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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:
PengAly · 31/01/2019 12:22

Awh come on now PengAly, as a dog owner you must be a sadistic, cold blooded killer. You only rescued your dog to terrorise the neighbourhood didn't you?😆

Well, he is a large dog and we all know that every, single large dog is dangerous and always at risk of attacking Wink

BlueSlipperSocks · 31/01/2019 12:33

Well, he is a large dog and we all know that every, single large dog is dangerous and always at risk of attacking

Mmm..Best keep him in before your neighbours start kicking him. They have a right to attack dogs, just for being a dog.....apparently 🤔

PengAly · 31/01/2019 12:42

This thread has gone full circle and still people can't grasp the simple points that are trying to be made. Ah well, suppose when the discussion of dogs gets brought up on MN all hope is lost

IVFNewbie · 31/01/2019 12:42

It's not rocket science..licenses and muzzles (for some breeds) should be compulsory.

PengAly · 31/01/2019 13:40

(for some breeds)

No, it really shouldn't be for some breeds- any dog laws if they do get put in place should be for ALL breeds. Any dog can become aggressive if not trained or handled properly. From tiny lap dogs to massive Great Danes. The government already don't allow certain breeds. Harmless dogs would die in shelters because a lot of ignorant people won't rehome a dog if the government is saying that the breed requires a muzzle and licence. Plus, the irresponsible dog owners or illegal breeders probably will most likely ignore laws, they already do...

Josico58 · 31/01/2019 14:18

justasking111 They'll probably be destroyed.

WhenTheSkyFalls · 31/01/2019 14:27

This reply has been deleted

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Oliversmumsarmy · 31/01/2019 15:28

Sick and tired of people treating dogs like they're humans or a child in this country. Very very strange, the life of an animal is valued more than a human being here- its bizarre. Call the police, get that dog put down before it attacks its own owner

The attacker if you read the opening post was actually the op not the dog.

Are you calling for the OP to be put down?

Josico58 · 31/01/2019 16:02

This thread is ridiculous.

I agree dogs should be kept under control but can't help but think OP sounds like she's always hated these dogs and is actually rubbing her hands together because now she has a reason to get them taken away. Sorry, my interpretation from your post.

To all the dramatic posters going on about getting the "bite" checked, OP stated it didn't break the skin.

I feel bad for the owners who'll lose their pets because of this.

PengAly · 31/01/2019 16:14

@Josico58 yes, i believe your interpretation is correct and the few people on here who are actually being sensible think the same.

MumW · 31/01/2019 19:27

I feel bad for the owners who'll lose their pets because of this.
If the owners aren't able to control their dogs, then, if they do lose them, they only have themselves to blame.

Beaverhausen · 01/02/2019 08:24

@Josico58 100% agree with you.

Josico58 · 01/02/2019 09:31

MumW Not really as simple as that, is it? Dogs are living things with their own minds, their not pre-programmed robots. I have an almost 1 year old puppy, luckily mine is small and friendly and no threat to anyone, and generally he is obedient and well trained. We've dedicated time in training him, daily walks for recall training, and before that a 6 week puppy class course then 4 week follow up.

He'll still do what he wants if the mood takes him. You can't control them absolutely. Only trust that the work you have put in and the constant reinforcement of behavioural training will work.

This dog might have been excitedly greeting the little girl...
OP said he knocked her over, I'm sorry but even a little sausage dog could knock over an unstable toddler. Doesn't make it a vicious attack!

The dogs will likely be seized and destroyed because of this very minor incident. If you support that then that's down to you.

MumW · 01/02/2019 10:41

Not really as simple as that, is it?
I get that but from the information we have, it doesn't sound as though this is a one off or occaissional incident.

Dogs are pack animals and, whilst they are still individuals, the owners need to be top dogs. It's owners who aren't that cause the problem.
I know plenty of owners who understand this but also some who treat their dogs as spoilt children with no discipline or boundaries. The latter are the ones who always cause havoc.

PengAly · 01/02/2019 10:57

I get that but from the information we have, it doesn't sound as though this is a one off or occaissional incident.

