Lars bit a little girl!!! :(
 

I was at the park sitting down with both dogs and this little girl came by on her scooter with her brother and just her luck and my luck, she fell with her scooter, right in front of me onto the cooler I had and Lars got her. She had a puncture wound on her side and either his front teeth or his claws got her back. It happened so fast. I couldn't believe it. Thankfully the mother and the people were on a church outing and she was very cool about everything. They called Animal Control and got all my paper work on Lars, and the mother kept saying it's okay, it's happens, she startled him when she fell, it's an accident. The Lord works in mysterious ways, etc?I was crying thinking Lars was going to be taken from me, and upset hoping the little girl wasn't traumatized. They were all very nice, and the animal control guy said that out of the 80,000 bites from dogs that happen a year this is not a bad one, that Lars was provoked by the scooter and the little girl falling where she did. The friends of the mother of the little girl were very nice saying they just want to make sure Lars is clean and had all his shots. I told them he just had surgery and was tested for everything. He has his rabies shot that are good for 3 years. I just couldn't believe it. This guy, who was not with the group of people, came over to me and started yelling at me, saying who brings a dog like that to the park that would jump on a little girl. I told him, he didn't jump on her she fell right in front of me onto my blanket and he reacted. I couldn't believe that guy. I was crying already and then he comes over yelling. If the mother and the little girl were not right there I would have laid into that guy, but I was way to upset.

Lars is going to k-9 training now. That is a huge NO to me. I do not like dogs like that, even though he was startled it doesn't matter, he is smart enough to know the difference. So I am looking for K-9 training in Vegas. I know they have two great ones in LA but I haven't found one in Vegas yet. I think Cop K-9 training would be best for him because they train him in everything, from making them not react to little dogs and cats, to all commands.

Anyway, I wanted to share what happened because I am just a nervous wreck. I can't believe that happened. I was watching her come by and thinking Oh God Lars is going to bark now is good time to make him sit and not bark, and he did, he didn't bark or anything, but right when she went down and the cooler and scooter went over, he pounced!!! :(

Its ok, its ok. Accidents happen.

And then the lawsuit comes. Do you have an umbrella policy?

that sucks I have a gs also and he may have done the same thing though given the same circumstances.. shit happens

Good that the mother was so nice about it. If that was the wrong person then you would have a lawsuit and very angry parents to deal with.

Just make sure to get him trained up well and I hope you punished him too so he understands he did wrong.

the guy butting in is a douche bag.

I can understand if possibly you were a dumb ass with 3 pitbulls on a leash purely for the 'cool' factor...

shrug him off, hes a moron

they'll put him down next time.... stay away from kids.

That's what really pisses me off about the world. There is always some douche bag like that waiting in the wings just looking for something to get outraged over. It's a shame someone didn't punch him in his fucking mouth...

This calls for Cesar Milan!

your dog should have been muzzled.

It's important to remember that dogs have different drives. Amongst them are defensive drives (fight or flight instinct) and prey drive. Different breeds exhibit different amounts of these drives, and dogs like yours and mine Loryn have high prey drives. That combined with their intelligenve is what makes German Sheppards excellent police dogs.

A police dog that is "attacking" or even searching is being exercised in prey drive. In the case of searching, they are trained with toys. They locate the smell they're being trained for, they are rewarded with the toy. It becomes a game to them.

Dogs with high prey drive can often get confused with children. They recognize adults, and how they behave and submit to them. The jerky movements and high pitched laughter and screams of children, however, is easily confused as prey. Something they should chase and catch. This is how a dog that is not aggresive in even the least can be expected to behave in what might appear to be an aggresive manner to children. The reality is they don't want to kill the child because they're aggresive, they just want to chase and catch the child.

Sounds like you've learned an important lesson today. It's always the responsibility of the dog owner to make sure these sorts of interactions don't happen. I won't take my dogs in an area that I can reasonably expect to be in close quarters with a child. My dogs have never displayed aggression of any sort to anyone, but none the less I feel it's my responsibility to make sure no accidents happen.

Obedience training is an excellent idea and it's very good for the mental health of the dog too. The learning, performing, reward process is very satisfying and it makes a dog more stable in general. I still suggest that you keep a buffer zone around your dog and children though. I wouldn't sit on on a bench with the dog along a path where children are riding bikes. On the other hand, it's also reasonable to tell a child running towards a dog through an open field to stop, and go around the dog.

Just my 2 cents.

Yes I have already called a place and told them I need him trained NOW!!! I am so sick with stress over the whole thing. I feel so bad for the little girl, and the Mom was so cool, when the Animal Control guy asked her, she even told him in the report that she fell onto our area and the cooler, the dog was startled. So that made me feel better that she was calm and told the guy that it was an accident, and the girl's brother said the same thing too. He even pointed to the scooter and said she fell onto where the dog was and the dog was startled. The mother also said that the little girl has had all her shots, and she is on antibiotics for something that is not related to this in anyway and told me that everything will be fine. I hope so, I wish I could call her and find out how she is, I know she is going to have a big huge bruise!!!

