If your dog bit someone...

[LittleSkeletonSailor]

What would your immediate reaction and then course of action afterwards be?

If it was someone known to you, not close but you know their address and phone number etc..

Dog bit because it was startled.

I’d message with apologies and make sure my dog wasn’t around anyone without a muzzle in future

eta: that assumes it was a reasonable snap reaction from the dog. If it was an unprovoked mauling I’d have to think about Ddogs future

Considering I know my dog very well and he has never shown any sign of aggression, anxiety etc whatsoever I would be very very surprised if he were to bite someone. The fact you’ve said “dog bit because startled” makes me think that wouldn’t be the case in your situation, if your dog is a bite risk, even when startled, they should be muzzled- it’s so easy for dogs to startle while out & about.

But I would be very shocked, very apologetic, I’d try my best to ensure the person sought medical attention and provide all of my details. And then I’d be fully prepared for the police to come knocking and comply with any investigation.

I’d also be buying a muzzle and looking for a behaviourist to do whatever I can to ensure it does not happen again.

Take dog to the vets for a full medical check up. Dogs in pain are dogs that bite.

Apologise profusely.

Manage the dog so that they are never in that situation again.

Firstly you need to give an apology to the person. Then you need to decide was this a one off never happened before, in which case dog must always be muzzled when around people - once it has bitten it might do it again if it finds itself in a similar situation, or if it has happened before and was in reality unprovoked you need to seriously consider your dog’s future. It sounds harsh but do you want to be that dog owner who’s pet mauls / savages a child ?

Also to add- I’d inform my insurer per the terms of our pet insurance.

Our large crabby ddog bit dd's bf on the hand because he grabbed her collar. Which he had been reminded not to do several times..
Luckily dd saw him for the worm he was and ddog never had to see him again either... She knew he was a cunt imo.
She never went for anyone again in her 11 years of life...

Our grumpy older dog bit dds friend a few years ago. She had 3 friends back, all age about 11, I warned them not to go near the dog who was asleep in his bed, closed into the porch. They were in her bedroom, while I was doing something they sneaked out to him, he jumped up, startled, one of them screamed and he bit her on the arm. It wasn't a bad bite, more of a bruise really, but I was mortified, I brought her home and apologised profusely to her parents. Thank goodness they were ok about it. I didn't blame the dog tbh, but I was furious at dd, and at myself for not keeping a better eye on them.

If a dog bit me or my DC I’d expect the dog to be destroyed and the owner prosecuted.

what are the circumstances? Why was it startled? was it on a lead? who did it bite? are they likely to cause more of a fuss if you do contact them than if you don't? did it draw blood?

We had an difficult dog that was likely to.bite we had to manage him carefully, the only person he bit.outside of me and Dh was a boyfriend of my sisters and we had asked him not to pet the dog.

It was me that was bit.

I was wondering if I was being a dick for thinking there would be some sort of apology/follow up.

What - even if you or your DC were at fault and caused the dog to retaliate?

I’d be horrified, I’d check the person was ok and remind them to seek medical attention because dog bites can be nasty. I’d give my contact details and ask for theirs.

I’d have my dog checked by the vet and look for a behaviourist, the dog would be on a muzzle and walked away from other people unless/until there was a known reason for the bite, eg the dog was in pain and lashed out.

I’d follow up with the person who was bit, and send flowers as an apology.

Well I think the owner should definitely apologise to you,

No. You aren't being a dick at all

If my dog bit you I would have already apologised profusely and, depending on the circumstances, severity of the bite would have made arrangements to deal with the dog: vet visit, muzzle, euthanized as appropriate

He may be my much lived pet but he can't be a threat to anyone, ever!

That wasn't the case though.

The dog ran out of the house, straight upto me and bit my hand when there was a loud noise

In the case you described then yes, I would absolutely apologise and would contact my insurance.

'Startled' can mean lots of things though, so it would depend on the circumstances.

Completely depends on the incident. And what the 'bite' is and how old the dog is. Too many people say they've been bitten when what actually happened was an air snap warning or the dog grazed them by accident (when trying to escape) or even worse it's a puppy mouthing or reacting in fear.

From what you've said so far, sounds like the dog was terrified and reacted in fear rather than aggression. You may not want to give too much away, or be too specific, but ultimately with 'dog ran out the house and bit my hand when there was a loud noise' suggests a scared dog reacting poorly rather than outright agreession.

Ultimately, without anyone witnessing what happened, not knowing the wider context, the age of the dog etc. etc. no one can really advise.

Have you reported it to the police? That would be a dangerous dog based on your description

It can be an involuntary response for a dog to bite if startled. What was the loud noise? I would check that you’re ok. How bad is the bite, do you have a photo you could share, have you sought medical attention? You need to be careful of infection.

The owner voluntarily lets the dog out of the house as standard when she opens the front door. The dog came out of the house, as it usually does.
Ran upto me which then put him in the eyeline of my own dogs who were secure behind a stairgate in my hall. Upon seeing him my dogs start barking.

Which I assume startled the neighbours dog and as I had my hand extended to say hello to him, he bit my hand. Causeing a puncture wound.

Been to A&E and got antibiotics and tetanus

That dog was dangerously out of control then op.

The owner sounds like a twat for not checking on you or even apologising.

But in answer to your original post, a dog bite can happen under so many different circumstances and some would not be the dogs fault, so depending on the circumstances of the bite, it would change how I reacted etc.

Well that changes everything, doesn't it? Doesn't matter if you think your dogs were 'secure' behind a stairgate (FYI, stairgates are weak enough that I've seen an eight week old Goldie knock them down). I'd be very interested to know the dog breeds involved tbh.

Your dogs barked at him, he got scared and because your hand was already out you ended up being caught in his fear response. I think you left a lot of very pertinent information out of your OP - this was 100% a fear based response that, whilst unfortunate, does not reflect badly on the poor dog. No aggression involved.

Unfortunate, but personally I think you and the dogs owner are both pretty unreasonable. Mountain out of a molehill. Only innocent here is, as is so often the case, the dog.

My dogs were in my own home. Secure and unable to get out

She let her reactive dog out into the street without any control of him (shes always trying to catch him/make him go back inside)

Her dog is a spaniel of some sort. Mine are small cross breeds, toy size.

So much depends. If you are my presumptuous dick of a bil who has visited our home 4 times in 25 years who thought he could grab the dog’s collar I didn’t say a word. If my dog went for you unprovoked I’d have already apologised profusely and involved the vet.