"Why is it so hard to believe that a dog would protect his owner? I just recently saw a couple dogs targetting the weapon arm in the Ultimate K-9 video."

Barb,
You saw some sport dogs bite a forearm that was offered to them, just like happened in their training many times in the past ( for the Ultimate K9 video ). That's nothing special at all, every SchH dog alive does that.

Do you really think that dog can recognize *a weapon* and go for that object? C'mon, now...you comments just show a complete and total lack of understanding of what occurs during protection episodes with canines.. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

If he wanted his dog to be remembered as a hero, I don't think he would have kept his name out of the article I posted.

I think the attackers coming up from behind sounds a little odd to me too, but I still don't doubt the core components of the story. The dog saved his owners life. I've seen A LOT of strange and unbelievable things in my time that I recall thinking and even saying, that if I hadn't seen this with my own two eyes, I would never believe it.

I think there was confusion in the recounting of the story, and it was probably the reporters. It's like the story I posted on the pitbull attacks thread by the reporter who said the presa x american bulldog that attacked was a pitbull, lol <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

This poor guy lost his dog and all people could say was the guys a liar, he's an idiot trainer (speculation), a moron for saying the dog locked on, (which if you've ever seen a pitbull type bite and hold, you could easily see why a non expert could think and say that). The fact that someone's tragedy could invoke so much hate and negativity rather than compassion, or at least silence, bothered me. I'm not talking about you Connie, you're always very tactful. I just meant this thread in general. Everyone has no problem believing all the bad they hear about pitbulls but when someone posts a good story nobody believes. That's depressing.

Any doubters could call the reporter or police officer listed in the article I posted. Maybe that would calm the cynicism.

Will, I don't think there is anything at all impressive about a dog grabbing an arm with a weapon. I don't think a dog recognizes a 'weapon' but instead recognizes something that could hit them. I've seen it. I don't think it's a training thing I think it's a natural instinct with a thinking dog.

Barb...wait a sec.

Here's another way to look at it - *the owner* said the dogs saved his life. There's no proof at all this incident happened except for a shot dog. The dog could have been running loose and was shot by a neighbor for all we know or some other type of incident.
The way that the owner described the incidence is very suspious , the facts just don't fit on multiple levels. And when a story has big holes in it, it's usually false.


Fine for you to believe it, but when the facts just don't add up, I'll suspect that the story is likely mostly false - that's my Law Enforcement background talking and I'm proven right more often than wrong.




"I don't think a dog recognizes a 'weapon' but instead recognizes something that could hit them. I've seen it. I don't think it's a training thing I think it's a natural instinct with a thinking dog."

*sigh* Now you think that dogs bite an arm because they think that there's an object there that they could get hit with?!? Where do you get these fantasy ideas from?

Even if the dog was completely untrained (and we don't know what his training was, if any) and was going to go for an arm (a reasonable target for a dog), he'd have a 50/50 chance of grabbing the arm with the weapon, so personally, I don't think it matters much either way. What does matter is, like Barbara said, this dog came to his owner's rescue and paid for it with his life.

We don't know if the holes are from the owner or from the reporters. Why don't you call the reporter and police officer tomorrow? Both numbers are there. It could turn out to be a good story for your book or it could lay this whole thing to rest.

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*sigh* Now you think that dogs bite an arm because they think that there's an object there that they could get hit with?!? Where do you get these fantasy ideas from?

Because I've seen my dog target the 'weapon' hand and I didn't teach him to do it. I speculated the reason. I don't know if that's why, but that's my theory.

I have another theory on the dog who naturally targets the weapon hand, whether in a scenario, or for real like the news story. When a person brandishes a weapon, they're opening up a clear target for the dog to go for. If they hold a gun up pointed toward someone, it's almost like feeding the dog the arm if you think about it. I think that's enough speculating for me <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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was going to go for an arm (a reasonable target for a dog), he'd have a 50/50 chance of grabbing the arm with the weapon

Maren, I didn't see your post. We think alike <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> lol

Maybe I'll call the reporter and police officer tomorrow. I don't know if I have enough skepticism regarding this to get to the bottom of it though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> It would be better for someone more knowledgeable to call who knew the right string of questions to ask. I would be HORRIFIED to find out this story was made up <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

Who knows how much of this story is accurate. It is a nice story and hope it is true.

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I think there was confusion in the recounting of the story, and it was probably the reporters. It's like the story I posted on the pitbull attacks thread by the reporter who said the presa x american bulldog that attacked was a pitbull, lol

Not only do they think that combination makes a Pitbull, lol, but it was neither a Presa nor American Bulldog mix. Maybe a Cane Corso mix??? Boxer mix? Who knows, but it was not a Pitbull, Presa mix or American Bulldog mix.

Barb, it's a nice story-in theory. I don't think this is a particularly pitbull-biased webboard at all. I don't think the breed has one thing to do with the reasons people have for not believing it. I adore pitbulls; however, they would absolutely NOT be my first (or ninth) choice for a PPD. They do let people walk right up behind you at night with no warning (at least the stable ones). They're designed for animal aggression-not people aggression. I can't say any more than anyone can that the story is true or not. All I can say is that it doesn't have all that much to do with the breed, and much more to do with the fact that it sound like a trumped up Lassie episode...with no witnesses.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> Jen, are you trying to say the whole Lassie thing was trumped up? I think my day has been ruined! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />