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Despite how you may feel about the American pit bull terrier, you may be surprised to find out that the breed is given more than an 83 % passing rate by the American Temperament Test Society. That is a group that tests how aggressive certain kinds of dogs are. Pit bulls were found to be less aggressive than the popular Border Collie.

7 News found some warnings about pit bulls, even on a pro-pit bull web site. The warnings included such things as never trusting your pit bull not to fight with other animals, always supervise your dog with small children, and that it is important to start socializing pit bulls while they are still very young.  7 News also found that pit bulls are often used as narcotic and bomb sniffing dogs, as well as in search and rescue efforts.

Pit bull advocates all seem to agree that it is important to punish the "deed, not the breed."  Others feel pit bulls are such naturally powerful animals, they are just too risky to have in neighborhoods.

Despite how you feel about this issue, it is clear that responsible pet ownership is a must. That is a rule that seems to apply no matter what kind of dog you might own.

Reported by Vince Atkinson 

USA - Clawson - Michigan - Hometown Weeklies Newspapers

Collie kibble

A Clawson man told police two dogs attacked him while he was walking on High Street on the evening of Sept. 21. The man said the dogs ran out of an open door of a home in the 700 block of High. The man said one dog bit him on the left arm, and the other grabbed his pant leg but didn't injure him. The man said he struggled to get the dogs off of him and had to kick one in the head. After the attack, a resident cleaned the man's bite wound and put a bandage on it. The man later went to a medical center for a tetanus shot and antibiotics. The dog owner told police she locked the dogs in an upstairs bedroom, but her young sons let them free. The dog that injured the man is a border collie named Jake. Police said it was properly immunized but had an expired dog license.

August 30, 2006

Woman injured in dog attack

A vicious dog attack left a woman with leg wounds and a chunk of flesh ripped from her arm yesterday near Colac.

The woman, who works for an aged-care facility, was visiting a Larpent property about 1pm when the border collie attacked.

A Colac police spokesman said police received a call from the ambulance service to attend the scene. ``The victim was taken to hospital. ``It is a pretty vicious attack. ``The dog bit up her arm, ripping the flesh off, and also bit her leg,'' he said. The dog is believed to have escaped its enclosure on the property and was protective of its owner, police said.

An investigation into the attack is continuing. A Rural Ambulance Services spokeswoman said the woman aged in her 30s was taken to Colac hospital with leg injuries. A WorkSafe spokesman said the authority was aware of the incident and would be speaking with the woman's employer about work practices and procedures.
Sarah Scopelianos

USA - Alaska Star

Dog attack shocks lab owner

A yellow lab was attacked by an unidentified pitbull and a border collie at an Eagle Riv er residence Aug. 13, said B.G. Hanaway, the lab's owner.  Hanaway, 75, said he was at home on the corner of Eagle River Lane and Ptarmigan Boulevard about 6:45 p.m. when he heard a muffled cry of distress from his dog, Dingo, which was secured by a chain near its doghouse. He said he looked out the window and saw a pitbull with a white head and face and an orange body and a black border collie with white feathering on its tail, stomach and chin attacking his dog. "They had my 60-pound yellow lab stretched out like a pretzel. The pitbull had him by the throat and was shaking him like a rag doll," Hanaway said, adding that the collie had a hold of one or both of the lab's feet and was stretching it out.

He said he ran out of the house screaming and carrying an axe and chased the dogs away as they ran into the Eaglewood subdivision.

Dingo was injured with several quarter- to half-inch puncture wounds between his left shoulder and neck, Hannaway said. He attributes the dog's surviving the attack to a thick leather collar it was wearing that protected it from the full force of the pitbull's bite.

The attack is being investigated by Animal Control, Hannaway said.

Mary M. Rall

AU - The Daily Telegraph

August 19, 2006

Toddler attacked by dog

A TODDLER suffered serious facial injuries when she was mauled by a neighbour's dog at a house in Adelaide's north.

The 18-month-old girl was taken to the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide and was in a stable condition, a hospital spokeswoman said. The girl was attacked by the border-collie blue-heeler cross when she got out of a car at a neighbour's house on Casterley Road, in Elizabeth North, about 4pm (AEST) yesterday. "She jumped out and it ran straight at her," Playford Council Mayor Marilyn Baker said. "She got a nasty laceration to her face." The dog was owned by another neighbour who was visiting the house and was tied up in the backyard of the property, Mr Baker said. Police and council officers attended the scene after the attack. Ms Baker said the council would decide the dog's fate on Monday.

