Althouse: "It was very hard not crying in front of him because he was already so strong, and I wanted him to continue being strong."

November 8, 2012

"It was very hard not crying in front of him because he was already so strong, and I wanted him to continue being strong."

Said the father of an 11-year-old boy who was badly bitten keeping 2 dogs from attacking his 5-year-old sister, who was able to flee.

41 comments:

Farmer said...: But pitbulls aren't inherently violent. It's just a coincidence that they're always the ones eating children and tearing off Grandma's face. Poor, misunderstood flesh-eating angels.; 11/8/12, 12:54 PM
Patrick said...: I love that kid.; 11/8/12, 12:54 PM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Maleik Carr must not yet have taken that biology class where they teach you to lay down your life only to save two siblings or eight cousins.; 11/8/12, 12:59 PM
edutcher said...: Somebody tell the Farmer it's a ghetto thing.

But that's a brave young man.; 11/8/12, 1:00 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Kudos on that kid.; 11/8/12, 1:09 PM
test said...: Great story. Most of us never know how we'll react to a life and death situation. This kid will always know his reaction was to save his sister at great personal risk.

It seems there should be something to charge the owners with. Wilful indifference to bodily harm ought to be changeable somehow.; 11/8/12, 1:14 PM
Known Unknown said...: Maleik is incredibly lucky.

He has a father who cares for him.; 11/8/12, 1:15 PM
MadisonMan said...: I think the parents should get to shoot the dogs as the dogs' owners hold them.; 11/8/12, 1:16 PM
rhhardin said...: Pit bulls, some of them, like fighting dogs, not people.

This is a terrier trait, not a pitbull trait.

Dogs made crazy are likely to do anything, and some people make their dogs crazy to scare or impress others.

Pitbulls happen to be particularly strong, so you'll take notice if one bites you.

The bites shown are impressively minor. Something doesn't make sense.

Pitbulls are used as therapy dogs because they're sturdy and even tempered, among the sane owners.

Avoid teen males.; 11/8/12, 1:17 PM
Patrick said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 11/8/12, 1:29 PM
Patrick said...: I think the parents should get to shoot the dogs

Agreed. I don't want to pile on, but I have tremendous difficulty understanding the appeal of these dogs.; 11/8/12, 1:31 PM
Matt Sablan said...: I don't think breeds make that huge of a difference; bad owners make bad dogs.; 11/8/12, 1:31 PM
Farmer said...: Yeah, it's all the owners' fault:

http://www.city-journal.org/html/9_2_scared_of_pit.html

Money quote: "The pit bull's unusual breeding history has produced some bizarre behavioral traits, de- scribed by The Economist's science editor in an article published a few years ago, at the peak of a heated British controversy over dangerous dogs that saw the pit bull banned in England. First, the pit bull is quicker to anger than most dogs, probably due to the breed's unusually high level of the neurotransmitter L-tyrosine. Second, pit bulls are frighteningly tenacious; their attacks frequently last for 15 minutes or longer, and nothing—hoses, violent blows or kicks—can easily stop them. That's because of the third behavioral anomaly: the breed's remarkable insensitivity to pain. Most dogs beaten in a fight will submit the next time they see the victor. Not a defeated pit bull, who will tear into his onetime vanquisher. "; 11/8/12, 1:45 PM
Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...: Patrick said...
I think the parents should get to shoot the dogs

Agreed. I don't want to pile on, but I have tremendous difficulty understanding the appeal of these dogs.

And while they are at it they can shoot the owners as well. Having seen a child after being mauled by a dog I have no sympathy for either dog or owner.; 11/8/12, 1:45 PM
Matt Sablan said...: Meh. I don't judge people by genetic predispositions. Past performance is a good indicator of likely future performance, but it is not definitive. It just means people who get a pit bull for a pet should be responsible, just like any other high-energy or high-maintenance dog.; 11/8/12, 1:46 PM
tiger said...: I knew it was gonna be Pits before I clicked.