Yes, I am buying one of those tomorrow, first thing!!! I just want to cry!!! :(

I'd hold off on the muzzle. Go talk to the dog trainer first. Make sure you get a dog trainer that uses positive reinforcment method. It takes longer but always produces better results.

Stupid kids.

Punish him for protecting himself and her?

good thing your dog did not bite my kid it would have been a dead dog on the spot... I have a pit bull and a chow and you can litterally jump on both dogs and they would not bite.. I can take both dogs off the leash any where.. If my dogs so much as growl at me or any one they would be dead dogs... That's bad ownership to let your dog bite anyone and yes it's owners fault.. I've bred dogs (rotties) and you could jump on them as well... I use what's called beat the sense into the way... A dog who does not fear a human has a shitty owner...

You're so fucking stupid it's almost not worth pointing out. You shouldn't have dogs much less children. I feel sorry for your family.

Yes I learned a huge lesson here. I will not take him anywhere children will be, ever again!!! I will get a muzzle if he is going to be around a group of people. He is so good and listens to me very well. When you wrote about the squeals and sounds children make, she made a hig pitch sound when she fell, like a silly type sound, and that is when he hit her. When she was coming up on her scooter I looked at Lars and told him down, and no. He was perfectly fine, until she fell. It is a HUGE eye opener for me and I am definitely treating him a lot different than I did before. I seriously didn't think he would ever bite like that. I had a German Shepherd growing up and all my friends came over and played around him and he never bit anyone. Lars has never been around children so I can see how he would view the child in that way. He didn't keep trying to bit her, he just hit her once, and that was it. He knew he did wrong because he put his ears back, and tucked his butt under him, and was trying to lick me. He knew he was bad, but like you wrote, I don't think he thought "child kill", I think he just thought, "giant toy/odd object fell on the blanket" and hit it!!!

so let me get this straight


I'm stupid because I would not tolerate a dog that bites?


your smart because you think ... oh thats ok... he's just an animal and it's his instinct?



let me give you a word of the wise dood...

they are called domesticated for a reason... an owner should have control over his or her dogs instincts.. a child falling down next to a dog should not trigger a bite.. if it does then get rid of the dog that simple...

all you have to do is look at my dogs and they walk away.. they would never dream of growling much less biting... and if they did... id be the first to take em out for a nice long walk...

no joke when I say... if someone else's dog bit me or my children at a park that dog would be dead on the spot.. hell if my dog bit someone I would hand them the gun to shoot my dog... thats not an animal I would want to keep seriously go ahead and sue me... if the animal has instinct then "as do I" bottom line.... I promise I would win that case..

talk to any good dog trainer and see if they use the love em and thats ok method....

I learned from a guy who trains the Frisbee dogs... he told me long time ago... you need to put the fear of god in the dogs head ... you do that... you will have a nice submissive dog...

OMG Danza don't highjack my thread with your bullshit. I don't have the patients for you coming in here baiting everyone, like you normally do, and drawing attention to yourself!!!

i was taking a walk in the park today, and there is this huge fucking dog (dont know what breed) starts running up to me. i almost shit my pants, but played it cool.

the dog didnt bite me, but I have a concealed carry permit and if I had my gun on me, the fucking beast would have been dead before it had gotten to me.

the fucking owners should keep their fucking dogs muzzled or leashed. they don't realize how traumatic it could be to other people when their fucking huge beast just gets near you.

btw not bashing loryn.. sorry it happend to her with her dog... but im just stating a fact... if you think the whole... oh thats my dogs instinct would stand up in court... when your at a public park.. you know nothing about law

I'm not going to argue with you Danza. I actually think you're retarded and I see no point in trying to argue with you. I just wanted to point out that I actually really do feel sorry for your children. They're going to grow up as messed up and stupid as you are and it's a shame in this day and age.

not thread hijacking... just pointing out a fact... just like ive pointed out in many other animal threads... this one just happends to be yours... it's nothing personal... and im not drawing attention to myself... im sure 80% of parents feel the way I do.... maybe even 90%... now if my kid was in your house and pinned your dog in a corner and your dog bit my kid it would be a different story.. id still kill the dog on princapal but thats just me...

shit I was at my grandmothers house and her dog growled at my kid.. now guess what we do go to my grandmothers house with my kids anymore because of it.. she can't control her dogs she don't see her grandkids... humans are more important to me than animals.. and being at a public park you should be able to run circles and fall all you want around your dog and not get a reaction like that from a dog...

your not going to argue because im right.... so you refer back to trying to bash me and call me names....

I invite you to try to evoke a bite from one of my dogs... I bet anything you can't...

:( hugs! i can understand how nervous you are! but relax i bet things will be fine the kiddo will be ok just as well as your dog will be ok.... i am soooo glad to hear that the mother was such a cool and honest lady. good luck and i look forward to hearing good news on this later...

Anyway back to reality and common sense. You don't need to scare dogs in to doing or not doing things. Go find a good dog trainer and you'll get it all sorted out. I'd suggest getting a recomendation from a good breeder, the local ASPCA or rescue organization for sheppards. Not all trainers are created equal and you don't want your dog in the hands of someone like Danza. Good lucky Loryn!

