May 13, 2008: Bull Terrior v's Porcupine
 

The result of a very brave (more probably, very stupid) dog, who attacked a Porcupine in 2005.

The Quill Queen, was most uncomfortable with over 1,300 quills in her front half. She couldnt close her mouth as her tongue was covered with quills.

Apparently, there were a lot of quills embedded that were left to work themselves out.

I feel for the naked Porcupine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ac46e7aKar.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...ac46e7aKar.jpg

That looks like a 'sticky' situation.

I feel sorry for the puppy dog, but I guess it serves him right for attacking a porcupine. Poor porcupine. It's hard to decide which animal to feel most sorry for actually.

oooh, that's so awful!

there are porcupines living in the arroyos where I live. When walking around my old apartment complex (one hill over) I would occasionally encounter them in my nocturnal jaunts. I would attempt to nonchalantly turn around and walk--quickly--the other way!

are they aggressive?

This is a re-run but worthy of it, and if you haven't seen it, it's new to you!

No matter where you go on the internet, Undertoad has been there ahead of you.



I used proper grammar and punctuation to make that easier for you to quote in the Hall of Fame and Quote of the Day threads.

From quilts to quills.
Aggressive? Yes, pit bulls are commonly quite aggressive and there has been more than one instance when I would have been delighted to leave one looking like this.
Besides being a protected species and very NON-aggressive, it is nice to know the porcupine only used 1,300 of its 30,000 quills protecting itself from what appears to have been a sustained attack.
Can anyone find an update three years on?

I meant porcupines. I was responding to Cloud saying she walks away from them quickly.

Pit bulls aren't the same as bull terriers. I'd trust a bull terrier any day over a pit bull.

I don't think they are aggressive. But I don't particularly want to find out for sure.

I like to be pierced in a more . . . controlled manner.

Dammit!! I did search first, but I searched "Porcupine" and only came up with a black dog with a few quills in his muzzle.

No biggie, Ducky, did the same thing here.
Anyway, that just proves it's an IOtD worthy picture. ;)

btw, I really appreciate the help.

Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow...

Freaking OW!

I'm no expert, but in a survival book I've read it commented that porcupines were exceptionally stupid and all it took to 'hunt' them was a large stick.

I've had at least one dog and usually two my whole life. I've had a number of different breeds. The two most gentle, family oriented, and generally well behaved animals I've had were both pit bulls.

One was a pit bull/lab mix and I'll miss and talk about that dog til the day I die. I lost him to unexplained kidney failure a few years ago.

My current dog is a pit bull and possibly the most gentle, docile dog I've ever had.

Don't believe the hype on the breed. It is the owner and the training that matters most.

On the other hand, you won't find nearly as many news stories about a Golden Retriever that all of a sudden ripped some kid's face off.

Don't get me wrong, I've also met many sweet pits. I wouldn't leave one alone with my nieces though. For that matter, I wouldn't leave them alone with a little snippy yappy lap dog with short guy syndrome, either.

I've hear some people with children say they are really kind and gentle. I wouldn't leave one with my cats though.

It's all ooh and aah and pretty kitty when you're on the room.
But they just can't wait to get onto the whisker pulling, tail yanking and eye gouging...

I had truly hoped to never see this picture again...

:lol:

Damn kids!

I'd prefer to believe the bull terrier was dressing up like a porcupine for a costume party. Poor thing! And worse is knowing that if he/she sees another porcupine then it would joyfully repeat the attack. At least our dogs never learned What Happens When You Chase the Funny Smelling Black Cats With the White Stripes.

Pit bulls test higher (which is good) on the canine temperment test. But you can keep listening to the hysterics on the news. We all know how dedicated they are to presenting a true balanced story even at the expense of entertainment and ratings.

Agreed Lookout, we've had Pit Bulls and they are beautiful docile dogs when trained and loved (as opposed to tormented and taught to fight).

My parents little Fox terrier is the most intolerant little bitch you will meet.

