Bit by my own dog?

[sillysally]

A dog bites a person when not running loose two provinces over from me.. how is that more relevant than someone in my own town is hurt by a horse?

And if you take this thread for example in a very active dog community and compare it to the horse thread which is very specific and a smaller community...... The stats show that horses are far more dangerous to people than dogs (I can dig them out if you would like) Including bites (which is impressive as more horses tend to kick than bite)

Because most people don't care about horses? Sorry, but most non-horse people I know find dogs and dog bites to be much more relevant to their daily lives then horses. Many people in cities haven't even seen a horse outside of police horses or carriage horses. However, all their neighbors have dogs. Or, it could be a massive, continent wide media conspiracy by people who love horses and hate dogs.....

I'm also not entirely sure if this thread is a good measure of dogs bite stats. It only asked whether we were bitten by our *own* dogs. I've been bitten a few times by other peoples' dogs--one bite got me 21 stitches and I still have scars on my face from it--it just wasn't my dog.

 

[Dekka]

Because most people don't care about horses? Sorry, but most non-horse people I know find dogs and dog bites to be much more relevant to their daily lives then horses. Many people in cities haven't even seen a horse outside of police horses or carriage horses. However, all their neighbors have dogs. Or, it could be a massive, continent wide media conspiracy by people who love horses and hate dogs.....

I'm also not entirely sure if this thread is a good measure of dogs bite stats. It only asked whether we were bitten by our *own* dogs. I've been bitten a few times by other peoples' dogs--one bite got me 21 stitches--it just wasn't my dog.

Exactly. In the real scheme of things the dog bite is NOT more relevant. But the media makes it so. This is the reason there are canine breed bans but not horse ones.

This was the point I was trying to make. The 'danger' of dog bites, and the fact that many people concider a dog who makes contact with his teeth in a non playful way is biting. Even if there isn't so much as a mark. The media has trained us to be fearful of dog bites. Disney has taught us as children that dogs are good and moral creatures who love us. (so when one bites its automatically a BAD animal)

Horses dont' have so much to overcome. People generally don't put down a horse that bites (as long as its not a habit) Horses can carry rabies, but I dont' know of anyone who has had their horse bite someone get a call from health services checking up on if the horses' shots are up to date.

 

[jesirose]

Can you squirt it in her food and let her eat it that way?? Or in a bowl of chicken broth or peanut butter or something yummy?

Sorry to go off topic guys, and thanks for the advice. It tastes REALLY nasty as far as I can tell because she won't go near it, even on roast beef. And I wasted a bunch of it.

 

[corgipower]

CP we electrified our fences..not so much to keep the horses in.. but to keep the neighbouring children out.

Yea, we wanted to. But it's not allowed in a county park.

Sorry to go off topic guys, and thanks for the advice. It tastes REALLY nasty as far as I can tell because she won't go near it, even on roast beef. And I wasted a bunch of it.

Can you get it in tablets? Or can you get the liquid flavored?

 

[jesirose]

Can you get it in tablets? Or can you get the liquid flavored?

That's what we're doing next time, but I can't afford to waste a whole bottle of this kind.

 

[joce]

The thing with horses is we are taught as soon as we start to ride that these are big animals that can kill you. You decide to go to the barn and get a chunk out of your shoulder when you are not paying attention thats your fault. Even if its not your fault and your just dealing with psycho horse you still put yourself there.



I think it should be the same way with dogs-kids need taught at a young age that anything with teeth can and will bite. They are not all fluff and snuggles.

I know lots of people-including me-that have been pretty seriously hurt riding or just hanging around the barn. Because if you ride or have horses long enough its going to happen.

I would imagine if a horse escaped and wandered into someones back yard and swung them around by the teeth there would be a police report and it would end up in the paper.

 

[sillysally]

Exactly. In the real scheme of things the dog bite is NOT more relevant. But the media makes it so. This is the reason there are canine breed bans but not horse ones.

This was the point I was trying to make. The 'danger' of dog bites, and the fact that many people concider a dog who makes contact with his teeth in a non playful way is biting. Even if there isn't so much as a mark. The media has trained us to be fearful of dog bites. Disney has taught us as children that dogs are good and moral creatures who love us. (so when one bites its automatically a BAD animal)

Horses dont' have so much to overcome. People generally don't put down a horse that bites (as long as its not a habit) Horses can carry rabies, but I dont' know of anyone who has had their horse bite someone get a call from health services checking up on if the horses' shots are up to date.

Actually, when my mare bit me as a kid we did have to quarantine her by law because she had not had a rabies shot.

Again though, most dogs are out in public and around a greater variety of people than most horses. Most communities do not have issues with loose horses roaming the streets. If you do not have a horse you can very easily avoid contact with horses. Not so much with dogs. Loose dogs, neighbors dogs, dogs just out being walked, friends' dogs--dogs just have more contact with the general public, and that is why, IMHO, dogs that bite are more of a concern, and therefore more relevant to most people.

 

[Dekka]

You are ignoring my point.

I am not going to come into contact with a dog 500 miles away. Yet it will be in my newspaper. I could go walking in the country and come in contact with the horse that killed my friend.

I am glad you had to quarantine your horse. But once again you missed my point. I said if a horse bit someone other than the owner and that person went to the Dr, so far no one I know has had a call from health services. If a dog bites someone you can expect a call.

 

[sillysally]

You are ignoring my point.