Thank you!!! I was looking at pictures of dog bites and saw bruises and I know that little girl is going to be so bruised. I feel so bad for her, and I hope she is okay. Her Mom's friend said to me, now she has a story to tell her friends when she goes to school. So they were really nice. Hopefully I will be able to talk to her soon and find out if everything is okay!!! :helpme

Awwwww I'm so sorry this has happened, good thing you'll some how try to make it right if you can. I hope that I never find myself in your shoes. I hope you feel better and don't let the asshole here get to ya hun!

It happens... thankfully in most cases it's not from an aggressive dog but rather their response to something going on.

Didn't Lars just have surgery a bit ago? Perhaps not back up to snuff. I haven't read the entire thread.. have you had him since a pup so that you know his history? Ultimately the best you can do is be proactive (ie talking with a trainer as you've mentioned).

I have a small dog (20 lb Shih Tzu named Chloe). She's never really been around children. We're having to slowly and cautiously get her and my granddaughter acquainted. Lila wants to just love her to death and Chloe is a bit scared of it all so she growls and barks when she's near. It will take us some time so that she knows that she's not the dominant over Lila.

Good luck with Lars.. I'm sure it will all work out fine.

I know, a good dog owner doesn't have to beat their dogs. Watch Caesar Millon, and he never hits any of his dogs. You are not in control nor do you have respect from your dog, if they fear you. Caesar works with nothing but Pits, Rots, and GS and he never hits and puts fear into any of them. They respect him and listen to him. That is how you have full control of your dog!!! My Dad never hit Brutus either, and Brutus listened to him. Lars is just a young dog with no training, and that is my fault totally. He will be trained and by the right person too. If anyone hits my dog I will bite them!!! (with my gun, haha, if I was a guy I would just kick their ass, but since I am not, I use Smith and Wesson, because IMO Smith and Wesson helped make men treat women as equals, haha)

sorry but the dog sounds like a danger. the fact that he just lunges at something close to him is pretty scary. you gotta wonder, who could be next? just lucky the dog didn't get her face or something similar.

Yup. Caesar Millan first had a pack of 14 Rottweilers, all completely under his control. He'd walk them all together. That's the exact right philosphy to be looking for in a trainer. Good luck with the search. :thumbsup

Im sorry that happened.But didnt he bite you before Loryn? You should muzzle him when he is outdoors. If he got so spooked he seriously hurt the kid. You could lose everything in a lawsuit and he would be put to death which would be a shame. Training is a very smart thing to do and some dogs just aren't good around kids.If my old boston CJ would have been around kids it would been a biting waiting to happen. The old bastard was mean. lol

Just passing by...

also, the little girl has received huge psychological trauma from your dog's attack, and she will be afraid of dogs for the rest of her life.

I hope you are never in my shoes either!!! :Oh crap Thank you!!!

oh my, not good, I hope it all turns out okay for you guys!

did you have him on a leash? honestly, regardless of how much training someone claims their dog has, I cannot stand seeing people let their dogs off a leash in public. It does not matter, if something happens they WILL react, they are dogs and creatures react just like humans would. If I am in public (dog parks would be an exception), and someone has their dog off a leash it makes me very nervous. They are not human children, they are animals, and in public should be on a leash at all times. Especially around others.

good luck Loryn and Lars, glad the people were nice!

That is what I feared for her the most. I saw that she was okay but I was crying just thinking of that and hope that she doesn't carry this around with her. When she fell onto the blanket she didn't even see the dog, I don't think she even realized what happened, because fell, got hurt and then her brother grabbed her. She didn?t even see Lars. She fell onto her side and was looking away from Lars. Her Mom was amazing with her, and she was sleeping when Animal Control got there. Her Aunt, her mother?s sister, has 3 German Shepherds that the little girl plays with all the time, so hopefully that and her mother, will teach her that it was an accident and not to be afraid of dogs. The Aunt gave me a Gatorade and they were offering me food from their picnic. The Aunt said she always watches her dogs around strangers and was relating to me with her dogs, so I am hoping nothing bad comes of it, meaning the little girl won't be scared of dogs. I told the mother I would cover any bills or anything she needs, which of course I will!!! The mother kept saying it's okay it was an accident and the dog was provoked, be it an accident when she fell, and the Animal Control guy put in the report it was a provoke. Even her brother said the same thing. He thinks it was the scooter falling onto the blanket that provoked the dog. Either way, I take it very seriously and Lars will be trained. The Aunt said that Lars having surgery recently could have played a part in him not being himself, but that doesn?t matter to me, he should never bite anyone like that EVER!!! I just want cry I feel bad, it is totally my fault!!!

Thank you and it was a response!!! I still see her falling in my mind, and just can't believe it!!! Out of all the places she could have fallen, it was right in front of me, and right onto the cooler and blanket. Lars doesn't like skateboards or people on bikes so I think that scooter played a huge part in him over reacting, but me not training him is the fault, not him!!!