Dangerous dog

[Catsansan]

My 5-year-old and I were walking when he noticed a garden statue in the neighbour’s unfenced front yard and stopped. That’s when the neighbour’s dog came running out through the door and growled. It was one of those short-haired, muscular breeds. The owner’s teenager came out and called it back, but the dog didn’t listen until an adult appeared. It all lasted only seconds but felt like forever. I was a few steps ahead and rushed back — I think seeing an adult might have stopped the dog. My DC who adores dogs was terrified and obviously so was I of what could have had happened. Is that dog dangerous?

Growling is distinct from barking. I'd settle for the dogs who growl at children not being loose outside their homes.

OP, I would have been scared if a dog, particularly this type of breed, growled at my child. A dog that territorial shouldn't be out without a lead/ fence to contain it IMO.

This thread is going to be full of people trivialising this incident, but it's not ok that an animal that could easily kill a child is behaving aggressively and is not under control.

I vividly remember being terrified of such dogs as a child.

Barking and growling is a warning. It’s a territorial behaviour that attempts to get the person to back off. It’s the silent ones you really need to worry about. A silent dog fight is the most deadly. A dog barking/growling at someone walking by is big standard for a territorial response. Report all you like but no one is going to insist that all dogs be fenced at all times. It’s a massive over reaction.

Where does it say the dog was large?
'Short haired and muscular' could be a staffy or a pocket bully. Neither of those are large dogs.

Dog stood in its own front garden, looked at you funny and then weent in wheen called
I am not sure what law you think has been broken

Dog comes outside and stays put in its own garden giving a growl so that passerbys know not to approach.

How Is that dangerous?

The issue is that their door is a few steps away from the pavement. We were still on the pavement!

I don’t want any trouble for the dog or the owner, but I do wonder if this should be reported—so that if there are multiple incidents, it can be looked into

You asked if this is normal dog behaviour.
Yes this 100% is normal dog behaviour for a large number of dogs. A stranger was behaving unusually in front of their house. It's normal for the dog to warn strangers to move on.

Is it a reportable offence? I don't think so. Nothing happened. Where i walk, dog frequently bark from their gardens. I've no idea how secure those gardens are.

Dogs are very territorial. My tiny terrier will bark like a knobhead if he sees anyone walking down the driveway. They are protecting their territory. Had the dog not been properly secured and lunging at you then it may be different but this really is a non event.

FWIW I hate those big muscly dogs too.

Go on, contact your local Dog Warden if you have one and tell them a dog stared at you from its own garden

But there wasn't really an 'incident'. The dog stood in its own garden and growled at passers-by who were stood staring at their property. The owners called it back in. The passers-by continued on their way.
Now some time later it has become an 'incident' that needs reporting.

If the dog had flown out of the door, charged at your child and snapped at him it would be a completely different matter.

So next time another neighbour reverses out of the driveway in their car, I presume you'll report it because they revved the engine and they could have run over your child...? That is how stupid it sounds.
Nothing happened! You can't report a non event because it "might have" been a threat. Do you know how many people are killed or injured by cars every year compared to those being killed or injured by dogs? More people die from accidents in the home than incidents with dogs.

Also a Patterdale or Jack Russel. Those things can be jacked!

For all those saying it's normal dog behaviour and it's protecting it's territory - fine but where does that leave OP. OP was a public footpath which the dog clearly considers it's 'territory'. The growl is a warning, if she continued to encroach on it's territory whose to say the dog might not follow up on it's warning. Maybe it won't but it's not a gamble I would take with my kid. If they want a guard dog then it needs to be securely fenced in so people can safely walk along the pavement (though god help the poor postie).

@Doveyouknow The dog didn’t leave its garden despite there being no fence and having walked out the door without a lead. It didn’t charge and it didn’t lunge. Almost all dogs would have acted how this one did. The OP stopped and was staring into their garden which the dog would have found odd. The dog looked at her and barked/growled. It went back in when called. It’s not a guard dog. It’s just a dog….reporting things that aren’t issues out of ignorance wastes what tiny amount of resources we do have. This one is truly a non event.

butter wouldn't melt. UNLESS you came on our property uninvited, or with bad intents..The silver one would send you running ..the cream would bark..then yelp and run away. unless we welcomed you, which would give you big welcome zoomies

Who says it's a guard dog?
She described it as short haired and muscular, which could be anything from a Jack Russell to a Mastiff, size wasn't specified, but now all of a sudden it's big and it's a guard dog and it's going to eat the postie. Any minute now it'll suddenly turn into a bully XL 🙄

The overreaction here is insane, from people who very clearly know nothing about dogs. So many assumptions!

(Speaking as the owner of a large guarding breed whose dog actually loves our postie and waits for a cuddle).

I understand it was scary but it sounds like the dog stopped before approaching your son ( did it stop before you ran back or after) ? Did it return when the adult called? How long did this all occur over? You can obviously report but I am not sure much will actually be done

If the OP or her child trespassed onto the dog's 'territory' and the dog escalated to biting, then the OP could/should report the incident.

As it stands, it isn't a reportable incident. Are we reporting every dog that barks or growls just in case? Or only those in their own garden? Or all off lead dogs in public spaces? Or those deemed to look scary?

I agree.. my dogs (photo up a bit) do not look scary at all..but my female would fight to the death.. my male..well. maybe? doubt it though, i think he would go hide on our bed under our pillows lol. I was bit ONCE in my life. by a jack russell the size of my dogs heads . Dogs will protect..sounds like this dog was warning you off his territory..but he did not chase you or bite you. he warned you. that is what most dogs believe is their JOB

Just when I thought this couldn't get more ridiculous....

Are all dogs stupid?

my girl... our grace, has bitten ONCE, it was when we lived in Canada.It was an evening and I was in the basement (it had a bedroom, large living area and laundry and full bathroom) I was in the laundry/bathroom putting a load into the dryer.. heard our gracie growling.. went out.. a guy was trying to get in through the basement window (at ground level but quite large. ) She jumped ontop of a table and bit the arsehole in the face. He bolted but I called the police. Gracie was given cuddles and told...good girl by the two police officers that came. I now know she would attack so I am a little more wary. But she has not been aggressive since. I am not muzzling her over one incident that I hope scarred the assholes face