July 7th 2006

Infant Severely Mauled By Dog

Police say the tragic attack happened at an apartment here in Santa Barbara. An 11 month old baby was badly injured after being mauled by the family's 55 pound dog. The child's parents told authorities they placed the baby on the floor with the "Border Collie-Pit Bull" mix to introduce the child to the dog for the first time. Within minutes, the animal pounced on the child. The infant suffered severe bite-wound lacerations to her face. She will require special treatment by a surgeon who specializes in severe facial trauma.

31st may 2006

At 9:03 p.m. Newton Police received a report from a Peaslee Crossing Road resident who said a neighbor’s border collie has attacked his small Papillion while his dog was tied up on his own property. A fine was issued for vicious dog.

11th May 2006

Women hurt in attacks

AN ELDERLY woman is in a serious condition in hospital with severe injuries to her hand after one of two separate dog attacks in Sydney yesterday.

The 85-year-old woman was bitten by her border collie in the yard of her Greystanes home about 3.50pm.

"She had extensive and severe arm and hand injuries," a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.

NSW police said the woman, who is being treated in Westmead Hospital, has asked that the dog be destroyed.

In the other incident, a 27-year-old woman was attacked by her four pit bull terriers in her yard in Blacktown about 9am.

The woman had been trying to break up a fight between the dogs, police said.

She suffered injuries to her wrist and was taken to Westmead Hospital.

4th April 2006

Boy Attacked By Dog That Has Attacked Before
JACKSONVILLE, FL -- Kinjata Toussaint, 13, is getting back on his feet after being attacked by a border collie lab mix dog. Toussaint was outside of his Arlington apartment home when the dog attacked.Toussaint, has the wounds to prove it. A part of his thigh is gone and he needed 20 stitches. "I was beyond angry," says Michele Toussaint, the boys mother.
Michele Toussaint says she is upset because this is not the first time there's been a problem with the dog and his owner. "May the 13th, last year we had an incident of this same dog, same apartment complex," says Howarad Gunter with Animal Care and Control.
Gunter says his reports show the dog attacked a boy on his leg and chest. Animal control gave a verbal warning to the dog's owner.
On Tuesday afternoon, Animal Control was back out at the owner's apartment -- this time to give more than a warning."We've already declared this a dangerous dog," says Gunter.
This means the dog may never come home. "I don't want this dog back out here," says Kinjata's mom. Her son doesn't want him around either. "I always wanted a dog but I don't want one no more."
By Jackelyn Barnard

Officer kills attacking dog

Rampaging animal sends elderly woman to hospital

The dog attacked the senior and two teens, seriously injuring the elderly woman. When the officer came to their aid, she too was bitten on her back, knee and arm, police said. As a result, the officer shot and killed the dog, which was a two-year-old Border Collie, Australian Shepherd mix.

Animal Control was called to dispose of the animal. Authorities will test the remains to see if the animal was suffering from any medical conditions. The attack on the elderly woman, a 16-year-old boy and 15-year-old girl happened on Carlson Drive in Newmarket at about 2:45 p.m. The dog was not leashed.

The 75-year-old victim received numerous stitches in hospital. The two teenagers were also taken to hospital with minor injuries.

The officer was not seriously injured in the attack.

Curtis Rush

1996 REPORTED DOG ATTACKS

SUMMARY REPORT

449 dog attacks were reported by a total of 48 councils. 25 of the councils were in the Sydney metropolitan area.

Of the 449 reported attacks, 64% (286) occurred in the streets, 30% (136) on private property and 6% (27) in parks or reserves. Attacks on private property were more likely to be on an animal or bird (72%). Attacks in the streets or parks most commonly occurred because the dog was not properly contained on the owner’s property or because the dog was being walked and not on a lead.

33% (165) of all reported attacks were on adults, with 18% (81) of attacks being on another dog. 11% (49) of attacks were on children (under 18 years of age). The remaining attacks were on a variety of animals and birds (cats and chickens being the most common). (Note: Several attacks involved both a person and animal - the person usually being injured in trying to stop the attack.)

19% (79 of 214) of attacks on people (adults and children) resulted in some form of medical treatment being sought - most commonly a  tetanus injection or stitches. 11 attacks required some type of hospital treatment.

