Watch a dog in a TV studio get increasingly stressed as he gives signals and attempts to avoid while the news anchor ignores all signals and escalates the situation to its entirely preventable conclusion.
The Poodle and Dog Blog has the backstory.
Watch a dog in a TV studio get increasingly stressed as he gives signals and attempts to avoid while the news anchor ignores all signals and escalates the situation to its entirely preventable conclusion.
The Poodle and Dog Blog has the backstory.
I never understood why people would kiss a dog in the mouth in the first place. I love my dogs to death but I’m not kissing them in the mouth. That’s just nasty!
http://www.9news.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1441429247001
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19924730
I live in Colorado and was in Denver for many years. I always watched 9 News and appreciated Kyle Dyer’s love of animals. Her Kyle’s Kritters segment was always cute. She made a mistake, and she should have known better with her years of experience with animals. It is truly sad. I fear the dog will pay with his life because of the owner’s failures and her misreading the signals.
She didn’t “misread” the dog’s signals, she totally ignored them. Plus, the tight control on his collar by the handler was a cue that the dog was obviously nervous. Bet he didn’t even break skin. But then again i do not have TV.
She had to have surgery. I’m going to find the article.
A dog you do not know and you put your face right in his?!
I’m guessing these are police in the video? Did they not think to prepare the interviewer about proper conduct when interacting with a strange dog? Human fail on all levels and the poor dog is going to be labeled as dangerous because of it.
I don’t care what the dog’s breed is, it’s a DOG and there are RULES, people. Honestly.
Stoopid hoomans doesn’t understand that we have rules too. That woman was no considerate of my personal space and being nervous about the cameras and lights. ArF! nO FIXY STooPid pples!
People don’t know how to read dogs then blame it on the dog. This is why so many children get bit.
In fairness, some people (speaking generally, not directed at this news anchor) have trouble reading dogs – even experienced dog owners. In this case, a simple rule of thumb may be useful: When interacting with a dog who is not your own, don’t invade his personal space. If the owner says it’s ok to pet the dog, let him come to you.
But I think you are probably correct and the dog will be blamed entirely. The owner will probably get sued and the dog will be lucky if he’s allowed to live.
I saw this on the news this morning (after a segment about several dogs falling through the ice.) This dog was rescued the other day (thank goodness!) The news story didn’t react negatively towards the dog. I believe they said since he didn’t have a past record of violence, there wouldn’t be actions taken. Obviously a dog in a new studio with dozen new people and pieces of equipment may become nervous.
What I’m wondering is: what was the outcome for the dog?
He’s being held in quarantine and the owner has been charged. Let me go find the story I read.
“Then at the last moment, the dog had behavior that nobody predicted or understood. Clearly we learned something.”
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/cutline/rescued-dog-bites-nbc-anchor-face-during-feel-141755422.html
Reconstructive surgery on lip:
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_19924730
Hm. The morning news failed to say he had been charged. That is unfortunate. However, he should have kept his dog up on rabies vaccines, which is why it is being held in quarantine.
It’s nice to see all the supportive comments for the dog under the first article! I really thought there would be more public backlash.
I don’t understand why people pet a dog’s face over it’s eyes. That was the move that kept bothering me, she kept putting her whole hand over his eyes and it looks like she’s about to poke his eye.
For the person who asked if they are police there, it looks like they are firefighters. Neither police nor firefighters would know more about dogs than an average person. A K9 unit cop should but not a regular cop. I think it’s the firefighter who saved the dog, next to the owner (holding the dog).
The owner doesn’t seem to be paying enough attention either, or maybe he knew the dog was stressed and didn’t know how to bring it to the reporter’s attention without making a big deal?
Never do animal segments live, folks.
Also, I don’t let my own dogs get their mouth that close to mine, not because they’re aggressive but EW dog’s mouths are gross. My dog licks his butt, balls, and who knows what else while he’s outside. Why would I put my face near that?
You are the second person to mention the ew factor. Given that some of my dogs are, shall we say VERY ENTHUSIASTIC poo eaters, one might think I’d be right there w/you in the ew category. But I’m not. Which is not to say I don’t try to avoid getting french kissed by the dogs – I do. But it doesn’t gross me out. When I give my dogs a kiss, I tend to aim for the head – but only on the ones I trust not to knock my teeth out with a sudden leap. Those ones get ear scritches.
I didn’t even have to see the video to know what happened, just a screen shot, and the written story. Poor dog almost dies, then the next day he’s dragged to a place he’s never seen, surrounded by people he doesn’t know, equipment and lights that probly look like a torture device from hell to a dog, and then the lady puts her face in his, too. I’d have been surprised if the dog HADN’T bitten.
“Then at the last moment, the dog had behavior that nobody predicted or understood.” My *$$. Hopefully they really did learn something, and not just that they have to put the dog down (god I hope they don’t put the dog down). Unfortunetly I suspect that since the owner had neglected vaccines and tags that’ll be the final straw and he WILL be put down.
Statement from the owner of the dog:
http://www.9news.com/rss/story.aspx?storyid=248175
Here is another very good description of the incident by a person who knows dog body language.
http://wagandtrain.blogspot.com/2012/02/perfect-storm.html
Something I thought was great about this whole incident was how the TV station paid a tremendous amount of attention to what actually happened and spent really a lot of on-air time reviewing and discussing it. They said nothing pejorative about the dog or the owner. They interviewed an animal behaviorist, and the anchor who spoke to him on the air was even more clear than the behaviorist himself that what people often do with strange dogs is just all wrong . . . and they said why.
The interview with the behavorist is the last video on this page . . . I’m not easily able to find it by itself:
http://www.seattledogspot.com/2012/02/08/rescued-dog-bites-denver-news-anchor-during-live-tv-interview/
It just seemed very, very unusual to me that a TV news program would go to all that trouble. And the public most definitely supported the dog. (And clearly, the woman who was bitten is much loved by the community, even if she did make a mistake.)
It could so easily have gone the other way. For once, I think it’s unlikely that the dog will be killed, especially in light of the owners’ statement that Clarice referenced above.
It seemed quite clear to me that the owner was probably nervous about the dog considering he had the leash pulled back quite a bit so I dont know whether he wanted to pull the dog back from the news anchor and didnt know how to say it or what.
Regarding the dog, he seemed okay during the petting and stuff but I agree that you should never do that to a dog you dont know, especially one who has gone through an ordeal. I only do that with my own dog of 10 years who Ive had since she was 8 weeks old. Ive always heard that you shouldnt look a strange dog in the eye because they construe it as confrontation so maybe when she put her head down so he would kiss her, he saw her eyes and assumed it was conflict. I also agree about how they keep putting their hands over the dogs eyes while petting which is annoying.
Regarding the eww factor, I only do it with either my nose or forehead and only if I know the dog well. I dont let any dog kiss my mouth, even my own.
This situation is very sad, and, as nearly everyone has opined, entirely preventable.
Most disturbing to me is how the news anchor who was bitten is petting the dog — or should I say smothering the dog using her hands — all over the dog’s head…over, over, and over again.
If anyone truly wanted to show the dog on the air following the previous day’s events, why not interview the owner while cutting to images of the dog, without putting the poor dog into such an insane situation?
Finally, no dog, least of all a stressed-out, recently traumatized dog, appreciates being petted ON TOP OF THE HEAD. If this woman truly loves dogs, she ought to also show some respect for the dog in front of her. Back off, give the dog some space, and — if you must pet the dog — ask the dog’s permission first, before smothering the dog with hands all over the top of his head and over his face.