Quote:
Originally posted by Kimmykim
If you have a dog track where you live, there is almost always someone in the office that handles adoptions of retiring dogs from their specific track group.
I don't agree with the theory that big dogs cause more problems for children -- we have three little dogs -- all under 20 pounds -- and I'll guarantee you that two of them could do just as much damage as a big dog if they were ever prodded into it with small children. The bottom line is teaching your animals respect for your kids and vice versa. Too many families don't.
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I have never in my life time heard of a child being severely mauled by a small dog and never heard of a child being killed by a small dog.
On the other hand I have heard of hundreds of children being severely mauled, crippled and even killed by large dogs.
In the county where I live, within the past few years, there have been children severely mauled and two were killed, by large family pets. In every case the parents said that they just could not understand why the dog attacked, because they were always so gentle and playful with the children.
Every year 800,000 people require medical attention from dog attacks. From 1976-1997 there have been 304 people killed by dogs, and I assume the majority were probably children (though I do not know this to be fact).
The odds of a family pet attacking a child are probably slim, but of what importance would the odds be to the parents whose family pet killed their child.
Simple equation: Big dogs=dangerous (capable of killing) Small dogs=not dangerous (not capable of killing)
Parents that own large dogs and have small children roll the dice and take their chances.