Dangerous Dogs!!

Dawn · Guru

Dangerous Dogs!!

skinnydugs · Master

Hi Dawn, report him to the police, dog warden,local council ect. It could end up being a kid that gets it next.

Esther

JanW · Master

I agree with Ester about reporting the owner, but in the meantime although I'd try and avoid the dog, there is no way I'd keep Ruby muzzled in that situation. It really depends if your dog is likely to run into problems by being unmuzzled - e.g. eat a small furry in a totally unrelated incident.

If your dog is on lead and the other one is loose, it's still the other owner to blame even if your dog defends itself.

Missy · Master

I agree with JanW and Esther - you should report the dog/owner to the police. You are not in the wrong if the owner or other dog attacks your dog. Esther is correct "What IF it was a kid next time ?"

There would be NO questions asked should it attack a child.... the dog would be destroyed !!!

Katz

UndercoverElephant · Master

I nearly came across this myself the other night. Was Walking Blue on the lead and across the road was a woman with eight (yes, eight) Labs of various colours, all off the lead, all with no collars on. One of them ran across the main road and started barking at Blue, another two then came to back that one up and were snarling at him.

The woman was just walking along, saying "Come on, you lot!" - the dogs were taking absolutely no notice. Anyway, when we got over the road and to a place where I can, I let Blue off the lead - and they disappeared VERY quickly.

Then I heard a small girl shrieking as the whole pack had run off and surrounded a family and their little spaniel. No harm done, but Blue took off after them all to protect the kiddies. I've never been so bloody livid.

carolineasb · Old Hand

Dawn

We're in the middle of one of these situations at the moment in our village, although thankfully I can let my dogs be unmuzzled.

A couple have 2 "Alaunts" - apparently an extinct mastiff breed that were originally bred by nomads in the arabian desert that breeders are trying to bring back into Britain - that are never muzzled & have now attacked 5 dogs that I have been told about including a Rhodesian Ridge back, 3 labs & a dalmation. I have also witnessed them attack a 6 mth old husky puppy in front of 6 children (who were hysterical) - luckily the husky had thick fur and the owner of the Alaunts had them on the lead!! The owner of the Ridgeback reported him to the Police as they had caused £200 of damage to his dog, but nothing appears to have been done about them as he still lets them off the lead & keeps them unmuzzled.

I spoke to one of the local Dog Wardens at "The Big Doggy Doo" in Lochwinnoch about them & she said that she would visit him along with the community police officer if I wanted - although not having witnessed any of the other attacks it's a bit difficult to "report" someone especially when you live in a village. I've still to find out exactly where they live so that I can avoid the area.

It makes walks very difficult with my 2 as you're constantly watching out in case the Alaunts appear round a corner on the cycle track as that's where they are exercised off lead too.

Caroline

Dawn · Guru

Thank you very much for all your replies to this one, what I should have added before posting the senario, is that the owner HAS been reported to the Police on at least one occassion and has totally ignored their advice to keep the Rotti on the lead. The SSPCA also visited him and told him not to worry they had no concerns and obviously someone just had a grudge against the owner. Wonder if that excuse would stand up in court when a kid gets attacked.

There are two small children living in the house with the Rotti, but if my memory serves me correctly, Rotti's can be very protective of any children within their family unit, but can also be unpredictable outside.

I know Rottweiliers get bad press and are on the whole misunderstood, but if the dog is shown violence as a means of 'training' thats all the dog will know. I also appreciate that the Police probably have more important issues to deal with, but perhaps if they introduce a proper 'owners licence' for a dog, this may reduce the number of cases of dogs off the lead not in control and the problem of dogs fouling everywhere.

Calatria · Master

Till this is dealt with, what about carrying a water pistol in your pocket? From what I know of Rotties, once they focus on another dog they don't notice if you're beating them round the head with a stick, but a blast of water in the face gets their attention. I just hope you never need it.

greyluvver · GAL Membership Co-Ordinator

I didn't know you could sue for vet bills!!?? I know pet insurance can cover damage to property or a person but (?) another dog.

I echo what Jan says, that the other dog/owner is to blame if their dog is off lead and the owner cannot/won't control it. We have encountered this situation, but thankfully not a neighbourhood dog or a regular occurence, and we have given thought to muzzle or not for this situation, but we've chosen not to!