And as for those asshats who say that ANY breed could do this and that Pits are 'loving pets':

Get back to me when you have articles about three Goldens or four Beagles mauling some one to death.

Until then STFU.; 11/8/12, 1:53 PM
tiger said...: Matthew Sablan said...
I don't think breeds make that huge of a difference; bad owners make bad dogs.

The fault in your 'logic' is that then only nice,normal people own Labs, Goldens and Poodles and only scum-bag, hate-filled, mouth breathing knuckle-draggers own Pits.

Pits were breed for protection and aggression and the best anyone can hope to do is to keep those traits suppressed.

They are a toxic breed and the type of people that tend to own them only make matters worse.; 11/8/12, 1:58 PM
Known Unknown said...: I like how we're going on about the dogs and not the immense bravery of this kid.; 11/8/12, 1:58 PM
Matt Sablan said...: I remember when people used to say the same thing about Dalmatians. How they were violent and terrible around kids.; 11/8/12, 2:01 PM
lemondog said...: ... bad owners make bad dogs.

And loving owners can rehab severely abused dogs.

Seven former Vick dogs reunite in California

Video; 11/8/12, 2:03 PM
Patrick said...: I finally found an issue on which I am to the left of Reasonable Man. I do not support the death penalty, even for dumb ass pet owners.

Although I agree that the owners of those pits ought to be punished severely. No one who owns a pit bull could possibly be unaware of their violent propensity. To EVER let it off a chain is stupid beyond words.; 11/8/12, 2:05 PM
prairie wind said...: That kid is awesome. His parents are, too; I loved their reactions. His little sister is adorable.

I have seen a pitbull attack another dog and it was pure awful. The pit got hold of the other dog by the back of his neck and nothing we did would make him let go. A crowd gathered, and it took several minutes to loose the pit from the other dog. The other dog survived...probably because the pit had him by the back of the neck and not the throat. Anyway, the wounds on this boy show that he got off easy.; 11/8/12, 2:08 PM
bagoh20 said...: A true young hero.

I won't go into the breed stuff - I rescue them every day, and have 4 at my house. I'll just say that as soon as someone says "all Pit Bulls", I know they don't know much about them, or dogs in general.; 11/8/12, 2:36 PM
sane_voter said...: @prairie wind
I can't believe that it took several minutes to loosen the pitbull. My first instinct would be to shoot it if it didn't immediately let go, especially since it's likely to get euthanized afterwards.; 11/8/12, 2:42 PM
Paul said...: Well we have to huge attack Chihuahuas at home. Beware when the run in packs.

But I once had a 2/3 German Shepherd and 1/3 wolf dog. She was HUGE. And sweet. And everyone else was afraid of her. But I never treated her with anythig but love and she was the most frendly dog you ever met. Her only fault was she ate cats.

As for the boy, glad he when forth to protect his sister. I hope he heals well and carry the scars with pride.

And I understand his father. See when a son or daughter is hurt, the kids don't feel that much pain, but it's the parents that have nightmares.; 11/8/12, 2:46 PM
Revenant said...: But pitbulls aren't inherently violent. It's just a coincidence that they're always the ones eating children and tearing off Grandma's face

The problem is the owner, not the dog. They're perfectly nice animals if you don't mistreat them.

A friend of mine had several (which have since sadly passed away). They were sweeties. They've got a lot of energy and like to be around people.

If you mistreat them, don't socialize them, and keep them chained up all the time -- yeah, they'll turn mean. But that's a horrible thing to do to ANY dog.; 11/8/12, 2:53 PM
prairie wind said...: I can't believe that it took several minutes to loosen the pitbull. My first instinct would be to shoot it if it didn't immediately let go, especially since it's likely to get euthanized afterwards.

