I read in today’s “Nation” newspaper that an Akita was brutally killed after it bit a one and a half year old child. Apparently the child “was calling the dog’s name, Shawn, over and over and hitting him. Then the dog pushed his head through the gallery and clamped on to the boy’s hand,”
The newspaper reported the child’s father as saying “As I was driving away I said, ‘Don’t let me see that dog when I get back’, because I was so angry. Later, I got a phone call telling me the dog dead . . . . I was angry before, but when I saw him, I couldn’t take it,” an emotional English said.
” Lawmen said that Elvis Ezekiel Walrond, 34, of River Land, was taken into custody after the dog was found with its head, nose and leg partially severed.”
The RSPCA’s Inspector Wayne Norville called the incident a “wanton act of cruelty” and urged families with a dog to socialise the animal with every family member to ensure similar incidents would not recur.
Japanese Akita
I suspect that there is going to be the usual out cry that this particular breed is vicious, dangerous, cannot be trusted among other things.
However, no dog appreciates being teased or constantly being hit by a child and adults watching children with dogs should explain that. Children like to jump, run and play and may have shrill voices which may attract a dog’s attention, large dogs can easily without meaning to, cause small children to fall and can also play too rough for a small child. Even small dogs might get excited at what seems like a game and might nip the small child.
It is very important for people owning dogs to socialise them early from puppyhood. There are many pictures around of small children with dogs and most dogs love children but children need to be taught by adults not to interfer with a dog when it is eating, or sleeping, or take away a dog’s bone or treasued toy or to hit the dog or tease it.
The child was reportedly taken to the an emergency medical centre for treatment and I hope he will recover well.
I hope too that adults reading about the incident who know they have small children and dogs, supervise the childen’s activities around the dog or if unable to supervise them, keep them separated. There are dogs who will let what they regard as “their children” do anything with them, stare in their eyes, pull their ears, blow in their faces and when the dogs get tired of the behaviour, if possible, they will get up and find another area to lie down to escape their human playmate!
An akita is a strong breed, highly trainable, easy to socialize. It seems like breeders have to cry the same story over and over. Nothing is wrong with akitas, breeders who do a correct job will admit it is harder for them to love people too much than become aggressive. We don’t exactly know what happened in the situation with the child and the dog, but like any strong creature, they only can take ever so much before they decide they cannot bare with this anymore. I think the man’s anger towards the dog is justifiable and he probably should be put down anyways since we know he may attack again, the only reason vet’s do not shoot dogs when they put them down, is because the euthanasia is affordable.
Euthanasia is also kinder. The Akita in question was more or less hacked to death after the incident.
However, some situations are avoidable and small children should not be left unsupervised with dogs and adults should talk to, and also separate the child(ren) and the dog(s) when they notice things like the teasing of the dog(s) by a child.