Rottweiler Attack

Iam64 - well in Scotland dog on dog attacks are acted on. A year or 2 ago I was bitten on the hand by a Staffie who wanted my Cavalier! I lifted my dog up to save her but in process I was bitten. I decided to inform the Police the next morning. The dog I question lived in my vicinity I was fearful we would be attacked again and also had concerns for people walking with young kids. Anyway the Staffie had offended before. Consequently, under Police involvement and advice, the dog was put to sleep. I felt bad about this but it was not of my doing. Here in Scotland these cases can go to Court.

That’s just what happened to us Lavassa. The dog had attacked another dog the previous week as well, also escaping from its garden to do so. Many dog walkers were scared to walk their dogs through the village and even down the Lane as the dog could see an area where many people let their dogs off lead from it’s garden. The last time we saw it it was wearing a muzzle but we think it’s because it had gone for a boxer. We’d warned the owner of the boxer about the dangerous dog but he’d shrugged it off and said it wouldn’t go for a dog as imposing as his. Then DH bumped into him a few weeks ago and was told that the Staffie had just gone foor his boxer. Both were on leads but he was visibly shook up. Since then the Staffie has been muzzled when out walking.

You do seem very unlucky Lavazza in your outings with your dog or perhaps you live in an area where dogs are particularly aggressive?
I think a walking stick is the way to go.

I went to dog training with my dog. She is a small dog and has not been aggressive to big dogs, so it worked in that way. But she was attacked while walking down a residential street on our way home. A (large scary breed) jumped out of a garden and started attacking her. Fortunately the owner got the dog off quickly and the dog just got mouthfuls of the jumper my dog was wearing, but it was terrifying. I can not walk that way again. The dog warden did "have a word" and said they wouldn't have to dog in the front garden again.... but you just never know.

Interesting to note the trainer advised against using the yellow leads or jackets @IAm64 Shocking to know that though as well.

MayBee70, your point about training classes that mix dogs, especially puppies in the way you describe, is an important one.
I bought one of those I Need Space yellow leads for my reactive cockerpoo. His reactivity was partly the breed and definitely the result of being attacked three times. I did a residential training course with a well known trainer, who is called in by police to assess 'dangerous' dogs. He advised us not to use the yellow warning leads or jackets. If an incident occurred, the owner of the aggressive dog could easily put responsibility on your dog, because you were advertising a problem with him.

I’m very wary of terriers. We’ve had attacks from Jack Russells and, believe it or not a French Bulldog. When we got to the beach today there was an Akita running loose far from it’s owner. Now, Akita’s can be quite wonderful dogs. A friend of mine wouldn’t have any other breed. But we immediately walked in the opposite direction and kept our eyes open. No stick or noise emitter would protect us from an Akita if it went rogue! You can get jackets from a company called Neon Dog and I am thinking of getting one to make out ours is reactive, even though she isn’t. We tend to keep a coat on her most of the time when it isn’t too hot as it protects her body. We do have a problem though. When she did her first training class it was an outdoor one and at the end of it the would put the dogs in a large pen to have a play. They were very careful to put dogs of similar ages and sizes together. Ours didn’t play with the other dogs just ran round in circles and thoroughly enjoyed herself. At least we knew she wasn’t nasty. However it resulted in a dog that, when she sees another dog gets over excited and wants to play. We don’t know what to do to calm her down. We’ve tried treats and distraction etc but nothing stops her excitement. I wish we hadn’t been to that particular training class now. She did two more afterwards that were indoor and she was much better at them and gained her ‘ologies.

libra10, you're right about small dogs. I also feel some owners of small dogs don't make the effort to train them out of aggressive behaviour (I don't mean you). If a German Shepherd or a doberman behaved like some Jack Russells - that would raise eye brows.

I only have a small dog, but he can be quite aggressive. If anyone wants their dog to say hello to him, I tell them he can be tricky. He does have a dark side, and I always back him away.

Small dogs can be more aggressive than bigger dogs.

@Iam64 that's shocking and yes it is selfish. So sad for the dogs themselves! So many breeds do get a bad name and often it's the bad owner.

@MayBee that's what we do too.

@Gingster me too. A lady in the park with her dog told me "never lose that fear" I thought it was a strange thing to say, but she said "Your fear will keep you safe because it will make you watchful"

I am definitely watchful...

This is a depressing thread for those of us who love our dogs and train them to be the best dog they can be. I'm in the technically challenged group otherwise, I'd link to a BBC article on lock down dogs that I read on facebook yesterday.

The article confirms that many of the dogs bought as lockdown puppies have behavioural problems. My experience is many of these dogs came from internet sites, from puppy farms or so called back street breeders. Many of the owners haven't had dogs before. As MayBee70 says, read the facebook specific breed groups and be horrified by the lack of planning before a puppy arrives. So many pups "biting" owners and children, dogs that aren't house trained, dogs that are left alone for hours now owners are back at work and school, goes what, they eat the furniture and howl all day. I'm sorry to rant but it's just selfish.

