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

You need to call the police. If your phone is dead, use Skype to make the phone call.

You need to ring the police because you were bitten. And also ring your dog warden (you'll have to wait until tomorrow to ring them).

No, the dog didn’t attack. The OP kicked, the dog reacted. If a dog of that size had attacked, the OP would have a lot more than a pair of ripped trousers.

OP, I understand you were protecting your child but as a PP said, please read up on what to do if you’re in a situation like this again. Your children would have been in more danger had the dog bite been severe and had left you on the ground.

Report, yes. They should have been under control, but I doubt very much that they’ll be put to sleep over this.

Good god.
The woman’s instincts kicked in- she has a toddler and a tiny baby- I doubt she had time to think, she just reacted.

OP ignore the sanctimonious cunts who put dogs wellbeing above children’s. You did what your instincts told you to do. You’re right to report it- it could’ve been so much worse.

I have a dog and a toddler. The dog is a stunning, wonderful animal and dearly loved- but it’s just that. An animal. Animals are not equal to humans. Full stop.

Hope you’re okay and not too shaken.

More cheese. No I’m not joking. The dogs don’t need to be put down at all. They need to be controlled better. But quite clearly a large powerful dog being kicked and only reacting by using its mouth to stop the attack is not a dangerous dog. Like most dogs it will have learned bite inhibition as a puppy

If you engage your brain think about a large dog that actually was attacking rather than using its mouth to fend off a kick would certainly have broken the skin and would likely have brought down the adult.

In this situation the op should have stood her DD up with both of their backs to the dog and waited for the owners (who were in the wrong not being able to control their dog) to collect their dog.

Google what to do when a dog leaps at you
are you for real??
if a dog is given to leaping at people it should be destroyed, we dont live in the jungle we shouldnt have to fight off animals ffs!

suddenly a new language emerges
the dog isnt biting it's 'using it's mouth'

Any decent parent would do anything possible to get a massive potentially aggressive dog away from their toddler.

Such as start a physical fight with it? Not sure how that helps.

Only someone with very little knowledge or experience of dogs would think kicking one that is barking is a good idea.

If a dog has stopped and is barking, it's very unlikely that it is going to bite, unless it's given some further reason to. What you need to do it react in a commanding but not threatening way, tell it loudly to bugger off and stop being a nuisance. Obviously the words aren't important, it's the tone. Aim for irritation and annoyance, but avoid projecting fear or anger. It probably won't stop barking, but it should back down.

(I have no qualifications in dog psychology, basing all this on first-hand experience from my childhood.)

@deadbudgie

That’s all well and good- but I can’t think of a single mother of young children who in real life would be capable of standing still and turning their backs on a dangerous animal. instinctively you want to see the danger, and if needs be, respond to it. However “perfect” your online response is, IRL it would take someone with superhuman self control to do that.

Typical Mumsnet.

Massive fucking dog barks at small child aggressively, whilst standing over her having knocked her over.

Mum attempts to kick dog away.

Dog bites mother.

Mother in the wrong.

Substitute "dog" for "man" and we have a completely different set of responses.

And I'm a dog person. Get a grip.

The dogs should be put down. The owners should be prosecuted.

Phone the police. Now.

the dogs are inappropriate

Don't want to detract from this thread, but this comment really tickled me

I own 2 dogs & have had dogs attack them. I have kicked them & I would again, but I would expect them to bite me. If I had a young child knocked over by a dog, I may well lash out too. Esp with a TWO WEEK OLD BABY in the pram! But the difference is, that I would fully expect the dog to react in its own defence. I’m glad it didn’t hurt you. I think you did the right thing, and will do when you call the police. People should be able to control their dogs, or not have dogs!

You kicked the dog that’s why it retaliated.

I hope the RSPCA don’t have the dog destroyed because it’s owners don’t control it and the general public kick it.

wordthe not a dog lover then? If we put down all dogs that liked to jump up at people most would be destroyed in puppy hood and they'd become endangered

Just seen your update If a Great Dane hasn’t broken your skin it hasn’t bitten you, it has restrained you with its mouth to stop an attack by you.

It managed to tear through her track suit. To tear through track suit fabric requires more than a bit of gentle mouthing/restraint. If she’d been wearing tights or nothing on her legs, I wonder if the outcome would have been the same.

And as for all those defending the dog as ‘accidentally’ knocking the toddler down because it was ‘excited’ - its motivation isn’t really relevant to the OP. A toddler being knocked to the ground by something much bigger and heavier than she is can have very nasty consequences, particularly on a hard surface. It is dangerous. Therefore the dog was dangerously out of control in a public places. The law doesn’t care about its motives.

It's great people are posting with the cool rationale of their homes, the OP was in a situation that triggered her fight, flight, freeze response. I would've kicked the dog also.

You don't need phone credit to ring the Emergency Services.

Can't believe people are actually saying it's the ops fault for kicking. It's bloody awful that a HUGE dog knocked her toddling baby over then stood over her barking. I'd bloody kick it too. What's she supposed to do, coax it away with biscuits?! If the neighbours looked after their dogs there'd be no issue

*posting from the

I don’t think they are saying she deserved it because she kicked the dog . That is different to saying it might have provoked the bite .

But it is an understandable reaction , and I have dogs ,and actually ended up in hospital from a dog attack .

I never use extendable leads or walk mine off lead in a public area . And they are no way vicious.

No, the dog didn’t attack. The OP kicked, the dog reacted. If a dog of that size had attacked, the OP would have a lot more than a pair of ripped trousers

what the fuck
this sounds like,
'no I didnt really hit my wife, I only slapped her to calm her down. If I'd hit her she'd have half her face caved in'

I can tell that you're impressed at the notion of a big dog that can really do some proper damage if it wanted to

As the OP. is very blase about phoning the police (made numerous excuses as to why she can't) it makes me wonder if the incident didn't happen as she said it did.