No, this is you reading what you want from the OP, not what was actually said. In no way did that dog show any signs of attacking. The child got knocked over by the dog rushing passed- not being pushed. The dog barked near the toddler, not stood over it and the dog only bit because the OP kicked it. Why can people not read the thread properly? If anything the OP makes it obvious they personally dont like these dogs so was just waiting for an opportunity

Also the pack theory has been disproved years ago. Its simply no longer applicable and if you talk to actual trainers youd get told the same.

missbattenburg · 01/02/2019 11:37

For clarity:

Dogs are not pack animals. They form unstable, loose social groups (when allowed to), not packs. Those groups not not appear to have any strict linear hierarchy - i.e. there is no 'top dog'. When allowed, they have changeable and complex hierarchies that are specific to the individuals and environment at the time. They are not set in stone and a dog that defers to another in one circumstance, one day may not do so the next time.

Wolves are pack animals. They form tight-knit stable family groups (packs). They differ in social behaviour from dogs in numerous ways so their behaviour is not always the best way to understand dog behaviour. They do not have a strict linear hierarchy either (no top wolf). They do have parental hierarchies - i.e. the group is most often a family unit in which the parents would assume leadership in many circumstances but only in the same way as happens with many animals who have such close and long term parental care as their norm. As offspring grow up they will defer to the parents less and less and then leave home to find their own territory.

Dogs do seem to benefit from routine and predictability. When we talk about boundaries, in reality it would appear to be a dog understanding clearly that "if I do x, y happens" and for that to be true every time. Predictability.

None of that excuses the responsibility for owners to keep dogs under control, for everyone's safety. Not least for the safety of the dog.

Josico58 · 01/02/2019 11:58

katkat90 can you update on what you decided to do? I'm interested to hear what the police / RSPCA / owners of the dogs said?

PengAly · 01/02/2019 12:37

This reply has been deleted

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Lizzie48 · 01/02/2019 14:25

I think the OP has hidden the thread. She hasn't been back since Sunday, I'm surprised it's still going.

Oliversmumsarmy · 01/02/2019 14:39

I would be amazed if the police were interested.

Friend had several men with weapons break into her house.

She sprained her ankle running away from them. Barricades herself in a bedroom.

Police came round and gave her a crime number. No finger prints taken. They didn’t even take the weapon that was left on her dining room table.

Someone gets mouthed by a dog.
I doubt it would even flag up as meriting a statement.

Josico58 · 01/02/2019 15:19

Oliversmumsarmy

You would be surprised, this kind of thing actually manages to take up much more police time than actual crimes!

A friend of a friend's dog was seized for jumping up at a DHL delivery man. The dog was a rescue, and completely friendly but hadn't been trained - which the new owners were working on. He was just excitable, never hurt the delivery person or even barked. Just jumped up when the doorbell went. The dog was seized under the dangerous dogs act and kept in isolation for weeks. The owners kept calling for an update and were fobbed off. Eventually the dog was given back to them but now has to wear a muzzle and can't be on a lead longer than 2m. So sad.

I actually wish time wasters like this didn't manage to take up police resource, but they do. It's terrible. More tax payers money spent on trivial things like this than protecting us from actual crimes.

PengAly · 01/02/2019 15:45

@Josico58 thats so sad :(

MumW · 01/02/2019 19:27

Dogs are not pack animals
Fair enough, I stand corrected.

No, this is you reading what you want from the OP, not what was actually said.
I don't want to read anything in particular.

The OP says
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

Whether or not the dogs were actually attacking the toddler or just being playful is a matter for conjecture. However, if a large, boisterous dog pulled away from it's owners, I'd feel under attack. Add a pram and a toddler into the equation and I think that my mother's instinct to protect would kick in and I don't think I'd be rationalising about whether the dog was just trying to be friendly.

As I said, from the information given, the owners do not seem to be in total control of their dogs and any consequences of that lack of control are down to them.
If you can't manage the dog, then it isn't the right breed/size of dog for you - it's not fair on the dog either.

Oliversmumsarmy · 01/02/2019 19:37

You would be surprised, this kind of thing actually manages to take up much more police time than actual crimes

It would if no notice is really taken for actual crime.
It does seem like they only go after soft targets

ADropofReality · 01/02/2019 19:58

The attacker if you read the opening post was actually the op not the dog.

Why don't you read the OP? Mother and child stepped into neighbour's driveway off the pavement - the dog followed them and knocked down the child - then and only then did the mother kick the dog. The dog's the attacker here.