Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Neighbours dog has just attacked me and DD.

861 replies

katkat90 · 27/01/2019 18:39

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

OP posts:
ChakiraChakra · 28/01/2019 22:32

Yes Aridane. Those articles all talk about horse riding accidents.

Not horse attacks.

Wordthe · 28/01/2019 22:48

it only takes the FEAR that a dog may be a threat to trigger action now

again, thank you @Pissed, for reminding us all that we need to report each and every problem dog and can be confident that the law will be on our side

Pissedoffdotcom · 28/01/2019 22:58

As long as you only report the PROBLEM owners & not every dog you see. If people took a sensible approach - on both sides - we wouldn't have issues. Sadly some people are irresponsible dickheads, & some people can lie through their back teeth to make owners' lives hell. Sensible dog owners sadly have to be unbelievably vigilant now - my poor dog was reported for apparently biting my neighbour. Dog was always muzzled out of my flat, always on a harness with two points of contact...oh & neighbour had no injuries/ripped clothes/scratches anywhere. Still got a visit from the dog warden, the police & housing. Bitch

KissingInTheRain · 28/01/2019 23:32

@headbangdesk the dog was on a lead!?!? Fucking hell... nothing - literally NOTHING - happened in this situation. It didn't lunge at you, it didn't bite you, it didn't even bloody touch you...

...

😂
...

Hahaha the mind boggles doesn't it? There's nothing more entertaining than those who have no fucking clue about dogs who persistently post their contempt on dog threads! 🍿😋 😂

Jesus. A dog - a Staff - barking aggressively and straining to get away from its handler and go towards a child. And dog lovers minimise this, in fact ridicule the fear and distress that children and adults are caused?

Un-be-fucking-lievable.

Wordthe · 28/01/2019 23:32

if a dog goes for someone in anyway or acts aggressively towards someone then that in the eyes of the law constitutes an attack

a dog which has been properly trained would always defer to humans it would never attack unless commanded to do so by its owner

dog owners tend to be emotionally attached to their pets, for this reason they have a strong unconscious bias when it comes to dog attacks or any situation which could potentially result in their pet being destroyed
Whilst this is understandable the law has to be dispassionate and put humans above dogs

Wordthe · 28/01/2019 23:39

@Kissing I completely agree, I was appalled at the earlier response to @Headbangs post about an extremely distressing and frightening incident which could so easily have been much worse.

The response to her post was horrible contemptuous and mocking

I'll say it again, the complete lack of concern for the distress and fear experienced by those who have been attacked by dogs is disgusting
I am now forming the impression thatdog owners laugh at people who are attacked by dogs, if the ones on here are anything to go by they just think 'hahaha you deserved it'

Molakai · 28/01/2019 23:57

I am now forming the impression thatdog owners laugh at people who are attacked by dogs, if the ones on here are anything to go by they just think 'hahaha you deserved it'

Oh FFS don't be ridiculous.

I actually agree with much of what you say, but you damage your own argument by taking things so far that you sound like you've lost the plot.

Responsible dog owners want action taken against irresponsible ones just as much as non dog owners.

ChakiraChakra · 29/01/2019 00:10

Crack on, wordthe. 🍷 You don't get to speak for a group of people they your aren't part of. Every single responsible dog owner (of which this is by far the majority) does everything they can to ensure that their dogs, and the people we see when we go for walks, are safe. We don't react well to a whole species we care about being slagged off by people who don't understand them. We're MORTIFIED if somebody gets hurt or scared, but we're also not too impressed if people claim something is an attack when either they've done something totally irresponsible to provoke it, or... it's just not actually an attack.

KissingInTheRain · 29/01/2019 00:18

And you even double down on your dismissal of a child’s, and his mother’s, distress, Chakira.

Shame on you.

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 00:27

*Jesus. A dog - a Staff - barking aggressively and straining to get away from its handler and go towards a child. And dog lovers minimise this, in fact ridicule the fear and distress that children and adults are caused?

Un-be-fucking-lievable*

So can you tell us what damage an on lead dog did? I'm all ears...

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 00:31

If a dog goes for someone in anyway or acts aggressively towards someone then that in the eyes of the law constitutes an attack

Define "goes for someone". I think We all have your idea of a dog acting aggressively... AKA any dog... in your opinion. Give it a rest FFS!

