What a day!!! - dont look if squeemish!!!

[Yoshi]

Some people should not be allowed animals.

This morning a little terrier type thing went for my dog, then when it had ripped a couple of holes in his throat it bit bettyblue22.

Its taken me from 9am this morning til about now to calm down and am still a little fuming.

The worst thing is the police refused to do anything because the other dog was on a lead and my dog wasnt.  My dog went for a sniff and the other dog just went for him.

Anyway rant over.  Just a little annoyed cos if it had been a child there who tried to stop the terrier thing then it could have ended alot worse.

[Yoshi]

well here is a pic of the dog after he got stapled :(

[propes]

No such thing as a bad dog only bad owners, personally i would of done the same to the owner after putting the vicious little mutt in orbit with my size nines. Hope he gets better soon bud.

[mike142sl]

Very sorry to hear that, I'd be VERY upset if that happened to my dog. Did it happen off road so to speak or not? if on road then you have no argument about being in control without it on a lead.

[muddysteve]

i think you'll find if a dog isnt leashed it not classed as under control

as a side note theres nothing worse than off lead dogs coming up to one on a lead "just for a sniff" and deserves everything it gets

when mine had a bad back and had to be walked on lead for obvious reasons he made a nice hole in a german shepheard that came up "for a sniff" it was hardly my fault was it, my dog was in pain so snappy but completely under control.

[Yoshi]

So therefore a dog going to sniff another dog (which is very natural for a dog) is cause for the other dog to attack?

Its amazing it happens most of the time without anything like this happening, and i personally believe that if a dog is on a lead and does attack another dog then it is not under control.

And for all of you people sitting there saying "it got what it deserved" or crap thats just as similar i might remind you that this other dog also bit a person.

***Self moderated at request of mod.***

[robert francis]

ifi had a dog off lead and another dog bit mine and a person i would of taken a bar to the dog,
my dogs always on a lead and muzzled coz shes not that friendly after loosing her best mate. but if a dog is tempermental i think they should be muzzled

[Drift]

I have a terrier thing, well Border Terrier actually, and he is the same, he is too aggressive to other dogs, if he cant hump it he wants to kill it.
The old guy is 12 now but still goes for it, we are very very careful where we take him and after years of trying to change him through training classes and even the West Lancs Dog Training Centre in Formby and nothing worked.

Im afraid if a dog is off its lead and the owner doesnt respond to my calls that my dog is psychotic and I am trying to pick him up then Im afraid there isnt much else I can do, dont get me wrong ole Blue has had a good few hidings in the past and deservedly so but the stupid mutto keeps getting back up and going for it.

However I do sympathise and its horrible to see your dog mauled in such a nasty way.

Ole Blue ironically is the best people and family dog I could wish for and have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with.

[beast5680]

I have a jack russell that when on a lead if approached by other dogs that aren't will be aggressive, he,s not naturally aggressive but when on the lead i think he gets protective :? if you let him off he,s fine with all other dogs but you do get the ones on leads he runs upto that will do the same

[muddysteve]

Dogs will be dogs at the end of the day, it seems only when people get involved theres any trouble. 99 times out of 100 even if they do decide to have a go at each other theres no blood spilt just a lot of noise i guess you were unlucky.

I wasnt trying to suggest your dog was at fault but just saying my experience of being on the other end, no offence meant

[McGuire]

 Dogs on leads will tend to respond aggressively to unwanted approaches. They're effectively confined and have no other course of action available, certainly not the flight option! All that's left to a cornered dog is to fight.

[Drift]

Dogs on leads will tend to respond aggressively to unwanted approaches. They're effectively confined and have no other course of action available, certainly not the flight option! All that's left to a cornered dog is to fight.

I wish it was that simple with ole Blue, he is the same off the lead :(

Thing is he misses out on so much because of the way he is, Ive had other bigger and thicker dogs that have always behave perfectly with other dogs but like Turner and Hooch at home  :roll:

Small dog syndrome we put it down to.

[Yoshi]

Well Porky (my german shepard) is the softest mutt on the planet. 

He would lick you to death!

Those who have met him know just what he is like!

[Bob696]

Simple way to avoid this is to keep your dog on a lead as well. If you choose not to then you reap the rewards.

[Range Rover Blues]

Unfortunately from a dog's point of view, being on a lead gives it far less options to deal with other dogs or strange situations, it often makes the dog more defensive (especially if the dog does not have a strong pack leader on the other end of the lead) and can lead to a dog becoming unaturally agressive.