Sundae, GrimBley (our new kittie) is quickly training my two little ferel (kids) that he wont be taking no shit from them :)

Not everyone bases their opinion on certain breeds of dogs because of what they've heard on the news. I know I don't, and I still wouldn't trust a pit bull. Any pit bull, and it's not because of the media. It's from personal experience with a number of them and other breeds like bull terriers which get a bad rap in media. Sure they cop shit from the press, and of course not all dogs of a particular breed are going to be vicious, but it's fairly ignorant to suggest that other posters only base their opinions on what they see in the media, and not what they know from first hand experience.

As you will defend a pit bull, I'd defend a bull terrier and suggest it's in the way they're brought up, even though bull terriers are in my experience, pretty thick and hard to teach. I've been brought up with hunting dogs such as bully's and bully crosses, and there are some bad ones, but the ones we always had (and which my parents bred and which later became a recognized breed called 'Bull Arab') were pretty docile other than when they were hunting wild pigs.

Sorry I've been mostly absent these last several weeks... I'm still getting used to the new workload, but I'm hoping to be posting pictures on a semi-regular basis again soon.

Oh sure, while I'm slaving over a hot board, you're out doing easy stuff, like having a baby. :lol2:

Oh, I forgot how fucking stupid I am. Forgive me. Must learn to read...I just git mah information from the news shows. ET is my favorite. Jello.

Truth is, it is in the breeding. You don't see a lot of the dog fight mongers throwing a golden into the ring, unless it's to watch it get ripped into pieces.

Hopefully, you'll stay very lucky and never get one with an ounce of blood from fight-breeding.

And in the course of quoting me, try to at least add a ~snip~ when taking things out of context. kthxbai

Woof.

You mean like this?

Rezactly! :lol:

The problem isn't that 'dangerous' breeds are more likely to attack. The problem is in the nature of the attack if it does occur. A westie is probably just as likely to snap and go for a kiddie (I believe there was a case where a westie damn near took a baby's face off) which is why kids should never be left alone with dogs, regardless of the breed. The problem with the so-caled 'dangerous' dogs, is that on the occassions when attacks occur, whether because of mental instability or poor training, some dogs simply do more damage than others. Dogs bred for fighting, such as American Pit Bulls, or Japanese Akitas, once they attack are more likely to kill.

Any dog can snap. Any breed can be a problem. Any breed of dog has examples of, well trained dogs and likewise examples of poorly trained dogs. The chances of a dog snapping are increased if the owner has raised it improperly. That said, even well trained and beautifully raised dogs have the capacity to snap in an instant. How many times have we heard the line "but it was a beautiful family dog."?

I recall once reading about a Springer Spaniel who, after 9 years of being the beloved family pet, snapped and tore half the youngest child's face off. Why? Because it was prematurely senile. The little girl had stuck her face into the dogs for a cuddle and kiss and the dog responded instictively in a way it had never done before.

The stuff in the press is unhelpful. It suggests that there are 'safe' breeds of dog. There is no such thing as an entirely safe, entirely trustworthy dog. Some breeds, however, when they attack, do so swiftly and without follow through: i.e, they bite. Others, if they attack, do so with totality, not stopping until they have killed the one they're attacking: usually these are breeds who have been bred specifically to fight. Usually, not always.

I would no more trust a child alone with my bearded collie dog, than I would with a Rottweiler or an Akita.

My brother has a gorgeous dog. She's a Rhodesian Ridgeback. Very powerful dog the rhodey, bred to hold lions at bay until the hunter gets to it. She's called Amber and she adores the girls. With family members she has the most incredible temperament: soft, protective, loving and patient. Outdoors, even in the yard, she is muzzled. She will attack anybody who comes into that yard, postmen, visitors to the other houses who share the yard. Try as he might to train her out of it, her protective instincts are very strong. As a family pet, you couldn't hope for more. But that doesn't stop her being potentially dangerous.

