'Ax Men' Star's Daughter Killed By Dog

I had to laugh as that was the case with one of my step grandson who at four was found to be mistreating two puppies his mother had purchase at great cost and then needed for their welfare to give away to a new home with older children.

Children should also be 'trained' on how to act around animals.

Men tend to have big dogs because it makes them feel a better protector. Women tend to have small dogs because it makes them feel a better carer. I have yet to meet someone who doesnt say stupid things like "my dog wouldnt do that..."

You have, unwittingly, finally agreed with what people were trying to tell you about not leaving young children alone with animals.

Small children and dogs have to be supervised.

The best reason not to leave children unsupervised with dogs is that they are erratic and unprincipled little savages, and it were cruelty to expose one's pets to that.

Is this why you lie about what country you live in ?

The best reason not to leave children unsupervised with dogs is that they are erratic and unprincipled little savages, and it were cruelty to expose one's pets to that.

but before then, they really just go on about their business oblivious to the rest of the world and oblivious to consequences.

Astoria-area mauling death shows how instincts can change dogs from friendly to ferocious
By Lori Tobias, The Oregonian
March 03, 2010, 7:56PM

A tragic event in Clatsop County has many dog owners wondering how a trusted friend suddenly turns into a killer.

Animal behaviorists say it's really no mystery but rather instincts, and virtually every dog has them. But when those predatory behaviors are exhibited by the larger, more powerful breeds, such as Rottweilers or pit bulls, serious injury or even death can occur.

That cruel fact was brought home Sunday to a family in Svensen, near Astoria, when 4-year-old Ashlynn Anderson was mauled to death by one of the family's Rottweilers.

Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin said Ashlynn was playing in the front yard of the family's rural home about 1 p.m. and two Rottweilers were in a separate area divided from Ashlynn by a 4-foot fence.

But when Ashlynn's mother, D'ette Browning, looked out to check on her daughter, she saw the girl on the ground and one of the dogs standing nearby. Ashlynn's stepfather, Jesse Browning, called 9-1-1, and medics responded quickly, Bergin said. But it was too late. A helicopter rushed Ashlynn to OHSU Hospital in Portland, but she was pronounced dead on arrival.

No one may ever know exactly what happened, but animal behaviorists say it is likely something triggered the dog's prey drive. It's the same drive found in all canids, such as foxes and wolves, said Heather Toland, director of the DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy and Education Program.

"They scan, they alert, they target, they chase, they grab, they might shake, they kill and they dissect," Toland said. "A 4-year-old child moves and looks a lot like prey, and dogs are first and foremost predators. When a 4-year-old squeals, in delight to us, to the dog that may sound like an injured rabbit, as it's running around flailing its arms and legs."

But it also may have been nothing the child did and any number of triggers in the environment, said Tanya Roberts, Training and Behavior Department manager at the Oregon Humane Society. The dog might have become excited by a squirrel or by the other Rottweiler. It might have simply smelled something or seen someone passing the home.

"It's very, very common," said Roberts. "It's why dogs chase balls, kids on bicycles. It's just something that dogs do.

"We have to respect that it is something they do and put in safety perimeters for children. I don't think it is a good idea to leave young kids and animals in the home unattended. Guards go down; you think everything is fine. You don't know what the environment is going to do. It only takes a second for something to happen."

And when it involves a large, powerful dog, such as a Rottweiler, the ending is potentially tragic.

That's one of the reasons Rottweilers are often labeled as dangerous or aggressive. But in fact, they really are no different from other dogs, said Toland. What can be different, however, is breeding and training.

"I've had a fabulous Rottweiler in my therapy program," she said, but "any dog can be ill bred."

"There is a lot to be said about careful breeding, not breeding for looks but for temperament."

Training from a young age is also key, as is early socialization, adequate exercise and attention.

Dog owners also need to remember that not every dog can be in every situation successfully, said Jacqui Neilson, veterinarian and board-certified veterinary behaviorist.

"All animals come with some risks," Neilson said. "When you know there are certain situations your dog is not good in, you may need to take steps to avoid those situations or manage those situations so he can't put others at risk.

"Some of the nicest dogs I've ever met are Rotties. You can't take a broad brush and paint it. But you do have to be more careful with large breed dogs just because they can inflict more damage."