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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

My dog attacked. Should I report?

25 replies

miserablemoo · 05/05/2016 12:08

Hello

My gorgeous soft boy has been attacked by two dogs this morning. This is the second time but the first one was a different dog. They were off lead. My boy was on lead. They wouldn't let go he doesn't even defend himself. Luckily it looks like no broken skin. DH is saying I have to report them. Wanted to know if anyone has reported a dog on dog attack and if anything happened?

I'm sick of my on lead dog being set upon by dogs off lead. He doesn't even approach them. He's a bit shook up as well as I am to be honest. I felt so helpless. Couldn't get them off him or get him away from them

OP posts:

Report

fuctifino · 05/05/2016 12:15

The police won't do anything about a dog on dog attack, sadly.
Were the owners present, or were they loose?
I would ring the dog warden and see what they advise.

miserablemoo · 05/05/2016 12:28

They were present and very apologetic. Said it hadn't happened before. I wasn't sure if there was any point reporting it. Thanks fuctifino.

OP posts:

ScrotesOnFire · 05/05/2016 12:33

The police won't do anything, but I would report it anyway so that is on record.

ScrotesOnFire · 05/05/2016 12:35

P.s. I would start carrying a bat or stick or similar.
Use it to block approaching dogs or smack them if they go to bite him.
The owners should have more bloody control

rosie1959 · 05/05/2016 12:39

Some times dogs can have an off day the owners were present and apologised there was no damage done so I would just let it go - cant see the Police being interested in a dog on dog with no injury

ScrotesOnFire · 05/05/2016 12:44

I don't know many dogs who launch an unprovoked attack on an off day!
A little bit lip curly or growly and grouchy yes.
Actually approaching another to attack them, no.

Chances are, the behaviour will get worse over time and it should not be ignored.

As for no injury, what about mental injury?

My dog had no physical injury after being set upon by a group of aggressive dogs.
Still took me over a year to get her comfortable around other dogs and she can still be uncomfortable around groups or bouncy ones.
But hey, she had no physical injuries, no biggie right?!?!

rosie1959 · 05/05/2016 12:48

ScrotesOnFire - but who is the OP going to report it to ?
The Police - Mental injury to a dog - don't really think they are going to take that one serious

ScrotesOnFire · 05/05/2016 12:57

The dog warden and police.
And yes, I know it won't be taken seriously, but, it would be on record.
Dog aggression, when not tackled, tends to get slowly worse so sooner or later they likely will cause serious injury.
Action is much more likely to be taken when there are existing, previous logs, even if no action was taken at that time.

TwllBach · 05/05/2016 13:02

I don't really have any advice but just wanted to add that since being on maternity leave and being out with my own dog more, partly to socialise her better and partly because we are both bored, I have been staggered by the sheer amount of poor dog ownership about. Unless we are on our own I keep my dog on her lead for a variety of reasons, and yet EVERY DAY we are accosted by dogs running up to her and winding her up. It absolutely boils my piss.

miserablemoo · 05/05/2016 13:09

An off day? Are you being serious? Two dogs on mine that had to be dragged off with their teeth on him that wouldn't let go whilst mine is screaming in pain and fear. One with its mouth around my dogs neck? My dog was under control, on a lead and didn't fight back or even growl. He didn't even approach them. They ran at him. As far as I'm aware they can reported to a dog warden. I wasn't thinking the police.

Plus it's the mental injury I'm worried about! He's a young dog. I do not want him to start being aggressive due to his experience.

Thank you scrotesonfire. Sorry you have had the same experience. That is a good idea with the stick. I will do that. If my dog was smaller I have no doubt my dog would be injured. These dogs were a lot bigger than mine and one of them was very strong.

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 05/05/2016 14:03

You want the dog warden - they will usually go visit the other owners and give them a warning about the consequences of not keeping their dogs under control....

If they get enough reports about the same dog, they'll escalate it.

You can try reporting it to the police as well, but they're often not interested.

pigsDOfly · 05/05/2016 14:36

Yes agree, definitely worth reporting to dog warden, even if nothing happens, as pp said it should be on record.

Dog wardens seem to have very little power and the way they deal with this sort of thing varies enormously from area to area. You never know, the dog warden in your area might actually follow it up.

Sorry to hear you've had this nasty experience.

babyblackbird · 05/05/2016 19:46

You really have my sympathy. And of course you should report to dog warden although don't be too optimistic of any action. The warden here is very sympathetic but had had the same dog reported to them 7 times and I still see it running around unmuzzled and off lead.

I also know how it feels to worry about the psychological effect on a young dog. Mine has been bitten twice and is only 2 and it has definitely made him very nervous of larger dogs and now more prone to being grumpy at rude dogs, who he would have tolerated before.

It has also entirely ruined my experience of owning and walking a dog, as I now always assume the worst about every Unknown dog that approaches him and actually dread walking him on my own now incase of another attack.

