Here I go alienating another segment of my reading public.
How can Rottweilers be tolerated as pets when time after time you hear of horrific attacks? Where is the TV special: “Rottweilers Gone Mad?”
The latest incident generated nationwide publicity because the dog is owned by an NBA star:
Houston Rockets guard Tracy McGrady is being sued by a former maintenance worker on his property who was attacked and disfigured by his Rottweiler last year.
Fred Chamberlin lost the tip of his nose in the August 25 attack, which occurred in McGrady’s 18,000-square-foot mansion. The lawsuit, asking for unspecified damages, was filed Wednesday in Orange County Circuit Court.
Chamberlain, 57, was employed by McGrady at the time of the incident as a home maintenance engineer.
The basketball star has acknowledged that his dog, Max, did indeed attack Chamberlain. McGrady stated that Max is a “very vicious dog”, but he also added that it is usually very nice.
There might be a bunch of murderers out there who neighbors might characterize as “usually very nice,” but that does not excuse their antisocial behavior. We are not grading on the curve here … not just looking for some acceptable percentage level of people who can have some high expectation of keeping the tip of their nose.
I like McGrady’s other quotes: “I feel terrible, I didn’t think he had it in him.” That is a curious statement when coupled with: “McGrady stated that Max is a “very vicious dog”, but he also added that it is usually very nice.”
Let’s not be blind to the characteristics of the species as a whole. Every Rottweiler seems to me like it has the potential for an ugly incident. Then again, those in the know try to give a balanced perspective of the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding the species.
I guess if you are looking for a watchdog (which sports stars understandably need) it is reasonable to try to screen for a well-mannered Rottweiler. But given all of the potential for unexpected trouble, I would opt for some type of dog that is a little more dependable.