But then jack Russels seem to have a bit of an inferiority complex, not my favourite dog.

[denviks]

i dont understand this " if on lead buisness "

if my dog is on a lead he is not aggressive......if he is off his lead he is not aggressive......

ok dogs are like people and can have a bad day i suppose but there is no excuse for a dog having a go at another dog without provication is there.what happens if a child playing in the park comes up to said dog on a lead????  would it do the same?

just my thoughts and not to add any fuel....

[Saffy]

I see it from both sides and the unleashed dog owner is at fault in my book.

I have one hyper friendly lurcher that likes to say hello to every dog he do see even if they are half a mile away in the park. My another dog avoids all other stranger dogs, he has no interest in sniffing butt and will act defensively if cornered but also being a lurcher he usually can just run circles. I rarely use the leash unless in a carpark or a near road. Some situations the lurcher that doesn't like stranger dogs gets leashed to prevent him running into a dangerous situation, he definitely would not want to be approached, though I can keep him under control it wouldn't be pleasant. I see his behaviour as a problem, so we have issues and we are working on them.

BUT... if I see another dog that is leashed I will always recall my sniffy dog to heel as dogs on leads are usually on them for a reason, either inexperienced owner, aggressive dog, new dog, timid rescue dog, dog under training etc and I feel that I become a bad owner and my dog becomes a pest if I let it approach the leashed dog. If the owner indicates that it's okay then all is well to 'go see' otherwise encounters are avoided.
If a dog can not be recalled to heel from it deepest desire to sniff a butt then it needs more training for its own sake.

[mike142sl]

i dont understand this " if on lead buisness "

if my dog is on a lead he is not aggressive......if he is off his lead he is not aggressive......

ok dogs are like people and can have a bad day i suppose but there is no excuse for a dog having a go at another dog without provication is there.what happens if a child playing in the park comes up to said dog on a lead????  would it do the same?

just my thoughts and not to add any fuel....

Not as simple as that. Dogs pick up on things we don't and can be as nice as nice to most dogs but sometimes they can pick up aggression or danger from other dogs and change out of all recognition. My Lab tends to fall over in submission the minute she sees another dog which has always been useful in terms of not causing a scene, however there are some dogs she just does not like and will put on the most concerning display of barks and growls and TEETH!. And I agree with what others have said about the difference when on the lead to off it - there certainly is more of a problem with some dogs when one or both are on a lead.

[Hightower]

Something that winds me up no end is dog owners that immediately rush to put their dogs on a lead just becuase they see another dog within 400yds.  I understand that some dogs are aggressive and need to be leashed, but 90% of the time doing this just results in the dog becoming more insecure and likely to be aggressive towards other dogs and humans.

[Hightower]

what happens if a child playing in the park comes up to said dog on a lead????  would it do the same?

This is why children should be taught to respect animals and how to approach them.  Many accidents could be avoided if young kids did not simply run up to dogs and throw their arms around them.  The dogs natural instinct is to react to this intrusion, and the only way they have of doing so is with their teeth.

Admittedly some dogs are trained to be aggressive, but even 'normal' dogs will react in this way if they feel threatened.

[The Ant Hill Mob]

Another issue to consider is how the owner on the lead reacts.  If they immediately shorten the lead they see another dog approaching (because their dog is usually aggressive to other dogs), it reinforces the aggresssion.  All the dog picks up on is the shortening of the lead by the pack leader, and if the pack leader is worried, then that gives the dog the impression that there IS something to worry about, and the best form of defence (from a dog's point of view) is to attack.  So the owner is signalling (albeit unwittingly) to the dog, that their behaviour is warranted.
The mixture of an aggressive or anxious dog on a lead and any other do that's NOT on a lead is asking for trouble.  I always call my dogs in if I see any terrier-type dogs, especially if they're on a lead, and leash them.  A GSD and GSD X collie approaching a leashed dog, is not really acceptable, as the dog on a lead has nowhere to run to or hide, especially if my 'pack' decide on a two-pronged 'assault' (normally of the wagging tails and sniffing behinds variety).

A more experienced owner may have called their dog to heel, which is not always easy when the other dog is an unknown quantity (virtually impossible if the leashed dog is a bitch on heat), and leashed it, which levels the playing field somewhat and normally avoids trouble.