I am not going to come into contact with a dog 500 miles away. Yet it will be in my newspaper. I could go walking in the country and come in contact with the horse that killed my friend.

Perhaps this is an issue you should be taking up with the staff at your newspaper then. I've never seen a dog bite article in our paper from anything but our immediate region. You don't even hear about them in local papers when they happen in Chicago, even in the more disturbing cases.

However, years ago a horse that my friend used to own was involved in the death of someone and there was an article in the paper about it. IDK, perhaps it's a local thing.

 

[corgipower]

Perhaps this is an issue you should be taking up with the staff at your newspaper then. I've never seen a dog bite article in our paper from anything but our immediate region. You don't even hear about them in local papers when they happen in Chicago, even in the more disturbing cases.

I've seen dog bites from the other side of the country make the news in NJ.

 

[Dekka]

Maybe its a country thing too. But esp on the internet as well as in circulation you will find 'major' national newspapers with news of pitbull bites (for example).

I am not the only one who has noticed this trend. But if you have never experienced it where you live then that is a great thing!

 

[saffie]

That makes sense to me, but I'm curious what other people think.

A little more explanation to the reactions on this questions.
I don't want to emply that it's particularly the right thing to do, I wasn't prepared for it, didn't expect it. And we were still getting to know each other at that time.
Just going on brushing was the automatic reaction. I was afraid that if I stopped, he would have succes biting me. I was sure I wasn't hurting him.

I didn't type that I got irritated for no reason, that was wrong in the first place. But still I felt at that time the best thing to do was say 'oh well', and just go on, and not just quit.
I did see it as a sign that I needed to make brushing time more relaxed for us both. I have always used treats to reward, but I don't think it will ever be his hobby.

 

[sillysally]

I've seen dog bites from the other side of the country make the news in NJ.

Then perhaps it is a thing that is the direction of the editor, slow news day, etc.

I'm not saying that news papers should report every dog bite and never report a horse incident. or that only dogs are dangerous or anything of the sort. I'm just saying that I can see why they do it that way. Dogs have more a a presence in the community. Humans as a species tend to have a different relationship with dogs then horses. Fear and relevance sells. It's the principle that a dog biting someone across the country could just as well be *your* neighbor's dog. Whether or not it's true or just fear mongering, it gets peoples' attention.

 

[Dekka]

Hmm I think you are missing what I am getting at....

Its the idea that dogs who bite are 'bad' and the media that goes with it. Since when does the media (as a whole) report what is relevant? They report stories that will sell. Dog attacks toddler (even if toddler ends up with just stitches) makes news. Even if you will never have a toddler near that dog it still sells papers. Loose horse at horse show knocks over toddler (and toddler gets a few stitches) won't get national coverage. It just doesn't sell.

Its this idea of dog bites and the 'morality' of dogs that fuels BSL. That makes it so hard to save a dog that has bit someone. I did previously mention that the relationship people have with dogs is a factor.. thanks to Lassie and such.

 

[sillysally]

Hmm I think you are missing what I am getting at....

Its the idea that dogs who bite are 'bad' and the media that goes with it. Since when does the media (as a whole) report what is relevant? They report stories that will sell. Dog attacks toddler (even if toddler ends up with just stitches) makes news. Even if you will never have a toddler near that dog it still sells papers. Loose horse at horse show knocks over toddler (and toddler gets a few stitches) won't get national coverage. It just doesn't sell.

But don't you think it sells also because it has some relevance to people? People who have children and dogs (and even those who don't) are horrified by the idea of their pet attacking their child. When I was little I had a mini dachshund. I loved him and he was a wonderful dog. my grandfather was terrified that he was going to "rip my face off" and would hunt down articles where a dachshund had bitten and sent them to my mom. To him, those stories had relevance because his granddaughter had a dachshund and he was worried.

That's all I'm saying.

 

[Dekka]

it sells because its been marketed to us. Why should it shock us more if we own a dog? It doesn't. People with out dogs buy it just as well. People take kids to fair and such. They will come into contact with livestock. And they do just as dumb things to the animals there.

The media likes to market fear. Fear of dogs is an easy sell. So they do. More people die from incedents with cows than they do with dogs. Horses hurt and kill far far more people. Yet its a harder sell. Why? Yes in part because don't see how a horse matters. But neither does a dog you don't come into contact with. The public perception of danger has been molded by pop culture and media. More children are sent to the hospital for minor to very serious injuries from play ground equip injuries. That too doesn't make headlines. Why not? (rhetorical question)

 

[Dekka]

My dog never bitten me or anyone else so far and I guess he will not ever.

Why will he not ever? Does he not have teeth? Any dog can bite, and any dog will bite if pushed far enough.

 

[Renee750il]

When I used to train horses I can't tell you how many times someone would come with their children and we would catch them trying to sling their kid up onto a horse for a picture. I was like "Hey lady, that horse isn't even broke to ride!" They just didn't get it.

Sounds like a pretty good way to clean out the gene pool

 

[Dekka]

Sounds like a pretty good way to clean out the gene pool

Renee>> you should see some of the 'winners' posted on Fugly (she has a thing about bad parenting around horses)

THere are loads of pics of little tots sitting, helmetless no less, on loose untacked stallions or baby horses. (usually in a for sale ad to show how quiet the horse is)

 

[Inga]

Sounds like a pretty good way to clean out the gene pool

LOL Too true! That said, the farm owner or property owner would have been at fault had the fools gotten hurt. We always had to be on guard. Crazy laws.