MA - Ryan Hazel, 14, Mauled to Death by 4 Dogs he was Dogsitting. 9 May 2019

[jjenny]

So the kid started at 13? That's awfully young to take care of multiple large breed dogs. I don't think these dogs recognized the kid as the leader.
Like I said, the guy would have gotten in trouble if he purchased alcohol for the kid.
The kid that age can not legally drink, smoke, drive or vote.
But taking care of multiple large breed dogs is just hunky dory as far as the law is concerned?
I guess if it's all well and good he can just get another kid to take care of the dogs when he is out of town.

 

[Trudie]

I’m such an over the top dog lover, I can’t even read here.
This just breaks my heart.

 

[kaen]

So the kid started at 13? That's awfully young to take care of multiple large breed dogs. I don't think these dogs recognized the kid as the leader.
Like I said, the guy would have gotten in trouble if he purchased alcohol for the kid.
The kid that age can not legally drink, smoke, drive or vote.
But taking care of multiple large breed dogs is just hunky dory as far as the law is concerned?
I guess if it's all well and good he can just get another kid to take care of the dogs when he is out of town.

I think the articles have said he and his family had been taking care of the dogs. Kids at 12-15 mow lawns and pet sit and babysit all the time. I would not let my kids do the job he was doing but if the family had done it before and felt comfortable who am I to question.

 

[jjenny]

I think the articles have said he and his family had been taking care of the dogs. Kids at 12-15 mow lawns and pet sit and babysit all the time. I would not let my kids do the job he was doing but if the family had done it before and felt comfortable who am I to question.

His family wasn't there that day to help him take care of the dogs. Grandma who apparently has mobility issues drove him there to take care of the dogs, but couldn't even check on him personally, presumably because of mobility issues, when he didn't return in time.

 

[enelram]

This is such a sad, horrible tragedy.
Because I have a special interest in shepherds and have had a couple, I belong to a special forum for shepherd owners.
Due to current breeding, desire for dog aggressiveness for protection, amateur owners of hi-drive aggressive dogs and
pure stupidity...... it doesn't surprise me that this happened to
that poor boy.
There's many problems in these breeds w/ weak temperament,
poor nerves, excessive drive and uncontrollable aggression.
Every trainer knows this. It's constantly discussed amongst
dog owners.
Now throw several of these poorly bred dogs in together and you
get a phenomenon known as 'pack mentality'. Where they all
gang up on the perceived threat to take it out.
The trainer is fully responsible for this and he knows it.
imo.

 

[Jade]

The cause is incompetence on the trainer’s part.

Some trainers seem to fancy themselves as good as César Milan with his pack. Also several tragic cases of dogs dying and nearly dead at trainers has reveled a lazy habit of long hours of crating dogs at the trainers; if you have the stomach goggle TN cases. Yes, it is expensive to properly build out an animal holding facility.

I worked for a well known obedience trainer’s boarding kennel and when he had dogs staying for training to keep them looking forward to a workout they were kept in the kennel where they had an indoor space with a connected outdoor run. Suitably confined but not crated.

I worked at a show kennel starting when I was 13. I took care of the dogs while the owner went to shows.

The kennel had individual runs and an exercise yard for group play. Although these large dogs were of the type that got regular long jogs to keep their lovely extended lines and long strides I did not take them out of their runs while the owner was away. A hatchet door could be lowered to keep the dog inside while cleaning the spacious outdoor run and then they were put outside while the indoor space was refreshed and their meal prepared. They would excitedly wait for the door to get pulled up and get their food. I didn’t even open their gate to get an empty feed pan while they were in the space when I was alone.

They were very valuable, loved dogs and the protocol was put in place for my benefit and the dogs. It was a good practice that prepared me to be a boarding kennel manager and zookeeper.

It breaks my heart because this young man seemed just like me and my early experience set the course for a long wonderful career in animal care.


all imo

 

[borndem]

This is such a sad, horrible tragedy.
Because I have a special interest in shepherds and have had a couple, I belong to a special forum for shepherd owners.
Due to current breeding, desire for dog aggressiveness for protection, amateur owners of hi-drive aggressive dogs and
pure stupidity...... it doesn't surprise me that this happened to
that poor boy.
There's many problems in these breeds w/ weak temperament,
poor nerves, excessive drive and uncontrollable aggression.
Every trainer knows this. It's constantly discussed amongst
dog owners.
Now throw several of these poorly bred dogs in together and you
get a phenomenon known as 'pack mentality'. Where they all
gang up on the perceived threat to take it out.
The trainer is fully responsible for this and he knows it.
imo.

Thanks for your good and knowing comments, enelram. Fast and powerful cars, the biggest this, the best that, and the most protective and scariest dogs. We've all seen it. Bad breeders can really harm good breeds -- bad hips, certain other physical weaknesses or personalities.
The pack mentality is how dogs and wolves survived hard times many, many years ago, and they still have that trait. The Alpha Dog mentality is very strong, as we know. And the dogs pay the price when it goes wrong, but sometimes the owners or caretakers do. And yes, the two-legged Alpha Dog of that pack was not there that day. The dogs were competing for a four-legged one and the caretaker paid the price.

 

[jjenny]

Yes, seems clear these dogs didn't view the child as the alpha leader. Not sure why four of them were running free instead of being in kennels. Was it by design or did the kid let them out? The child was there alone, with nobody to help if something went wrong.

 

[watcher9]

This same thing could have happened to a grown man or woman feeding someone else's dogs.

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

The four dogs that mauled him were running free. There were 7 dogs in crates/kennel, which I would assume are the dogs that he is training. This young man and his family had been doing this service for this man for over a year. This is an awful tragedy, I agree with the DA. I am not sure it is a crime or a great lawsuit. I would think that there could be a business insurance settlement though if the family wanted to go this way.

