Dog Attacks In Thailand

[Smithson]

I'd like to discuss dog attacks over here and some of the factors surrounding them. One of our dogs looks like a Rottweiler cross and terrifies most ppl even when she's on a lead. I know Rotts have been responsible for fatal attacks on children. In one case I think I remember reading that the owner had one in a cage, she let it out and it attacked a child.

I think I may have also read that keeping this breed in a cage can make them aggressive.

Are there things commonly done to dogs here that make them aggressive or dangerous? Things like chaining them, hitting them (sometimes with sticks and/or for no apparent reason).

Can the heat make dogs aggressive or does it make them lethargic?

It seems generally the strays are OK, but those behind fences seem to be a problem. When their owners let them run in the sois the seem nervous and agitated.

What do others think?

[dogfather]

Hi,

In geneneral breeds like Rotties, German sheperds Pits ,American Bulls you name it belong in to the hands of either experts or very experienced dog owners. If other wise it can be a danger to life and limb and its to be blamed on the owners and not the dogs. Its not the animals misbehaving its people just not having the understanding and knowledge to read a dogs mind. I suggest they may all read late John Fishers "think dog" its a great book that gives whom who are interested and should have dogs a very good insight into the dogs head.

Michael

I'd like to discuss dog attacks over here and some of the factors surrounding them. One of our dogs looks like a Rottweiler cross and terrifies most ppl even when she's on a lead. I know Rotts have been responsible for fatal attacks on children. In one case I think I remember reading that the owner had one in a cage, she let it out and it attacked a child.

I think I may have also read that keeping this breed in a cage can make them aggressive.

Are there things commonly done to dogs here that make them aggressive or dangerous? Things like chaining them, hitting them (sometimes with sticks and/or for no apparent reason).

Can the heat make dogs aggressive or does it make them lethargic?

It seems generally the strays are OK, but those behind fences seem to be a problem. When their owners let them run in the sois the seem nervous and agitated.

What do others think?

[Smithson]

I've read that 80% of attacks in the USA happen in hot weather. Our dog loves the water and can't wait for us to turn the air con on at night, but I've never noticed her get grumpy.

I also remember an attack by a group of strays in the hot season a few years ago, the dogs were suffering from the heat and hadn't been getting fed as often because it was the holidays

[elfe]

dunno... cannot speak for human attacks but my dogs here live together in a pack of 59, usually peacefully and fights occur very rarely and are minor and gone in a few seconds. in the hot time of day or hot season my dogs are sleepy and not much up for anything if i don't stimulate them and leave them alone. i can only see more aggressions occur after a few days of only kibble when i then prepare the meat for them in the kitchen, they all run mad as long as they have plenty of good food they hardly ever get aggressive, also not food-agressive.

some breeds tend to be more hot, but also individuals of all breeds.

[Smithson]

That's what I read, but I feel the same about the heat, seems to make the dogs lethargic. Our dog seems to suffer in the hot season, but she doesn't seem irritable at all. We sleep with the air con and if we're slow to go to bed she'll stand by the stairs and bark at us, as if to say 'C'mon'

[Nienke]

I think I may have also read that keeping this breed in a cage can make them aggressive.

Are there things commonly done to dogs here that make them aggressive or dangerous? Things like chaining them, hitting them (sometimes with sticks and/or for no apparent reason).

Can the heat make dogs aggressive or does it make them lethargic?

It seems generally the strays are OK, but those behind fences seem to be a problem. When their owners let them run in the sois the seem nervous and agitated.

Hi,

Bit late reaction. Each time I wrote a response and then read it over it sounded so yucky that I deleted it again. Hope this sounds better:

Dogs can become aggressive for various reasons. In the behavioral world they have named the different forms of aggression, such as fear-aggression, dominance aggression, pain-induced aggression, maternal aggression, territorial aggression, etc.

