Tulsa Infant Killed by a Puppy Part 2

Jeremy Thurman
Attorney
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Posted by Jeremy ThurmanAugust 06, 2008 3:54 PM
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I have received several comments about the above post I wrote last week. Most are how dare I slander pit bulls or bring breeds into as it is always the owners fault that a dog hurts or bites someone.

I would like to post the following in response to all those commentaries. First, in many cases it is the owners fault. Shame on owners who breed these dogs to be vicious attack animals. However, it doesn’t take a lawyer to figure out that many breeds are more dangerous than others. I want to relay a personal example of what I’m talking about.

Back when I was dating my wife, I had a Shar pei given to me as a puppy. His name was Jaxon and he was a beautiful dog. I raised him with love and as a big baby. He slept in my bed with me and was treated wonderfully. He went through obedience training and could do every trick in the book. Nonetheless, the dog was extremely territorial of my property. You didn’t dare enter my home unless I had a muzzle on him or he was locked in another room. The dog bit my wife several times and luckily she stayed with me. I talked to many vets and was desperate to do something because I was engaged to marry this woman and he didn’t like her or anyone, including children.

I didn’t raise him that way, he was borne that way. I loved him as a little dog and never taught him mean tendencies or to be aggressive. When I married I had to give him to my parents. My parents did the same thing and he was constantly around my parents and sister and her two children. On more than one occasion he tried to bite one of my nieces but was warded off by my father. Then finally he caught my child on the foot that required her to have two stitches. That was enough. As much as it pained me and my father to do this to a cherished pet, we took him to the vet and asked if there was anything we could do. The vet said no. He said to give him to an unknown person would kill him and the best thing to do was put him asleep. I’ve never felt so bad in taking a healthy beautiful loving dog and putting him to sleep because I was afraid he was going to hurt a child. My dad and I left almost in tears.

So for those who want to deride me about breeds, I know better. Its not always the owners fault and certain breeds have an inherent dangerous quality to them. That’s why dog bite accidents, in particular this Tulsa one, are so horrifying.

6 Comments

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Nicole
Posted by Nicole
August 06, 2008 5:03 PM

This WAS your fault. You may have taken him to obedience classes, but you did not provide leadership for him, and teach him what he should do when someone comes to the home.
You do not mention employing a desensitization and counter conditioning program to desesitize him to the presence of your wife. You do not mention taking him to a board certified veterinary behaviourist to come up with a behaviour modification program.

All of these would be early steps to take with a dog who is displaying territorial aggression. Taking a dog, and expecting him to live in a human world, and behaive in ways humans find acceptable, and expecting him not to behave like a dog is a difficult task.
It is an amazing credit to our dogs that they take to it so well. Some dogs are more difficult than others, and require better leadership, and more time, and some owners cannot put in the time or creativity to face the problem, but it is still the owner's, not the dog's fault. Furthermore, different breeds are bred for different tasks. If an owner does not do his research, and gets a breed that does not fit his lifestyle, it does not make the breed inherently dangerous, and it is still entirely the owner's fault.

Rosemary
Posted by Rosemary
August 06, 2008 6:58 PM

They're charging the 17 year old mother with neglect and drug abuse. They're saying the baby was left unattended in the swing for two hours. Maybe they need a defense attorney. The dog in question was a 6 week old puppy, which has been killed. Puppies chew. He could have thought it was a squeaky toy for two hours. You sound upset because there's no ambulance to chase here.

Larry
Posted by Larry
August 07, 2008 8:27 AM

Jeremy, unless your dog was a genetic aboration then your multiple bite Shar pei was definaly your fault.

Simply put your dog ruled the roost and you(and your family) failed to instill in it that you were the ones who made the rules. You may be a lawyer and think you "know dogs" but your story is a perfect example of people who have all the right intentions but do all of the wrong things.

You, like so many dog owners today got in over your head and just like everyone else in society today no one wants to take responsibility for the part they play (or more often the case dont play) in raising a dog.

marie
Posted by marie
August 07, 2008 2:40 PM

Wow - why is it so hard for dog lovers to admit that some dogs have problems that can't be fixed by the usual methods. Dogs are animals - not furry little humans. Give the guy a break.

Nicole
Posted by Nicole
August 07, 2008 5:04 PM

This guy got a Shar Pei, a breed originating from Southern China as a home and family guardian, then got upset when it guarded its home and family. He did not teach Jaxon proper alternative behaviours for when people came to the house, such as a 'go to mat' command, instead thinking that obedience and trick training are the same thing as behaviour modification.

Jay
Posted by Jay
September 04, 2008 3:38 PM

This WAS the owners fault. He didn't even try to re-home the dog. I have taken in two adult shar-pei's that were neglected and abused and somewhat-aggressive and they re-adjusted to my home fine. You are probably the type of person that never takes their dog for a walk and then wonders why the dog is hyper. You are probably the type of person that doesn't let their dog out to use the bathroom, and then gets mad at it for using the bathroom in the house. SHAME ON YOU!!!

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