Dog bite statistics by breed
 

It's pretty easy to find dog bite statistics by breed. This site is focused on the US, but there's some interesting information. Here's just one quote:

That supports what DanaC and some others have posted.

Thanks for that. I just read the report. Fascinating stuff. I found the analysis of differing behaviour patterns really interesting.

Isn't one of the contributing factors for the seriousness of those breeds' bites their massive jaws and tendency to hold on no matter what?

Like alligators.

I was in a discussion with someone re: this picture before. Apparently, the general consensus is that the pic is photoshopped with many more needles than were actually there. They just photoshopped them again over and over and over. I dunno....

I don't see any evidence of alteration.

Me neither. An altercation maybe, but no alteration.

emphasis mine. that's a myth.

I have to disagree there, Lookout.

We have had the *problem* (I dont agree with this) breeds all my life (hunting family) and once they are in *that* mode (kill or be killed, hunt, etc)...you are hard done to distract them or restrain them.

Even my adorable, Clyde (Bull Mastiff, Great Dane) will hold on till the death. He is the most obedient and loyal dog, an absolute dream with the kids and friends...but throw another male dog into the mix and he will fight until exhaustion or death.

He was bought up well socialised, but was attacked by a large old Rotti when he was 3 years old and now he fights first and asks questions later.

It takes a good while for me to get him off another dog, and the problem is, at 65kgs...he does a lot of damage. He is muzzled when we walk, desexed and I keep him out of that situation as much as possible, but I have no problems trusting him with the kids.
If they are tormenting him, he comes and bangs on the door or lets me know that he wants to get away from them.

Snopes and urban legends say its legit. I do my homework before I post :)

Doing some Google work on the "lock jaw" thing I ran across this site. Seems to be well informed.

http://www.thebullyhouse.net/pitbull...faqsmyths.html

On the jaw thing:

But on the other hand a very interesting note I read:
And finally here is what they said on how to stop a pit bull from fighting.

EDIT:

And as I continue the article, this part makes me want to get a pit bull now.

From the same logic that since people here can relate personal experiences with well-trained and gentle dogs of fighting breeds they aren't aggressive, it follows that Porcy's aren't either. There was one in the area that was semi-tame when I was a kid and I've petted it a few times without harm.

But then, I'm not a snake...

Pit Bulls have amazing temperaments amongst people (usually), but they can be seriously dangerous to any dogs they get into a fight with. Speaking as the owner of a dog who would not survive an encounter with a pit bull, that worries me somewhat.

There's an American Pit Bull lives near me (despite their being a banned breed). It's adorable. I got talking to its owner, asked what breed it was because the colouring really struck me and the shape of its head was beautiful. She told me "Oh it's an American Pit Bull....don't worry though, it wouldn't ever bite. Well, not a person...he'd make a mess of any dog he got hold of."

I did think as she was telling me this.....that's not right smart given its illegality. I could have been the sort of person who would phone the police or the RSPCA and let them know about this 'dangrerous dog'. The owner's a local alcoholic (nice enough lady, her and her alcy husband make their living collecting and selling junk) and I cannot see her having a licence to keep the dog.....nor was the dog muzzled.

I didn't inform the police. I did, however, warn my mum so that she wouldn't let Dante go say hello to this dog if they passed by.

The last time my dog got into a scrap with another dog (other than Dante) nether dog was hurt.....lot of rearing up and jaw snapping, bits of fur flying and over in a minute. Lot of sound and fury and no damage at the end, beyond a couple of little scratches and puncture marks that showed up later on. If Pilau got into a scrap with that American Pit Bull, I doubt he'd survive. If he did, it would no doubt be a time of extensive vet treatment.

I remember walking my westie pup when I was 12 years old. A rottweiler had got away from its owner. It ran straight at us, grabbed Dudley by the fur on his upper back and shook him like a plastic toy...threw him aside and then grabbed him again. Dudley was screaming. There was blood everywhere. I, rather stupidly, was hitting and kicking the rottweiler and trying to get dudley away. The owner eventually rolled up, shouting the dogs name and was able to get the dog to drop Dudley.