I was walking the dogs. I didn't have a stopwatch or a gun with me. It felt like a long time but I assume it wasn't as long as it felt. "Several minutes" is the best I can do.; 11/8/12, 3:07 PM
Kirby Olson said...: I don't like dogs because 600,000 dogs bite children to the face every year requiring hospital attention. I think they should be illegal, and if one bites another person, the owner should be charged as if he or she had done it themselves. Instead, people should buy and own tea-cup pigs: http://rickoshea.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/pig.jpg; 11/8/12, 3:08 PM
Nichevo said...: To release a biting dog, jam 2 or 3 fingers (or an equivalent sized stick, etc) up its ass, and it will drop.; 11/8/12, 3:13 PM
Nichevo said...: by the way, the pitbull's attack from the back is also lethal. They will gather up the skin so tightly, pulling in a bit tighter every chance they get, that the victim dog will choke.; 11/8/12, 3:14 PM
Nichevo said...: and yes, as with everyone here, I should have first said: kudos to the boy.; 11/8/12, 3:15 PM
prairie wind said...: Nichevo, I hope I remember your advice the next time I see a pit bull attack. I also hope I have a stick with me.; 11/8/12, 3:20 PM
Mary Beth said...: He's a brave young man.

Couldn't they have taken a better photo of his sister? It makes her look simple-minded.; 11/8/12, 3:38 PM
Geoff Matthews said...: That is the type of son we should all hope to raise.; 11/8/12, 6:12 PM
test said...: Paul said...
Her only fault was she ate cats.

This seems a feature rather than a bug.; 11/8/12, 6:52 PM
Methadras said...: The Farmer said...

But pitbulls aren't inherently violent. It's just a coincidence that they're always the ones eating children and tearing off Grandma's face. Poor, misunderstood flesh-eating angels.

That's cause you are a fucking idiot. Almost all mammals are inherently violent, but because you're a nitwit, you have little to no clue on how to handle the emergence of any potential violence in a breed like this. If you can't put in the time to train the breed, then don't own it, moron. Most of the people, if not nearly all cases of pit bull attacks is due to a complete lack of understanding of the breed and how to train it and how to read it. They were bred with terriers and bulldogs to fight other dogs, not people.; 11/8/12, 8:02 PM
ken in tx said...: I have also read the advice about inserting something in a fighting dog's anus to make it stop. It's supposed to work on pit bulls as well as any others.; 11/8/12, 8:29 PM
YoungHegelian said...: @Ken,

have also read the advice about inserting something in a fighting dog's anus to make it stop.

I imagine the trick lies in getting the dog to hold still long enough to aim for the target.

While I don't like pits, please realize that for a lot of these dogs, their idiot owners put gunpowder in their food, which keeps them continually nauseous and in a foul temper.; 11/8/12, 8:54 PM
Farmer said...: bagoh20 said...
I won't go into the breed stuff - I rescue them every day, and have 4 at my house. I'll just say that as soon as someone says "all Pit Bulls", I know they don't know much about them, or dogs in general.

L-tyrosine.

Methadras said...
That's cause you are a fucking idiot. Almost all mammals are inherently violent, but because you're a nitwit, you have little to no clue on how to handle the emergence of any potential violence in a breed like this. If you can't put in the time to train the breed, then don't own it, moron. Most of the people, if not nearly all cases of pit bull attacks is due to a complete lack of understanding of the breed and how to train it and how to read it. They were bred with terriers and bulldogs to fight other dogs, not people.

L-tyrosine, Mad Dog. L-tyrosine.; 11/9/12, 6:19 AM
Anonymous said...: Good on that young man.

He stood up for his sister under very dangerous circumstances.

Sometimes being a big brother is hard.; 11/9/12, 11:12 AM
Methadras said...: L-tyrosine, Mad Dog. L-tyrosine.

How about you ingest a barrel of L-tryptophane and walk into a fire you shit-sacking clusterfuck. The 1970's called and they want their comb-over back. Besides, you can replace it with what's on your back, just brush up and over, dickface. Yeah, your face is shaped like one of inga's dicks.; 11/9/12, 9:01 PM