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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Dog attacked me and I want to address it with the owner who lives next door…

46 replies

Flappypants · 26/08/2023 22:44

I would like some advice please….I live in a terraced house with gardens that back on to an open parking area. We all have gates and can keep our gardens enclosed. I moved in in January and from day one I have noticed that the neighbour to one side has the yappiest little dog (a Mini Pin) in the world. It attacks the fence whenever we are in the garden and goes completely berserk. As a dog person, I understand that it hasn’t had adequate training or attention or boundaries and that it is protecting its territory. I have heard it yelp in pain when it has had a particularly frantic barking “sesh”….I think they hit it.

I should add that I have two children, 7 and 11 who are pretty dog savvy and are used to being around large animals.

This afternoon I popped into the garden and out through my gate. In a flash the dog had rushed to me barking madly and it went for my leg. It was a frantic and mental moment, I kicked out at it and yelled to the man to keep it under control, and shouted that it could have been my children it attacked. The man apologised saying he had forgotten to shut the gate and he sent it in throwing some garden waste at it as it ran away.

AIBU to write a letter saying unless he gets it under control immediately I will call the police and get them to rehome it or they must keep it locked away (totally unreasonable obviously)? Just want the damn thing under close control before it hurts someone (and for us to be able to get outside and enjoy our own space without the fence bowing with the force of even such a small animal throwing itself at it with all its might…such as it is)! I know it’s not exactly a huge animal but still….

Where do I stand legally? Where does the owner stand? The children don’t want to go in the garden any more.

Help most gratefully received. Photo is not of the dog in question, just to keep the post visible!

Dog attacked me and I want to address it with the owner who lives next door…
OP posts:
Valerie23 · 27/08/2023 07:32

The issue is the gate not being closed.

Unfortunately the dog yapping in its own garden will be a tough one to stop but the dog being loses is what needs to addressed.

Perhaps after this incident the man may take more responsibility.

You could scare him by saying you saw a couple of men looking over his gate trying to entice the dog with food and then he might stop leaving the dog out in the garden unattended.

gogomoto · 27/08/2023 07:39

It's normally in the garden and he had absent mindedly left the gate open so at this point there isn't anything you need to do, he's apologised and no harm was done. They are not nice dogs in my opinion, very vary, my ddog has been bitten by one (the miniature pincher in question is lucky my dog is mild mannered because he drew blood, and my dog being 22kg could have easily seriously hurt such a small dog, but didn't because he's trained) but they are tiny so teeth are tiny

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 27/08/2023 07:40

EmilyBrontesGhost · 26/08/2023 23:55

It has a history of aggressive behaviour

You don't know if it bit you or not, and when challenged on that, now it has a history of aggressive behaviour.

It's tiny, and the poor thing has crap owners who are horrible to it, it's run at you yapping, and what do you want exactly?

What do you want to happen?

Ops been incredibly clear, I'm not sure why you're trying to corner her.
She obviously wants the owners to understand that they need to train the dog or have the dog removed before it actually injures someone

LlynTegid · 27/08/2023 07:43

I wouldn't bother with any letter. You have made your feelings clear and your neighbour has heard them. Remember the date this took place, next time just call the police.

HelpMeGetThrough · 27/08/2023 07:45

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr · 26/08/2023 23:52

Magic steak over the fence.

Tempted to do that with my neighbour. The dog that is, not the actual neighbour, as tempting as that is.

Weedoormatnomore · 27/08/2023 07:53

Report the dog for trying to bite you to the dog warden. If the dog had bitten you and broken skin you could have contacted the police.
Looking up the breed they are classed as being good watchdogs could be why it is always barking at the fench!

JanieEyre · 27/08/2023 08:04

EmilyBrontesGhost · 26/08/2023 23:55

It has a history of aggressive behaviour

You don't know if it bit you or not, and when challenged on that, now it has a history of aggressive behaviour.

It's tiny, and the poor thing has crap owners who are horrible to it, it's run at you yapping, and what do you want exactly?

What do you want to happen?

