Debated posting this

[xj0hnx]

... people like you need to take responsibility for your action,

You mean like the dumb ass that stuck her hand in the dog's personal space after being warned not to? That kind of responsibility? What if that same dumb ass stuck their hand in a wood chipper after being warned not to, is the wood chipper at fault? No the dumb ass that stuck their hand in it is. Personal responsibility indeed.

 

[akahoovy]

Also, my condolences for your loss CPA. I got fired up earlier when I saw other poster's comments. I apologize for contributing to the negativity in the thread.

 

[Charles Kozierok]

You will never understand animals, I'm sorry for you. =(

I understand them just fine. I didn't say I would personally approach a strange dog. I said it was not acceptable that I be bitten if I do.

If you want to feel sorry for anyone, feel sorry not for those who don't understand animals, but those who don't understand people. As the OP has shown and acknowledged, we all make mistakes. A mistake can include getting into an animal's "personal space" -- and the penalty for this shouldn't be serious injury or disfigurement.

As for the woodchipper: the machine isn't at fault, whoever set it up in a public place is. Same as with a dog.

 

[DesiPower]

You mean like the dumb ass that stuck her hand in the dog's personal space after being warned not to? That kind of responsibility? What if that same dumb ass stuck their hand in a wood chipper after being warned not to, is the wood chipper at fault? No the dumb ass that stuck their hand in it is. Personal responsibility indeed.

yeah... well... I never really saw anyone bringing a malfunctioning wood chipper to a bus stop, or sidewalk or children's playground... but if they did and some child, out of curiosity, decided to ignore the warning sign and did something stupid... I wonder who will be blamed...

 

[SlitheryDee]

yeah... well... I never really saw anyone bringing a malfunctioning wood chipper to a bus stop, or sidewalk or children's playground... but if they did and some child, out of curiosity, decided to ignore the warning sign and did something stupid... I wonder who will be blamed...

It would go something like..."Why in the hell would you bring such a dangerous thing around children"? "You've seen what it can do you moron"!


Hey, the woodchipper analogy works pretty well.

 

[NuclearNed]

CPA, sorry about your dog. I had a similar situation a few years back and decided to put my dog down. It was horrible, but it was the right thing.

 

[ThePresence]

OP: I feel for your loss and commend you for being a standup guy and realizing what had happened in the past and what needed to be done. That said, you probably should not have posted it here. Threads like these tend to bring out the people who get off twisting the knife deeper.

 

[blackdogdeek]

sorry for your loss, CPA.

 

[CPA]

OP: I feel for your loss and commend you for being a standup guy and realizing what had happened in the past and what needed to be done. That said, you probably should not have posted it here. Threads like these tend to bring out the people who get off twisting the knife deeper.

I know but I decided to post anyway. I just needed assurance what I was doing was the right thing. Even if it's from people I don't know, and may hate who I am for what happened.

It's been a tough day today. Trying to take my mind off of what happened the last three days and Trooper. It isn't easy, nor do I expect it to be. I've gone the full circle of blame, starting with myself, moving to my older son, then to my wife, over to the lady who reached out and got bit, and finally back to myself. It comes back on my shoulders.

At this point, I do not expect to get another dog in my lifetime. I obviously didn't have the right set of skills and responsibility for Trooper and I would hate that to carry over to another dog. More importantly, I don't want my kids to go through this again. My 10-year old son is pissed off at the officer and the victim - hell, the world right now. My 15-year old son is upset with himself (he was the one who had the dog and gave the warning). And my 13-year old daughter is just overall distraught, periodically checking in on me to see how I'm doing.

I'm not looking for sympathy for me or my kids, just wanted to let people know the feelings that have occurred since yesterday and a warning to others the effect of not taking responsibility for your animals.

 

[BudAshes]

I know but I decided to post anyway. I just needed assurance what I was doing was the right thing. Even if it's from people I don't know, and may hate who I am for what happened.

It's been a tough day today. Trying to take my mind off of what happened the last three days and Trooper. It isn't easy, nor do I expect it to be. I've gone the full circle of blame, starting with myself, moving to my older son, then to my wife, over to the lady who reached out and got bit, and finally back to myself. It comes back on my shoulders.

At this point, I do not expect to get another dog in my lifetime. I obviously didn't have the right set of skills and responsibility for Trooper and I would hate that to carry over to another dog. More importantly, I don't want my kids to go through this again. My 10-year old son is pissed off at the officer and the victim - hell, the world right now. My 15-year old son is upset with himself (he was the one who had the dog and gave the warning). And my 13-year old daughter is just overall distraught, periodically checking in on me to see how I'm doing.

I'm not looking for sympathy for me or my kids, just wanted to let people know the feelings that have occurred since yesterday and a warning to others the effect of not taking responsibility for your animals.

Id go with another dog, just not a gigantic one. Maybe try a pug or something.

 

[kyrax12]

This is why I am a cat person.

 

[Juddog]

This is why I am a cat person.

True - a cat bites / scratches someone and it's no big deal. A big dog bites someone and it's OMG IT'S A VICIOUS ANIMAL!!

