Survey about dog bites

[stacwase]

I'm doing a survey to find out a few things. Please answer even if your dog has never bitten. I'd like to know what percentage of dog bites are called in to animal control, according to breed.

Let's define "dog bite" as the dog putting its teeth on somebody in a way which alarms them. Please say "yes" even if the teeth didn't break the skin, but don't count the little puppy play nips that we all get when we're horsing around with our dogs.

1. What kinds of dogs have you had? How many of each?

2. Have the dogs bitten? If so, was the person bitten a stranger or a friend/family member?

3. Did the person who was bitten notify animal control or the police?

I'd like to determine the percentage of each breed that have bitten, compared to the percentage which have been turned in for biting. My hypothesis is that certain dog breeds are turned in more often for biting and therefore have a false reputation for being aggressive.

My answers:

In my entire life, including my childhood, I have had:

1 terrier mix, no bites
1 beagle, no bites
1 poodle, no bites

1 malamute with one severe bite of the landlord, one bite to my brother who was a child at the time, and a few narrow escapes. She was put down, and if she hadn't been the police would have been notified so I'll count that as a "yes" for notification of animal control. (I must say, in her defense, that we adopted her as a ferral dog)

2 poodle mixes, one who bit a strange child and animal control was notified
1 german shepherd, no bites
1 german shepherd mix, bit a family friend, animal control not notified
2 mixes of unknown breeds, no bites
and 1 Sheltie, no bites

[ChrisH]

Judy, Wirehaired Terrier, no bites.
Sandy, unknown mix, no bites.
Lester, Jack Russell, no bites.
Prince, Labrador, no bites.
Duke, GSD, no bites.
Blue, Lab/Gsd mix, no bites.

Prince, Doberman. He bit my sons hand as he was freeing him from being stuck in a bike wheel. No report made, we figured the bite was from fear and pain.

Max, Doberman, no bites.
Duchess, Sheltie mix, no bites.
Penny, Gsd, no bites.

Bob, ESS. He bit ME!! First dog bite ever! Three years ago, a short time after having neuter surgery. He had been having a very painful time - at one time the surgery point had swollen up to the size of a large ball! The bite happened as we were on our way out for his daily walk, his leash got caught around his legs, I went to free it and wham! Nothing since, but I have to say it really, really, shook me up and I still don`t completely trust him.

[Pam]

6 poodles (4 deceased and 2 alive) and no bites.

When I was a child my parents rescued a mixed breed dog from a shelter (he was called a Manchester terrier cross). He bit my dad when he put his hand near his food bowl when he was eating. He went right back to the shelter but no one was called.

[Cheshirekatt]

Patches-pitbull/cconhound mix-no bites

Petie-German Shepard-no bites

Wilma-pitbull-No bites

George-Mastiff mix-no bites

Joxer-boxer/pitbull-no bites

Buford-mastiff/hound mix-bit my bf while he was trying to break up a dog fight. In his favour, he was going after the other dog and went totally limp and ran outside when he realized he'd bit my bf! AC was not notified.

To be honest, I'd never have a dog that's not trustworthy. If my dogs ever bit anyone non-provoked, I'd have them put down. Too much liability.

[ChrisH]

Originally posted by Cheshirekatt
........To be honest, I'd never have a dog that's not trustworthy. If my dogs ever bit anyone non-provoked, I'd have them put down. Too much liability.

Bob bit me because he was hurting and when I touched him his reaction was the bite, even so I guess you could call it unprovoked. The feeling of caution I have with him is solely from the shock of that incident three years ago. If I truly thought Bob wasn`t trustworthy, he would not be here now. And for certain, if he had ever even attempted to bite me or anyone, ever again, provoked or not, and as much as I love him, he would be gone.

Christine

[Cheshirekatt]

Originally posted by ChrisH
Bob bit me because he was hurting and when I touched him his reaction was the bite, even so I guess you could call it unprovoked. The feeling of caution I have with him is solely from the shock of that incident three years ago. If I truly thought Bob wasn`t trustworthy, he would not be here now. And for certain, if he had ever even attempted to bite me or anyone, ever again, provoked or not, and as much as I love him, he would be gone.

Christine

That's pretty much what I meant.

Yes, when Buford bit Chris is was unprovoked, but it was a dog fight and Chris did stick his hand in Buford's mouth. My idea of an unprovoked bite is if someone were to reach out a pet one of my dogs and my dog bit the person. Does that make sense??

