to say something about a dog that 'bit' me?

[CorraLinn]

Today DH and I with our DD (2) and DS (6 months) went to see a house for sale. The lady owner was there but her DH was out. She had her 2 DS's with her (18 months and 12 weeks). When we arrived she opened the door and there were 2 dogs there - one fairly quiet and laid back and the other a bit hyper. She was holding the hyper one back by the collar so it didn't run out to us. We said it was fine as we're used to dogs (we had our own beloved dog pts in April as she was getting very old and sore and I used to work in animal welfare so am well used to dogs of all kinds).
She then showed us round the garden and the hyper dog ran around like a loon. We then all went back into the house. The quiet dog came for a pat then went to bed. Hyper dog followed us around - licked DD on the face a few times, wagged it's tail played with the owner's DS etc.
Near the end of the tour, we were all in the living room. I was kneeling down playing with my DD and the owner's older DS. The hyper dog came over and I turned around and patted it. Fine for a minute then it came at me and 'bit' my face. It got it's teeth around my nose and on my cheek. It didn't draw blood and didn't clamp down or growl but I got a terrible fright. I gasped and the owner definitely saw as she said 'Are you ok?' and immediately came and got the dog by the collar again and held it back.
I was in a bit of shock (not due to pain, just got a fright) and I was actually a bit embarrassed too (daft I know) so I just said I was fine and sort of laughed it off. She then said the dog was 'mad as a box of squirrels'. But we made our excuses and left sharpish and she kept sending the dog to bed as we were going and not letting it near us.
Once back in the car I had a look and I had red marks on my nose and cheeks but no broken skin and no pain but I could 'feel' where the teeth had been if know what I mean.
I'm surprised how shocked I was about it and I felt a bit shaky all the way home. I said to DH that I could never have a dog that I had seen do that in a house with young children and if that had been our dog I would have been putting it to sleep if I couldn't get it rehomed/retrained to be safer.
I'm now not sure what to do. Completely ignore it - after all there was no real harm done and it's not really my business what the owners do. Or say something to someone? I don't think it's really something I could report the to police as there was no real damage to me and after all, I said nothing at the time! But I was thinking that when the estate agent calls me for feedback I might say something about it.
Any thoughts?

[TheWitTank]

Sounds like the dog was hugely over excited at the new visitors and "mouthed" you (they do this to each other, especially at a young age). Totally unacceptable that the owner let it charge around while you were viewing; surely the sensible options would have been to put it out in the garden, a spare room (once viewed) or at least on a lead walking round with you? I would mention it to the agent.

[Oysterbabe]

I agree it sounds like mouthing and not that the dog is dangerous.

[CorraLinn]

Thanks for the replies. The dog was middle aged - not a puppy but not old. The lady mentioned a few times that the dog was a bit mad so not sure it was especially hyper on grounds of us being there. The lady said it was always like that and seemed kind of exasperated by it (think it was her DH's dog really). We asked why they were moving and she said partly for the dogs (the house was in a town but had a big garden) as they wanted to move out to proper countryside.
I've had the 'mouthing' thing before and this was a bit more than that - more like an initial warning bite. It lunged at my face and brought it's jaws together - like I said it didn't clamp down hard though and it let go straight away. There wasn't anything playful about it and it was very sudden when I had just been patting it.

[Tiptoethr0ughthetulips]

You are being unreasonable. Do nothing the dog did no more than mouth you, the owner acted appropriately in removing it. Nothing you've said makes the dog sound aggressive, just good do with some basic manners.

[mycatstares]

You'd get a dog like that put to sleep?!

If it wanted to rip your face off it would have done. It was trying to get you to play. Nothing a bit of training can't fix.

[Obviouspretzel]

I don't think this sounds like mouthing at all. The dog isn't a puppy and it's quite worrying that someone patting it then turned into it biting that person's face! I say this as a dog lover. It didn't bite hard but it would be a very frightening and painful experience for a child.

