Any advice Re. dog on dog attacks

[maverix]

Just had a fairly dramatic experience after a friends small dog was attacked on our beach leaving a huge hole with an awfull lot of blood loss.
The dog is currently in surgery at the vets and last we heard the vet wasn't commiting to anything so it now its a matter of keping everyone calm and waiting.

Having spoken to the police, it doesnt seem to be something that they worry about. Cant blame them, plenty of other stuff for them to be sorting out other than dog fights. I have left a message with the local council animal welfare Dep. I just wondered if there was anything else I could do to help our friends out. We did manage to get the details of the other attacking dogs owner (though not verified.)

Im pretty sure Ive done all i can, but just thought id see if anyone else had any ideas or suggestions from any similar experiences?

 

[lardbloke]

I have had similar experiences but the opposite. My old dog (cross between a collie and possibly a malamute) was an old street dog from NI. He had numerous wounds from battles and wasnt stupid. The problem I had with my old boy when out and about was other dogs. I always kept him on a lead (even mussled sometimes) and generally close by me as he had a nasty streak. If another dog came over wagging and began the old sniffing ritual, my dog would issue a low growl, his hackles would show and then he would go for the other animal no matter the size. I would have a real job trying to pull the dogs apart, usually with the owner screaming in horror. I would deliberately avoid normal paths etc where so called responsible owners would walk their dogs. It makes you paranoid when out and about with the old mut.
It is not the other owners fault that my dog was a little nuts to say the least, but not all dogs like others dogs near them. It used to drive me mad, when an owner would say "Oh he/shes ok", I would begin my rant "that maybe so but this one isnt so I would suggest you remove your dog away a.s.a.p". My dog died some years back and is probably curled up in his basket with his favourite toy in doggy paradise.
I hope your friends dog is o.k and gets better soon.

 

[sharp88]

My nan used to have a yorkshire terrier n it used to get attacked all the time.

Theres nothing really I can think of that you could do about it, sounds like you'v done all that there is to be done. Just hope for the best that your friend's dog heals up.

 

[led]

Sorry to hear about that. Hope he recovers physically and his confidence isn't knocked too much. I'd be interested in any good advice too. I've been very wary of wading in since a friend lost one of his fingers trying to intervene when his dog was attacked.

 

[maverix]

Thanks for the support and kind wishes, they have been passed on to the owners.

Have now been and verified the address but no sign of an apology, Although she had said that it had a short temper just before it all kicked off. And was quick to blame our friends dog. I know dogs are dogs however it was her unwillingness to help that really peeved me. they where both off the lead and had a little strut but her dog which is at least twice the size kept coming back without so much as a call from her.

When i had worked in a zoo i was told the best way to get a dog off was to pull its front legs from under it to the side, quickly bringing it onto its back. on their backs dogs tend to submit and it seemed to work with this one, which i pinned by its neck till the other dog had gotten away. Not sure i would have fancied my chances if it had been a bigger dog though.

Ill post an update for those who expressed concern tho' i think we wont know much till the morning now

thanks again
Mav

 

[ArkAngel]

Hope everything goes well for the little fella.

Not much i can add, i assume your friends dog has insurence that will cover the vet bills. If not and i appreciate it's a bit mercenary and we all hate it but if you have the attacking dogs owners details they could reinburse the money for the vets. God i hate to say it the "where there's blame there's a claim" lot. Assuming your friends have insurence anyway their company may seek to do that as standard proceedure.

Failing that the only thing i have ever done if dogs are fighting and no one is doing anything, i wade in and serparate them. Risky as the last two were alsations but i work on the priciple that i act like the "alpha" male dog and really go in guns blazing it has worked in the past. I also have a bit of experience in training gun dogs.

I would in no way suggest anyone else does the same, if i get chomped on it's my own silly fault.

 

[baggins]

To be fair, it's one of those grey areas, some people constantly keep an eye on their dogs, know they're personalities and, if they are known to be tempremental, act accordingly. Unfortuantly, some people just don't care or they don't have the basic knowledge/courtisy to look after themselves, let alone a pet dog (or even a woodlouse in some cases).
My older hound doesn't like terriers, but with most others he's fine. The other one, she runs from rabbits, so no probs with any dogs.
Hope the hound recovers soon. Give him a cuddle from me.
Baggins

 

[JoeG]

Hi,
I hope the dog gets better. When we had a little Yorky i cant remember it having a fight, but she was very old and blind and i dont think she had many teeth left. Someone i used to know had a dog(I dont know what type) that didnt like rot wilers,(sorry for the bad spelling) he would have it on a lead, but he didnt wont to put a muzzle on. When he saw a rot whiler he would warn the owner, but when he was walking it once one owner didnt think that my friends dog will do anything. The dog came up to my friends dog, and he didnt wont to get in the middle so he had to let go of the lead slightly. In the end my friend managed to get a good hold of his dogs scruff on the neck and yanked him off. There was blood all over, and the rot whiler walker off and the owner put it on a lead. Anyway, my friends doghad bitten abit of the ear off the other dog and he threw it back up again. But as it was the owner fault for not controlling his dog, nothing was done about it. If my friend hadnt told the person about his dog not likeing that type of dog, then it would be his fault. I think dog conrtolle will be the best thing. But my brother was bit but a shizu one. Its teeth went through his jeans and in his skin. When we went to se the dog owners, they said that the dog is never normally like that. My mum wonted to phone dog controlle, but she saw it as if her dog did that by accident then she wouldnt wont someone to put her dog down. The little is now after me when i deleiver their paper. The person never takes controlle on the dog, and was his fault for not shutting the gate.
Its hard to decide to call the dog controlle, if it was your dog and it happened as a one off then you wouldnt wont anything to happen to your dog, but then again it might happen again to another dog or worse a person. I think if you go around to her house and tell the owner about the about the amount of money you will be paying for the vets bills and the inconveniance taht her dog has caused. If she just slams the door in your face, or she just wonts to shout at you, then the best thing i was told is to smile, ask the person her name,if you havent got it) itroduce yourself and shake hands. This should make the person be more friendly. Personally if my dog did this, i would appologise at the least.

