Neighbours dog has just attacked me and DD.

[katkat90]

Have had issues with them in the past

They are elderly, with two large breed dogs (think Great Danes?). They cannot control them. Honestly the amount of times I have seen them nearly pull them over in the street/simply pull out of their grasp and go bouncing off and jumping all over people is untrue.

Was walking back from the shop and saw them coming from a distance so I stepped to the side into another neighbours driveway and next thing I know- one of them had pulled out of its owners grasp and came bounding over and knocked DD (who is just about getting confident with her toddling) over.

It was over in seconds- by the time I put the break on the pram (was stood on a slopes drive so it would of ran off into the road) and went to grab DD she was already on the floor the dog barking at her- so I kicked it to get it away, and it bit my leg.

I was furious. Owner very embarrassed an apologetic but I’ve said enough is enough and I would be contacting the police and the RSPCA.

Heaven forbid it bounded on the pram and just decided to bite my 2 week old. It would of taken her head off no doubt.

V shaken and waiting for DH to get home to call the police and RSPCA.

I’ve also messaged his daughter on Facebook

Belinda we already have enough information to know that this dog is being aggressive it is snarling and it is ignoring its owner,
A dog that ignores its owner has not been properly trained
the dog ought to see it owner as it's superior if it ignores its owner then the dog thinks it is in charge the dog is therefore a danger.

no doubt some of you doggie people will think that the dog ignores its owner because it has a personality disorder or its thinking about his favourite food, or it's having a bad day or the bird said something rude to it which upset it
this is bullshit and completely besides the point
if you want to keep a Predator as a pet you need to make sure that it is obedient
If you can't manage that then I suggest you get a guinea pig

Word are you being deliberately provocative?

Ada said the dog she encounters was snarling. I agreed she should report as it's out of control and being aggressive. Op didn't say the dog in her encounter was snarling and I still said report because it's out of control. So not sure what your issue is.

Dogs that don't listen are badly trained. Decent owners handle and work with their dogs so that they can have a pleasant, fulfilling life. Bad owners don't train their dogs properly because they aren't willing to put in the time or the effort. No one is disputing that people like that shouldn't have dogs, so why are you going on about debunked pack theory and birds talking?

The thing to remember here is these people are neighbours- you are going to have to live alongside them and how easy is that going to be if you have pushed for the dogs to be removed or PTS?
In my view the poster acted provocatively kicking the dog as escalating the situation. (Of course the owners are not blameless) but lets be fair you need to be 100% sure before you pursue having someones much beloved families pets potentially put down. This could cause a huge breakdown in neighbour relations

I do think you have a right of defence. I have been bitten. My daughter was bitten not just through her trousers when jogging (by a dog one of 7 with a dog walker), not just through her knickers but to the skin in her bottom (how we sniggered but even so it was dreadful and no the owners have not bought her new expensive jogging pants, new knickers nor given her personal injury damages.

Perhaps we should carry cattle prods and if the dog touches us be allowed to apply them to the aninal then owners know if their dog touches us it risks death or a shock.

We aren't all bloody Ceasar Whatsisface (thank god) or any kind of bloody dog whisperers.

You don't need to be a dog whisperer to know you don't kick a bloody dog.

if runners feel as if they need to carry a weapon to defend themselves against dogs then there is a problem with dogs

I was also considering the possibility of a hand held tasers....though maybe just yelling 'keep your dog away - I have a taser' might do as much good as actually owning one.

I was on a children’s playground once, with signs stating ‘no dogs’ when one ran up to the equipment and started snarling and barking at my 2YO DD. Raised hackles, vicious, horrible thing. This went on for several minutes while the owner ambled towards us, laughing and mocking us - ‘He won’t kill you! Are you scared little ladies? Are you frightened?’

He found the snarling dog and crying child hilarious - just stood there, hands in pockets, laughing and enjoying the scene. So I did start kicking the thing. Suddenly he didn’t find it so funny anymore.

If a person sees a large dog bounding over to someone, clumsily knocking a just walking toddler over, barking excitedly and catching a boot between it's teeth as a snarling, dangerous dog that has attacked then there's something wrong with that person.

The dog was out of control because it's owners haven't taken the time to train it. The dog is not dangerous and it did not attack.

The owner is to blame. No need for the dog to be put down. Oh and dogs are not predators. They have no need to be. Domesticated dogs, kept as pets, have no need to hunt for its food.

@Yabbers

I know nothing about dogs. When faced with a really nasty, aggressive one, what’s someone to do? I had to get it away from us.

But I don't want to live in a society where people feel they have to carry tasers because of the threat from dogs
I don't want to live in a society where there are lots of people wandering around with tasers
We need to get rid of the problem dogs

The dogs were out of control because they haven't been trained properly, an untrained dog is a menace and a potential danger

A dog is a predatory animal

My neighbours had a dog that another neighbour said had bitten them. They did not have to produce evidence of the bite. The dog had an asbo type thing. If he was reported again he would be put down. Now no-one in the village believed this litigious neighbour who also tried to get rid of a horse, but the courts believed her.

Also dog owners with these out of control dogs run the risk of someone like a pp dh killing their dog if it attacks or is perceived to attack. A few more cases like that might focus their minds - they won’t manage these dogs for the general public’s safety but might do for their own dogs own protection

Wasn`t there a funny Waitrose thread eons ago.

How do I find the classics btw??

Mrs Ariadne yours does sound a scary situation hope you’re ok. Tbh you can’t really get the dog away From you you need to get away from the dog.

Do not pick up your child, get inbetweem the dog and child, best thing is to turn your back pull your child in close facing you and slowly move away, maybe slightly sideways so you can keep an eye on the dog (but avoid eye contact). The owner was a knob and it’s him that needs the kicking. But he’s probably a knob at work, driving his car, to his wife and to his kids. He just so happened to have a dog this time.

If your child has been left frightened of dogs look at ways for her to overcome that fear

The police know that they have to take these dog attacks seriously
if they don't then people will take matters into their own hands and we will have people carrying weapons to defend themselves against dogs

And of course farmers already have authority to destroy on sight dogs that are worrying livestock
There is no taking the dog to a dog psychiatrists to unpick its psychological issues

The taser idea is a good one - might carry one round to start tasering the parents who think their kid is entitled to run up from no where and through themselves on top of my dog, or chase it round under a table despite me telling them not to and having nervous dog do not pet written all over their lead and harness! - why is she nervous cos she’s had this happen to her so many times.

Wordthe.... so you seem to take great delight in the idea of people being able to kill and injure dogs... wonder what this says about you

If it was a sheep it had bounded up to and the farmer saw it he could have shot it. But a child is supposed to put up with it according to the doggy loons.

Time all dogs had to be muzzled and on leads in public.

you see dead I still think this is your problem. You brought a dog that can't cope with children into a space that contains children. I don't know why you would choose to do that.

My DD is very carefully 'trained' to always ask before approaching any dog, and would only ever approach a dog on a lead. Recently she asked to stroke a dog, the owner said sure, but the dog then hide behind owners legs when she approached. She just turned to me and said I don't think this dog wants a stroke from me and we went about our business.

So I am not at all in favour of kids running wild. BUT if you know your dog can't cope with children then why expose your dog to children?

I agree, dogs on leads at all times, I don't know if muzzling is also necessary though More cheese, perhaps just for some breeds?

Why only for some breeds? Are we going to start the dangerous dog spiel now?