With regards to giving your dog a fighting chance to retaliate (another point we have discussed too), John reckons the greys also use their legs to push the opponent down!

dannyboy · Graduate

I was in a similar situation, I was out walking a eleven year old yorkshire terrier, when a rotti came from behind and snatched the dog out of my hands as I was trying to lift the dog before the rotti got to it. I still had the lead in my hands when the rotti was shaking the dog about. The rest is a bit of a blur but I managed to get the yorkie back ( or the rotti let it go) The dog was very lucky and only had two puncture wounds, but because of it's age we were very worried about it. The police were called and they knew who the owners were ( we had to take down their van reg no.) as they tried to do a bunk. When the police went to the yard where the owners keep the dog they denied that it was their dog, as the dog was still off the lead and able just to wander where it wanted the police charged them under the dangerous dog act. I don't know if the police charged them because they knew of them already through other "dealings" but it does seem that these cases are never treated the same. I would contact the police every time there is a incident so that they have a record of it and as others have stated contact local dog warden, council etc. It really makes me mad that we try in every way to be responsible dog owners and you get idiots who haven't a clue what the word responsible means!!! I hope you see an end to this without any injurys to your pets or any one else's.

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

Hi Dawn

I would echo what everyone else has been saying. Report any incident with the other dog to the police (hopefully you'll be able to avoid it when you're walking Mac), and at least the police will have a record of what happened.

My own experience of this was when Vegas was badly bitten by a dog he'd been running around with minutes before. The other dog attacked without warning, although I believe she thought Vegas was going to take a smelly old bone off her that she'd dug up. Vegas's flank was ripped quite badly and needed several stitches. The owner of the other dog knew her dog was prone to doing this, I later found out. I shouted at her at the time to tell her to get her dog muzzled as it could be a child it attacked next. Needless to say, she ignored my warning, and didn't even apologise. I phoned the police, on GAL's advice and they said they would keep a look out for the dog, but nothing concrete was done about it, as far as I know. A few months later, the owner had her dog pts because it went for a little boy and marked his face.

I was quite distraught and annoyed because both incidents could easily have been prevented by her dog wearing a muzzle, and it would still be alive today.

Personally I would not like Vegas to be completely defenceless when he's out walking, so I don't muzzle him, but I would if he showed a tendency to go for other dogs.

Hope this helps, Dawn. You have my sympathy - it's not a nice situation to be in.

Christine

Suzanne · Guru

gawd...it a dog seriously went for either of my two, id dare say it would be me that needed muzzled as i wouldnt hesitate to do whatever needed to get the attacking dog off !
...then it would be the owners turn!! Steel toe caps at the ready!

Dawn · Guru

Hi everyone,

I tried the waterpistol suggestion from Calatria, (thank you), and a dog (not the Rotti), who Mac doesn't like approached off the lead owner nowhere in sight, heckles up, so I gave it a blast with the pistol. Result, the dog stood stalk still, but Mac continued to be aggressive towards it, so I gave Mac a quick blast, and hey presto...two v quiet dogs!! I appreciate that Mac is a bit gun ho towards certain dogs he doesn't like, and the penny dropped last night that it may be a good idea to cool Mac's jets a bit in order that its not Mac who will incite the aggressive behaviour from the other dogs.

The update on the Rotti: Last night I was in the garden playing with the foster pups, (my back garden is totally secure), and next thing Denzel was going along the top of the fence at 100mph followed by the Rotti, (the Rotti wasn't on the fence, but it wasn't for the want of trying!!!). My immediate reaction was to grab the pups, even although I knew they weren't in danger. My driveway is quite long, can take 3 to 4 cars, so the Rotti had gone a fair bit away from his owner. The owner stood at the other side of the road calling the dogs name, the Rotti didn't respond and only left when he realised the cat was gone. The owner shouted to me, "sorry, about that he was only after your cat"

I feel so sorry for the dog, having such a incompetent owner!!

Nicki · Big Cheese

Its so infuriating how some owners behave, makes me so angry Just so glad Den, Mac and puppies were all safe. Bet you got one almighty fright though Dawn. Sounds like a close call for poor Den.

Hope you all recovered after a horrid episode like that.

love and cuddles to the gang

nicki and janie.x

Christine Young · GAL Newsletter Editor

What a situation to be in, Dawn, where Den, Mac and the pups are not really safe playing in their own garden from the hooligan Rotti!

The Rotti's owner is not taking this seriously enough, otherwise he'd be walking his dog on the lead, muzzling him and taking him to obedience classes and training him to recall. We all know some of our dogs will chase cats and take appropriate action, but we're responsible owners and realise the damage an out of control dog can do.

I don't know if having a quiet word with the dog's owner (if you can) would have any effect, but it's worth a try. You could suggest that he watches "It's me or the dog" - the dog training programme just started on Ch4 - I think it's mentioned on another thread in News and Views under Anybody watching...?. Or suggest he takes his dog to obedience classes where he'd soon discover that having a well behaved and obedient dog is a pleasure. If he ignores what you're saying, the only other thing you can do is keep phoning the police and reporting him every time something like this happens. I know it's unpleasant, but it's much better to be so than have a badly injured or worse, cat or dog to tend.

I feel very sorry for the Rotti - he is the one who will suffer through his owner's lack of control of him. And I do sympathise with you - it's hardly relaxing when you're out with cat and dogs to keep your eyes peeled for a Rotti on the rampage!

Christine