Notthecarwashagain · 07/05/2016 09:43

My dog was attacked a few months ago.
The same dog attacked my neighbours dog the very next day (completely unprovoked both times)
Called police and dog warden. Police not much help "dogs do attack other dogs" dog warden sent a letter out.

6 weeks later it jumped out onto the street and attacked my golden retreiver puppy, and my dog -who were both on a lead.

At first police were unhelpful again, but they've now asked the owner to sign a voluntary control order.

It's so frightening and horrible, and I hope that you and your dog are ok.

Dieu · 07/05/2016 11:59

Sympathies OP. Hope your poor dog ok. It's hard when they're the soft one and have to put up with that

WeAllHaveWings · 08/05/2016 10:40

Hope your dog is ok op. Our lab was attacked twice while under a year old and also didn't fight back just cried in pain and its horrible to see. It has made him a nervous dog.

I also makes me worried when I walk him and see another dog, so dh tends to walk him off lead now. Since then he has twice been attacked another 2 times by other dogs when out with dh and ddog(3) still doesn't fight back but the attacks were short as dh is very protective of him and will wade into a dog fight and kick/hit the offending dog if necessary to end it.

Thankfully dh hasn't been bit yet but is surprised that all the owners aren't happy their attacking dog got a slap and therefore don't apologise for their dog (dh would never hit a dog under any other circumstances and has not needed to use excessive force to break a fight up)

If one more person says their dog doesn't like black labs I may scream!

babyblackbird · 08/05/2016 18:46

Weall my dog who has been attacked a couple of times under the age of 1 is also a black lab and the softest most submissive thing going . I have put it down to a surge in testosterone at that age as he I still entire. Things seemed to peak at about that time and are generally much much better now but he has definitely been made more nervous and very twitched around other dogs as a result.

MeMySonAndl · 08/05/2016 18:55

Not sure what to say about the aggressive dogs but it may be a good idea to get your dog for a vet check.

It is a strange thing with dog behaviour but if your dog is randomly attacked by dogs, chances are he is a bit ill. I always knew when one of my dogs was ill,because even our other dog was picking on him ( stranger dogs would make a dash to him from well away, even when he was normally ignored when he was ok).

It would be a good idea not to let children walk dog until he is better, as it can be very traumatic to witness your dog being attacked.

babyblackbird · 08/05/2016 19:06

Memyson that is very interesting. It was very obvious to me that there was something about my dog because dogs that had previously bravery friendly around him were suddenly taking a huge dislike to him. In my case I can't pinpoint it to an illness that I was aware of but it really does make sense- there was definitely something hormonal or the like about it as dogs would come over all friendly, have a quick sniff and then line and growl.

babyblackbird · 08/05/2016 19:06

Been very not bravery !

miserablemoo · 11/05/2016 16:23

Hello

Thank you everyone that responded. Dog warden wasn't helpful. My dog has been a bit quiet since but I'm not sure if it's the warmer weather to be honest.

He is entire and the other dogs that have attacked him have also been male so could it be because he is entire that dogs take a disliking to him?

Today an off lead dog sniffed his nose through a fence and started going mental at him. It's like an instant dislike and again my dog was on his lead.

He's getting a bit nervy with other dogs and it's sad to see as he normally is very happy go lucky. A different dog sniffed him on the nose today and (they were both on the lead) and he got a bit twitchy which isn't like him. I've worked so hard to socialise him since a pup and it all seems to of been for nothing.

He is black white and brown but mainly black. So could it be because of his fur colour?

Thanks everyone.

OP posts:

ScrotesOnFire · 11/05/2016 16:30

If it was me, I would teach him to sit behind you on command.
I have seen a tutorial for this, I'll try and find it.

I would also carry a stick, perhaps a can of pet corrector.

Any hint of tension he can sit behind you making it easier for you to block a dogs advances and the stick or spray can be used as an extra deterrent.

ScrotesOnFire · 11/05/2016 16:32

www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/14_9/features/Helping-Timid-Dogs_20348-1.html

MeMySonAndl · 11/05/2016 21:55

There is something wrong with him, keep an eye on him, it may be something as simple as a toothache, but if he is feeling down... The other dogs will go for it :-(

babyblackbird · 11/05/2016 22:30

I'm not sure you can be so categoric as to assume there is something wrong with him.

How old is he Op ? As I have experienced my entire dog definitley suffered at the age of about 11-14 months but since then has not really had any problems. I am fairly sure that that coincided with a peak in testosterone as he went through puberty ( he is a lab - so that around the right time). I did briefly speak to a behaviourist at the time who did confirm that some neutered males do react quite strongly to entire males because they are basically intimated by the testosterone.

There is not much you can do about that (apart from neuter) but she strongly advised me not to neuter a nervous dog. I have taken Hingis quite gently with my dog and walked him only in areas he is familiar and confident in and avoided dogs that I think he would be intimidated by and kept a very close eye on any dog interactions. After nearly a year he is slowly gaining confidence around unknown dogs but he is still obviously nervous around larger dogs.

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