[mcmama]

Anybody ever had this happen? A lady from my church was walking her little dog (a mutt, a terrier mix) on a leash in the courtyard of her apartment building. Another family was outside, with their 3 year old son and their German Shepherd. They were playing with the dog, who was not on a leash. The Shepherd saw the little dog, and ran for him. Actually, he may have been running for the woman, and the little dog put himself in the way.

The shepherd did not respond to commands to stop, and went straight for the little dogs neck. Now, the person on the other end of the leash is a woman who has many physical disabilities, and can't physically handle her dog being attacked. Blood was everywhere. The shepherds owner actually got on top of the dog and was commanding him to stop, banging on his head.

They got the little dog to the vet - he'll live, but he has stitches all over his neck. The vet said another inch either way and he would have bled to death. The owner of the Shepherd paid the bill.

So today, they went together to pick up the little dog. The vet went through all the charges - medication, stitches, boarding overnight etc - and the people acted like the vet was overcharging, over reacting, trying to pump them for money. Like she was cheating THEM!!! All the time they were saying, oh well, you know, this is how dogs are. They were so surprised when the vet told the little dog's owner that she needed to see him later in the week for followup care. Gosh, wasn't that a bit much!!!

The vet filed a police report and encouraged the little dogs owner to do the same. The health department is now investigating. Doesn't seem to phase the people who own the Shepherd that their dog practically killed another animal who was no threat and who was on the leash, and that he did not respond to their commands.

From what I know about German Shepherds - they are great guard dogs. And they are great with families. But whether they know you or not, if you go into a back yard alone where there is a German Shepherd, they might go for you, unless you are with a member of their family. I think this dog probably thought the public courtyard, a busy place, was his "yard". And the people had not trained him properly. Now he may have to be put down, or given away.

I really hate it when people get a great breed and ruin it with bad training and no understanding of how a dog thinks and behaves.