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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

My dog bit another dog

119 replies

Lovemydogs11 · 06/10/2019 01:04

Ok so I have a little rescue dog from Romania. I have him him 2yrs 3months he is walked everyday and goes off lead. Today we was walking in our local wooded park and we was walking along a path with trees along one side and a lad with a spaniel walked past and his dog was in the trees with my dog. Suddenly his dog yelped and ran to owner and my dog had bit him on his side. My dog likes to chase so I dont know if his dog startled him and he chased it and grabbed its side but it was one puncture wound. I gave the lad my details. My dog had NEVER done this before. He will grumble and some dogs but never as much shown his teeth!! I am beside myself with worry he is such a loving little dog that plays and gets along with almost every dog he meets. The lad txt me saying dog had been to vets had stitches and antibiotics and they have contacted their insurance and he will let me know the outcome. I'm not sure what this means!!

OP posts:

Underdone · 06/10/2019 08:52

From what you've said I'm not sure how you know that your dog did actually bite the other dog. Did you actually see it happen? Could the dog not have just hurt himself on a branch?

Could you maybe speak to the vet to see if it could have been caused by something else because you've said he's only little and stitches for a single puncture wound sounds a bit ott.

Wolfiefan · 06/10/2019 08:55

Your dog has grumbled before? You mean growled? That’s often the very last warning before they bite. He’s warned you of his intentions and you’ve ignored them.

makingmammaries · 06/10/2019 08:58

@wildorchidz
Really, you need to be a vet to know that one wound does not equal stitches and antibiotics?
What happened to using your brain?

lostelephant · 06/10/2019 09:00

I agree, he will be put on his lead when another dog is in sight.

And when another dog from out of sight runs near your dog?

The dog has shown signs of aggression and needs to be kept on a lead.

ButDoYouAvocado · 06/10/2019 09:05

You say your dog is not vicious but he has injured another dog so badly it needed stitches. I hear you when you say this has never happened before but now it has and you have a responsibility to other dog owners to keep your dog on a lead in case it happens again.

I'm glad you offered to pay the bill. I work with dogs and have lost count of the number of times clients of mine have had their dogs attacked and injured only for the other owner to just fuck off! So well done for doing the right thing.

RidgedPerfection · 06/10/2019 09:11

I would keep your dog on a lead and /or consider a muzzle. My dog was attacked and almost killed by a dog who had apparently only growled before (mine was on lead on the pavement, the other dog off lead, running out of it's garden as we went past). The owner thought it was a one off but it went on to attack and injure another dog a couple of weeks later when it was being walked off lead. The other dog responded to being attacked (mine did not) however and the attacking dog was also injured and came off the worst.

As others have said, well done for doing the right thing.

Headinthedrawer · 06/10/2019 09:17

OP AIBU is the worst place to post this.As you can see you will get loads of people telling you you are irresponsible and dogs should always be on leads .In reality dogs can get it wrong when playing and when I walk my dog 90% of the dogs are off lead.My dog was recently attacked and had 6 puncture wounds-no stitches or antibiotics needed so make sure you see a breakdown of the vets treatment.Pay up and put her on a lead when you see other dogs approaching from now on to be on the safe side.

PixieDustt · 06/10/2019 09:18

You posted this in AIBU but arguing you are right.
You're dog is viscous. You can't say that the other dog most of done something for him to snap... it was YOUR dog who bit the other dog.

Pardonwhat · 06/10/2019 09:21

Both dogs were off the lead so in my opinion you’re born half at fault. We let our dogs off knowing there these things could happen. I’d offer half the vet bill. And I’d keep my dog on the less in future.

Pardonwhat · 06/10/2019 09:21

*you’re both

Pardonwhat · 06/10/2019 09:22

*lead wtf is wrong with me!?

Littlemeadow123 · 06/10/2019 10:04

OP a pet forum might be the best place for these kinds of topics. A lot of ppl on here dont have dogs, have never had dogs but think that they know everything that there is to know about them.

MyKingdomForACaramel · 06/10/2019 10:10

My dog has been bitten by another dog before (more than once). The usual etiquette has been that you pay the excess.

I’ve also been on the receiving end of someone saying that a dog of mine bit theirs (it was all a bit confusing - dogs got into a scuffle - no obvious bite marks at the time, but a call afterwards and a demand for money.

Sadly it does happen even with calm dogs

HicDraconis · 06/10/2019 10:12

My dog was randomly bitten by another dog on the beach - required stitches, antibiotics and painkillers for a week. I couldn’t walk him at all for 5 days and then another two weeks of gentle lead walks only. One bite, to his shoulder.

You should pay at least the excess on the insurance and I agree, only have your dog off leash when there are no other dogs around.

Devendra · 06/10/2019 10:22

Our nice natured lovely Labrador suddenly became a bit growly and less tolerant of other dogs. Turns out he had cracked a tooth and was in lots of pain. It's worth getting your dog fully checked out by a vet to make sure he doesn't have any underlying causes for his grump.

