| Dogs have not traveled far along the evolutionary | | | | animals become the prey, sometimes even |
| road since the time they hunted and killed for | | | | people. |
| food. In fact, some breeds are still selectively | | | | Most dogs that have killed people, either by |
| bred for their tendency to chase or stalk prey | | | | themselves or in packs, select children as their |
| and at least capture, if not kill and/or eat them. | | | | prey. Child killings (especially those committed by |
| Notable among these are the Terriers, | | | | lone dogs) have usually occurred at or within the |
| Dachshunds, sighthounds and various hunting | | | | dog's "territory," or have involved a child who |
| breeds. It is no wonder then, that pet dogs | | | | screamed shrilly when first approached or |
| occasionally succumb to their ancestral tendency, | | | | knocked down. |
| even without special training. | | | | A small percentage of dogs appears to be |
| Dogs are often inadvertently trained to kill. For | | | | stimulated in the most primitive way by the |
| example, many dog owners have urged their pets | | | | screaming of any animal: their reaction is to kill |
| (sometimes playfully) to chase cats, squirrels and | | | | that animal. Wild canines have killed members of |
| stray dogs, and are often horrified when their | | | | their own pack that cry out after they have |
| dogs bring home the neighbor's Teacup Poodle as | | | | become trapped or are injured. |
| a trophy of the chase. | | | | Dogs that kill other animals should be |
| Sometimes other animals, usually cats, have | | | | differentiated from those with a fighting problem. |
| "trained" dogs to become killers. These animals do | | | | Most dog fights end before either of the |
| this unknowingly by sitting on fences, rooftops, in | | | | combatants is seriously injured. |
| trees or beyond fences, tantalizing the dog from | | | | These episodes rarely result in the death of either |
| a safe vantage point. | | | | dog. Predatory attacks aimed at killing the prey |
| After enough of this teasing, the dog becomes | | | | animal are deliberate, with the fangs aimed at the |
| sufficiently frustrated to attack an animal when | | | | base of the prey's neck just above the shoulders. |
| the opportunity presents itself. | | | | If the prey is on its back, the soft flesh of the |
| Dogs that kill other animals are usually, but not | | | | throat or belly is attacked. |
| necessarily, of the excitable type and react | | | | A predatory attack also usually includes violent |
| aggressively or dominantly to other species or | | | | shaking of the victim. Rarely does a domestic dog |
| smaller dogs. | | | | actually eat its kill, though some that prey on |
| The killing of smaller dogs or cats by larger dogs | | | | chickens and other fowl tend to do so more |
| is usually the case in urban areas. However, when | | | | often that cat or dog killers. |
| dog packs operate as hunting groups, much larger | | | | |