In the spirit of fairness

I tried to research Great Dane attacks. They were once a bugaboo breed, so I assumed I would find quite a few. I was wrong.

Googling "Great Dane attacks" yields 16 results. By comparison, bull terrier attack yields 52 results and pit bulldog yields 125 results. The "Great Dane attacks" results are as follows:
1. a Sept 1899 human fatality featured x3 in those 16 hits
2. lion baiting with a Great Dane -June 1899
3. a savage non fatal attack - Aug 1904
4. a savage non fatal attack - March 1907
5. a savage non fatal attack - Oct 1905
6. brief mention of german training a great dane to attack anyone in a french uniform - Sept 1899
7. multiple attacks by one Great Dane (they sounded like minor injuries) - Oct 1897
8. a Great Dane attacked a flock of sheep (it was shot) - June 1906
9. attack on two kids - March 1908
10. attack on a theater procession was featured x2 - Nov 1904
11. minor attack - Jan 1905
12. attack - June 1898

By far my favorite of the lot was from the Evening Star May 12, 1897.
13. the attack by a "mongrel bull terrier" on a Great Dane and the bull terrier owner shot the Great Dane.

Just another case of your everyday run of the mill psychopathic pit bull owner - Mr William E. Prall Jr.

Gustav Erni's Great Dane was attacked by the bull terrier belonging to his cousin,William Prall. Mr Erni secured his aunt's small white dog before attempting to break up the fight. He returned just in time to find his Great Dane had been shot by his cousin from the balcony.

William Prall was tried for the shooting. Prall denied shooting the Great Dane and called an "expert" to testify on behalf of the bull terrier, stating that it is peaceable and good natured child's pet. The prosecutor interjected, "The law makes all bull dogs vicious, per se." 

Once it had been determined that Prall was guilty of the shooting the Great Dane, Prall changed his story. His lawyer stated that Prall had to shoot the Great Dane in order to save his bull terrier and "no cruelty had been perpetrated." 

This scenario has been faithfully playing out for over 100 years, well, except for the part about the law designating bulldogs vicious. That is rapidly changing.

If the first lie doesn't suceed, try, try and try again.

Uh-oh, gripper screwed up again. Circle the wagons.

Assuming that you are unable to execute a successful dine and dash, First throw yourself at the mercy judge.

Tell him what a weak and pathetic loser you are. Impress the judge to take pity on you by convincing him that gripper is all that you have in the world and you will die without gripper.



Isn't your psychopathic best friend worth any last shred of decency that you might be clinging to?



IF that fails...

Start by explaining how gripper is an individual and has bad days just like everyone else.

Then blame the weather, clothing, radio waves, communism, background noise, fruits & vegetables or whatever else you can muster on the stand but if those fail....

Shamelessly lie in vain to save your gripper by blaming the 12 yr old victim. Remember, gripper would DIE (and kill) for you!

And when that doesn't work on the judge...



The only thing left to do is CRY LIKE A LITTLE GIRL!

The rolodex of excuses has expanded greatly over the last 100 years.
IDjeepgurl has honed this to a fine art.

The Washington Times, February 15, 1913

More maulings

The dogs are registered and among the finest of their kind in the country.

Deseret Evening News, June 21, 1910




One of those viscous collie attacks that the media ignores.

The Washington Times, May 1, 1911




The animal defied all efforts to drive him off and had his teeth sunk into the arm of the elder Ahert when he was killed with an axe. It was necessary to pry open his jaws from the arm of the victim, who had become unconscious.

New York Tribune June 29, 1909

Hmmm... I thought pit bulls were the CURRENT bugaboo breed?

Here it is, 1911 and a BREED SPECIFIC LAW is being proposed - not against Bloodhounds or Newfoundlands or St Bernards or German Shepherds or Dobermans or Rottweilers but BULLDOGS, ie pit bulls.



Gentlemen: I observe by The Washington Herald that the nine-year-old daughter of Thomas Hayes, of 2200 H street northwest, was seriously injured yesterday by a bulldog owned by Dr Norval Herbert, of 2145 H street northwest. It seems to me that this is becoming such a frequent occurrence that out government should take immediate steps to rid the city of this particular breed of dog. If you will remember, it was only a few months ago that a child was almost torn to pieces by one of these dogs on Columbia road, and in that case it was the pet dog of the household.
About two years ago I was attacked by one of these beasts, and since that time I have taken note that it is not an uncommon occurrence for one of these ferocious animals to turn on children without the slightest warning and literally tear them to pieces, and in every case would have killed the person attacked had some person not come to their rescue, as did the boy in saving the life of the little girl yesterday.
I might add that the muzzle law does not protect children from the attacks of bulldogs, for the reason that they always make the attack on their master's own family, or within the home or yard where they are not require to be muzzled.
It seems to me that the bulldog is more dangerous than the lion or tiger, for the reason that we protect ourselves against such animals, but there is no protection for the helpless child against this treacherous beast.
I trust that this object lesson will make the same impression upon you, gentlemen, as the killing of the little girl did the other day with the motorcycle carrying two passengers, which you promptly investigated and passed a rule prohibiting. I hope now that you will take the same fearless steps and banish all bulldogs from the District of Columbia.
I again wish to state that it seems to me criminal negligence on the part of our government to allow these dogs to remain in our district another day.
Fulton R. Gordon
September 29, 1911


The Washington Herald, September 29, 1911

Chief Justice White holds his own against pit and nutter

A bull terrier attacking a muzzled airedale and the pit nutter tries to stop the Judge from saving his dog. wow.

New York Times, May 18, 1914