Ten years later, whilst walking her 12 month old Bichon Frise, mum had the exact same experience. Again a rottweiler. More shaking like a toy, more small-dog screaming. More heavy vet bills, more distress.

Most dogs don't fight to hurt. When they scrap they usually make a lot of noise and do only superficial damage. Some dogs, when they fight, fight for real.

[eta] I will admit to some slight unease at not warning the relevant authorities about the Pit Bull. I didn't, nor would I, as the dog would most likely be confiscated and destroyed. In the case of the American Pit Bull, the law has become too reactionary and a blunt instrument indeed. If by contacting the relevant authorities, I were to trigger a visit from the police and a warning to keep the dog muzzled outdoors, I would most likely do it. Just because I recognise the potential dangers involved in keeping certain dog breeds, doesn't mean I approve of the way the law is tackling that danger.

It is always a little surprising to find which threads get "legs," especially when one seems to have been the spark. I was purposely being dense when I responded that pit bulls were aggressive, when I knew that Aliantha meant porcupines. I also think I knew that the prickly dog was not really a pit bull, but the more venerable bull terrier.
In my area, famous for marijuana cultivation, pit bulls are common and commonly assholes, as are their owners.
I think the phenomenon is sort of the result of the perfect storm of canine breedability, capability and training. The dickwad down the street who would intimidate all the neighbors is no more likely to set his Corgy on you, than he is to carry a .22 short derringer instead of a Glock 9.
His pit bulls, instead, have been bred to have overly strong jaws and been trained to attack and hold on, both of which, in my experience, they are happy to do.

Back to the original post
 

Is it just me or has this been around for a lot longer than 3 years? I'm sure this was doing the rounds when I was at Uni and I left there 8 years ago.

Seriously, accepting this research is like accepting an article from the KKK about how they're friends with the local multicultural community.

There not? LIES! LIES I TELL YOU!! My friends in white are just good ol' boys fighting for America.

Seriously though, there are plenty of other links and sites that discuss how APBT have been painted as huge scary monsters. I have personally known three pits and two were the APBT and they were the friendliest dogs.

It is all about socializing your dog and keeping him well trained. I have seen more yippy dogs with Napeopleon complex who's mommies don't train their dog in the slightiest to respond to voice commands and keep them unleashed cause more issues then any big dog.

The large dog is on a leash and obediently following his owner when this stupid little drop-kick dog attacks him. That sorry excuse for a dog should be eaten.

I live in a huge dog friendly valley and it upsets me when I see that 90% of the toy variety of dogs are spoiled little bitches that give big dogs a bad name because the little ones are not trained.

Sorry about that, OK rant off.

I saw a normally well mannered Pit bull get into a fight with a standard Poodle - neither dog won in the end. The Pit Bull wrecked that poodle and both had to be put down. I had seen this dog a 100 times before this incident and he was always well behaved and well mannered. Still don't know why he snapped that one day.

I think the challenge most people have with pits and other larger breeds is the amount of damage they can do when they decide they're going to have a go. A yippy dog is generally not going to inflict anywhere near the amount of damage unless it's on a small child, and everyone already knows you shouldn't leave any dog alone with kids. Particularly small ones (kids).

As I mentioned previously, I'm sure there are nice pitbulls out there. I've just never met one. In fact, the one that came closest used to live next door, but we had a situation one night where the neighbours came over for a few drinks and the dog followed (escaped their yard). We didn't worry too much. Our dogs didn't care, but then the neighbours decided to go home, but the dog didn't want to go. The owner - who loved the dog and treated him well etc. Did everything right as far as training and obedience was concerned - tried to get him up and he flat out refused. At stronger urging, the dog then bared his teeth and set himself to stay for the night. In the end, the only way he got the dog to move was to spray it with water. It was either that or get bitten.

They 'lost' the dog soon after that, even though they loved him and thought he was fantastic.