OrangeSwoosh · 06/10/2019 10:40

Your dog has grumbled before? You mean growled? That’s often the very last warning before they bite. He’s warned you of his intentions and you’ve ignored them

This is the most important thing to realise, but unfortunately OP has gone straight on the defensive. Growling (or grumbling if you think it sounds nicer) is actually pretty high up the ladder when it comes to warnings. Why would your dog keep repeating the earlier subtle behaviours exhibited to show they're uncomfortable with a situation if they just get ignored?

Wolfiefan · 06/10/2019 11:16

@OrangeSwoosh. Thanks. That’s the pic I couldn’t find.

Stefoscope · 06/10/2019 11:35

I would take it to mean the other man is going to find out how much of the vets costs, if any, his insurance will pay for first. Do you have third party liability on your insurance? I'd expect the other owner will be told by his insurance company to claim the costs through your insurance.

I would seriously consider a basket muzzle for your dog going forward. Even if the other dog did in some way provoke your dog, you do have a responsibilty to make sure he doesn't have the chance to do this again. My dog isn't vicious in the sense that he goes around trying to attack other dogs, but he has shown fear aggression with certain dogs who get too close to him. He's always muzzled and walked on a lead in public (book an enclosed field for off lead time). Even then we still get lots of oblivious owners letting their dog jump at him even though everything about his body language is showing he's not liking it and I'm telling them to get their dog away from him. I have no doubt the muzzle has saved him biting another dog in these types of situations in the past.

Medievalist · 06/10/2019 11:56

Jesus - some of the comments on here!!!! Typical of the MN attitude to dogs and the MN "have a go at anyone who posts in AIBU" approach.

You sound like a very responsible dog owner to me op. Don't listen to the idiots who say you can never let your dog off the lead again. OBVIOUSLY you will have to monitor him closely and be very careful.
But a bite can occur for all manner of reasons.

It could be an accident. Dogs open their mouths in play so when there are lots of sharp, bare teeth and rolling around it's not inconceivable that it could be an accident

Your dog may have felt intimidated or threatened. He may have felt things were getting out of hand so he may have reacted badly in self defence.

The other dog may have hurt yours first so yours reacted badly.

If it's any consolation op I have a 12 year old Labrador who bit another dog on the ear and it needed stitches. We think she did it because the other dog was being overly attentive to the rescue dog we'd just picked up that day. That was 9 years ago and she's never bitten another dog (or person since). Some of the people in here would probably have had her muzzled for the rest of her life, never let off the lead again or even had her put down.

Babynamechangerr · 06/10/2019 12:19

I would never let the dog off the lead again, imagine if he'd bitten a child not a dog. You can't be 100 percent sure now so it would be irresponsible to take the risk.

recrudescence · 06/10/2019 12:25

OP a pet forum might be the best place for these kinds of topics. A lot of ppl on here dont have dogs, have never had dogs but think that they know everything that there is to know about them.

Very well said.

sophiasnail · 06/10/2019 12:47

These things happen. Our poodle was bitten by another dog at daycare recently and had to have staples. We expected the vets bills to be taken care of and a reassurance that he wouldn't be walked with that same dog again, but accept that sometimes accidents happen. The staff say the two of them have been on group walks many many times before with no trouble at all, so who knows what happened that day.

Since no one saw what happened, the other dog might have started it and your dog was defending himself...... you will never know!

I would keep your dog in eyesight for a bit so you can step in if needed. No doubt the "dogs should be walked 3 inches from your heel, in deserted places, and only at night " brigade will be out in force, but i'd ignore them.

Medievalist · 06/10/2019 13:51

I would never let the dog off the lead again, imagine if he'd bitten a child not a dog. You can't be 100 percent sure now so it would be irresponsible to take the risk.

What sort of world do you inhabit where you can be 100% sure about anything?

You would really condemn a dog to a life time of lead walking because of one slip? Total over reaction.

Original poster

Lovemydogs11 · 06/10/2019 14:18

Silvercat owner

Your so quick to just although you have never met my dogs or know their temperament!! Kids have squabbles in playgrounds. Adults fall out!! And SO DO DOGS, ny dog is not vicious lol.

OP posts:

Monsterdogs · 06/10/2019 14:35

Ignore the ops calling your dog vicious. No one here can judge that from your posts. I do think that you should get your dog checked by a vet, as if the bite came from aggression and not play, it may be because your dog is in pain.
I think you handled the situation brilliantly, by the way. You sound a very responsible dog owner. I would now go over dog body language and keep a close eye on your dog behaviour, if I was you. Next time the dog is interacting with outer dogs look out for signs such as: tense muscles, esp in the face; liplicking; stiff wagging tail (as opposed to lose and relaxed); and sniffing something in a deliberate attempt not to interact with the other dog. These can all indicate that your dog is feeling anxious. Be careful if you call in a behaviourist or trainer. Many use methods which make aggression worse. Qualified trainers that use positive reinforcement are more likely to offer the best advice.

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