My dog got bitten today 😟

[Jungfraujoch]

DH was walking him in park enforce work as normal, playing fine with 2 other dogs (although DH hadn't seen them before). I think they were behind DH when it happened as he said he heard a yelp, looked round and the two dogs were chasing ours ( he does like a good run/chase!). Owner called them back and went on her way.

Our dog acted normally, until nearly home DH noticed blood. On closer inspection quite a long wound but not deep. So off to the vets, GA, stitches, picked him up at teatime.

Now feeling very sorry for himself, sleeping beside me.

[Jungfraujoch]

Before not enforce!

[BiteyShark]

Oh that's horrible and a reason why I won't let my dog run around with other dogs as I always worry that he will get attacked. Hope your DDog is ok

[Jungfraujoch]

Thank you. I just hope it doesn't make him nervous of other dogs, he's a rescue and is usually very sociable but does get anxious sometimes -
although normally men, buses, sudden movement etc.

Once the GA has worn off the hard thing will be to stop him running/leaping about - short walks only on a lead for a week - the wound is top of his leg/side of chest so needs to be kept as immobile as poss to heal

[tinymeteor]

That's a great shame and if you see hat owner again you should let them know what happened as they may not be aware.

Don't let it put you off letting him play with other dogs though. The best way to avoid him becoming nervous as a result of this incident is to get him straight back into playing with dogs that are friendly. It'll reassure him that most dogs are. Maybe set up a walk with someone you know that has a good tempered dog, to build his confidence. The more times a play session ends well, the less relevant the bad experience will seem to the dog.

[katonic]

Are you sure it's a bite? Could he have caught his skin on a branch or fence while running? A long shallow cut doesn't seem like a bite injury, this is more likely to be multiple small punctures. If he didn't seem bothered at the time it's unlikely he will be psychologically affected.

[LaGattaNera]

do you think it is a long claw scratch albeit a bad one? if other dog jumped up at yours whilst yours was running the claw could be dragged along to give a long wound as I agree, it doesn't sound like a bite

[Jungfraujoch]

Vet seemed to think a bite, suggested maybe a jagged tooth drawn along the skin. Could have been a claw I suppose. Anyway he's fine, sleeping on the sofa alongside me They were running at the time in an open space so def not a branch or anything.

[CornflakeHomunculus]

It does sound like an errant tooth scraped him rather than it being an actual bite with any kind of intent. It's really easy for that to happen with excited dogs chasing each other. DWhippet2 has a scar on his side from exactly the same sort of injury courtesy of DWhippet3.

The potential for such injuries (both to my dogs and caused by them) is why I don't let mine play off lead with strange dogs. Sighthounds tend to enjoy "coursing" other dogs/each other and it's just so easy for a mock takedown bite to go wrong and actually cause damage. Mine run off lead and play together but they obviously know each other inside out and are very respectful of each others' boundaries.