My dogs are both big softies, as anyone who has met Bracken and Max will testify, Max even puts up with my 10-month old son chasing him (but not for too long, they are separated long before Max tires of the 'game').  However,  both are very protective, especially Max (being a neutered male), and he will ensure the post is dead by shaking it as soon as it comes through the postbox (I have several letters with puncture marks from his canines).

Biting a two-legs, is a completely different matter.  I'm assuming that this was collateral damage when they were being separated, and not another attack.

In my humble opinion, the owner of the biting dog should have been the one to remove THEIR dog from yours.  If there is no water to hand (the best thing to separate fighting dogs), then a coat should be thrown over the aggressor, blinding it temporarily and allowing your dog to be rescued.  If this is not possible, the best thing to do is try to push your fist INTO the mouth of the biter - they don't like this (I'm sure you wouldn't want me to do this to you either!).  <Moderated>

That said, what did the owner of the aggressive terrier-type thing say?  Were they sorry, did they offer an explanation?  I am concerned that the police did not do anything, as the dog had bitten a human, which is not really acceptable.

I hope your dog recovers, and you learn a valuable, if painful (for the dog) and costly (for you) lesson.

[freeagent]

No sympathy i'm afaid, it should be on a lead.

I'm very weary of unleashed dogs (my sister in law was mauled by one as a kid and has scars all down her face)

We try to drum it into our 2 year old that she must not approach strange dogs unless she is told its OK,  but if an unleashed dog came to close to her it would get a swift kick from me, i'm not prepared to risk my childs safety.

[mike142sl]

No sympathy i'm afaid, it should be on a lead.

Only if it's on the 'road'. They need to be allowed to run free in open space, unless they are known to be aggresive in which case yes it should always be on a lead or have a muzzle. Kick out at any dog and you run the risk of provoking the reaction you tell us you are afraid of , plus there are plenty of dog owners who would no doubt return the compliment on behalf of their dog  :|

[ChrisW70]

If the dog that was bitten had been on a lead or controlled would any of this have happened?

[Bradders]

No sympathy i'm afaid, it should be on a lead.

Only if it's on the 'road'. They need to be allowed to run free in open space, unless they are known to be aggresive in which case yes it should always be on a lead or have a muzzle. Kick out at any dog and you run the risk of provoking the reaction you tell us you are afraid of , plus there are plenty of dog owners who would no doubt return the compliment on behalf of their dog  :|

Well said that man :clap:

[Suvvey]

Seems a case of six of one and half a dozen of the other.

I have a one year old Dobey that obviously needs a lot of exercise so I try to let her off the lead as much as possible as she will run herself ragged in a few minutes. But she can be a bit over friendly with other dogs and people so only let her off when I don't think we will run into anyone else. She doesn't have one nasty bone in her body and is excellent with my two young girls but of course people and dogs will be wary of an energetic Doberman bounding up to them so it only seems good practice and manners to put her back on the lead when I spot or hear others.

I do however try not to drag her away from other dogs and people as I believe it is good to socialise them but I do find that it is often the case that the smaller dogs tend to be the aggressive ones. Many times a terrier or similar size dog that is often on one of those annoying extendable leads that lets the vicous little mite run amok.

I'm not trying to paint all small or terrier type dogs in this light but I do believe the dominant tendencies of these smaller dogs often goes unchecked by their owners because of their size as they don't see it as a problem. If a large dog shows these traits the owner usually has to quash them at an early stage.

[marjan]

I have a terrier thing, well Border Terrier actually, and he is the same, he is too aggressive to other dogs, if he cant hump it he wants to kill it.
The old guy is 12 now but still goes for it, we are very very careful where we take him and after years of trying to change him through training classes and even the West Lancs Dog Training Centre in Formby and nothing worked.

Im afraid if a dog is off its lead and the owner doesnt respond to my calls that my dog is psychotic and I am trying to pick him up then Im afraid there isnt much else I can do, dont get me wrong ole Blue has had a good few hidings in the past and deservedly so but the stupid mutto keeps getting back up and going for it.

However I do sympathise and its horrible to see your dog mauled in such a nasty way.

Ole Blue ironically is the best people and family dog I could wish for and have ever had the pleasure of sharing my life with.

Ditto with our Westie, he is a funny old sod (also 12) so I keep him on a lead. If a dog off lead comes toward him I warn the owner that I will not be responsible if he goes for it. Sorry mate but I am of the opinion that all dogs should be kept on a lead at all times.