Not So Sure About This Idea

I'd sure like to hear the whole story on how the dog accidently
"mauled" her hand.



Dog That Mauled Owner Becomes Therapy Animal
100-Pound Animal Injured Owner's Hand

POSTED: 4:01 pm EST March 8, 2005

BEAVERTON, Mich. -- A 100-pound Rottweiler that once mauled his owner's hand has received certification as a medical therapy dog.

Four-year-old Chopper is the pet of Marietta Sprott of Beaverton.

She plans to take him into nursing homes so patients can pet him and cuddle with him.

Sprott said the bite that ripped her tendons and broke several bones was an accident.

She said she wanted Chopper to be a therapy dog to clear his name and to show that Rottweilers don't deserve their bad reputation.

Chopper has been tested and registered by Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, a national organization.

i think its great that she's trying to get the Rottweilers good reputation back,its what they deserve.But i would sure be carefull since it already bit her.

I don't think it's a good idea. A good thought, maybe. But taking a ( potentially ) dangerous dog, with a history of violence isn't going to help anything. If the dog attacks (or makes aggresive motions, growling, snarling, ect. ) a elderly or patient, it won't *help their reputation. JMO.

I agree with Greyhoundgirl. That dog is too much of a liability to the nursing home to allow it to become a therapy dog.

Since we do not know the reason that her dog "mauled" her hand, I think that we really shouldn't judge the dog.

I was pretty badly bitten by a young male rottweiler. He had his foot stuck in the sliding mechanism of my mini van and was literally screaming in pain. In order to pull his foot out, I had to grab him and pull him up. I knew long before teeth hit skin that I was going to get the short end of that particular stick - my only decision at that point was where to take the bite.

This was the only other information I could find on this rottie.

Chopper

One is led to wonder, if Chopper was a Golden Retriever or a Labrador that had accidently bitten it's owner and it had then gone through the training and passed - would we still think it was a bad idea?

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Originally Posted by LilacDragon

One is led to wonder, if Chopper was a Golden Retriever or a Labrador that had accidently bitten it's owner and it had then gone through the training and passed - would we still think it was a bad idea?

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The answer to that, for me anyway, would definitely be "Yes." It is not the wisdom of training a rottweiller to be a therapy dog that people are questioning (I don't think), but the wisdom of taking a dog around somewhat fragile people that has already inflicted injury on it's owner. I know she says he accidentally bit her, but it also says he ripped tendons and broke several bones, so I wonder if it was really a quick one bite type of thing, or a more prolonged incident.

I don't think it's a good idea either. Sounds like a huge risk.

Also, it makes me think that she's not trying to be helpful in the community, but she's trying to show that she can outwit the 'rules and regs', if you know what I mean, and get her name out there.

I believe once a dog has bitten, no matter the circumstances, you have to to keep in mind that it is very possible for your dog to do it again. You need to be aware, and take the appropriate action.

I don't think the nursing home therapy is a good idea.

I think the heart of Chopper's owner is in the right place, and I admire her immensely for trying to clear her dog's name. Whether or not the best way to go about doing that is to turn him into a therapy dog, I'm not sure, but really I wish her the best of luck and hopes everything works out for her and Chopper.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lilac Dragon

One is led to wonder, if Chopper was a Golden Retriever or a Labrador that had accidently bitten it's owner and it had then gone through the training and passed - would we still think it was a bad idea?

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Originally Posted by Ginger's Mom

The answer to that, for me anyway, would definitely be "Yes." It is not the wisdom of training a rottweiller to be a therapy dog that people are questioning (I don't think), but the wisdom of taking a dog around somewhat fragile people that has already inflicted injury on it's owner. I know she says he accidentally bit her, but it also says he ripped tendons and broke several bones, so I wonder if it was really a quick one bite type of thing, or a more prolonged incident.

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I agree with both of you to an extent there. When a dog has bitten before, there is always a thought in the back of your mind that they'll bite again. However, if this was about a labrador, for instance, I don't believe that it would hit the news, it would be more likely to be swept under the carpet and pretended the incident never happened.

I know I wouldn't want to be a patient of any dog that has done that much damage to a human before. ( unless the human did that much damage to it first ;) ) No matter WHAT breed it is.

And remember, I'm not a person who wouldn't want to see a dog. Think how people who aren't really fond of dogs will think.

But if he passed the regulations to become a therapy dog then I dont see the problem. Its older people its not like shes taking him to a sick kids hospital where they would be tugging on him.
Thunder bit me before and it was a accident ( I scared him and he attacked me and got my face) but he is the friendliest dog in the world and I know he wouldnt do anything like that again. I would take him to a nursing home and I would be 110% sure that all he would do is lick the peoples faces.

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Originally Posted by Miss Z

I agree with both of you to an extent there. When a dog has bitten before, there is always a thought in the back of your mind that they'll bite again. However, if this was about a labrador, for instance, I don't believe that it would hit the news, it would be more likely to be swept under the carpet and pretended the incident never happened.

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I am not trying to be argumentative here, honest, but I really need to disagree. I believe it is the owner of this dog that is trying to make this a news event, not people who are opposed to Rotties. I had a foster dog who was a biter, I would never have thought of taking her to testing to become a therapy dog (and she was a small dog). I think if this lady wants to improve the status of Rottweillers, there are many ways she could truly help the breed. Taking a dog that has "mauled" her hand to nursing homes is just not the way to do it. And to put that dog and people in that position just for publicity is wrong. People should not be overcome by their desire to improve the the status of Rottweillers that they make bad or questionable decisions. I love Rottweillers, I have never met one that I couldn't walk up to and give them a nice big pet on that lovely big head. But this particular dog should probably not be in a nursing home. It has nothing to do with the breed. I feel sorry for this dog, I think she is using him to make a statement, rather than just enjoying him and letting him be her spoiled pet.

ETA: Buttercup, I just saw your post. This dog didn't just bite her, her broke several bones and tore tendons. There is a difference. Also, I, of course, do not know what caused that attack, but lets just say for the sake of argument one of the older residents lost their balance while going to pet the dog. The dog may see the sudden movement of the person coming at him as threatening. It is just not a good idea for this dog (not saying Rotties in general).

I don't think it's a good idea either as it is a huge risk. If the dog broke a healthy persons bones then what will he/she do if she bit an elderly persons hand, who possible had arthritis or something else similar. The dog could knock down a person in a wheelchair, or someone who had a walker. I know Sassy used to be afraid of wheelchairs and canes when we took Sassy to my grandmas nursing home. She wasn't a therapy dog, but any friendly loving dog was allowed in to visit the people. I think the fact that she wants to do this for the dogs reputation is great but if that dog mauled her hand "accidently" it's should not be allowed. I cannot understand why a Therapy dog training center would allow a dog with ANY agressive history to become a certified therapy dog.