[mycatstares]

It didn't bite. No broken skin no real marks.

It needs more training of course but that is all.

[user1471461436]

My dog used to do this as her previous owner found it cute. It IS mouthing I think - the difference it is hasnt been kept in check so the dog has less inhibition of strength to put into it. More like play fighting that would happen between dogs rather than people, except the dog recipient does it back as its chastisement if its too hard. If the owners allow it and dont chastise the dog it does it again and again. Does that sound a little like what happened?

[mycatstares]

What type of dog was it? Some breeds act very much like puppies the majority of their lives.

[QuiteLikely5]

I wouldn't have liked this at all. I would let the agent know. Next time it could be worse

[TheWitTank]

Mouthing still happens in older dogs, especially those that haven't had enough/any training. The owner allowed the situation to escalate by letting the dog run around loose in the company of strangers alongside another dog. If the dog had intended to hurt the op it absolutely would of. Mouthing can also invove snapping/holding.

[eightbluebirds]

Say what to who she should have shut her dog away but the dog doesn't sound aggressive

[CorraLinn]

Glad it didn't rip my face off! I really feel it was more like a warning bite, perhaps out of fear (I was down right next to it and it didn't know me) than mouthing. Like I said before we had our own dog til recently, I've always had dogs growing up and I worked in animal welfare for several years including daily work with rescue dogs (rescuing and looking after them) so have seen lots of types of behaviour. I know play when I see it and this wasn't that.
If it was my own dog and I'd seen it doing that I wouldn't keep it at home with children. Having worked with dogs I'm familiar with the risks.

[Soubriquet]

I can't believe you would get a dog like that pts

It was over excited and mouthed you like a puppy would

Some dogs never out grow that

[GazingAtStars]

I would mention it in the feedback especially if you didn't like the house. You'll never see the woman again if you don't buy the house

[mycatstares]

A warning bite would leave marks.

I'm really shocked you worked with animal welfare, you seem to have no idea about dog aggression or natural instincts.

[GazingAtStars]

Biting on the face is NEVER acceptable I'm not sure why people are trying to say you're being ott or overreacting

[Mishaps]

" licked DD on the face a few times" - and you let it?! Words fail me!

[mycatstares]

Because the dog didn't bite.


I'm leaving this now.

[myownprivateidaho]

Woah, not ok at all, and I'm surprised that anyone thinks it is. Of course a dog that play-bites people's faces is a liability. Ok, you froze when the dog was biting and no harm was done, but what if a child cried out or jerked back? Things could go horribly wrong. I think you should mention this to the agent. She really shouldn't be letting the dog near people. I'm freaked out to think about it near her babies.

[CorraLinn]

I'm not exaggerating when I say that it was really shocked about it. It just came out of nowhere when we were having a quiet pat and I did get a fright. I do think it's more frightening when it's the face too. I guess if it was the hand it had done it to I still wouldn't have liked it I wouldn't have got such a fright or be so concerned about it so maybe I am being unreasonable about that. I'm ust so aware that that's the exact height of a toddler's face and if a dog is so easily set off I think I would be worrying the whole time and never leaving it alone with the kids if I was the owner.

[CorraLinn]

Mishaps - there wasn't much choice about the face licking as she came running over and helped herself! I wasn't quick enough to lift her up when the dog did it.

[wheresthel1ght]

I have a patterdale who has a tendency to mouth. Like a op days her previous owners never checked her on it so initially it felt quite hard an almost like a bite.

From your description I would say the dog was over excited and mouthed with a bit more force than better trained dogs would. For someone who alleges to have worked with dogs you seem exceptionally naive. The behaviour should have been more closely monitored by the owner and the dog removed from a situation that was clearly over stimulating it. My dog is a sod fro jumping and licking but is always checked and if she continues she is caged I a separate room to protect her as much as anyone else.

[mummymummums]

You said that the dog licked DD on face a few times - that just can't be wise especially with a dog you don't know. After once I'd have asked the owner to remove the dog