A dog attack|
April 22, 2011
Below is an account sent to me of a nasty incident when one of my clients was out with her dog. This experience is made even worse by the fact my client wishes to remain anonymous as she is afraid that the dog owner may be dubious enough in character to pursue her, plus the police are taking action. I look forward to hearing your comments?
I have written a summary of what happened to my dog and I a few weeks ago just to make you aware that there are dangerous dogs running about off lead and that you need to take care. I cannot mention too many details for legal reasons but I hope that it is enough for you to understand that you need to be aware.
Whist out walking my little dog with a friend and her dog we decided to go to a local nature reserve as we thought that it would be nice for the dogs to investigate somewhere new ( I do not usually go to these places on my own as I have been previously worried by dogs running around off lead with owners nowhere to be seen). We had just entered the reserve with our dogs (both on leads) along a path which opens up to a large green space with trees and a pond. As we turned the corner my friend shouted good god and as I looked up I saw three large dogs running towards us with no owner to be seen, before I knew it the big dog went straight in and bit my little dog with no warning, she then yelped so I remembered very quickly what I had been told by Avril on a course which I had done last year. I immediately kicked the dog off and managed to pick up my little dog and put her under my arm all the time I was making growling noises as I thought that this would make him stop and go away. It didn’t he came straight for me, this was a very big dog biting at my arms and with his paws on my chest I can still see his face in mine. My friend was screaming at the owner who had just appeared to put his dogs on leads. I didn’t realise until later that the other two dogs had been scratching at my legs and trying to bite (my friend told me the next day) thank god that I didn’t know. I think that it all happened so quickly that I did manage to blank bits out) I found the evidence the next day on my legs. When the owner did eventually get them on leads he walk off. By this time I noticed that my little dog was bleeding and that I needed to get her to the vet immediately. It was not that far to walk and on the way the police came to hand and helped us. When I get to the vets my vet took her to be seen straight away as he was worried about the depth of her injuries. When they sat me down and took my jacket and jumper off they found that I had also been bitten I think that you are so shocked that you switch off and don’t feel a thing. I got away with just a tetanus injection by my little dog sustained a big bite to her back for which she had to have stitches and scratches to her body thankfully she did not have internal injuries which was the main worry. The vet told me that by picking her up I saved her life as this dog could have quite easily killed her. My dog has made a remarkable recovery thank god although I think that I will take a little longer to heal as the threat of something like this happening again is scary to say the least but like all experiences in life we learn from them and I hope that by telling you my story it will make you think and ultimately keep your precious dogs safe.
Betty is growing up! And a local dog walking warning!
November 27, 2010
It never ceases to amaze me watching a puppy grow, this week Betty had a day of going off her food, not just her food but treats as well! I know Annie (her breeder) won’t believe me:) she has been such a greedy puppy! The only tummy upset Betty has had is from over eating, which she has always been willing to do! She seems to have a cast iron stomach, never suffering from upsets from the rubbish all puppies eat. It has only lasted one day, Betty is back to normal now! But the day seem to mark a change in her, I wonder if her hormones have started to kick in, as she also seems since to show signs of more grown up behaviour. Last night she sat on my lap for more than an hour having cuddles, the longest she has done that since she would fall asleep on my lap as a baby! I think her first season cannot be too far away now, I am keeping her entire so that I can have some babies one day!
I would add that Betty would have eaten my food on that day, just not dog food, she wasn’t ill! Plus Betty at 7 months has done most of her growing now, which her dip in appetite confirms. In response I have reduced her meals slightly to fit her new appetite. I have seen clients who at this point in their puppies development, believing the puppy has gone off the food being fed, change the diet. Not a good plan as this can lead to the puppy starting to pick and choose what they eat, controlling their owner in this way is a signal that will have a negative affect on the relationship! A puppies appetite reflects how much they need, if fed a well-balanced food, low in salt and additives.
