Category Archives: Animal Behaviorists

A collection of posts that include commentary by animal behaviorists about impulsive aggression, heritability of aggression, temperament testing and more.

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Pit Bull Rehomed by Humane Society Kills Newborn Baby

Fatal Pit Bull Attack in San Diego, California The rehomed male, neutered pit bull-mix in quarantine after killing a 3-day old baby. Passed Assessment Test UPDATE 04/29/16: On July 7, 2015, a 6-year old boy in North Carolina was killed by a male, neutered pit bull that was rehomed by the Asheville Humane Society 3-weeks earlier. The pit bull had passed the SAFER temperament test before being adopted. Now, just 8-months later in San Diego, a male pit bull-mix rehomed by the San D… [Read full blog post]

Thank You Letter: Experienced Dog Trainer Shares Dog Attack Story & Professional Opinion

"It happened to me. All of my experience, all of my knowledge, none of it mattered. None of it protected me or enabled me to stop that attack." Photo shows two dogs on the trainer's team at that time during a training day. DogsBite.org - A highly experienced dog trainer recently joined our Thank You letter campaign. The person shared as many details as possible. "In training circles, you just do not say negative things about bully breeds anymore," the person wrote. "If you do you a… [Read full blog post]

2016 Dog Bite Fatality: Boy Killed by His Sister's Three Pit Bulls in Yuba County, California

Tyler Trammell-Huston, 9-years old, was mauled to death by his half-sister's three pet pit bulls. DA's Full Press Release DogsBite.org - On January 3, Tyler Trammell-Huston, 9, was brutally killed by three pit bulls after his half-sister left him alone in a dilapidated trailer with the dogs for three hours. Alexandria Griffin-Heady, 24, arrived home and found Tyler face down near the doorway bloody and covered in bite wounds. All three of her pit bulls were loose in the trai… [Read full blog post]

2015 Dog Bite Fatality: Newly Adopted Rottweiler Kills Owner in Madison County, Tennessee

Anthony Riggs, 57, was killed within hours after adopting a rottweiler from a county shelter. No Evaluation Policy archived UPDATE 11/18/15: Earlier this week, The Jackson Sun reported that the rottweiler that killed Anthony Riggs was a stray picked up by a city employee 5-days before its adoption, according to Kim Tedford, the director of the Jackson-Madison County Regional Health Department. At about 10:30 am on November 12, Riggs brought his new dog to show to his son Th… [Read full blog post]