Help - My Dog Bit Someone

[MyDeftFawn]

I’m in such a panic and am hoping someone can offer advice/reassurance. I hope I’ve chosen the right place to post.

I was hanging out laundry in my back garden this morning. My dog was wandering the garden while I was out there (the garden is completely secure, with a fence and gate at the bottom through which the dog cannot escape).

A young boy - perhaps about 10 - passed by the alleyway that my garden backs onto and stopped by our fence. He spotted my dog who’d ambled over to the end of the garden (he shows interest when anyone stops at our gate). In a flash he had put his hand through a gap in the fence and my dog bit it.

I went to the boy and checked his hand (he was obviously very shocked but I didn’t want him wandering off alone if he was injured/bleeding). There was no cut or blood that I could see, but a scratch. He wasn’t crying, but I could tell he was shocked, understandably. I said I was so very sorry that the dog bit him - which I am, I’m absolutely devastated. He went on his way.

I don’t think the boy meant any harm at all and my dog does look like a sweet little thing, but he doesn’t like his face being touched and I think this is what the boy did. When out walking we are very strict in not allowing people to stroke him for this reason. But this all happened so fast. Just seconds.

I’m heartbroken, but also worried about where we stand legally. Can anyone help? I am definitely not asking for anyone to tell me it’s OK for my dog to bite like this, by the way. It absolutely isn’t and we are now going to look at replacing the fence with one that doesn’t have gaps so that this cannot happen again.

But, honestly, if my dog were taken away or, worse, destroyed over this, I don’t know how I’d cope with it.

I agree with other posters here. The child stuck their hand through your fence to touch your dog. This is on the child. I’ve always taught my children to ask before touching someone’s dog especially if they don’t know them. But I also agree with doing more to secure your fence and maybe put up a sign regarding the dog.

If you stick your hand through a gap in a fence / between bars / into a gate and the animal inside has a go at you, there's only one person to blame here. And that IS the person, not the animal. The barrier is there for a reason.

I was always told and always told my child - do not pet dogs you do not know. Always ask if it is friendly first. If you stick your hand through a gate you take your chances - the kid didn't mean any harm but the dog was in its own garden.

Do not rehome your elderly dog because a child had no manners!

Poking wiggly fingers into the garden of an animal you don’t know is inviting trouble.

God no, it wouldn’t be ‘rehoming’. We’re in daily contact with these people and know he’d be safe. I’m not convinced I can provide the right care anymore. I would never hand him to anyone I wouldn’t trust with my own life.

Why have you jumped to rehoming him? You just need to make sure your garden is secure. It isn’t if there are gaps in the fence a child can stick their hands through.

@Mischance You can’t just bring a child into your home? that’s weird. What did you want OP to do? Ring an ambulance?

If a ten year old can wander the streets alone a lot more can happen than a little scratch.

OP one of our neighbours had five Chows, big sign up that they would bite if you stuck your hands through their gates.

Your dog is 15, dog doesn’t need a muzzle or need to be rehomed, your dog is not a killing machine. Just make the garden more secure. For all you know the child had just eaten a snack it was giving your dog a crisp.

I’ve always had dogs, grown up with them, DD loves them and we always say DO NOT just go touching dogs without asking the owner first. Never approach a dog that’s alone, even a friendly looking dog that you don’t know.

Same with cats, she knows if she touches one it may scratch and it hurts.

You didn't allow this to happen as you weren't aware it was about to.

My dog is nervous.
A few weeks ago a lad about 4 /5 came running up. I said you can't stroke him as he's nervous, his dad started saying oh he's good with dogs, all dogs love him.
I scooped my dog up and said he is nervous I'm not risking a bite.
Dad muttered something that I shouldn't have been so worried.
What is it with people and dogs...... not all dogs like people.

You are considering him moving house- albeit to someone you see daily. Honestly there’s no need. If he’s intended to hurt the child he could have. That was a warning nip and everyone has learned from it!

I’ll do anything to give him a contented old age. He’s seen me through so much. If it means someone else can do it better, I can bear it.

I'm generally on the victim's side when it comes to dog bites, but in this case it seems like an unfortunate accident. You sound like a very responsible owner and the child luckily learned some valuable lessons (not to approach dogs they don't know and not to trespass on other people's property). It sounds like you did all the right things and I doubt very much that you or your dog will be punished for it.

