Big Dog vs. Small Dog

captainhindsight_2

Hello, id like to have some opinion on this.

Whilst walking my dog a Siberian husky on the lead a small yappy dog comes over out of control and off the lead and starts having a go at my dog.

The owner of this dog tries to call it away and I tired to shoo it away but it kept coming, so decided to just walk away and the dog kept coming at the husky out of control.

My dog then picked up this little dog making the owner of this little dog go into hysterics.

In my opinion, this would never happened if the lady had kept her dog on the lead or had control of it. She threatened to call police etc.. and I was just wondering what people think of the situation and how much fault is on me and how much fault is on her.

krlyr

Her dog should be just as much under control as a big dog. She's at fault by letting it approach and have a go.

I think some self-defense from an attack is OK, but it may be looked at in terms of whether it was a proportionate response. Little dog yapping at big dog and being chomped on seriously is different to little dog actually making an attempt to cause damage and getting injures in return, or big dog making warning snaps without causing mmuch actual injury.

I would also consider it from the POV of whether your dog would have reacted like this to a friendly dog, approaching yours with the intention of making friends
Of your dog has reactivity or aggression issues regardless, I would probably expect upu to have more control over your dog - be it a muzzle, headcollar, a well trained leave it/retreat etc.

captainhindsight_2

Our dog has never acted like this before, but we have never been in a situation like this before.

He plays well with other friendly dogs and has never snapped or attacked. Family members have small dogs (pugs) and has never had a problem with them.

missindecisive

Sounds like little dog THOUGHT he was a big dog...and big dog thought..."oh no your not!!"
Seriously, if I was little dogs owner, little dog would not be off lead again

catkins

I personally think the owner of the small dog was at fault. I lose count of how many small dogs run up to my onlead dog in the park and start jumping round him, barking etc. My dog doesn't get aggressive but he gets very excited and starts trying to run in circles, jumping etc. I am still working on recall and also getting him to keep calm when dogs are close to him which isn't easy with and excitable dog leaping all round him.


I find though that almost all of the owners just think it is funny. They would not think it funny if it were my big dog jumping around their little dog though I bet which is one of the reasons I don't let him offlead at the moment.

trollopscarletwoman

As catkins says the owner of the small dog is at fault.

PlymouthMaid

The owner of the small dog should have seen how much her dog was bothering your big dog and removed him. Same thing happened to my Sprolly dog this week, some little yapper constantly nipping at his legs so in the end he went for the little so and so. Cue outrage from small tyrant's owner.

chris_n_tj

Big or small the owner of the other dog was at fault. Lets remember its not really the dogs fault if the owner is usless. All dogs big or small should be under control, and on a lead.

Now being the owner of a small (not yappy) dog i get fed up with the tag most small dogs are given. Not all small dogs are yappy, I know many very large dogs that bark for England 24/7 but you never hear oh that large barker is here again. Yes my dog is small (5kg) and he doesnt Yap, yes he BARKS some times as do all dogs, but please enough of the "small yappers", that is unless your dog is perfect and noise free.
Sorry for the rant xxx

Person_one

I don't really see why the size of the dog matters. I'm seriously fed up of people stereotyping small dogs as yappy, snappy and having 'attitude'.

The small dog owner was in the wrong because they couldn't recall their off lead dog. However, you were in the wrong too because you allowed your dog to physically harm the other one by picking it up. That is NOT acceptable and you need to take steps to ensure your husky can't do that again. Its not the small dog's fault its owner didn't bother to train it effectively.

DavidF

I would say it is firmly the owner of the small dog's fault. The large dog was protecting itself and it's owner from aggression. The little on "invaded" it's personal space. It's like the old sometimes someone needs to be burnt to learn to keep away from fire....Big dog just protecting himself.

Lyradog

The other dog owner was at fault , all dogs should be under control at all times , if you own a dog that doesn't socialise well or is over friendly then either keep it on a lead or go somewhere no other dogs are .