The same day she was off her food was also a bit traumatic for her:) Betty came out to help at the Thursday morning puppy class. We were discussing what to do if your puppy is approached by a scary dog, and I had Betty out to demonstrate how I would protect her, by getting her behind me and stamping my foot and shouting “no” and shooing the dog away. Betty had not seen me do this before and thought I was a bit scary! As we progressed with the class I moved a pole on the ground, as I lobbed it Betty ran under it so that the pole bounced off her head! I hastened to add it was light weight and did not injure her, but she did jump! A few minutes later I managed to tread on her! Poor Betty, what a bad morning! Betty was almost afraid to move for a while, and laid down every time I looked at her! Watching the class doing more fun things soon cheered her up though, I am pleased to say!
The reason we had been talking about unfriendly dogs is that a friend of mine had a very nasty experience with her dog. There is a Staffie that lives in Dunmow that has hospitalised 4 dogs that we know of (in Felstead), and last week her dear boy ended up with 2 wounds one of which is a foot long, and he was on lead! The attack would have killed a smaller dog. The owner jogs in Felstead on a Tuesday and Friday morning, and seems to have the dog off lead and not muzzled to date, despite the dogs history! He goes out early between 6.30 and 7.30am, I would imagine he goes out in Dunmow other mornings possibly. It is a brown Staffie called, Holly and wears a flashing collar . If you see them watch out! He must be reported until he, the owner, gets the message! Dogs that do this should not be allowed to live on and continue to terrorise us! It is not the dogs fault that she has got like this, but it is too late to change now! If you have any more information on this dog, please let me know?
I was conflicted about telling you about this Staffie, my heart goes out to the really responsible Staffie owners out there, especially my clients, who I know would be mortified if their dog even growled at another dog!
On a more serious note: Dogs and law!
June 24, 2010
On my current behaviour course we were discussing the law in relation to walking our own dogs, and the difficulty of other people, with dogs off lead and not under control, bothering our dogs and how offended people can become if we don’t want to have their dogs jumping on ours, when the law entitles anyone to walk without being accosted in a public place. So if you feel threatened by someone elses dog on a walk, the law is on your side, not all dog owners recognise that their dogs behaviour appears threatening to others, when in fact it is!
For those of you who would like to know your legal position here it is:
Important legislation is:
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which is further amended in 1997
Control of Dogs Order 1992
Dog Control Act 2008 – parts of which are still yet to be enacted
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
Section 3 makes it a criminal offence for anyone to own a banned breed; Japanese Tosa, Pitbull, Filo Brasilera, Dogo Argentino, or any such cross-breed. (exceptions if permitted by court to be registered, muzzled in public etc).
The Act is extended in 1997 for dangerous to mean any dog in England or Wales that is dangerously out of control. This can mean that a person is in reasonable fear of being injured. The offence is aggravated if a person is injured. This can also extend to other dogs. However, in this Act covers only in a public place (anywhere where the public is permitted to have access). So if you are trespassing or in a friend’s garden say, this Act will not apply.
This Act gives the police & dog wardens powers to seize the dog and prosecute the owner. Power of arrest only applies if the owner fails to five a name and address at which they can be summoned.
This Act gives the court powers to destroy the dog (if a person is injured then there is a presumption to destroy, but there is always discretion). The Court can also ban a person from future ownership of a dog. Other Acts allow for ASBOs to be placed on owners. This is a civil hearing.
The Dog Control Act 2008 This is not in place yet as gets second hearing at the end of July, the difference here is that this is public or private place.
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The Control of Dogs Order 1992
This Order makes it mandatory for dogs in public (other than listed exceptions such as service dogs etc) to wear a collar and identification stating owners details. This is important, as whilst there is no power of arrest for the above Acts, anyone who fails to give their name and address to a police office for the purpose of summons for any offence, can be arrested (Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984).
Procedure in Practice
Dependent on the local procedures of forces a dog attack on dog in a park would most likely be dealt with by a dog warden.
It may become a police issue, if the matter is in say a housing estate, road, because the likelihood of danger is higher, (ie dogs off lead out of control on a road may be considered to have a greater opportunity to injure more people/ animals.
Police will always get involved if a person is injured, a dog is killed, or the dangerous dog is a repeat offender (ie the dog warden refers it to police because of the number of complaints received).
