Advice needed - violent attack by neighbour's dog

POPPYOSCAR

capeverde wrote: »

Leif, firstly by the use of her phrases 'violent attack' and 'seriously injured' in describing a scratch and a nip, I would definitely call the OPs reaction exagerated.

Secondly I'm far from irresponsible, but our dog goes for a run on the beach every day. If tourists wish to come and frequent our beach for a couple of months a year why should he have to forgo his enjoyment. He is the best natured and most placid dog you could find and I can assure you would never bite snarl or growl at anyone although he might try and beg a sausage roll even if it has a bit of sand on it!

I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. All this keep your dog on a lead nonsense as well, I only wish I could run alongside him enough to give him the exercise he needs.

Never say never.

Any dog is capable of snarling and biting, even the most placid.I know of a dog that was as soft as anything that suddenly bit someone totally out of the blue. It turned out he had an ear infection and they had caught his ear, he was treated and has never bitten anyone since.

My own two dogs as as soppy as they come but I always keep them away from people unless they are approached as I appreciate that not everyone likes dogs. They are always kept on a lead in public places.

pimento

capeverde wrote: »

and so in this case you wouldn't have picked an excited dog up and you therefore wouldn't have got bitten and we wouldn't be having this conversation.

I might have grabbed it had it gone for me or my cat(s). Alas I don't own a six year old any more.

mazza111

capeverde wrote: »

Leif, firstly by the use of her phrases 'violent attack' and 'seriously injured' in describing a scratch and a nip, I would definitely call the OPs reaction exagerated.

Secondly I'm far from irresponsible, but our dog goes for a run on the beach every day. If tourists wish to come and frequent our beach for a couple of months a year why should he have to forgo his enjoyment. He is the best natured and most placid dog you could find and I can assure you would never bite snarl or growl at anyone although he might try and beg a sausage roll even if it has a bit of sand on it!

I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. All this keep your dog on a lead nonsense as well, I only wish I could run alongside him enough to give him the exercise he needs.

So, you let your dog run loose on the beach, where there are other people using the beach, it's not your private beach. So if there's a female dog in heat and your dog attacks because of it, it's ok cos they are tourists? :rotfl: Even your dog running up to people, despite it being a friendly dog is a dog out of control. Don't get me wrong, I didn't need to use a leash with my dog, one click of my fingers and he was at my side. But going to a place where there was over excited children, maybe female dogs in heat, the dog would be on the leash.

I think that statement says a lot about you tbh. Your dog is more important than the other users of the beach. You are happy for your dog to be outwith your control and run to people who could be scared of dogs.

mikey72

capeverde wrote: »

obviously there are exceptions to every rule, but generally a dog will bite if it feels threatened and in danger. There are also the territorial and food issues, but they dont apply here. It would seem patently obvious a male dog is over excited by a female dog on heat. Add to this some shouting and screaming by kids, neighbours etc and then all of a sudden someone scoops him off the ground. How do you think he might react. If a dog really intends to hurt you, he wont let go. A little nip is all this was, so that he could get away. In his mind do you think he may have thought he was being attacked?

Exactly my attitude. Any dog that comes into my territory, especially if it invades my kids space, and you'll see how comparable I can be. I've never been bitten yet, but I've sent a few surprised dogs on their way if they try to get within 6 feet of my kids. The owners indifferent catachphrase of "don't worry, he won't bite", is usually followed by "you didn't need to do that" in a far more concerned voice.

Leif wrote: »

I think the owner would not hesitate in reporting you for cruelty to an animal, and then you would be in the doo-doo.

Not once. Even will many encounters on doorstep delivery. Think of it as the equivalent of a little nip. They would know if I really intended to hurt them.

Norman_Castle

Obviously a lot of townies on here that know nothing about animals.

Obviously you knows nothing about "townies"

All these towny people shrieking and screaming when he goes up to say hello,

Some people are afraid of dogs (and act stupidly) regardless of where they live.

You clearly have issues with people from towns :rotfl:

I can assure you would never bite snarl or growl at anyone

This shows the limit of your understanding of a dogs behaviour

Leif

capeverde wrote: »

Leif, firstly by the use of her phrases 'violent attack' and 'seriously injured' in describing a scratch and a nip, I would definitely call the OPs reaction exagerated.

Secondly I'm far from irresponsible, but our dog goes for a run on the beach every day. If tourists wish to come and frequent our beach for a couple of months a year why should he have to forgo his enjoyment. He is the best natured and most placid dog you could find and I can assure you would never bite snarl or growl at anyone although he might try and beg a sausage roll even if it has a bit of sand on it!

I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. All this keep your dog on a lead nonsense as well, I only wish I could run alongside him enough to give him the exercise he needs.

There you go again. You seem to have insight that the injuries were a scratch and a nip. You do not know that, they are assumptions on your part, based on your obvious contempt for the OP. You do insist that you know the truth, and the rest of us don't. Your attitude seems to be 'ha ha look at these silly people not used to dogs". You did note that the OP keeps dogs didn't you?

