While walking my dog in our neighborhood last night she was attacked by another dog. My dog was on leash. The first thing I heard was the other owner yelling "pick up your dog" to me and running off her porch after her dog who was sprinting toward us. My dog weighs 40 ish pounds so I was able to lift her up and kick the other dog away as it charged us, but it lept back up and latched on to my dogs back. Thankfully my husband was with us and grabbed the other dog but it wouldn't let go. He eventually was able to pry its teeth off my dog but it lunged and bit her a second time before the owner was finally able to get over and grab her dog. The dog was short enough and I had my dog up high enough that it only got its front few teeth on her for both bites so there wasn't too much blood, but it did puncture both my dog and my husbands fingers. I know I shouldn't have picked up my dog as that was unsafe but it was my first instinct to listen to the owner yelling at me. Anyways. We have filed a report with animal control and the other dog was vaccinated so no worries there. They told us there's really nothing they can do unless we press charges on the owner. We have visited our vet and she will be just fine, I guess I'm just wondering if I should do more? Or things to watch for in her behavior since this incident? Thanks for the advice!
@Maddison I am so sorry you all had to experience this awful attack. How is your dog and your husband? Sounds like this dog is known to be aggressive as the owner yelled at you to pick your dog up, will you press charges? This happened to my rescue dog and my husband last year. My husband was bitten quite badly and Charlie was attacked. I did report them and they no longer walk in our area. I would arrange walks with nice dogs if you can so that your dog has good experiences, do this as soon as you can or she may become anxious and afraid of other dogs. Take her to your normal places to walk where there are other dogs and treat and praise her to show her she has nothing to worry about. You won't know how or if she has been affected until you meet other dogs, she may be fine. I really hope she will be OK. How bad are her injuries? xx
So sorry your dog and you were attacked. I'd pursue it - that dog is dangerous and out of control. I think you did the right thing by picking up your dog. You might have saved her life by doing that or at least prevented a much more serious injury. Agree with the advice given by Helen. Try to arrange some calm, positive experiences with nice dogs. Leave it a few days though so your dog has a chance to get over the stress of this experience.
Does the other dog not have to be quarantined for Rabies? Here it would, whether it was vaccinated or not. And a report would be filed with human Health officials, all because it bit your husband. Not because it bit another dog, not here anyway. My neighbour was bitten, she did not go to hospital right away, but later her hand swelled up so badly she had no choice and the hospital reported the dog. Check with your animal and human health regulations regarding rabies, they can differ from place to place. I hope the other people are paying your VEt bill. And I hope you are all all right.
Ugh, this is horrible for you all. I agree with the above advice, so just here really to offer my sympathies. It sounds like that dog needs to be muzzled in public. I don't know what processes you have where you are, but can the dog warden (animal control?) write to or visit the owner with a statement to this effect?
I hope your girl and husband are ok. I would definately report it to the authorities and it sounds like the other dog has done this before. Over the next few weeks try and give your girl lots of positive experiences with other dogs to help her realise not all dogs are like that, but keep her away from dogs you are unsure of. My girl was attacked 3 times by the same dog (collie) and can be reactive towards collies now, even though this is getting better. It's been awful seeing her become fearful and aggressive as she was such a gentle girl (she is amazing with 99%) of dogs still, but the fear is still there.
Thankfully her injuries are just a few puncture wounds and some severe bruising. The vet sent us home with salve and pain medication. We took it easy yesterday but I'm planning to take her to her favorite park today and see how she reacts to seeing other dogs. It's an on leash park so no worries about a dog running up and scaring her. Thank you for your concern and advice! I appriciate it.
We made a report and had an Animal Control Officer visit the family. They explained that they could only make sure the dog was up to date on all vaccines and educate them about leash laws in our state. Because this was a first offense unless we press charges that's all they can do. I don't know if I feel comfortable pressing charges (they are neighbors, like 6 houses away). I do plan to speak with them in a few days to make sure they understand the severity of what happened.
Ugh that's awful. I mean, really awful. And I'm certain it's not the first time, if the owner yelled at you to "pick up your dog"... Time to start walking with a stout walking stick, if you ask me.
Apperently they changed the rules this year in our state where the victim is quarrantiened and not the attacking dog.
I'm planning to get some spray shield. Has anyone here used that before? I like to have my hands free and would prefer not to have to carry a stick if I don't have to.
Aww, your poor girl! I feel the same way, my dog is so sweet and good natured I'm praying that this won't affect her attitude towards other dogs too much.
I'm so sorry this has happening to you and hope you all make a full and fast recovery. My only words of encouragement would be that in the past my dogs and I have been involved in dog attacks and I found my dogs recovered much quicker than I did. They would happily go out to walk in the same area soon after, whereas I would be nervous and fearful for quite a while. Thank goodness they are much more forgiving (and forgetting) than humans are!
I have, and I've used it too. Poppy is a very submissive little dog, and she has been badly bitten a couple of times - I think her submissive behavior actually encourages some dominant bitches to have a go at her. The trouble with the spray (I assume you mean pepper spray?) is that it's not legal everywhere, and even where it is, you must be really careful not to inadvertently spray your own dog, or yourself - or worse, someone else. You could quickly find yourself in deep trouble for that. I do carry the spray, but it's really for a last resort. It's also very fiddly to get it out, make sure it's pointing the right way (!), check the wind, etc. A stick is best - you can point it at an oncoming dog and it really helps keep them away. Also, owners tend to call their dogs back far more quickly if they see you are carrying a big stick. I do hope your girl is ok, and you too. After Poppy was so badly bitten by a group of Ridgebacks, I was really frightened every time I saw an unknown large dog. I was worse than she was! Now I've had far more good experiences than bad, and have re-gained confidence, but I am no longer prepared to put up with other dogs attacking her.
This must have been so horrible - I hope your girl recovers quickly. My dog was attacked several times by the same dog, it would run to him as soon as he saw him, pin him down and make these horrible noises. Lucky had a few scratches, but never any obvious cuts that were bleeding. I talked to the owner about it, and she was obviously struggling with him, and now she keeps him on a long line so she can stop him if another dog is approaching. It sounds like this dog has a problem with bite inhibition as well as being reactive. Do you know who the owner is to talk to them about it? Sometimes, if people are reasonable, it is easier to talk to them rather than go through official channels. Sometimes it's not easier though!
That's ridiculous. I found your rabies bite law online but I guess It's the old one. However it makes no mention of any concern at all for a bitten animal. Only a bitten human. Same as here. It says the dog who bites must be quarantined for 10 days. So you say it now reads the victim, who is your husband, is the one they want to quarantine? That's nuts. Meanwhile no one monitors the dog who did the biting? Unbelievable. Oh, wait, it's government. Or do they now care about the dog who was bitten as well as the human who was bitten? Meaning you husband has to stay in the doghouse with your dog? LOL. Can you quarantine them at your home? Seriously, another friend who's dog brought in a dead bat was allowed to quarantine her dog at her own home as she had secure fences. Otherwise she'd have had to pay to keep the dog quarantined at an approved facility. http://www.in.gov/boah/2485.htm
So we just got a visit from our neighbors. The dog that attacked Larks also attacked their dog causing over $1000 in vet bills but they couldn't press charges because their dog got out of her collar so she wasn't on leash. They said this was the 5th attack from this dog within this year. So we will be pressing charges now
Good I'm glad you are taking action, this dog is a danger to any dogs in your neighbourhood. I really hope Lark recovers quickly, poor girl. xx
