Be smart when it comes to picking out a dog, please?!

Some of what you say is true but certain breeds shouldnt be classifeid as dangerous like pitbulls. I have seen my fair share of rottweiler attacks, germany sheppard attacks and even a bullmasiff. It depends on the owners who are raising them. Why all the sudden in say the last 10-15 years is certain breeds all the sudden classified as dangerous? They were'nt before a few attacks made it into the paper. I don think its the breeds people should be lookng at before getting a pet, I think there should be some kind of test and licence pet owners should have if raising certain kinds of dogs that are dangerous. I have had my pitbull for 4 years now and this dog is the biggest suck ever the only time she would ever attack is if someone was to run up to me or my family and even then shes just doing what she suppose to and thats protecting her family.

There are websites out there that can help people pick out the best breed. Like the Boxer is the best breed for kids yet not everyone out there has kids, so these people should know their dogs and train them if they misbehave. As far as killing, if the attack was unprovoked, I think it is probably a good idea. If you had children I don't think you would want your kids to be around a vicious dog. Here is one of the sites I was talking about. http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/children.htm

Good Comments. I would blame the owner, not the dog! They bite for a reason, it could be lotsd of things. Lack of training is the most common.But some breeds are just unsuitable to have around children. No way do I agree with putting down a dog for biting, especially if the dog was teased in the first place.

Stupid computer wouldnt let me post this. Anyways. I have a maltese, not great for little kids. I'm not married yet. She wont be 5 till June and will live at least another 10 yrs. I worry how I will deal with kids and her when I have them. Sometimes it cant be helped. NEVER kill the dog. They usually arent the cause of the pain. I'd say get rid of it if its something HUGE.

okay ur feeling towards pet dog is really nice enough but we cant judge dog if it wont b infected by virus before buying i think!!!so no body will kill cute dog before any unavoidable circumtances i think,everyone loves cute dog!!!sometimes it happens tht we have to kill dog before it harms more children!!u know tht dog bitting is harmful to human!!! actually i bought a dog which was well trained n vaccinated but wht happened someday it was caught by Rabbies n i had to killed it!!!!so makinag judgement before buying cant ensure u get good dog.

Ok, but what do you do with a dog after its bitten. You can research until your face is blue, but still, there's a biting dog somewhere. While researching is the best way to approach the whole concept of extending a family with a dog, it's not a surefire way to secure anyone's...security. I'm with the masses on this one, it should be put to sleep, and if I owned a dog who deliberately attacked or mauled anyone in a vicious manner, child or otherwise, it wouldn't even make it to the vets office, I'd just shoot it myself. I don't mean to sound vicious myself here, but there is no room for a dog of that nature anywhere. A dog that bites is unpredictable at best and poses a serious danger. I'm not talking about puppy play that might become a little agressive, all puppies use their teeth to some extent, and might even draw a little blood if you're proactive in puppy play alongside the pooch.

I love my dog far more than that, if she bit my kids it would be because they really hurt her, she has put up with the two little monsters harrassing her from before they could walk, she just gets up and leaves the lounge when she's had enough. She might get a smacked bottom if she bit one of them but to be honest she's an angel and it would be their fault. If people could kill their pet so easily then they shouldn't have one in the first place. It would be different if it was a really bad maul or it became regular and she was out of control but I hope we never get to that stage. I love her too much to even think about it, don'tthink she would she's 13 now and very gentle just a lot slower than before, sob.

My mom was bit by a German Shepard. She was walking down the street and the dog just went straight to her and bit her leg....Dog's like that should be put to sleep. If my dog bit any of the kids that come over to my house she would be put to sleep. I'm not talking about a playful bit I'm talking about a bite bite, like piercing into skin bite. My dog is very playful, she grabs your arm with her mouth and some kids consider that biting....I don't! But if she did cause harm to anyone and I knew my kids couldn't be safe near her I would have to put her to sleep instead of giving her away and making her someone else's problem.