Annoyingly some parents don’t raise their children to be aware of dog etiquette (a lot of adults are like this too). So the likelihood is that someone else is going to touch your dog while you’re out and about. While part of me thinks they deserve it for being such idiots, you could help your poor dog not get spooked by getting one of those nervous dog jackets.

WOW!

So from what I’ve gathered from the comments, I get that according to the social media court of law for pet owners, it’s such a “terrible” thing for a child to pet a stranger’s dog they like without permission so because of that, a dog should be protected and prioritized over a human child whose offense was attempting to pet a stranger’s dog without permission.. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

From the one who thinks it’s a 10 yr old’s fault for getting “scratched” by a dog to the one who thinks the child should have been in school so doesn’t deserve sympathy, a lot of y’all are some terribl3 humans!!

You actually come across as really unpleasant in the way you speak to the OP

@rebelliousbookgirl

To quote my post:

Not exactly the point but, shouldn’t he have been in school? If he has skipped school chances are really high he won’t say anything to his parents.

WHERE did I say he doesn’t deserve any sympathy? I was just giving the OP a reason why she might not hear about it again.
OP gave the boy sympathy and checked what damage was done.

The dog was minding its own business in its own garden. Anyone sticking their fingers into someone else’s property risks coming into contact with all sorts of things from a rusty nail to a rose thorn, or in this case, a dog.

Finger sticker beware

I'd be the first to say this and I agree with you. A 10 year old should know to ask before going to pet a dog; he didn't check and moreover he put himself in the dog's space. It's not like you were in public with your dog and you hadn't taken precautions to stop a bite occurring.

I don't think they'd be able to suggest the dog is a danger to others in these circumstances.

You can ask the police and a vet for reassurance if you feel you need to OP, I’m pretty sure they’ll say it’s normal dog behaviour and no action is needed on your part (except the ‘beware dog’ sign is a good idea).

Surprisingly, I have no issues with the op cause she has shown more empathy than most people here..
Obviously it’s not her fault that her dog bit a little child and she’s here to share her worries about the situation like most normal people would be, I wasn’t just expecting to open the comment section and see people blaming the child.

Obviously he shouldn’t have touched the dog? But a lot of people try to touch the pets they like in public so I hate that instead of trying to calm the op or actually advise her on how to handle this situation if the need arises, a lot of the adults on this sub skipped to blaming the child.

We all know what is right and wrong, but sometimes, what’s right may not always be right. m

We can empathize with the child and OP without picking a side

Surprisingly, I have no issues with the op cause she has shown more empathy than most people here..

She’s handled the situation perfectly so far
Obviously it’s not her fault that her dog bit a little child and she’s here to share her worries about the situation like most normal people would be, I wasn’t just expecting to open the comment section and see people blaming the child.

Obviously he shouldn’t have touched the dog? But a lot of people try to touch the pets they like in public so I hate that instead of trying to calm the op or actually advise her on how to handle this situation if the need arises, a lot of the adults on this sub skipped to blaming the child.

We all know what is right and wrong, but sometimes, what’s right may not always be right. m

We can empathize with the child and OP without picking a side

The only life he has ever known has been with you. It will be very stressful for him at his age to live with different people, however trustworthy they are. He is not an aggressive dog, it was just an unfortunate situation. Please do not give up your loyal, old dog because of this situation.

I'm not a dog person and I think a lot of dog owners are really irresponsible, but I don't see that you or your dog have done anything wrong here.

Your dog was safely enclosed in your own private garden and you couldn't have foreseen that someone was going to stick their hand through the fence. I think your dog reacted in an understandable way to the intrusion - I'd probably bite someone if a stranger randomly encroached on my space and started touching my face! - and the bite didn't actually do much damage by the sounds of it.

It's obviously a shame for the kid that his innocent attempt at friendliness was rebuffed, but it doesn't sound like he was seriously hurt and the experience will probably be a good lesson for him in the future!

Now that you're aware of the risk, I think it would be reasonable for you to close the gaps in the fence so that it can't happen again, but I wouldn't give it much further thought tbh. It sounds like you're already very careful when you're out and about with the dog in public.

This is the child’s fault. I’m sure the shock he got will make him think twice before doing it again. children should be taught from a young age you don’t touch animals without the owners permission. If this was my child I would be telling them that it served them right.

Yes. That’s a good point. I really just want to do what’s right.