I hope the dog gets better,

 

[shona]

Maverix, I had a similar experience a couple of years back when my dog - who is BIG - got attacked outside our garden by 4 greyhounds, being walked by a "trainer". My dog was friendly and ran up to say hello, 2 of them went for his head and the other his rear. Only one of them was on the lead.

My dog was badly bitten and ended up with a huge abscess under his tail, which (because it was inside and we never realised how bad it was) nearly killed him.

The guy walking the greyhounds was very aggressive and threatened us, shouting about the value of the dogs he was looking after.

I did go to the police who filed a report, but nothing ever came of it. I also spoke to the farmer who knows the guy and said he was a nasty piece of work, but what can you do/

He came back along our way a few more times, but fortunately after a few more words were exchanged, he now goes elsewhere.

All the same, I was left with a £500 vets bill and now have a big dog who is aggressive to other male dogs, through no fault of his own, or ours. The good thing is that he's more bluster than action and is usually happy to be chased away from confrontation .

.

 

[Draven]

I hope the dog gets better mate, send my best wishes!

I had a cat killed by a few greyhounds a few months ago. We'd been all over the neighbourhood asking people about it and the owner didn't even bother saying anything to us, and when we finally found out what happened we didn't get so much as an apology. Hell, when he found my dead cat he threw the body into his neighbour's garden!
I still have a serious vendetta against hounds bred for racing. They're taught to chase small furry things, how is it a surprise that it'd go for a cat? The owner is very old, and I know that if he was walking them and they got their eyes on something he wouldn't be able to stop them running off, which is doubly concerning considering the number of young kids on my street.
I don't like the idea of having an animal put down, but in my humble opinion, I'd rather that a vicious dog with an irresponsible owner got put down rather than have it attacking other animals, or worse, people.
So my suggestion would be to get something done about the attacking dog.

 

[maverix]

Quick update for those that expressed concern....

Ping the dog is doing OK, they think he had been bitten on a main artery on the inside of his leg and lost a lot of blood so after a night of fluids and close observation the vet thinks the bleeding has stopped and its a matter of time now for the whole thing to heal. Apparently if the bleeding hadnt been stopped so quickly it could have been a very different story ( I knew my mountain FA would be put to good use sometime, just didnt think it would be on a dog on a beach!)

The local animal welfare officer has also paid a trip to the attacking dogs owner, not so much to do anything but to make her aware that she needs to take a little more responsibility for her dog.

Once again thanks for the kind words

 

[dwardo]

I have recently took ownership of a little staffy/lab and she is lovely and never shown any agression. I do not know what this dogs history is as she is a rescue pup so i am very carful with her. Until the point where she stops immedialy in her tracks no matter what the situation then she will never be let off the lead in a public place simple. I would love to let her run around loose but i do not want the responsiblity of somthing going wrong and i believe this should be the case for all dogs. If a situation did occure with your dog off the lead then you should be liable for the vets bills and a massive appology inforced! Apologies if i seem a little furious on this but it realy hits home as i have been in this sitatuion before.

If my dog is on the lead and is attacked by another it will first get a boot up the XXX then if no notice taken skinned to make a furry hat !

Admins please fell free to remove the last paragraph if necasary

 

[Montivagus]

I have recently took ownership of a little staffy/lab and she is lovely and never shown any agression. I do not know what this dogs history is as she is a rescue pup so i am very carful with her. Until the point where she stops immedialy in her tracks no matter what the situation then she will never be let off the lead in a public place simple. I would love to let her run around loose but i do not want the responsiblity of somthing going wrong and i believe this should be the case for all dogs. If a situation did occure with your dog off the lead then you should be liable for the vets bills and a massive appology inforced! Apologies if i seem a little furious on this but it realy hits home as i have been in this sitatuion before.

If my dog is on the lead and is attacked by another it will first get a boot up the XXX then if no notice taken skinned to make a furry hat !

Admins please fell free to remove the last paragraph if necasary

Arghhh…. pet hate (excuse the pun)….I couldn’t agree more. Obviously I’m sorry for the dog but that said - keep them on leads!
As for skinning the dog - I’d be tempted to skin the owner…filthy bad manners in my opinion!

 

[BorderReiver]

Dogs have their own rules and their own way of doing things.

Our flatcoat was fine until he had a run in with a shepherd.Both sets of owners were keeping an eye on our dogs which seemed to be getting along well,when they suddenly were at it big time.

We got them apart with not too much damage being done.From then on my dog has been on his lead when other dogs are about.

My point here is that "he has never done that before" can be true,just the once

If someones dog has shown that they will have a go once,then it will certainly be up for it again.

It's a pity that they did away with the dog license.Mind you,IMO,there should be a "permit to have a dog",complete with training and a test to pass.That might go some way to stopping the nasty attacks like this one.

Glad the wee dog is on the mend.