[pyrnet] Differences? Debates?

["Linda Weisser" <lmweisser@home.com>]

I have been following this discussion of Sariena's dog with great interest
and a certain growing distress.  For the most part I want to say "yes" to
most of what Joe has said here.  And I have been considering why.  I think
that what we have going on is a difference that arises from time and
expererience.  Those of us who have been in this breed for 20+ or 30+ years
have seen, heard and dealt with it all.  We are no longer inclined to make
excuses or give much room or forgiveness to dogs who exhibit untypical and
unacceptable aggression.  The damage that can be done by a dog this size to
a pre-school child in the blink of an eye is horrifying.  No amount of love
or work or excuse will ever undo that.  I also read in what Sariena says a
pattern of escalating aggressive behavior.  Finally reaching biting a three
year old in the face.  This was *not* bite inhibition.  He made contact with
her face, he broke her skin.  Inhibition would have been never to have made
that contact.

Those of us "old timers" really don't mean to be cruel or harsh or anything
else.  We are perhaps over reacting in trying to convey the desparate
seriousness of what has happened, but we also know well enough the potential
consequences of not stating our fears and our feelings loudly, clearly and
immediately.  There are few behaviors that are, for me, beyond redemption.
Biting a child is one of them.  Please read again the escalating level of
unaccepatable behavior in Zeus.  This is very serious business.  I am glad
that he is with a behaviorist but the true measure can only be in how he
relates to the family and the children.  Bringing him back into the
household, no matter how much off site work he has had, involves a huge and
dangerous risk.

Those who have been around a while may remember the story that appeared in
the Bulletin about the dog whose owners ignored and forgave ever escalating
problems until one day the dog went over the top of the husband in pursuit
of the child.  This dog, BTW, was a well bred, top winning Ch so it can
happen anywhere.

I understand how a lot of this has seemed perhaps even "nasty".  The
vehemence of the response grows out of knowledge of the awfulness of the
potential outcome.

Linda