Dog bites my dog when it's on a lead

gordy1

This morning I walk past a small dog that is off it's lead and it starts growling at my Husky who incidentally is ON his lead. I keep my dog well away. My dog takes a drink of water and the small white dog approaches my dog from behind. Yup, my dog is still on the the lead, the small dog is off the lead and it's owner is on her cell phone oblivious to whats going on. My dog see's the small dog approaching from the rear in his peripheral vision and both dogs go for each other before I have a chance to haul my Husky right away. NO injury is caused to either dog. The woman goes beserk and accuses me of having a dangerous dog. She insults witneses who refuse to back her up, the witneses call her "fat" as she say's they "walk funny". Yup, totally bizarre I know. Anyway, comments please, should my Husky be muzzled. I NEVER let him off in public spaces because I know he can be unpredictable. The incident was witnesed by a park ranger who put the blame ON ME. I said her dog was out of control and that she should have been keeping an eye on things rather that bla bla bla'ing on the phone. Can I get prosecuted for this?

Mankysteve

No you cant be prosecuted, no one/animal was injured. Who's fault it was down too would be down to what the intention of the other person dog was. Ie was it reasons for comping over were aggressive or just just wanting to make friends/play.

I would like to add that say in your own words your dog can be unprodictable then i think a muzzle would be the responsible thing to do, Also means you can let off lead for a run. It's unfortunate that muzzles have got a image of being for bad dog when really its a sensible precaution by any responsible dog owner.

PerfectPeaches

I remember when I was at puppy training with my one dog (a Doberman) a few years ago and there was a husky puppy in the class and I remember the instructor telling us that other dogs are more fearful or overly cautious of a husky as they don't have the "dog" scent, they have a "wolf" scent. May be a load of rubbish but it is something that has stuck in my head.

End of the day you had your dog on its lead and you did all you could do. A dog will defend itself and sometimes quite rightly so, you've done your bit as a responsible owner by knowing your dog can sometimes be unpredictable so you keep it on its lead, there is nothing more you can do really. If you feel a muzzle is really needed then you could always try one for a few weeks and see how it goes.

Peaches

viktory

Personally, I wouldn't muzzle your dog. It was on the lead and had walked past the off lead dog. It was attacked and defended itself. The other owner should bear the blame.

Kinski

In the eyes of the law your dog being on lead is under control, the other dog being off lead and running at yours is not under control. You have nothing to worry about but the other woman could be reported to the dog warden for having an out of control dog. My sheltie Arran has fear aggression and always walked on lead ( unless the park is empty ) there is no way I would put a muzzle on him, he would not be able to defend himself if anything did kick of.

Mupette

It her that can get prosecuted as her's was off lead in a public place.

beth58_2

gordy1 wrote: »

The incident was witnesed by a park ranger who put the blame ON ME.

The witness put the blame on you, if you were totally innocent why would the ranger blame you???

Can I get prosecuted for this?

I doubt it, as there were no injury to either dog I doubt it would be reported however, there is a responsible witness up to back the other dog owners version.

universality

Dogs go for each other some times, if no one was hurt and you handled the dog ok, I don't see why he should be muzzled. Some people seem to think they can let their dogs run around anywhere and ignore their behaviour. I had a terrier persistently launching at my face trying to get a ball that was behind my back. The woman stood there until I told her to come and get the dog under control and was going on about how clever her dog is because he wants our dogs ball :mad: You couldn't make it up! Some people are stupid and their stupidity means they allow their dogs to behave inappropriately without correcting them. Hopefully you don't run in to her again.

devildog

Your dog was on a lead and therefore under control, the other wasn't. The blame is not yours. The other dog entered your 'space' and no reasonable person can not expect another dog not to retiliate when one invades it's space. Unfortunately people appear to be all to quick to blame the 'big dogs' regardless of whether it was on a lead or not.
I had a similar situation a few years ago(mine on lead) another dog(off lead) got too close and got bitten for it. Nothing came of it, my dog was under control and did not react UNTIL the other came in so close that mine could react.

Tropez

As others have said, you can't be prosecuted.

From a personal point of view, if the other dog was growling at yours to begin with then however big or small that dog may have been, your husky will perceive it as a threat and take action. Very few dogs will not try and defend themselves from perceived threats. The other dog should have been under control and on a lead and the fact that it growled at your dog, instigating the situation says to me that the owner has no business not having it on a lead in a public place.

It is up to you whether you muzzle your dog or not but what I would be inclined to say is if this small dog had managed to attack yours today and your husky was muzzled, how would it have defended itself? If your husky is usually well behaved out in public then there is no reason to muzzle it. Personally, despite their obvious connections to wolves (moreso than most other breeds), I've always found husky's to be one of most well behaved and placid of the larger breeds - responsible owner assumed, of course, and you sound like one.

Leaving her possible stupidity aside, it is likely the woman went beserk simply because she realised that her dog would likely be killed or seriously injured by your husky had you not had it under control and rather than take the blame went into a self-defence mode as some people who are in the wrong often do. Maybe once she has calmed down, got home and had a cup of tea she will realise how foolish it was to let her dog run around unchecked while she blabbed on a cell phone.

Quinny_2

I would also be tempted to report the park ranger to his/her superior.