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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think this dog should be destroyed and the owner imprisoned?

208 replies

YaWeeFurryBastard · 23/03/2023 17:15

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/victoria-park-police-horse-dog-attack-crime-london-b1069385.html

Apologies if there’s been another thread on this but I couldn’t see one! A police horse has been attacked an injured by an off-lead dog in London. No prizes for guessing the breed 🙄.

AIBU to think if the dog is capable of attacking a horse (I think we can assume unprovoked) then there is a serious risk of fatal consequences to a human from this dog and therefore it needs to be put down?

Dog seized after attack on police horse in east London

Police told owners ‘Keep dogs on a lead if you can’t recall them or get them under control’

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/victoria-park-police-horse-dog-attack-crime-london-b1069385.html

OP posts:
Cerealkillerontheloose · 24/03/2023 17:44

This was one of my fears with my horse!!! I carried a really big hunting whip for this kind of thing not that it might have been much help. Poor horse.

yes the book should be thrown at dog and owner!

GoTeamTired · 24/03/2023 18:09

My dog is not used to being around horses, sheep, cows, etc. So we put her on a lead when we see them at a distance.

I don't think she would bother them, she is very meek. But not worth the risk

This man is an idiot.

WiddlinDiddlin · 24/03/2023 18:31

Mmm... I don't disagree that the owners behaviour and lack of effort to recall his dog, stop his dog etc, were pathetic..

But...

The situation of 'dog chases/tries to bite/tries to nip to make move... a ridden horse' is VERY difficult to resolve.

It is also not something that ONLY xl bullies etc will do, many many dogs will do this.

The rider is stuck - they can't do much from on top but try to control the horse. If they get off to deal with the dog they have LESS control over the horse.

The owner is also stuck though... if the dog is not responding to voice cues, and it almost certainly isn't at this point as its off its tits super aroused, not capable of listening...

If they get closer, they're at risk of giving the dog MORE confidence to continue its behaviour.

Shouting is likely to be interpreted by the dog as encouragement/owner joining in, so again, will make the situation worse.

An unknown human chasing a dog around a horses legs puts the human at risk of being booted in the head, and is likely to unsettle the horse further, putting everyone involved and innocent bystanders at risk.

Chuck in the rider yelling and slashing wildly with a whip, which is perfectly understandable... you have utter chaos and its VERY difficult to put an end to the situation.

The situation should not happen in the first place - dogs should be trained to ignore ridden horses (and other dogs, other people, other animals..... a whole ton of stuff).

Dogs do NOT generalise well - if you teach your dog to ignore and recall away from cats, it won't translate to sheep or horses or cattle or..

You have to train in multiple situations, multiple levels of distraction, and many many species - and even then, horses with riders present an unusual event for dogs.

Dogs who have not seen a human get on, and get off, a horse, do not read a 'horse and rider' as that. They read it as some sort of weird horse/human hybrid monster weirdo thing. It truly baffles them, can really scare them and that confusion can increase the chances of them behaving out of character and ignoring cues.

Very few people have the opportunity to access lots of ridden horses in appropriate environments/contexts to train a dog, effectively and reliably, to ignore them and listen to voice cues.

I make a point of taking puppies up to a local stables where they can see ridden horses at a distance, and in particular, see people get on and off horses (with permission from the owner), but I live in an area where theres practically a livery yard or riding school on every corner.

Some people live in places where the only horses you'll ever see are police horses and you've no idea when, or where.

Few puppy owners seem to understand exactly what 'socialisation and habituation' really mean, nor how to go about if they have heard of it. I can't imagine many people who live in urban areas, would EVER consider they should habituate their dogs to horses if they're something they rarely or never (to date) see!

Maverickess · 24/03/2023 18:53

WiddlinDiddlin · 24/03/2023 18:31

Mmm... I don't disagree that the owners behaviour and lack of effort to recall his dog, stop his dog etc, were pathetic..

But...

The situation of 'dog chases/tries to bite/tries to nip to make move... a ridden horse' is VERY difficult to resolve.

It is also not something that ONLY xl bullies etc will do, many many dogs will do this.

The rider is stuck - they can't do much from on top but try to control the horse. If they get off to deal with the dog they have LESS control over the horse.

The owner is also stuck though... if the dog is not responding to voice cues, and it almost certainly isn't at this point as its off its tits super aroused, not capable of listening...

If they get closer, they're at risk of giving the dog MORE confidence to continue its behaviour.

Shouting is likely to be interpreted by the dog as encouragement/owner joining in, so again, will make the situation worse.

An unknown human chasing a dog around a horses legs puts the human at risk of being booted in the head, and is likely to unsettle the horse further, putting everyone involved and innocent bystanders at risk.

Chuck in the rider yelling and slashing wildly with a whip, which is perfectly understandable... you have utter chaos and its VERY difficult to put an end to the situation.

The situation should not happen in the first place - dogs should be trained to ignore ridden horses (and other dogs, other people, other animals..... a whole ton of stuff).

Dogs do NOT generalise well - if you teach your dog to ignore and recall away from cats, it won't translate to sheep or horses or cattle or..

You have to train in multiple situations, multiple levels of distraction, and many many species - and even then, horses with riders present an unusual event for dogs.

Dogs who have not seen a human get on, and get off, a horse, do not read a 'horse and rider' as that. They read it as some sort of weird horse/human hybrid monster weirdo thing. It truly baffles them, can really scare them and that confusion can increase the chances of them behaving out of character and ignoring cues.

Very few people have the opportunity to access lots of ridden horses in appropriate environments/contexts to train a dog, effectively and reliably, to ignore them and listen to voice cues.

I make a point of taking puppies up to a local stables where they can see ridden horses at a distance, and in particular, see people get on and off horses (with permission from the owner), but I live in an area where theres practically a livery yard or riding school on every corner.

Some people live in places where the only horses you'll ever see are police horses and you've no idea when, or where.

Few puppy owners seem to understand exactly what 'socialisation and habituation' really mean, nor how to go about if they have heard of it. I can't imagine many people who live in urban areas, would EVER consider they should habituate their dogs to horses if they're something they rarely or never (to date) see!

I agree with all those points but....... Putting it on a lead would have prevented the whole situation in the first place, and if you're unsure of your dogs reaction then put it on a lead.
The only way the that the dog would have got to the horse in the first place would be by the owner tripping or something and letting go - it happens and it's happened to me, but that's a genuine accident and although a horrible outcome, it's unavoidable - this was avoidable.

WiddlinDiddlin · 24/03/2023 19:06

Oh totally... long line, if you can't bet the house your dog will recall from aaaaaaaaany distraction, then use a long line instead of off lead completely.

Ginmonkeyagain · 25/03/2023 08:34

A lot of young men with these strong dog breeds have no idea how to control them.

I had to grab a pitbull from a teen boy the other day as it was about to pull away from him and run in to a busy road.

dawngreen · 28/03/2023 13:58

These types should be banned from owning dogs. Its always the same, and its the dogs who pay the price.

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