Why dogs behind fences can act very aggressive is because often aggression is highest on the border of a territory. The fence and the end of a lead are borders of a territory, in the dog’s mind.

Most dogs prefer to sleep through heat and humidity, but it can make them irritable as well, especially when the humidity is high for a while, as I’ve noticed. If then something happens that a dog doesn’t like, it can tell you to back of and will do so through aggressive behavior (staring, stiffening, growling, lip lifting, snapping, etc.). However, IMO it will not necessarily continue into an attack, unless the dog is cornered and is seeking a way out or the other party is not responding to the warning signals.

Many (full-bred) dogs are kept inside the garden, behind the house, in a cage, chained up or the like.

During the most sensitive period in their lives, the socialization period, they have not had the chance to have positive experiences with several people, children, other dogs (in all their different forms), other animals, and different environments, other than the environment they are living in and the people that they live with. In other words they totally lack socialization or are under-socialized.

When a dog lacks these experiences and it encounters them once it grows up, it will not recognize them and see them as strange and scary. They will show fear when in a strange environment or when the scary thing approaches. They will show this fear through body language. If this scary thing keeps on approaching they will want to bring themselves in safety. They usually do this in three different ways: flight, freeze or fight. Freezing is the one, one will see the least. Mostly it is that a dog will run or attack. However, as said before, when a fearful dog is cornered it will also attack, by snapping or biting in a leg or hand, and then when they other one withdraw it will run.

Dogs that have been bred to guard and protect house, vicinities or herds, tend to bring themselves into safety by chasing the other away, which can be through biting.

Dogs that have received all sorts of privileges, i.e. haven’t received any properly guidelines and boundaries, from puppy on can climb the hierarchical ladder. Once in their puberties they start defending these privileges, which can show in unruliness and disobedience, and/or aggression.

Therefore, for turning your own dog into a well-mannered and well-adjusted dog once grown up it needs proper socialization and education from early puppyhood on, meaning the owner needs to invest sufficient time, effort and money in these things.

A dog that has been always well-behaved and never showed any aggression, but suddenly starts doing so can very well have a medical condition causing his sudden aggression.

Although, this is only a brief summary I hope this answers some of your question.

Nienke

Edited September 12, 2007 by Nienke

[bina]

all four of our 'yard' /cable dogs are aggressive when on their cables, although two will bite if approached hesitantly, they will quiet down if we tell them too, or if approached with confidence (by a new worker, we give the new person a treat to take to the dog at feeding time, and we approach together) . the other two are barkers only, so they 'work' where strangers might inadvertantly wander, but do warn off by barking and showing teeth. both are calm dogs that respond well to quiet voices and both are great on and off cable with people (children) under your average 13 y old size. adult males are for certain security reasons our main 'targets' are males, and all the dogs recognize the difference.

when released, they are playful and friendly although not well socialized (on purpose, they recongnize our car, us, and the few others that are needed; anyone else gets barked at until we signal the o.k.)

all four dogs were strays: libi the female canaan (similar to the thai village dog) has a definate maternal instinct and is a great people dog but territorial; tuvia is a boxer/gt.dane mix who is quite aggressive when on cable, but a total pup when released but looks absolutely horrifying; panda is a husky /caanan mix , a barker and tail wagger; gan (thai name as he was rescued by our thai workers) is our akita/canaan mix and not to be messed with by strangers.

i wouldnt trust any but libi in a household situation w/o me supervising however; or retraining *untraining'*

[Smithson]

My dogs will join with dogs behind fences, barking aggressively and running along the fence.

One of the dogs gets really worked up if approached by a dog in the soi when on a leash, if I let him off the leash however he's fine and just checks the dogs out.

[Nienke]

My dogs will join with dogs behind fences, barking aggressively and running along the fence.

One of the dogs gets really worked up if approached by a dog in the soi when on a leash, if I let him off the leash however he's fine and just checks the dogs out.

Talking about boundaries?

Edited September 13, 2007 by Nienke