"Dunmore was involved in training the dogs but Quinn said the animals were not licensed by the town. Hazel and his family had an arrangement with Dunmore to care for the animals and the boy had done so for about a year, according to Quinn." Dog mauling of Rehoboth teen called 'terrible tragedy' as officials look for cause

As I shared in a previous post, my German Shepherd had been a sweet, friendly dog with no signs of aggression or serious misbehavior for five years, until suddenly, out of the blue, he wasn't. Unprovoked, he bit a young adult, not a child. He was alone at the time, so not incited by pack mentality. The dog behaviorist made me understand, that as animals, dogs behave largely on instinct; therefore, much of their behavior is unpredictable, especially to all of us who are not professionals. Ryan's parents likely were as unaware of the risks as I was. A professional dog trainer really should be educated to know that dogs can behave unpredictably and, consequently, exercise a duty of care, just as many other professionals are bound to do in their respective professions. A young teen who has helped out at the business for a year is clearly not a professional trained and equipped to handle unpredictable behavior of large dogs, especially those who have strong protective instincts. Ryan's family may need time off work and lose income; they may need extensive grief counseling. I know I certainly would. I hope by some means they are compensated in some measure for their enormous loss, emotional pain and suffering, and all that rebuilding their lives will entail. MOO.

 

[jjenny]

As far as I can tell his family are in fact dog trainers.
The link I have is not allowed for whatever reason. I think it's because the article had a crowdfunding website in it's name. The article is on masslive.

 

[MsFacetious]

Ryan P. Hazel Obituary - Swansea, MA

 

[MsFacetious]

Hazel’s family is involved in dog training and dog shows. His parents, who own Wolf Plain Brooks Kennel in Rehoboth, train German Shorthaired Pointers, according to the business website.

“As a family we breed, raise, and train our dogs,” the website states. “We strive to produce a truly versatile example of the breed.”

Hazel knew the owner, Dunmore. He had been helping take care of the dogs while Dunmore was away for roughly a year, authorities said.

What we know about the Dighton dog mauling that killed a 14-year-old boy


So Ryan was definitely not a novice about dogs. However, his family didn't keep and train the same breed as Dunmore. That's definitely a big difference.

 

[Eleanor Rigby]

Hazel’s family is involved in dog training and dog shows. His parents, who own Wolf Plain Brooks Kennel in Rehoboth, train German Shorthaired Pointers, according to the business website.

“As a family we breed, raise, and train our dogs,” the website states. “We strive to produce a truly versatile example of the breed.”

Hazel knew the owner, Dunmore. He had been helping take care of the dogs while Dunmore was away for roughly a year, authorities said.

What we know about the Dighton dog mauling that killed a 14-year-old boy


So Ryan was definitely not a novice about dogs. However, his family didn't keep and train the same breed as Dunmore. That's definitely a big difference.

Thank you for sharing this information. Yes, I believe the breeds are quite different. However, they are all dogs, and the parents are professional trainers, so I find it very hard to believe that they would not have been aware of the risks of letting a child work alone with large breed dogs. While Ryan would have been familiar with dogs, especially the Pointers his family raised and trained, a fourteen-year-old is a child with limited experience and a brain eleven years away from full development--therefore, a novice handler / trainer. At least three adults--professional dog trainers who really should have known better--failed Ryan. This failure very likely adds to their grief and trauma, but regardless of poor judgement, I am truly sympathetic and sorry for them.
All MOO.

 

[MsFacetious]

I think it's possible that the set up was supposed to be different than what it actually was (more like Jade's experience.)

Heartbreaking that Ryan's parents were actually out of town when this occurred. It's also possible that he didn't normally go there alone but this one time both families were out of town at the same time.

We will have to see as more details come out. I am very glad that his grandmother didn't see him like that.

 

[jjenny]

This same thing could have happened to a grown man or woman feeding someone else's dogs.

Could have, but generally it is assumed an adult can understand and accept the risks. Which is why adults are allowed to drink and smoke while children't aren't.
Also, these dogs would not view a child as their leader of the pack.
"Any time children are with dogs, dogs do not treat them the same as they will an adult," Alexandre said. "They do not see them as leaders."
Dog trainer analyzes deadly Dighton dog attack

 

[Trident]

"Any time children are with dogs, dogs do not treat them the same as they will an adult," Alexandre said. "They do not see them as leaders."

Quite true. As I previously stated, my well trained, well behaved lab does not treat my grandson (11) with the same respect he gives adults, even stangers. I often have to step in and put the woof in his place. I can just imagine 4 of them.

 

[weepingangel]

Five dogs to be euthanized after fatal mauling of 14-year-old Ryan Hazel

 

[AlwaysShocked]

Oh, Trident, this makes me feel so bad for your young grandson. How does he handle this? Has it caused him to be afraid of dogs?

 

[Trident]

Oh, Trident, this makes me feel so bad for your young grandson. How does he handle this? Has it caused him to be afraid of dogs?

My grandson isn't afraid of him, but he doesn't enjoy playing with him as much as he might. My lab was a professional retriever for a private club, very well trained, great temperment. The thing is, my grandson isn't firm enough with him and the woof takes advantage. He isn't as quick to give up the ball or whatever they are playing with. He jumps on the child, gets nosy with his food if not at the table - spilled his milk one day. The dog simply does not listen to him at all. I'm always intervening 'cause the dog knows I mean business while he knows the grandson is a bit hesitant and tentative. The dog is never vicious or threatening, but just like a child, he will push boundaries when he thinks he can get away with it and with the grandson he does get away with it.

If I had 2 dogs and they acted like my near-perfect lab does, I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving him alone with them. They are animals and if one jumps on him, what will the other one do? I don't believe it would be a safe situation.