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

Well said @Molakai. I tried to make this point in my earlier long post but unfortunately it wasnt well recieved.

26% of the population of the uk own a dog. And within that very large group of people there will be a minority who are CF dog owners: irresponsible, thoughtless, incompetent, abusive etc. etc. etc.

Responsible dog owners welcome laws and sanctions against irresponsible dog owners.

You can choose to ignore advice but that's a strange and short sighted approach to a fact of life.

So do you think the OP should be criticised for kicking the dog? Or should she be forgiven for not bothering to educate herself about the best strategies for dealing with out of control dogs?

If you really think we should all learn about protecting our children and ourselves from dogs, I’d suggest we instead consider a ban on domestic dog ownership. A bit like a ban on the sale of fireworks: many people are responsible with them and get pleasure from them; but a minority are irresponsible and cause problems. Victims’ knowing how to deal with burns and other injuries doesn’t justify the greater risk and nuisance.

“Or should she be forgiven for not bothering to educate herself about the best strategies for dealing with out of control dogs?”

But it’s not about education, it’s literally just common sense, don’t hit something if you’re worried it’s about to attack you, because hitting it first pretty much guarantees that it will attack you.

It’s not any kind of specialist dog knowledge...

But it’s not about education, it’s literally just common sense, don’t hit something if you’re worried it’s about to attack you, because hitting it first pretty much guarantees that it will attack you.

Bollocks. People act on impulse in the face of danger.

Anyway, I’ve asked several people about their experiences with nuisance dogs and all have said that a good kick or a whack with a bag or a stick have sent the dog running off.

Of course if it’s a potentially very dangerous dog like a Staff the victim’s reaction would probably be to get away from the dog if possible. But that’s self-protection, not considered tactics.

dog like a Staff the victim’s reaction would probably be to get away from the dog if possible.

Please don't generalise an entire breed.

Thank you BooBoo and Tabula I found your advice / tips helpful.

I like dogs, I love watching them busying themselves about, well trained dogs seem to have generous natures, I like their eagerness.

But I have never lived with a dog, no family members or close friends have dogs and I am completely inexperienced. Unless the dog is wagging it’s tail and wanting a pat or a ball thrown I have no clue as to it’s state of mind / reaction, and I honestly wouldn’t be able to interpret happy barking from ‘I am alerting you, my owner, to a serious problem’ barking.

Please don't generalise an entire breed.

Why not?

No one else knows what your powerful and intimidating ‘muscle dog’ Staff is like and what it might do.

@KissingInTheRain because an entire breed cant and shouldnt be blamed for the bad owners of some. Whats this nonsense about "my muscle dog" i dont own one and the people I know who do dont call them muscle dogs...

Jusging a dog by looks is very unnesesary and not at all helpful to this thread.

So do you think the OP should be criticised for kicking the dog?

How could you possibly draw that conclusion from what I wrote?

There is no point engaging in discussion with someone who creates their own narrative instead of reading what has actually been written.

@Molakai There is no point engaging in discussion with someone who creates their own narrative instead of reading what has actually been written.

Here, here! Seems like there are some on here that are so clouded by their hatred of dogs that trying to have a sensible discussion is pointless.

PengAly

I assumed you owned a Staff because you were so quick to defend them. The point stands anyway: owners of intimidating dogs - Staffs, Dobermans, Rottweilers, and so on - must expect people to be wary. If these dogs attack, and they can and do, they cause terrible injury.

If you don’t want to be thought of as the owner of a potentially dangerous dog DON’T FUCKING GET ONE.

Molakai

You said, You don't have to be schooled in anything. People are simply offering advice that could be helpful. It's entirely your choice to ignore and put your fingers in your ears going "la la la" .

That seems to be criticism of someone like the OP.

@KissingInTheRain nope. Im just sensible enough to not make assumptions.

Im sure youd love ITVs "Britains favourite dogs" from last night. Staffs were voted the 2nd most popular dog by the public! German Shepards made the top 10

Oh sorry! Staffies were named the TOP NUMBER 1 favourite dog, my mistake.

KissingInTheRain I've been struggling to find a word I wanted to use in previous posts and it's just come to me.

The word is pragmatic

praɡˈmatɪk/

adjective

dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

That definition says it all.

Dogs exist. Millions of them. So listening to advice about dogs and dog behaviour is being pragmatic.

You and anyone else who want to campaign to ban dogs or anything else are free to do so.

But in the meantime you live in a world that does have dogs. Choosing not to deal with that fact in a sensible way just because you don't like the fact, is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

That seems to be criticism of someone like the OP.

My comments were aimed at you Kissing, not the OP

Staffs were voted the 2nd most popular dog by the public!

Well that’s all right then. They obviously can’t be responsible for any attacks or fatalities like this one

OnTheHop many dog clubs are working offering classes for people who are phobic about dogs or just want to understand them better, so that might be a fun activity to consider?

My comments were aimed at you Kissing, not the OP

No they weren’t. They were aimed at anyone who disagrees with you, including the OP.

The OP has said absolutely nothing about her attitude towards receiving advice about dog behaviour.

So I repeat, my comments were aimed st you not the OP.

@KissingInTheRain if you look for it, you will always find a story about anything you dislike. Ive found news stories about cats smothering children in their sleep- so all cats are dangerous then? The UK public voted staffs as number one most popular breed, they get nicknamed nanny dog for being so great with children. The attacks that happen ate isolated incidents or they are due to the poor dogs being bred and trained to fight by idiots. Of course ANY breed of ANY animal can be dangerous under certain circumstances but you really can not generalise an entire breed. Thats not how it works

@MolakaiThere is no point engaging in discussion with someone who creates their own narrative instead of reading what has actually been written

^^Here, here! Seems like there are some on here that are so clouded by their hatred of dogs that trying to have a sensible discussion is pointless

This ^^ People who have never owned a dog or who have no interest in understanding dog behaviour will always come up with uneducated vitriol against something they know nothing about.

Dogs bark, birds fly and those who are unable to cope with others who share their world should stay within their protective bubble and leave other people, animals and creatures to go about their everyday business.

Nobody has said that vicious dogs should be left off lead to attack people. Everyone is responding to the OP who claims a large dog "attacked" her. That clearly is not the case but there is little point in engaging with people who are ignorant enough to think a very large dog who caught the bottom of someone's trousers as it was being kicked as a ferocious, viscious dog in attack mode. They will never see the reality of the situation - because they don't want to.

I wonder what fantastic story OP is dreaming up now. She hasn't seen fit to return. Ah well.... 🤷‍♀️

There was a poster on another thread who’s a journalist on a local newspaper and who covers the local courts. She said they cover all the cases. Her assessment of the dog destruction orders was that at least 50% were against Staffs.

How many cats or hamsters do you suppose have been ordered to be put down for causing injuries to people?

FFS

BlueSlipperSocks I seem to have spectacularly ignored my own advice don't I ?

True, but Blue has spectacularly ignored the question why she said she much prefers dogs to people.

Oh well.

@KissingInTheRain thats a sad truth because Staffs get bred for the wrong reasons and then they end up abandoned and nobody wants them. Loads of them get successfully rehomed, which unsurprisingly you dont seem to mention. But OBVIOUSLY you are an expert of all dogs