Dog stabbed, after biting 4-year-old

[Hum]

MADEIRA BEACH, FL - Deputies say a 48-year-old man stabbed a Golden Retriever after it bit his granddaughter's lip outside a Madeira Beach McDonald's.

The child, 4-year-old Shayna Lydick, was in the care of her grandparents at the fast food restaurant at 650 150th Avenue in Madeira Beach.

The girl approached the dog in the outdoor table area of the McDonald's. The dog responded by biting the child's lip.

Grandfather Shaw Riley of Seminole then stabbed the dog twice in the neck with a pocket knife, and the dog ran off to a row boat off a nearby dock.

The girl sustained injuries to her lip and may require reconstructive surgery.

The dog, a 9-year-old Golden Retriever named Sampson, was treated on scene by Madeira Beach Fire Rescue, and is expected to survive.

Pinellas County Animal Services has taken the dog into custody and will conduct the investigation.

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[htcz]

100% behind the grandfather.

[shakey]

Golden Retrievers are the nicest dogs , period. They are rated #1 for dogs that will not attack a human when provoked. Just look at any dog temperament charts and studies.

http://www.dogbreedslists.com/golden-retriever-golden-retriever-puppies.html

I wouldn't be surprised if the little girl had done something to the dog to make him react as such.

I have a golden, and I know not all dogs are the same, but retrievers are some of the nicest and gentlest dogs.

[t_r_nelson]

Any dog can bite. They are animals. We have domesticated them but they are still animals and their instincts can kick in at any point in time.

[Wakers]

I hope the guy gets fined or sent to jail. Nearly always when an animal attacks a kid, the kid has done something to provoke it. Especially when it's a dosile breed like a Golden Retriever. The animals realise they are young and merely corrects behaviour, as it would a pup.

Stabbing it in the neck is just downright cruel and criminal.

If the dog has issues and it can be confirmed without doubt that it was unprovoked, then you have to rehome the dog. At no point should it be stabbed or put down ffs.

[Dick Montage]

100% against the grandfather.

Let a child in your care close enough to any unknown dog, you are at fault for what happens next.

I like dogs, I trust many dogs. I don't know anything about that dog other than it is an animal with the capability to either attack or misjudge it's friendliness.

Stabbing the dog is wholly out of order!

[rkenshin]

Against the grandfather in this situation. The story doesn't cover exactly what the girl did to the dog. While the report "says" she approached it, what did she actually do to it? I honestly can say that almost every child "tortures" a dog (pulls on ears, pets heavily, pulls on skin, etc.). If somebody did that to you, I think you'd bite back as well (well, probably more like a punch though, haha.).

Still, Golden Retriever's are family oriented and friendly dogs. More than likely the girl did something to provoke the dog to bite her. The grandfather is sick that he stabbed him and it should be considered animal cruelty.

[selphj]

As a dad of a 2 year old, I probably would have kicked that dog into next week. But honestly, why is this a story? Typical child-dog interaction. The child is ok, the dog is ok. We don't need to stop the presses over this.

[DavidM]

I'm against the "blind dog lovers" in this thread, an animal bit a little girl and she has to have facial reconstruction surgury, but lets all make excuses for the animal. "Oh we know EVERY SINGLE golden retriver is perfect and would HAVE to had a child so something HORRIBLE in order to bite."

[ArialBlue]

Well the dog didn't get too mad at the child and kill it.

[Ravensky]

Uethenize the dog and put the dogs owner in jail for allowing it to be running around biting people.

Problem solved....

[SionicIon]

Any dog can bite. They are animals. We have domesticated them but they are still animals and their instincts can kick in at any point in time.

We are animals too. We are no different. We have logic, order and structure, that domesticated animals follow. But we are all animals. There are things that animals do not understand about us too...

I believe the dog did the right thing, my friend's daughter always pulls her dog's ears, nose, and smacks it randomly, just to see how her pet will react, it's stupid and cruel. There was more to the story, that living being had a reason for biting.

[cork1958]

We are animals too. We are no different. We have logic, order and structure, that domesticated animals follow. But we are all animals. There are things that animals do not understand about us too...

I believe the dog did the right thing, my friend's daughter always pulls her dog's ears, nose, and smacks it randomly, just to see how her pet will react, it's stupid and cruel. There was more to the story, that living being had a reason for biting.

Would be willing to bet ANY amount this is what happened as stated by Sionic Ion:

"pulls her dog's ears, nose, and smacks it randomly,"

Little kids don't know any better for one. Grandpa should've been watching the kid closer and labs way more often than not, do not bite, period!!

