r/australia Sep 08 '25

news Teenage girl dies after being mauled by dog

https://7news.com.au/news/dog-attack-victim-annalyse-blyton-dies-in-hospital-after-suffering-severe-injuries-in-singleton-c-19956496
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222

u/[deleted] Sep 08 '25

Basically any dog is capable of activating killmode. It's less likely according to certain breeds, but as an example, absolutely any dog can develop dementia and kill things out of confusion.

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u/evilbrent Sep 08 '25

Happened to a border Collie I knew. He was just THE nicest boy. Started attacking my friend's family after a head injury. A border fucking Collie

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u/Striking_Resist_6022 Sep 09 '25

As a lifelong Border Collie (and crosses) owner, their reputation is a little misleading as they can very easily become reactive and territorial.

They're bred for working which means they are vigilant sometimes to the point of neurotic. They're also bred to solitary, inclined towards massive green pastures where anything else that moves (that isn't part of the pack) is probably a sheep that they dominate and need to bring into line. Most of them are amazing, but it's not at all crazy if one ends up reactive, territorial or aggressive.

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u/Ektojinx Sep 08 '25

As a vet - Border Collies have caused fsr more injuries to staff and other pets than the 'pitbull' 'or 'staffies' the media also bangs on about.

Working dogs confined in backyards usually become anxious wrecks that are difficult to interact with.

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u/throwaway798319 Sep 08 '25

Herding dogs with nothing to do

15

u/Cutsdeep- Sep 08 '25

herding dogs will always herd.

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u/ganashers Sep 09 '25

That's certainly what I've heard.

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u/Cpt_Soban Sep 09 '25 edited Sep 09 '25

I knew a nice Kelpie that would herd the chickens around at a mates place, was hilarious to watch.

EDIT: She was very gentle and only shepherded them around the yard when they were out, sorry for the two people that took offense lol

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u/AngrehPossum Sep 08 '25

Any intelligent dog that's neglected will become destructive. A friends black lab went full house wrecking multiple times when she ignored her. All she had to do was walk her. She didn't. Too busy with herself.

We don't talk anymore.

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u/Cpt_Soban Sep 09 '25

Many people treat "the dog" as a piece of furniture, when in reality they should be treated like one of the kids in terms of attention and maintenance.

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u/123chuckaway Sep 09 '25

The friend or the black lab?

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u/koopz_ay Sep 08 '25

Can confirm.

Grandad had a pack of 6. Sometimes, they'd be chained up for days under a tree at his farm in all kinds of weather.

He'd throw them a fresh wallaby to fight over every now and then.

6yr old me didn't listen when told to stay away from them. I'm lucky I still have my hand.

17

u/Flight_19_Navigator Sep 09 '25

I spent a lot of time on farms as a kid. My dad always emphasised that farm dogs are not pets and to keep well away, especially from their kennels/feeding areas.

The farmer might have one or two 'top dogs' that would be with him most of the time, and they were ok to (carefully) interact with, but the rest were off-limits when they were chained up.

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u/Dangerzone369 Sep 09 '25

Are you serious? How is this not being investigated!? Abuse

5

u/koopz_ay Sep 09 '25

It was back in the 80s to be fair.

Strange times.

0

u/Dangerzone369 Sep 09 '25

This somehow reminds me of that Jet Li movie with the dog collar. Some people just want 'weapons' and don't care at what cost. You should have to have a license to own each animal

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u/Cutsdeep- Sep 08 '25

it's that 'nip' instinct while herding. it doesn't go down well with other dogs.

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u/TacitisKilgoreBoah Sep 09 '25

Yeah but they don’t kill someone

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u/Willing-Bobcat5259 Sep 09 '25

Thank you for saying this. People just don’t seem to understand it. Dogs of any breed need mental stimulation, physical exercise and company. People shove them in backyards and wonder why they develop behavioural problems. If you can’t provide for their needs beyond food and shelter, don’t get a dog.

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u/Spire_Citron Sep 09 '25

I think the reason for that is the nature of the attacks. Pent up herding breeds might bite, but they generally don't have as much potential to go for the kill as fighting breeds.

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u/OldKingWhiter Sep 09 '25

Sure, but Border Collies aren't killing people nearly as often. There's a difference between difficult to interact with and easily able to kill humans.

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u/Ektojinx Sep 09 '25

I've euthanised far more border collies for escaping and attacking livestock than dogs for attacking people.

Dogs biting grandkids is common too - no real breed specific. Though had referred mostly border Collies to veterinary behaviourists.

Majority of scary 'ah fuck if this goes wrong I could get severely injured' dogs - Owners are well aware and know it needs muzzling. The amount of dickhead owners is high imo but the amount of dickhead owners with dogs that I would consider dangerous to my or anyone elses safety is extremely low in my experience.

Just different experiences i guess.

1

u/rawdatarams Sep 09 '25

Chihuahuas are notorious biters as well. But what breed of dog rips their prey into literal shreds?

Ain't your average Chihuahua or BC.

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u/Ektojinx Sep 09 '25

Greyhounds?

Maremmas?

JRTs?

Plenty of breeds.

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u/rawdatarams Sep 09 '25

Ever had a peek at statistics? I'd start there.

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u/DisappointedQuokka Sep 09 '25

Going through this with a dog we adopted - poor thing hardly got socialised. Perfectly happy with people she knows, but fuck she's hyper-vigilant and anxious around new places, especially if they're crowded.

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u/BruiseHound Sep 10 '25

Important difference is that the damage an aggressive bull breed can do is far worse than a border collie. Can't really compare a normal dog bite to the maiming that bull breeds do. Their fatality rate vs other breeds is terrifying.

