs didn't provide the type of care that breed of dogs needed, but they weren't entering the dogs in fights.  There were indeed plenty of warning signs these dogs were aggressive.  The owners knew this but thought it it wasn't a problem, in fact they thought it was pretty cool to have big, bad mean dogs.


Very likely, this isn't the case with the dog that attacked.



-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie J.
Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 8:46 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] How would you respond?

I think blackballing the handler from ever getting another dog is kind
of harsh and premature.  I suppose there are situations in which I'd
agree with that approach...you know if the guy or lady was purposefully
working at making the dog mean and then entering him into dog fights.
That's about as bad as it gets and I'd agree that this person doesn't
need any more dogs, but I rather doubt that anything of the sort was
going on in this case.  We are so quick to convict people of the worst
when we have no idea what is going on.

I'd still file a report with the police, assuming there are state laws
regarding this sort of thing.  I think I'd also request the
handler/school of the biting dog to pay for all associated costs of
making things right.  If they refused to pay, I would consider a civil
suit.

I agree that both programs need to know about the incident.  I think the
owner of the biting dog and the program he came from need to investigate
why in the world the dog bit and what is the best possible thing to do
from that point forward.  I know for myself I cannot handle biting,
that's where I draw the line.  I'm not sure if I would re home the dog
or have him euthanize.  I think if I could find a good home where I was
sure the people had experience with aggressive/fearful/ill dogs I would
go that route if I felt reasonably confident they could live in peace
together.  I think though if I felt like the dog was dangerous,
seriously unpredictable or likely to get worse I'd have to think about
putting him down.  That's hard, really hard, but I think it'd be worse
if the dog bit the neighbor's toddler.

If the reason the dog bit was true aggression then I think the training
program needs to take a very close look at it's breeding program. Is
this some sort of single incident or are there litters or lines of dogs
showing signs of aggression?

There are a million reasons a dog might bite, aggression, fear,
training, medical issues, pain, and who knows what all.  If it's
possible to figure out what happened to prevent it from happening again
that would be best, but that isn't always possible.     It very well may
be of no fault of the handler at all.  You can do everything right and
still horrible things happen.  For all we know the dog has some rare
brain tumor that affects his behavior.  Wouldn't it be awful to condemn
a handler for something they had no knowledge of or ability to influence?

Julie





On 4/24/2012 4:45 AM, Larry D. Keeler wrote:
> Oh, thats bad!  Guides are deffinetely not supposed to do that!  I
> think both schools should be contacted and the case should be taken to
> court.  I get the feeling that someone really relaxed there control of
> there dog!  The attacker should be subject to the fullness of the
> law!  And maybe even black listed with all of the schools!
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steven Johnson"
> <blinddog3 at charter.net>
> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 24, 2012 12:17 AM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] How would you respond?
>
>
>> Julie,
>> Both dogs were guides.  What I do not know if they were both in
>> harness, but
>> both students were attending the blind skills training program and
>> had their
>> guides there as well.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf
>> Of Julie J.
>> Sent: Monday, April 23, 2012 9:37 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] How would you respond?
>>
>> I'd find out who the owner of the dog was.  If there are state laws
>> addressing this issue, I'd have a visit with the police and file the
>> appropriate paperwork.
>>
>> I have no idea what I'd do about my own dog though.  Probably take it
>> very
>> easy for a while.  then very gently introduce calm, gentle dogs to
>> see how
>> it went.
>>
>> Or was the other dog also a guide?  I wasn't exactly sure from your
>> description of things.  I don't know that that would substantially
>> change my
>> approach, except that I might also let the program know that I was
>> filing a
>> report with the police.
>>
>> Julie
>> On 4/23/2012 5:51 PM, Steven Johnson wrote:
>>> Another what would you do question, or maybe, how would you respond
>>> scenarios for you all to ponder.  Many times, we hear of guides and
>>> other service dogs being attacked by other stray or uncontrolled dogs,
>>> rendering the attacked dog unable to continue in their line of work.
>>> Today, I learned from a colleague at work, that her son's good friend,
>>> who is blind and attending a formal blind training program, had his
>>> dog viciously attacked by another dog.  The injuries were severe, the
>>> attacked was unprovoked and the trainers had to break up the fight,
>>> but the guide that was attacked, is now showing very serious signs
>>> of fear
>> and anxiety.
>>>
>>> What would you do if you were the handler?
>>>
>>> Steve
>>>
>>> 2.
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.co
>>> m
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blinddog3%40charter.net
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nagdu:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/lkeeler%40comcast.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/julielj%40neb.rr.com
>


_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for the addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary and/or prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the intended recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the Message; (b) permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard copies of the Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of the Message is strictly prohibited.




More information about the NAGDU mailing list