Oklahoma: Owner of St. Bernard struggle to understand why his dog kept attacking him

OKLAHOMA -- An argument over a cell phone spurred what its owners consider a freak dog attack.

Wesley Hudson, 33, was taken to a hospital in serious condition with multiple dog bites on Sunday.

He was back in the emergency room on Tuesday from complications with his right arm, which was mauled in the incident, his wife Shelley Hudson said.

"I don't care about my arm. I just want my dog back," Wesley Hudson said from the hospital.

Their 170-pound, 7-year-old St. Bernard named Atlas was euthanized Sunday after being shot by police on their front lawn, Shelley Hudson said.

The couple were arguing about a cell phone about 1:40 p.m. when the dog came from a back room of the home at 1227 NW 45 and attacked Wesley Hudson.

"When he jumped up, he lunged towards my husband and tried to get his neck. My husband put his arm up so he wouldn't get his neck and that's where he landed," Shelley Hudson said.

They struggled with the dog inside the house and on the porch for about 20 minutes before police were called, she said.

"He thought if he got him to the door that he could get him off his arm. We tried every method possible of trying to get him to release. Blood was just pouring out, and my husband was petting him on the head trying to calm him down," Shelley Hudson said.

The dog was Tasered twice and retreated, she said, but charged officers and was shot. The dog survived the shooting, but was euthanized by a veterinarian.

Wesley Hudson still has no feeling in three of his fingers, she said.

"There are no broken bones, but there could be some nerve damage and some soft tissue damage. We're hopeful that he'll make a full recovery," Shelley Hudson said.

The couple took in the dog after it was removed from an abusive home. They spent time earning the dog's trust and it had never been aggressive with children or other animals, she said.

During a previous argument, Atlas had bitten Wesley Hudson once before, but the couple decided to give the dog a second chance. That bite required stitches, she said.

"He knows all his commands. He's very alert. It's not like he was just some wild dog that wasn't trained," she said.

"We trusted him 100 percent. There were no warning signs to make us worry he'd ever do this."

Shelley Hudson said they are waiting on Atlas' remains so they can bury their dog.

"I truly believe in my heart he was trying to protect me, but something from his past must have been brought into his head and he snapped."

(NewsOK - Feb 9, 2016)

Earlier:

• Oklahoma: Police use taser and shoot St. Bernard to stop attack on its owner