That’s why we never let our dog off lead on the beach unless there are no dogs around. We run her between us so she’s totally focussed then for other dogs before we do it again.

MY little pooch has been trampled on so often by bigger dogs, she is quite nervous around dogs now. She tries to avoid them and barks at them as they walk into the distance. I prefer to walk her on the lead when my DH isn’t with me. We have a house on the beach and she loves to run free , minding her own business but other dogs always run up and annoy her. I get very nervous when taking her out and I don’t enjoy it as much as I should. I’m always on the lookout and on edge.

Thanks so much @Luckygirl that's really helpful.

An Animal Taser? I didn't know such thing existed! :O

EllanVannin

It's worth buying an animal taser.

Hattie says you can go right off some people EV ?

It's worth buying an animal taser.

You can get a Dog Dazer which emits a high-pitched sound, beyond human hearing range and makes dogs back off. It does work. You should not feel tied to your house by this.

Here's one: www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-Dazer-II-Ultrasonic-Deterrent/dp/B000IBRI2Y?tag=gransnetforum-21

A dog was attacked locally recently. The police were informed and warned the owner. The dog may only be walked with a muzzle on and if any thing similar should happen the owners have been warned the fog will have to be put down.

@MayBee70 Walking the dog has definitely got a lot more stressful lately.

My dog will often wait for another dog to get close and then she'll growl. Obviously I've never let her get close to a big dog, so this is dogs her own size. She is a reserved dog and absolutely hates other dogs sticking their face in hers, so now I just keep walking.

One of my friend's has a much smaller dog, who suddenly bit my dog on the tail completely unprovoked. So it's not always bigger ones. So hard to tell! I love having a dog, but don't let her off lead unless my husband is there too. Some things have really knocked my confidence.

A small dog came running up to ours the other week. I was standing in front of her to shield her. The woman called the dog away but it ignored her. I called to the woman to get her dog to move away explaining that our dog had recently been attacked and she just grumpily shouted to me that ‘her dog would never hurt another dog’. It never crossed her mind that mine might have been reactive (she isn’t: she just wants to play) and could have attacked hers. I’m on several Facebook pages. 50% of comments seem to be about dogs being attacked and the other 50% are about people’s dogs running up to other dogs wanting to play but the owners of the other dogs are just grumpy and unreasonable. I thought walking a dog was meant to be a nice relaxing experience. Sometimes I just walk the dog without the dog because it’s easier, especially as she’s quite happy on the sofa!

@Maybee70 Yes a similar thing happened to us, so I know what you mean. I'm so sorry to hear that. I do have a lethal walking stick with a metal ducks head handle, but I got out of the habit of carrying it when my walking improves.

@Iam64
I am the same now, unless it is a similar small dog breed that I know my dog will like. If it is a big dog or unknown , I keep walking and I don't care what the owner thinks.

Because of lockdown I'm buying everything online, so that's why I was hoping someone could recommend a spray that's good.

You can buy the pet sprays on line or at any pet shop. There is also a small hand held Doggy Don't, you press the button and a loud noise is heard. You have to desensitise your own dog to this of course so you don't have it in a permanently terrified state.
As MayBee70 said, these attacks tend to happen very quickly and with little warning. My spaniel cross became reactive after unprovoked attacks, two on lead and one off. I now never allow people to "let my dog say hello to yours" by allowing nose to nose sniffing. I'm beyond caring whether people think I'm being unfriendly, I simply say no thanks, I don't let my dogs do that. Its one small and foolproof way of stopping on lead incidents.

The problem is that, even if you have a spray etc these attacks happen so suddenly. We once had a terrier walk past our dog then suddenly swivel round and go for her throat. We don’t let her off lead around other dogs because even though she was well socialised as a puppy she’s still a sighthound and we don’t know that she wouldn’t try to knock over a smaller dog and hurt it. We carry a metal stick.

@smileless2021* So sorry that happened to your dog Poor Mr S and poor dog!

I am interested in the spray, if anyone here can recommend one? I don't want to buy anything harmful or ineffective.

How interesting that the dog who committed the attack died and could have been ill. So glad your dog is ok and I'll look into the Truelove harness. My little dog has been attacked before, so I'm nervous.

Lucretzia Yes I'd heard about putting your finger up the dogs botty to stop a dog fight, but personally would prefer a nice reliable repellant spray to prevent contact in the first place, if it's a dangerous type of dog.

Thanks everyone. Yes I'm pretty anxious. What you said Maybee70 makes me feel a bit more normal.

Please contact your safer neighbourhood officer at your local council. Our dog was attacked and although we contacted the police and had a crime number etc he was the one that was most helpful. He said that no one should feel unsafe in their home environment and it was his job to keep people safe. We only met him by accident. He is an ex policeman and I got the feeling that he had had a lot of experience of dog attacks and, unlike the police who didn’t really do much (I know they have a lot on but they didn’t even tell the owner to muzzle the dog) we have kept in touch with him. It wouldn’t have occurred to us to contact the council. I still panic if another dog runs towards us and we’re always looking around. Thankfully our dog was unhurt and it hasn’t made her reactive but we still haven’t got over it.