First dog Barnie bit someone!

[BeardedChick]

Did you see it on the news today? The first dog has gone vicious, and bit a person that reached to pet him (the person asked for permission first).

Clemency for Barnie or no mercy?

 

[debilorrah]

Well, it was a reporter...

 

[JennsPeeps]

I'm more afraid of the VP's bite than the Pres' dog's!

 

[Buff Hooligans]

Maybe Barnie has issues with the Liberal Press and he finally got to express himself.

 

[ChickaD]

Take away the dog's driver's license, unless of course, he's an illegal alien...

 

[lotzahenz]

You know dogs are smarter than we are most of the time. HUM?

 

[Sequin]

So the pres. owns a potentially dangerous dog? What breed is it? And have they now included it(the breed) on the dangerous dog lists? Sorry guys, I am just a little bitter about Breed Specific Legislation.

 

[miss_jayne]

didn't they just get the dog? why are they letting it around a lot of people, especially strangers?

i understand they want to look 'good' for the press, but animals don't comprehend this concept.

he was probably scared, confused and has a lot of emotion/commotion in his home.

biting is not acceptable, but he was put in a position of being scared or frustrated. dogs cannot talk, so they only have a few choices to say, "DON'T GET CLOSE TO ME, I'M SCARED, I DON'T LIKE THAT...etc'.

too bad. hope the first family can think more of the situation first next time. wonder if they get amnesty for a biting dog?

 

[ninjapoodles]

Quote:
Nah, Barney's been around for a long time. He did come to the White House as a puppy at about the same time the Bush 43 family did, and should be about 8 years old right now. They also have a younger Scottie female named "Miss Beazley" or something like that.

The angle I saw of the incident looked like Barney just snapped--at least I'm not aware of an actual "bite." He may have just been having a bad day. 8 years old is about the age when some dogs start getting a little creaky. Maybe his eyesight or hearing isn't what it used to be.

I'm certainly no Bush apologist, but every dog oughtta be able to have a bad mood once in a while.

ETA: Nope, I was wrong about the "just snapping" part. This account from White House Correspondent John Decker:

He "bit my right index finger this morning -- as I reached down to pet him," Decker said. The bite broke skin and the wound was bleeding enough to prompt White House physician Dr. Richard Tubb to treat Decker with antibiotics. He will also be getting a tetanus shot.

Edited again to add...here's video of the incident .

I'm sorry, but I'm still on the dog's side here. He doesn't appear to even be hearing the people who are calling his name to get his attention before the guy reaches down on him from above, and when touched, his reaction appears genuinely startled, to me. Other dog people may see it differently? Also, if you watch the part where the attendant walks Barney away from the camera, notice how slowly he moves, and the awkwardness of his gait. Scotties are not my breed, but I LOVE the terrier group at the dog shows, and have spent a lot of hours watching them move...Barney moves like he's old and achey.​

 

[miss_jayne]

okay, so here's my dumb comment now...i assumed (bad idea) we were speaking of the pres elects new puppy. i didn't realize it was the dog IN the white house now.

my bad!

i still empathize with the dog though. all dogs have their 'day' and sometimes, like us, they are NOT having their day.