Rescued dog bites TV anchor during interview

Firefighter Tyler Sugaski put on a wetsuit and rescued Max, an 85-pound Argentine Mastiff who fell into a lake in Colorado while chasing a coyote. 

Later as they are being interviewed on television with the owner, Max reacts to the situation in a manner that is not uncommon for dogs under stress when their space is invaded.

Our sympathies go to anchor Kyle Dyer, but...

Just because a dog is on TV doesn't mean he's Lassie.

Graphic footage.

Comments

[YesBiscuit]

I read that the station is issuing take down notices, trying to scrub it from the internet. Maybe they don't want people to see how the dog was stressed, trying to avoid, but the lady forced the issue.

[BunGirl]

Watched that yesterday. The dog gave her plenty of notice. When a dog bares its teeth at you, don't get up in his face! She's lucky it didn't end up worse than it was.

[Jan]

When I was putting this post together last night the video had been removed by user, but it was back on today. I hope they leave it on so that people can see how quickly a seemingly friendly dog reacts to what he sees as a threat.

[Darcey]

Never put your face in a dogs like that. You never know maybe he felt his space was invaded!

[geogia little pea]

My heart jumped! I would never put my face in a dog's face, especially one I don't know and as big as that! Crazy.

[Lynne]

You never put your face in a dog's face. It's a sign of aggression. I do put my face in my dogs face cause I think I "know" her, but I'm alway aware that she could bite me. That she'd just be a dog if she did.

[Jen]

I felt bad both for Max (the Dogo Argentine) and for the news lady. I think the dog's owner should have exercised better judgement in 1. going on TV with him in the first place and 2. asking for space for his dog.

I watched the video without sound, to "test" myself on how I thought that the dog felt. Granted, it wasn't a real test, I already knew he ended up biting, but I'd like to think if Elka was throwing off all of those stress signals, I'd know enough to notice. And advocate for her.

[Marion]

Oh, man, I've seen this happen too often. What makes people place their faces directly into an unknown dog's face who have gone through a really stressful time?

I don't know that I would have brought my distressed dog into a TV station that quickly after an accident like that. A video of the dog recovering would have been just as good.

Thanks for this post, Jan, it can teach a lot of people. xx

[Jodi]

I didn't watch the video where the dog actually bit the woman, but I watched the lead up. Supposedly this woman is a real animal lover which should mean to me she should know better than sticking her face in the face of a dog she doesn't know. That being said, I blame the owner for putting is dog in a position where he felt the need to protect himself.

[lynne murphy]

My message to that TV station - 9news Denver Colorado

The reporter who was bitten was behaving totally inappropriately with that dog; the dog was not.

That dog did not know her and was forced into an extremely stressful and unknown environment while still struggling to recover from the traumatic near-death experience – the dog behaviorist was spot on! Her hands were all over that dog, both hands at once, and her face was totally inappropriately close to his face - in his space! She is not his family- she is a total stranger who would not leave him alone! And now that dog is forced into yet ANOTHER stressful and confusing environment having been taken away from his home and human family for 10 days – which he does not understand nor deserve. It was clear he was trying to get away from her but was physically restrained - since he could not just get away from her how else could he effect stopping her and getting away from her – as a last resort biting is what a dog does to defend himself. Shame on you and your non-stop rating-greediness to exploit that dog for audience share. If you really gave a damn about that dog you would have taken your camera and reporter to HIS HOME, to HIS ENVIRONMENT where he felt safe. Shame on you.

[Jan]

Very well stated.

[Deb in AZ]

It happened so fast. I watched on Fox News and did not see it coming. That is not a very cuddly looking dog to me. I would never have even touched it. I always shield my poodles when out with them. They are pretty to look at and people want to touch. I always ask them to not until the poodle says ok or not.
Sorry it happened, hope the woman has no scars. OMG

[jackie]

any one dumb enough to stick their face into a strange dogs face, and not just a pitty bull dog..will get bit..just the facts mam'm

[Lindsay]

My old foster dog Cosmo was a dog that would get very stressed in public situations with strangers petting him. He gave off the same signals that dog was giving - panting, liking lips, looking away. I feel very bad for the reporter, and I think the dog's handler should have done a better job of getting in between the woman and the dog and asking her to back off a bit. Whenever I was out with Cosmo, people would attempt to get up in his face all the time like that, and it was my responsibility to warn them. And when they didn't listen, I had to physically put myself between Cosmo and that person. Yes, it was their own dumb fault when people caused Cosmo to snap, but it was my responsibility to prevent it for Cosmo's sake. And too many people just don't know any better.