[PJ's Mom]

1 rottie
1 cocker spaniel
1 mutt
1 cocker spaniel - The dog was a stray that we picked up, treated for heartworms and decided to keep.

He bit my daughter on the face when she bent down to give him a hug. Because of the severity of the bite, she had to be taken to the hospital and AC had to be notified (it's the law) My Opus was identified as being unable to be put with another family, so he was put to sleep that day. It was probably one of the worst days of my life.

[pitc9]

Candy GSD Mix - no bites

Toby GSD Mix - 1st bite - stranger in the yard and no one was home. (good girl!)
2nd bite - my scary uncle who the first time he met her, he bent down in her face and growled at her to "Show her who's boss" he turned around to walk away, and she bite him on the butt (hee hee... serves you right!)
3rd - Gas Man when he was walking into my house Toby's latch broke and she bite him.
Never breaking skin on anyone, and never had animal control involved.

Sierra GSD - she nips people on the butt if they walk through the yard to fast
Buddy GSD - no bites
Both Sierra and Buddy are VERY protective of there yard, now we have a pen inside our fenced in yard to protect our guest's and there butts!!!

[KYS]

2 Akita's: no bites
2 terriers: no bites
1 poodle/terrier mix: no bites
1 Akita/GSD mix: 1 nipped my nephew.
1 lab/gsd mix: 1 nipped a stranger.


family dogs growing up:
maltese: no bite
2 GSD: no bites
1 GSD: 1 bite a stranger.
1 lab: no bites

[binka_nugget]

1 sheltie - no bite (I guess you could say two shelties but we've only had him for 24 hours. So far so good though...)

[Karen]

One GSD mix, former stray - no bites
Two Saint Bernards - no bites
One Great Dane (1/4 Lab) - no bites


I have a scar on my face from a neighbor's terrier mix who did bite me. I don't blame Reggie, I was four years old, so bigger than him, and what I thought was a friendly hug he probably interpreted as a dominance/attack maneuver.

[Fox-Gal]

In my life time

7 Boxers, ....only one ever bite any one, but he was a trained attack dog.
MinPin,...... nips all the time, no real bites
Great dane,... 1 time, only because my husband got in the way of a dog fight.
Lab,.... never
Beagle....never
Hound...never
Pom.......never
Rottie.....1 bite. no one called it in.
Terrier.....1 bite, a child but, the parents didn't call it in. They said it was their childs fault. The little boy kicked him in the ribs and when my dog tried to get away the boy came after him and kicked a few more times. He had enough of this so he bit. The boy got a good size cut on his leg but as the parents said, thats a reminder to never kick a dog again. Last time they dog sat for me.

[micki76]

1 chi/terrier mix no bites
3 westies - no bites
1 toy fox terrier - no bites
1 shih tzu - no teeth with which to bite (but would if teeth were available)
1 jrt mix - nips when excited, probably would fear bite a child (hates the loud ones)

[wolfsoul]

Newfoundland (Bear) -- no bites
American Bulldog (Spudz) -- 1 bite, not severe. He bit me because I pulled his whisker (I was only 5 lol).
2 German shepherd dogs (Leather and Polar) -- Lots for Leather. One severe. Dumb lady stuck her head into the vehicle and Leather tore into her face. None for Polar. He was only a puppy when he died.
German shepherd/doberman/border collie/lab cross (Stitch) -- No bites
Pomeranian (Polly)- no bites
Siberian husky (Ckeeko) - no bites
Rottweiller (Zoe) - a few bites, none severe. She wasn't trained when these people dumped her at my dad's house, so she bit me a couple times and my dad. No reasons.
Miniature pinscher (Guy) -- Lots, none severe. Mostly children; he bit when people touched anywhere other than his head.
Chesapeake bay retriever (Samurai) - none.
...Uhhh...1 Timber lmao -- none. She's too much of a wimp.

[tikeyas_mom]

1. What kinds of dogs have you had? How many of each?

I have had 3muts...
2 malamutes...
3 siberian huskies...
1 shih tzu...
2 cocker spaniels...


2. Have the dogs bitten? If so, was the person bitten a stranger or a friend/family member?

muts didnt bite.
1 of the malamutes came down with distemper and she bit my lil brother.
none of the siberian huskies bit anyone.
the shih tzu doesnt bite.
and the cockers didnt bite.

3. Did the person who was bitten notify animal control or the police?

my parents made the desaision to put the malamute to sleep..