OP made it clear in the first post that it was showing aggressive behaviour by throwing itself against the fence every time someone goes out. Where does that "now" come from?

pickledandpuzzled · 27/08/2023 08:27

The dog doesn't need to break skin for the police to be involved. We had a dog given an asbo equivalent round here, because a child ran away from him and fell over.

Totally harmless dog, in that case, but inadequately controlled.

BackAgainstWall · 27/08/2023 08:34

YANBU
The owners are ignorant.
Report it for attacking you.
Next time it could bite a child.

QueenMegan · 27/08/2023 08:39

Dog owner here. Dogs behave how they are treated. He kicks it I would report without hesitation. The bustard.
Get your cut looked at.

lljkk · 27/08/2023 09:12

If I understand correctly, OP hasn't had a conversation before with neighbours about the dog's aggression. This is the first time she's had any direct contact with the dog.

My thinking would be ... write a factual letter (to neighbours) that if anything similar happens again that you will have to complaint "to council". Say you don't want that to happen, but you will feel compelled to lodge an official complaint if it happens again, to protect yourself & your children, so please they must take greater care to make sure the dog can't get out like that again.

You don't want to stir up bad feelings pointlessly.

Original poster
Flappypants · 27/08/2023 09:50

Thanks everyone! I think a “strongly worded letter” will do the trick. The dog would I am sure go for anyone if it could get to them, it’s that insane. It’s just lucky the fence is in the way. They aren’t adequately training or looking after it, I am sure they’re mistreating it, and so there are concerns on two levels, as other have also said.

Much appreciated!

OP posts:
EmilyBrontesGhost · 27/08/2023 09:51

JanieEyre · 27/08/2023 08:04

OP made it clear in the first post that it was showing aggressive behaviour by throwing itself against the fence every time someone goes out. Where does that "now" come from?

Show quote history

No, it goes nuts at the fence.

That's not "a history of aggressive behaviour" it's just a dog going nuts at the fence.

Boomboom22 · 27/08/2023 09:56

Report to the police and the dog warden. It doesn't matter if it broke the skin, it ran at you and attacked you and is trying to get your kids through the fence. The law says under control and that a reasonable person felt afraid then that's a crime, going for your leg what if it was a todfkers throat or a child in a buggy next time? Or an elderly person who fell and broke a hip or their skull?

Cucucucu · 27/08/2023 10:08

Report to dog warden , a dog that attacks a person that willingly is a danger to the public .

liveforsummer · 27/08/2023 10:15

When I was bitten by a dog on the leg it tore my jeans and left me with massive bruising and puncture wounds. If you don't know if it but you and your clothes aren't even damaged it didn't bite. Also standing still and waiting for the man to apprehend it probably would have kept the situation calmer in my experience with small yappy dogs. Kicking out at it was unhelpful and more like my to have got you bitten although it sounds like you weren't. It's annoying of course but he's accidentally let it out once in 9 months and will hopefully be more mindful next time.

Womencanlift · 27/08/2023 10:16

The dog would I am sure go for anyone if it could get to them, it’s that insane.

If you genuinely think that’s the case, do you honestly think a strongly worded letter is the right solution?

Words fail me, especially when kids are around. People really do go blind about the dangers of dogs on MN

drowningbutwaving · 27/08/2023 10:16

Flappypants · 27/08/2023 09:50

Thanks everyone! I think a “strongly worded letter” will do the trick. The dog would I am sure go for anyone if it could get to them, it’s that insane. It’s just lucky the fence is in the way. They aren’t adequately training or looking after it, I am sure they’re mistreating it, and so there are concerns on two levels, as other have also said.

Much appreciated!

Edited

@flappypants just a heads up that I've read a post which is very like yours on a FB group this morning so could be identifying x

StrongTea · 27/08/2023 10:20

Can you fit a spring closer on the gate so can’t be left open?

meemawwww · 27/08/2023 11:06

My DD has a scar on her face because our pet minpin snapped unexpectedly years ago. Phone the dog warden op

junebirthdaygirl · 28/08/2023 08:22

EmilyBrontesGhost · 26/08/2023 23:50

OMG.

Which dungeons of hell have you risen up from . . .

Show quote history

I'm talking about ones that emit a high frequency sound that only dogs can hear not anything electronic to cause pain. I may have used the wrong title .

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