Of the 170 attacks on animals and birds, 71% (121) resulted in the animal or bird being either killed or needing major veterinary treatment.

28 breeds of dog were recorded in the reported attacks. 46% (208) of all the reported attacks were either by cross breeds or where the breed of dog was unknown.

It should be noted that the breed of dog in the reported attacks has not been verified, but recorded as reported by the person(s) involved in the attack. The breed types most commonly reported in the attacks were:

RANK BREED TYPE INCLUDES BREEDS NO. OF ATTACKS % OF ATTACKS

1. CROSS -159 - 35%

2. GERMAN SHEPHERD - 61 -14%

3. UNKNOWN - 49 - 11%

4. CATTLE DOG TYPES - Blue Heeler; Cattle Dog; Heeler; Kelpie - 40 - 9%

5. ROTTWEILER - 39 - 9%

6. BULL TERRIER TYPES - American Pit Bull Terrier; Bull Terrier; Pit Bull Terrier; Staffordshire - 38 - 8%

7. DOBERMAN - 12 - 3%

8. COLLIE TYPES - Border Collie; Collie - 9 - 2%

9. TERRIER TYPES - Fox Terrier; Jack Russell Terrier; Silky Terrier; Terrier - 9 - 2%

10. BOXER - 8 - 2%

Of the reported cross breeds, where specific type was identified, the most commonly reported types of cross breeds were Cattle Dog types; Bull Terrier types; German Shepherd; Labrador and Rottweiler.

Of these breeds most commonly identified Cross Breed, Unknown, Cattle Dog types, Collie types and Terrier types were more likely to attack a person. (All the reported attacks by a Collie type were on people).

Bull Terrier types and Doberman were more likely to attack an animal or bird. (33 of the 38 reported attacks by a Bull Terrier type were on another animal or bird.)

Reported attacks by German Shepherd and Rottweiler were evenly divided between people and animals.

Due to the Border Collies popularity in films and on television, many people are attracted to this breed, for a family pet. I am often asked whether the B.C. is good with children. For the most part the answer has to be NO. The herding instinct in Border Collies is a behavioural trait that has been bred into them for over two hundred years. Herding instinct is simply a modified version of the killing instinct of wolves. Of course the instinct has been toned down, by breeding the killing instinct "OUT" of the dog. They still retain the circling and gathering instincts, that were used in the wolf pack when hunting prey.
This instinct is different in the Border Collie, as opposed to other herding breeds in as much as the B.C. circles livestock far away from the handler/shepherd, and fetches them back to him, whereas other herding breeds drive the livestock away from the handler. (This is known as gathering or fetching) Border Collies do not use force in the first instant to herd stock but have what is known as the, "eye" a threatening, hypnotic stare that intimidates the stock into moving in the right direction. If they do not move then the B.C. will start nipping, barking, and gripping, to get their stock moving.
A small child running in the garden is, to the Border Collie, a sheep that has broken loose from the fold. Its natural instincts cause the B.C. to chase the child to get in front of it. The Border Collie will then stare at the child in its attempt to turn the child back. If the child keeps moving the dog will resort to nipping and barking, to try and get this uncooperative, "sheep" to do as it is told.
This is very traumatic for a small child, especially if not used to dogs. Yes of course, children can be taught how to react around the dog, but what if visiting children are out playing in the yard? Parents have to constantly supervise the situation or lock the dog away. Hundreds upon hundreds of Border Collies end up in rescue homes because they have nipped or bitten a child. The sad thing is that these dogs are only following their natural instincts and are often perfectly obedient most of the time. They are, "high energy" dogs which is why they are so superb at canine sports, such as Agility. This is one of the reasons why so many people choose to own a B.C. They never will be fully comfortable in the average home situation. They prefer to be outside working, rather than sleeping by the fire. Of course you can train the dog not to nip, or chase children but the instinct is so very strong within them that they will never be 100% reliable. A great many Border Collie owners have problems with their dog chasing cars, bikes, or anything that moves.
Potential B.C. owners would do well to have a good look at their lifestyles and consider the children. Border Collies do not settle well into rescue shelters so unless you can give the dog a life suited to his amazing character and ability, you are best choosing a different breed.

Copyright - Border Collie Rescue - 3037504

Border Collie Rescue is a UK based charity, working Internationally to Rescue and Re-home Border Collies and Working Sheepdogs and promote a better understanding of the breed and its Welfare.