Sure, the dog's owner should've had it tied up or on a leash, but personally, I'm TOTALLY against Grandpa here.

[123456789A]

Was the girl still in any danger or was this stabbing for "revenge" after she returned to grandpa with the bite on her lip?

If so, grandpa should be charged with animal cruelty and the owner of the dog charged with violation of any applicable leash laws.

[shakey]

I'm against the "blind dog lovers" in this thread, an animal bit a little girl and she has to have facial reconstruction surgury, but lets all make excuses for the animal. "Oh we know EVERY SINGLE golden retriver is perfect and would HAVE to had a child so something HORRIBLE in order to bite."

I'll trust a dog over a human almost any day. Dogs live by instinct. You can basically set your clock by their actions and habits. If you maybe had more knowledge about the animal in question, as well as knowing how they react to situations and how kids normally behave towards animals, you would probably have a different opinion.

The real blame lies upon the grandfather and the owner of the dog. The grandfather should have been watching the 4 year old much more, because she is 4, and they are quick and small beings. The dog owner for not keeping his dog under his supervision.

[Dick Montage]

I'm against the "blind dog lovers" in this thread, an animal bit a little girl and she has to have facial reconstruction surgury, but lets all make excuses for the animal. "Oh we know EVERY SINGLE golden retriver is perfect and would HAVE to had a child so something HORRIBLE in order to bite."

Yes, because that's exactly what's been said...

[Roger H. Veteran]

I don't care if the kid hit the dog in the head with a baseball bat and that's how it got bit, the kid is 4yrs old and IMO, human life over animal life any day. Now I prolly wouldn't stab the dog, i'd prolly just push/kick it but then again he was prolly just raged and wanted to retaliate. Hell if I had a kid and it got hurt, human or animal i'd more than likely freak out too. Obviously it's not life threatening and the kid was prolly just scared more than actual hurt. Prolly an over reaction eitherway however.

[DavidM]

I'll trust a dog over a human almost any day. Dogs live by instinct. You can basically set your clock by their actions and habits. If you maybe had more knowledge about the animal in question, as well as knowing how they react to situations and how kids normally behave towards animals, you would probably have a different opinion.

The real blame lies upon the grandfather and the owner of the dog. The grandfather should have been watching the 4 year old much more, because she is 4, and they are quick and small beings. The dog owner for not keeping his dog under his supervision.

You are confusing "general breed knowledge" and knowledge of THIS dog, they are two different things.

I find the dog owner at the most fault, then grandpa, the child was only going on her instincts as well.

[MindTrickz]

I can not help but laugh at these blind dog lovers. A dog bit a 4 year old child and you guys are indifferent. I would love to see your reaction had an strange dog attacked your your child, sibling or family members. You guys are speaking of the bread of the dog but that is irrelevant since you do not know THIS dog that did the attacking.

I am with the granddad on this one.

[spaceelf]

If only the dog had died.

[shakey]

There is no blind dog loving. There is knowledgeable people posting opinions. If you want to try and discredit an others opinion by calling them "blind", you are not showing much class towards this. Post your opinion and move on. But to call someone blind because they actually have knowledge about dog breeds and behavior is immature. No one has sided with the dog, but plenty of us can understand and see situations that could occur in this instance. Since all the facts have no been presented in this, you can not just assume any one case is right.

[rajputwarrior]

i'm call BS. as a lab retriever owner especially. They are the most HARMLESS dogs ever. that little girl did something to provoke it, whether she did it on purpose is a different story, but retrievers and labs especially love kids. I refuse to believe the dog just did it...

[Jan Veteran]

Why would the dog attack her for the hell out of it? The only reason it would retaliate was if she prevoked it first.

[shakey]

i'm call BS. as a lab retriever owner especially. They are the most HARMLESS dogs ever. that little girl did something to provoke it, whether she did it on purpose is a different story, but retrievers and labs especially love kids. I refuse to believe the dog just did it...

With my extensive work with many retrievers, as well as owning one now and one when I was a kid, I would agree with you. The only time I have ever seen a GR bite at someone was when it was pushed to the limits. I've had my nephew basically poke mine in the eye a few times in a row and it just look at him like, "More?" :p

[rajputwarrior]

With my extensive work with many retrievers, as well as owning one now and one when I was a kid, I would agree with you. The only time I have ever seen a GR bite at someone was when it was pushed to the limits. I've had my nephew basically poke mine in the eye a few times in a row and it just look at him like, "More?" :p

that typical dumb look retrievers/labs have is priceless...