 

[amish]

IAt this point, I do not expect to get another dog in my lifetime. I obviously didn't have the right set of skills and responsibility for Trooper and I would hate that to carry over to another dog. More importantly, I don't want my kids to go through this again. My 10-year old son is pissed off at the officer and the victim - hell, the world right now. My 15-year old son is upset with himself (he was the one who had the dog and gave the warning). And my 13-year old daughter is just overall distraught, periodically checking in on me to see how I'm doing.

you may not have had the skills for the dog; whatever, it doesn't matter. but it sounds like you are doing a great job with your kids.

 

[CPA]

True - a cat bites / scratches someone and it's no big deal. A big dog bites someone and it's OMG IT'S A VICIOUS ANIMAL!!

Tell that to the toxoplasmosis that courses through my body. Toxoplasmosis is transmitted to humans by cats, generally their feces. Well, toxoplasmosis, while not deadly to healthy humans, can be deadly to those with surpressed immune systems, like those on medications for transplants, like my son who just received a new kidney from me a couple months ago. So, indirectly, my cat could kill my son!

 

[skyking]

Here's what I would do;
Take some time to heal up. Then ask everybody if they would like to try again.
If the answer is yes, adopt an older pet. A pet that has been through the "teen years" and one you can check out or have checked out by a good trainer.
People are quick to blame, but many many times a pup gets this behavior in the first few weeks. Of the litter that my rott came out of, almost all were problem dogs.

 

[Farang]

Dogs can be a crapshoot. As much as you're beating yourself up over this, and you and your family had a strong connection to this dog, it was not a good one. Dogs can't be biting strangers. You drew the short straw when you got him.

I'm not going to assume anything about training issues, etc. That happens too, but who knows whose fault it was. Fact is if dogs weren't human pets Trooper would've never been born anyway.

 

[CPA]

Here's what I would do;
Take some time to heal up. Then ask everybody if they would like to try again.
If the answer is yes, adopt an older pet. A pet that has been through the "teen years" and one you can check out or have checked out by a good trainer.
People are quick to blame, but many many times a pup gets this behavior in the first few weeks. Of the litter that my rott came out of, almost all were problem dogs.

Thanks skyking, it's something worth thinking about, even if it may be a long time from now.

 

[Markbnj]

If you really loved having a dog, then by all means get another. There are more dogs out there in shelters right now than there are people willing to adopt them. You can do far more good than bad by trying again, if you decide you want to.

Next time, get an easier breed. A Great Dane is impressive and all, but it's sort of like buying a Hummer. Don't get one of those high-wattage pocket pooches that are all the rage with suburban moms. Don't get a Saint Bernard. Get yourself a nice Lab, Golden, or Lab/Golden mix. Treat it with love and you'll almost certainly have a successful relationship.

Edit: Here's our Golden/Lab mix Rascal. 110 lbs of playful muscle and the sweetest dog you'd ever want to meet.

And this is Sasha, our Golden/Standard Poodle mix. She's adorable and affectionate, but a little high-wattage and a great rooter up of mysteries buried under my lawn.

Hopefully they'll give you some inspiration. Rascal was a shelter rescue from Noah's Ark in Randolph, NJ. Highly recommend those guys to anyone in the area. Sasha came from a breeder and cost about $1 per hole she's dug in the yard.

 

[ichy]

True - a cat bites / scratches someone and it's no big deal. A big dog bites someone and it's OMG IT'S A VICIOUS ANIMAL!!

Ha, if cats were the size of most dogs it would be life-threatening to own them.

Cat scratches can actually get really nasty because of how they use their paws to bury their shit. When my cat scratches me I always immediately wash it off with soap & water and put on neosporin. Wouldn't want to end up with some horrible infection.

 

[rh71]

you're making the better choice of the two... sorry man. Or you could leave Texas?

 

[rcpratt]

I agree, take some time to heal and then I'd look into a lab or a golden.

 

[CPA]

I had a black lab years ago. Quit honestly, highest maintenance dog I ever owned. Had severe separation anxiety to the point it tore apart our couch. Started home kenneling him after that. lol.

Did miss the welcome home last night I would have normally gotten from Trooper. Kids stop doing that after a certain age, though, I was surprised when my 10-year old came over and gave me a big hug a few seconds after he saw me. It won't last, though.

 

[rgwalt]

You inserted the grandma scenario, so... buzz off...

And you are right, I have no clue how I raise/handle animals, and I don't need to, people who can't get enough "companionship" from humans can do whatever they want to in their bedrooms, I don't care, just keep those damn thing away from me.

This is quite possibly one of the rudest, most horrible things I've seen written on these forums, and I've been around for quite some time. Do you mean to imply that someone who owns a pet does so because they can't get enough human companionship, and in turn has sex with the animal in their bedroom? That is what I get when I read that statement.

Perhaps english isn't your first language, inferred from your user name, so perhaps this is not what you meant. But, if it is what you meant, then what the fuck?

 

[rasczak]

CPA, sorry for you loss. I've never owned a dog (only cats and rabbits) but I know the loss of losing a pet. It hurts. How are the kids handling the loss?

 

[rgwalt]

After reading this thread, I will always say no to a stranger, especially a child, who asks to pet one of my dogs. Too much liability in my opinion. Say no, keep saying no, and physically block them if they won't listen.

This is also why I carry $1M of liability umbrella insurance.

To the OP, my condolences. For what its worth, I think you made the right decision.