I agree. We don't have any dogs but we had 2 cats when my older children were babies. One we had gotten when I was 8 so he was quite old. He scratched my daughter (then 2) on the face. I did not go out and have him put to sleep. I had no idea why he scratched her and I assumed she was bothering him and he just wanted to be left alone. So I just tried to keep them apart. Then a couple weeks later he scratched her again. So my warning lights went on. I kept an eye on him every time he was in the house. Then a couple days after the second attack I watched him as he laid on the chair sleeping. My daughter went up to him, bent down so she was face to face with him and said "kitty". He opened his eyes, looked at her for a second, then took a big swipe at her face. That was it. It was obvious she wasn't doing anything to provoke him. I picked him up by the scruff of the neck and tossed him into the basement where he stayed for several days (that is where his litter box was and where he slept--I put his food on the top step). I talked to my dad and we decided it was time for the cats to go. It was a hard decision because they had been my mom's cats and she had loved them so much, especially the one that was doing the scratching. I didn't want to do it but I couldn't trust him anymore.

I couldn't agree with you more. My kids and hubby want a puppy/dog, but our house is not clean enough, and my dear daughters don't keep their rooms straightened up enough. So therefore no dog. No cat either, even though we could really use one at times....but I have asthma soo I'd rather not ...in any case...I agree....Now as for dog biting...I love animals...I love dogs...I do...but I am always a little leary of them. I was bit as a kid. I didn't do anything in particular, just knocked on a neighbors door, and the dog came bounding out after us, and sprang the door open. He might have freaked, but ouch! My mom didn't do much for me, looking back, I realize, I didn't have the greatest mom in the world, try as she might. There were times she was downright cold. The dog was not put to sleep, it didn't break the skin, but I was terrified from then on out, and she did little a relieve my fears.

I think their is a difference in a dog that has bitten a child and one that attacks a person. I have a dog that has snapped at a couple of small children as she is small and they move quickly and do not realize that they scare her so. I do not blame her so much as the child or the parents for not teaching them to not run up to a strange dog and try to pet it.She also tried to bite the groomer because he did not listen when I told him she was scared and did not like her feet touched, he just grapped her up and held her foot with out so much as a word or pat, did not even let her smell of him first.I really wish she had bit him!LOL He was so rude to her I will not go back. I keep her away from anyone she does not know and especially small children. I also had a dog that went mad when she had her pups. She bit a boy once, but he tormented her and got to close to the end of her run and she could reach him and defended her self. She got worse and in the end had 3 high schoolers cornered when she got loose. We had to put her down. She got hit running crazy and the vet said due to her injuries and behavior that would only get worse it was best to put her down as she may one day bite even us. It was hard to do but for the best. This is an isolated instance that I would agree the dog needed to be killed, as she attacked a group of older kids and she was also badly injured. To kill a dog that has attacked for no reason is completely different than killing one because it snapped or even nipped in defense. Even if you research a breed individual dogs are different and you may find a border collie that bites,(mine was a border collie mix)and you could find a pit lets children ride it like a horse. While breed does play a huge part in behavior, upbringing also lends a hand to their personality.

Animals have emotions just like human does. So once a dog of any breed is angry or annoyed, it may attack. I think it is hard to be 100 percent sure which type of dogs is better to be with children. We need to educate both the dog and the children. Because if a naughty child keeps nagging a dog, then there are dangers that it may attack its young human friend. Also dogs owners or guardians should note the biological conditions of their dogs. A pregnant dog may become emotional very easily. When such things is going on with your dog, you should keep the children away from it until things get better.

I'm sorry to say I dont think the type of pet I own, a little maltese, will ever be great with kids. I read about that recently after I've owned my little love of my life for almost 5 yrs (birthday in June.) I'm sure she will live till at least another 10 yrs. By then I will have had some kids. Yeah I dont know what I will do when that happens. I do NOT intend to get rid of her of course! I'll have to work through it... Children do provoke dogs though. Even I do it, and I'm not a kid! But yeah something I will oneday have to deal with. truthfully

I'm with you. I certainly wouldn't rush out to put my dog down just because it bit a child. For starters, as responsible dog owner, I am careful to train my dogs, and to keep a close eye on them when small children are around. If I had a dog I was unsure of, I wouldn't leave it alone with small children for starters. When my own children were small we did get a dog from the pound that had been abused. For the first year we were very careful with her, and taught her to be gentle and loving. We discovered that the only time she even gave any indication of possibly biting was if she was cornered so after that we just made sure to watch her and warn her and give her lots of love. I had my own children, as well as did child care and the children were taught to leave the dog alone and to respect the dog as well as one another. If there was any doubt, the dog was put in another room for a short while but she also learned that even the suggestion of a growl was wrong. We had her for 18 years and she never ever bit anyone because we took the time to make sure she was ok with anyone who came around. Most dogs can be taught right from wrong, especially if they receive the love and care they deserve.