Dog Bites Man
I usually don’t post links to articles, but this article http://slate.com/id/2109937/
offers some very pertinent thoughts about pet ownership and responsibility. We do not have any pets. My kids would love to have a dog, but I refuse to have a dog unless it is a properly trained and socialized dog. I’m too busy training and socializing children to spend time on an animal right now.
There were several points in that article which I found interesting:
So called “dangerous” breeds are no more likely to attack than “friendly” breeds, but when they do attack they are far more likely to do serious damage.
The person most likely to be injured by a dog is not a burglur or stranger, but a child who simply acted unpredictably. Young children and dogs must always be supervised together even if there is never a problem.
A dog who has been traumatized and has become prone to violence has no business living around lots of people, particularly children. If you want to “rescue” an unpredictable dog, you’d best live someplace rural.
My neighbor across the cul-de-sac owns a traumatized and rescued dog. I have never seen that dog be anything but friendly. I still do not allow my children to run over and play with the dog unless I am standing right there. Another neighbor owns a big friend pony-size alaskan malamute. The kids love it, but I’m always right there because the big friendly pony could trample or squash a toddler without intending to. Chalain and Chaliren frequently bring their dog to our house. The kids love running with her in the yard. All the adults love watching, but we always WATCH.
Animals can add so much to the lives of people, but pet owners must be responsible and parents must also be responsible so that fun can be had, not tragedy.