One subject that came up when I asked for your ideas on suitable blog topics was “how to cope with strange dogs on a walk”. This is a favourite subject of mine, I am constantly amazed, stunned and downright cross with other dog owners when I walk my dog in the company other dog walkers!
Here is Bella’s story of what happened to her and her little Pug on a walk:
“A loose dog went for Toddy (who was on lead) the other day and got its jaws round his back leg. I shouted and swooped down on the dog and it let go long enough for me to pick Toddy up. There was no damage. However it was lucky it happened with Toddy not Snifter. Snifter would have reacted aggressively (Toddy was just surprised), there would probably have been a fight and possible lasting psychological issues as well as possible physical injury. So a discussion of how we can discourage other dogs from getting at ours, how to deal with the owner who insists their dog “only wants to play” – I have seen play and it does not look like that – and how we can reassure our dogs would certainly be of interest to me. I am convinced that some of Snifter’s antipathy to certain other dogs stems from my inexperience when he was a puppy and got menaced by a couple of Border Collies in our park.”
Please send in your stories of similar experiences, I will gladly respond and I think many of other Blog visitors will too!
Here is one of my worse experiences walking in the park with a group of clients and there dogs:
I was out with 5 of my clients and there dogs in the park, a planned trip to take our training into the public! All was going well with recalls and lead work training until the Labrador in the group went lame! A big dog I was naturally concerned for him and his upset owner, and we started back to the car park to get him to the car and on to the Vet’s, luckily we weren’t too far away, but on the route a man was walking along with his Flat Coat Retriever off the lead, she obviously a very friendly dog, too friendly, she made a bee line for the weakened Labrador, I, like a tigress defending her cubs, leapt in front of him to protect him and head her off! She was not easily dissuaded from jumping on him and I got progressively firmer in deterring her, starting out shooing her verbally and waving her off, she kept coming and ran into my hand, she backed off, but her owner didn’t! He bore down on me and started to rant, standing right in my face, we were practically toe to toe, I wasn’t moving (foolishly maybe but my blood was up now), he threatened to call the police and accused me of attacking his dog! I explained, as calmly as I could, the situation and my concern for the injured dog, he wasn’t listening and became more offensive, I am sad to say I lost it at this point and told him very loudly to back off and take his dog with him, treating him much as I had his dog really! I told him I would ring the police and charge him with assault!
Luckily he went, I was shaken, and felt bad that my clients class had been tainted by the experience, after all I was at work! My group were great and very supportive but none the less we were all shaken by the experience, the man had behaved in a very threatening way.
On arriving home I rang the local dog warden and the police, thankfully my dog warden responded brilliantly! She visited the man, I had asked for his name, and as a result the next time I was in the park, this time I took my sister and our dogs, not my clients, he apologised profusely, he was a different man to the one I had seen before. The dog warden had explained that there is a by law that states all walkers, with or without a dog have the right to walk in public unimpeded by other peoples dogs! and we have the right to make that happen if the owner of the dog cannot!
I am telling you this story, not because I am proud of my own behaviour, but then none of us are perfect or get it right all the time, and in the world of dogs things often go awry, and sometime it is a matter of managing the best you can.
I have to say that when I walk in that same park these days the regular dog walkers keep away from me and my dog! Word has spread and I am glad of it, though I am sure I am unpopular with them!
So a long answer to Bella’s query! In short I do whatever it takes, but for the most I keep my dog behind me and prevent the other dog getting to him, in the case of young puppies or very friendly dogs, I get hold of their collars and hand them back to the owners. With owners that assure me their dog is friendly I tell them mine is not, to be honest he is, but if there dog is not he could learn to fight, and then what would I do when he has to work with me and my clients dogs. The reality is that a strange dog is an unknown quantity, a strange pack, and the meeting of unknown dogs is, for the most part just that unknown but could be dangerous, I do not take the chance, my dogs temperament and safety is too important. Again this can go wrong, if my dog was upset by another dog, and that has happened to me too, the way forward is to create some experiences over the following days and weeks that are more positive to put the bad experience to rest. More on that subject to come soon, now come on let me have your stories so that we can share and learn from each other?