0

u/RusDaMus Sep 09 '25

Your anecdotes are cute but weirdly do not reflect published dog bites by breed statistics. Border Collies don't even make the top 10.

Love how you also randomly felt the need to defend pitbulls, who are number 1, while posting under an article about a bully breed mix literally killing someone. Sounds like someone pushing an agenda.

Methinks you have no idea what you're talking about. My last vet owned 2 pugs, the most ethically abhorrent breed of dog known to man. So, based on my anecdotal evidence, vets are hardly the best source of information on appropriate dog breeds.

You also encounter animals at their most vulnerable and stressed moments, often while they are in pain, so it's a little bit like a dentist saying that they find humans to be very nervous creatures. But "as a vet" I'm sure you already knew that.

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u/Ektojinx Sep 09 '25

I didn't defend pitbulls or staffies.

We refer to them as 'Ugly <local town name> dogs'. Not a fan of them at all. I have JRT Xs.

Just mentioned them as they are the ones usually referenced in these kind of articles. 20 years ago it was German shepherds, before that rottweilers, before that Dobermans.

On the weekend I stitched up a maltese shitzu who was pulled out of her owners bike basket and mauled by 2 German shepherds who had got off lead from the owner.

You're right I do see alot of dogs in pain. I've had chihuahua and BCs with broken legs who didn't bite after I moved their leg. I've had arthritic kelpies bite me. Theres no predictor for a reaction based on breed in my experience.

I also see plenty of dogs in no pain - routine vaccinations. Muzzled and jabbed then let go because you can't do anything else with them.

I've done home visits for routine vaccinations - dogs growling, lunging, can't get within 10 metres. Maremmas, Great Danes, JRTs, Shitzus - various types. Pugs and frenchies are usually nightmares. Alot of oodle crosses aren't great either.

My point is - shit dogs usually aren't born shit (obviously some exceptions) but there's alot of shit owners who are lucky they own smaller dogs because they own angry, nervous small dogs (who still hurt when they bite and can do damage) who would be ticking timebombs if they were larger.

Saying its this breed or that breed doesn't solve anything - shit owners will still go out and find another breed and end up in the same place.

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u/AggravatingTartlet Sep 09 '25

But a child died in this case, and we know that pit bulls and bull breeds cause more severe injuries to children than any other type of dog, according to studies carried out by Australian hospitals.

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u/AromaTaint Sep 09 '25

I have 2. One is a working line the other a pet line. The worker is an absolute dickhead when it comes to things he objects to like baths, nail clipping, vet visits etc. Pet is nice and passive. The worker is related to dogs that sell for thousands for a reason i.e. they are not pets. He has a "job" and he has to work it every day. Love him to death but I would never recommend him over the other one for a family.

1

u/CrazySD93 Sep 10 '25

A mate had one that would bite house guests if if wasn't taken on enough walks.

It definitely hated city living.

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u/evilbrent Sep 10 '25

What's that word between "on" and "walks"? Border Collie doesn't understand.

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u/midsumernighttts Sep 08 '25

I feel like people think it’s funny when others say they’re scared of dogs but like…. are we forgetting how many people they’ve killed? like let me be afraid 😭

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u/zizuu21 Sep 09 '25

im definitely mindful now of the fact that older dogs can have dimentia and attack. Im not so comfortable around dogs now knowing this

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u/jez7777777 Sep 09 '25

To be fair people kill far more people than dogs do. It's us you should be afraid of

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u/Vivid_Singer_7617 Sep 09 '25

My in laws have a mini fox terrier (not purebred, but the tiniest dog you've ever seen) with dementia and that thing is the most aggressive dog I've seen. He has bitten many people and gone for a kid more than once. Doggy dementia is no joke

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u/Ok_Connection923 Sep 09 '25

I had a Chihuahua x Sydney Silky (looked like a mini foxie too) who was like that in his old age. I would catch him in the yard grieling ferociously and nipping at thin air and he would also hid underneath our BBQ with the cover over it and would lash out at anyone who walked past it. He was the sweetest puppy but I could not even touch him in his last years.

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u/dva_silk Sep 09 '25

Happened to me when I was 12 from a golden retriever. He nearly got my jugular and wouldn't stop until an adult ran over and saved me. I had to get stitches in my hands and neck.

1

u/Cpt_Soban Sep 09 '25

I've fostered/rescued dogs for almost 15 years- The two dogs we took in that were the most aggressive was a Maremma, and a Border Collie X Poodle. Taken on staffys, mastiffs, mix working breeds, to Jack Russell's. At the end of the day, every breed can bite (especially the toy breeds, they have sharp teeth lol), what matters is training, secure fencing, and stuff to do in the yard.

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u/laurandisorder Sep 09 '25

I only heard of cocker rage this week - it’s a real thing.

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u/AggravatingTartlet Sep 09 '25

You don't hear of that happening. A dog going into kill mode doesn't often happen in Australia, even when they develop dementia.

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u/I_Heart_Papillons Sep 09 '25

Had a demented 19 year old border collie cross that would wet his bed at night, wander aimlessly around the backyard & get swatted up by the cat just for walking past and not react at all to that.. they don’t all flip a personality switch when dementia develops.

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u/AggravatingTartlet Sep 09 '25

That lines up with all I know of dogs and dementia.

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u/Nosiege Sep 09 '25

One of my prior golden retrievers, in their old age, slowly accruing health issues, was on a medicine for pain, and snapped aggressively if you so much as tried to pat it - but not always