You said: " I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. "

Earlier you said: "All these towny people shrieking and screaming"

You do sound very arrogant. People do not normally shriek and scream when a dog approaches. The only reason they might is that they are frightened. I like dogs, and grew up with them. But when a large dog runs towards me, I do feel apprehension and even fear. The problem is that the owner - who more often than not is out of view - knows what the dog is like. I don't. How am I supposed to distinguish a placid dog merely full of beans from an aggressive one? Also I have instances when I am out running, and a big dog runs up to me, and basically gets under my feet, and makes it impossible to run. The owners take your attitude i.e. fido is more important than people. I suggest that these people you dismissively refer to as townies are most probably at ease with dogs, but they are frightened when they see a big dog full of energy bounding towards them. I don't happen to think dogs should be on a lead when on a beach. And I do hope you clean up after fido.

And it can work both ways. I was running through a local wood, when I saw some people and a dog approaching. Clearly the dog was terrified of me, and ran away at full tilt, with the concerned owners shouting "Dougall, Dougall". I felt sorry for the poor little thing, it was a small terrier of some kind.

capeverde

mazza111 wrote: »

So, you let your dog run loose on the beach, where there are other people using the beach, it's not your private beach. So if there's a female dog in heat and your dog attacks because of it, it's ok cos they are tourists? :rotfl: Even your dog running up to people, despite it being a friendly dog is a dog out of control. Don't get me wrong, I didn't need to use a leash with my dog, one click of my fingers and he was at my side. But going to a place where there was over excited children, maybe female dogs in heat, the dog would be on the leash.

I think that statement says a lot about you tbh. Your dog is more important than the other users of the beach. You are happy for your dog to be outwith your control and run to people who could be scared of dogs.

neither is it the tourists private beach, so when they wear leashes I'll consider putting my dog on one. Oh and he's been done as well so !!!!!es on heat dont really affect him poor lad. The feral youths who come on holiday are a lot more out of control than my animals I assure you.
Of course my dog is more important to me than other people on the beach, I don't know them.

mikey72

capeverde wrote: »

Leif, firstly by the use of her phrases 'violent attack' and 'seriously injured' in describing a scratch and a nip, I would definitely call the OPs reaction exagerated.

Secondly I'm far from irresponsible, but our dog goes for a run on the beach every day. If tourists wish to come and frequent our beach for a couple of months a year why should he have to forgo his enjoyment. He is the best natured and most placid dog you could find and I can assure you would never bite snarl or growl at anyone although he might try and beg a sausage roll even if it has a bit of sand on it!

I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. All this keep your dog on a lead nonsense as well, I only wish I could run alongside him enough to give him the exercise he needs.

I can assure you, if your dog attempted to beg sausage rolls off me, it wouldn't be the first that has sent on it's way after being punched around the nose. I can also asssure you a dog rooting through my picnic is not one I consider best natured. (I'm also not a towny though) edit - my sausage roll is more important to me than your dog, as you point out, I've known the sausage roll longer.

andyg9053

When out running i often come across dogs off and on the lead, i make sure the owner is aware of me coming so as not to surprise them or the dog. I will slow down and walk past if i feel at risk. However when a dog went for me it got the shock of its life when i turned on it, the owner was a little upset when i said control it or i will probably kill it. Dogs can make lovely pets, however anything or anyone that attacks me or my family will get instant justice, i wont wait to be savaged by any dog, let your dog get in my personal space at your peril even if you are on the beach!

capeverde

Leif wrote: »

There you go again. You seem to have insight that the injuries were a scratch and a nip. You do not know that, they are assumptions on your part, based on your obvious contempt for the OP. You do insist that you know the truth, and the rest of us don't. Your attitude seems to be 'ha ha look at these silly people not used to dogs". You did note that the OP keeps dogs didn't you?

You said: " I suggest if people are that worried about what might happen they should stay indoors, not my dog. "

Earlier you said: "All these towny people shrieking and screaming"

You do sound very arrogant. People do not normally shriek and scream when a dog approaches. The only reason they might is that they are frightened. I like dogs, and grew up with them. But when a large dog runs towards me, I do feel apprehension and even fear. The problem is that the owner - who more often than not is out of view - knows what the dog is like. I don't. How am I supposed to distinguish a placid dog merely full of beans from an aggressive one? Also I have instances when I am out running, and a big dog runs up to me, and basically gets under my feet, and makes it impossible to run. The owners take your attitude i.e. fido is more important than people. I suggest that these people you dismissively refer to as townies are most probably at ease with dogs, but they are frightened when they see a big dog full of energy bounding towards them. I don't happen to think dogs should be on a lead when on a beach. And I do hope you clean up after fido.

And it can work both ways. I was running through a local wood, when I saw some people and a dog approaching. Clearly the dog was terrified of me, and ran away at full tilt, with the concerned owners shouting "Dougall, Dougall". I felt sorry for the poor little thing, it was a small terrier of some kind.

Leif, the OP said they got a scratch and a bite. Fair enough I said nip instead of bite because this is patently obvious what it was. Judging by their over exaggeration, if it had been more than that, she would no doubt have described it as 'life threatening injuries'.