KissingInTheRain · 29/01/2019 00:34

So can you tell us what damage an on lead dog did? I'm all ears...

Do you really not understand the fear a child - or an adult - would experience when confronted by a loud, aggressive powerful dog that’s trying to come at them? Really?

tabulahrasa · 29/01/2019 00:37

It’s not fear of an attack btw, it’s reasonable fear.

If a dog is noisy, but restrained, either behind a fence or on a lead it’s not a reasonable fear because you can see full well it can’t attack you.

I’m guessing the OP isn’t coming back tbh, but I’m very surprised that she was bitten by a Great Dane and only has a tear in some trousers....

I’ve seen a Great Dane bite on a dog’s neck, it’s, well, a lot of damage... 4 puncture marks, two on top, two underneath an inch and a half wide and 2 inches deep...

That’s from one single snap, just it’s canine teeth went in, but they’re so huge that the whole neck was in the Great Danes mouth.

That on a leg is going to be so much worse.

So realistically you should be considering yourself pretty lucky that’s all you’ve got to show the police.

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 00:43

Do you really not understand the fear a child - or an adult - would experience when confronted by a loud, aggressive powerful dog that’s trying to come at them? Really?

How could a dog restrained on a lead go to anyone? Please explain 🤷‍♀️

KissingInTheRain · 29/01/2019 00:48

The whole point of people’s fears in these situations is that they don’t know whether the owner can keep hold of the dog, bring it to heel, whether it can out of the garden etc. The distress is caused by the dog’s behaviour and what might happen.

TBH I think you’re being obtuse.

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 00:52

Do you really not understand the fear a child - or an adult - would experience when confronted by a loud, aggressive powerful dog that’s trying to come at them? Really

The gnashing, snarling, barking, teeth baring,
hackles raised, paw stomping aggressive dog (joking obvs because you didn't mention the signs of an aggressive dog in your post) would be a concern if it wasn't restrained on a lead. If a dog is on lead how can it impinge on people's safety? Again - please explain 🤦‍♀️

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 00:57

I’m guessing the OP isn’t coming back tbh, but I’m very surprised that she was bitten by a Great Dane and only has a tear in some trousers....

You can bet your life OP won't be back. I'm also pissing myself aghast that she states she was attacked by a Geat Dane. Especially as she has no injuries to report 🙄😏

User758172 · 29/01/2019 01:00

@BlueSlipperSocks

I’ve had all of that with a dog off-leash, and it was terrifying. I avoid dogs whenever possible now.

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 01:02

*The whole point of people’s fears in these situations is that they don’t know whether the owner can keep hold of the dog, bring it to heel, whether it can out of the garden etc. The distress is caused by the dog’s behaviour and what might happen.

TBH I think you’re being obtuse*

So what you are saying is there is no point in owners keeping their dogs on lead then... Because, they can't guarantee the dog will be restrained?? WTF?

User758172 · 29/01/2019 01:05

They should be on a leash, but it’s still not guaranteed the owner can control it Confused

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 01:05

I’ve had all of that with a dog off-leash, and it was terrifying. I avoid dogs whenever possible now

Is your experience the same as OP - Dog bounding over, knocking barely walking toddler over and being kicked in the face for giving an excited bark?

BlueSlipperSocks · 29/01/2019 01:08

Today 01:05MrsAriadneOliver

They should be on a leash, but it’s still not guaranteed the owner can control it

Ok...so if a dog owner can't control his dog on a leash is there any point in leashing a dog? Think carefully before you reply....

User758172 · 29/01/2019 01:10

@BlueSlipperSocks

Not quite! I did end up kicking it, but the owner was an arehole who refused to control it.

User758172 · 29/01/2019 01:14

Well, after very, very careful consideration - of course the dog should still be leashed. People won’t take it as a given that the owner can control it and will still be wary, but of course dogs should be on a leash.

KissingInTheRain · 29/01/2019 01:16

So what you are saying is there is no point in owners keeping their dogs on lead then... Because, they can't guarantee the dog will be restrained?? WTF?

Well, I suppose the woman could have let the dog go and risked a child being mauled or killed. So I guess we should be thankful that she merely allowed the child to be terrified.

How about people not keeping aggressive, loud, threatening dogs that have to be restrained from going for people?

You are definitely being obtuse.