[PyrNet-L] Provoked?

[Pbpyr@aol.com]

Hi,

I guess perhaps the child did not behave in the most sensible manner but I
still can't excuse the behavior of the dog and his reaction to the incident.
Children do `dumb' things...they're loud, they have fast jerky movements, they
run when they should walk, they bang when they should knock, they scream when
they should whisper...it's all part of growing up and maturing.  The fact that
this dog `lives' with children is probably the most disturbing facet to this
story.  I think it's a short time  before one of his `own' misbehaves and he
repeats the same behavior which is not `Pyr-like'.  A dog of this size is
capable of inflicting fatal wounds.

The eight year old's behavior no matter how rude and undisciplined did not
warrant an attack which required 80 stitches.  The dog just doesn't have
`common sense' which is very dangerous in an animal of the Pyr size and power.
I received the GPCA Bulletin just yesterday and in it was a story re-printed
from an incident which happened..I believe back in 1985 regarding an
aggressive male Pyr.   It was a very traumatic incident for the family when
the dog attacked the father without warning or provocation but the signs were
there for some time before that and `excuses' were continually made for the
dog.   He was euthanized.    I guess what I'm alluding to is that if it were
my dog or one that I had bred, no matter what the circumstances, the end
result is the same with a canine attacking a human and he would be
`unforgiven' no matter how difficult and heart wrenching a decision it would
be for me.   This incident had nothing to do with the `guarding' instinct
(IMHO).

Nancy
pbpyr@aol.com