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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

If your dog attacked and killed another dog, wwyd?

43 replies

Raskova · 06/06/2014 13:17

On my facebook (I know, sorry) there is a rottweiler page. I have a very very beloved and well behaved rottweiler. Another lady thought she had a well behanved rottweiler until it (apparently) randomly attacked a chihuahua. The dog was very badly injured and died overnight. They are covering all bills and cremation.

The owner of the chihuahua has requested that they get the canines filed so they have a guarantee this won't happen again.

I'm not sure if my feelings on this are harsh but if my dog attacked another dog, seemingly out of nowhere and I wasn't able to control him, I'd get him put down as he is obviously a dangerous dog. She has a three yr old granddaughter. She thinks even filing his teeth is too harsh.

My DD is 2.5 and loves my doggie as much as I do (probably more) and I would never have an animal like that in the house,

Am I overeacting or would you carry on as if nothing had happened?

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tabulahrasa · 06/06/2014 13:24

I'd muzzle it, keep it away from other dogs and get a behaviourist.

To be honest, I think it would be pretty easy for a rottie to kill a chihuahua, with or without canines (which is ridiculous idea btw, filing down teeth) so no, I don't agree that it's a dangerous dog.

LtEveDallas · 06/06/2014 13:34

Same as tabulahrasa. Doesn't mean its a dangerous dog. The teeth have nothing to do with it - the pressure would still be there and would still easily kill a chi.

Its got nothing to do with the breed, and a dog that has killed another animal does not instantly become a danger to other animals or humans.

SpicyPear · 06/06/2014 13:35

I'd need to know a lot more about the attack to make any kind of plan - was it really "random"? Was it predatory behaviour? How were the injuries were caused? With all that in mind I still wouldn't be filing teeth - I'd be muzzling and getting a behavioural program in place.

I particularly don't see where children come into it. Aggression towards other dogs and aggression towards people is completely different.

GobblersKnob · 06/06/2014 13:40

I wouldn't be at all concerned for any human lives, I would be working out how I was going to make sure it didn't ever happen again in the future.

MrsBungle · 06/06/2014 13:45

I'd muzzle it when out. I would be devastated and i would pay all bills etc.

my Weim has never done anything like this but I always worry when a very small dog is aggressive with him. Once a jack russle was snapping and biting his legs and I worried he'd just pick it up and kill it but he came straight back no problem thank god.

fubbsy · 06/06/2014 13:51

I agree, it's not a simple choice between carrying on as if nothing had happened and having the dog put down.

There has to be more to the story, though I doubt you will find out on fb.

Original poster

Raskova · 06/06/2014 17:03

I don't know much. She has posted long updates about how it has affected her and how she feels but not much else. Apparently it was random but my experience with dogs is that nothing is random. They only attack when provoked.

The trust would be gone if it was my dog. I know animals and humans are very different and dogs react to them differently but if he'd shown me he had that streak I'd be nervous as hell.

I think the teeth thing is strange. Can't see it'll help.

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Original poster

Raskova · 06/06/2014 17:05

I did actually hear that once they've 'tasted blood' they can't stay away. People do talk some shit

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Arudonto · 06/06/2014 18:30

Getting the canines filed it nonsense..It wont stop the dog killing another chih/cat/small dogs as the sheer power of a rotties jaw would be able to inflict enough internal damage if they bite with intention with or without teeth.

Also thats a very painful thing to do as filing teeth down can expose the nerves.Its unlikely that they would find a repuatble vet willing to do it..thankfully.

Walk in a muzzle and on a long lead if recall is an issue.

A rottweiler would be more than capable of killing a chih by mistake ...they are large powerful dogs and chihs are small delicate ones,this mismatch means that even a warning bite or shaking of the scruff could result in the smaller dogs death...big dog versus little dog fights rarely end well for the little dogs due to internal injuries regardless of who started the fight.

I wouldn't put down the rottie for this..dog fights happen..and im sure there were cues the owner just didnt spot them on time to defuse the situation...but if he were mine he would never be given a second chance to repeat the scenario...muzzle and lead if not 100 percent recall.

Children are entirely different to dogs. A dog aggressive dog can easily be a child friendly one.

MuttonCadet · 06/06/2014 18:35

If your dog isn't under complete control then it shouldn't be off the lead.

We have a retired greyhound, she is no danger as far as we can tell but muzzled and on the lead every single walk. She's not great at recall, so I can't trust her.

Bowlersarm · 06/06/2014 18:37

I wouldn't carry in as if nothing happened, but I wouldn't put my dog down either.

I'd muzzle.

lougle · 06/06/2014 18:58

It's hard. My Staff x pup (9 months at the time) got aggressive with our then 10 year old Westie. Initially over food, but then whenever they were near each other after dinner. The first fight, we managed to separate them, neither very hurt (a minor wound on each) but the Westie had been so scared he defecated. After that, we had about two weeks of calm, then it happened again.

I rehomed the Westie immediately with my parents (he loves them, was getting fed up with our children's noise and adored being a lap dog, so it was a good fit). I couldn't take the risk that he'd do it again and he could easily kill a westie just by shaking him.

I'm wary on walks, but he's afraid of dogs, not bolshy. We keep him on lead if there is a dog/possibility of a dog and I tend to turn around and walk away if we're getting near a dog - he's been chased a few times and he's terrified. He runs in wide circles yelping and trying to get to me without going near the dog.

I agree with other posters. Canines aren't the issue.

mistlethrush · 06/06/2014 19:01

Filing teeth is a silly idea. Muzzling and keeping on-lead in any public place would mean that any possibility of future incidents would be minimised (ie only if the small dog came up and was extremely stupid)

fubbsy · 06/06/2014 19:10

My rescue staffie can be scared of/aggressive towards other dogs. She mostly just barks at them, but I don't want to take chances. We don't let her off the lead and give the types of dogs that scare her a wide berth, just in case.

OTOH she is completely placid and gentle with children. I have no worries in that regard.

LettertoHerms · 06/06/2014 19:19

ng teeth sounds cruel.

I would make sure it couldn't happen again, keep my dog segregated from other dogs, take appropriate safety measures.

But I wouldn't worry at all about human safety or consider for a moment putting him down.

Would the posters that would do the same if it were a cat or some small wild mammal? Off on a wonder, does anyone know, if there's much difference for a large breed dog between say a squirrel and a mini breed? My German Shepherd doesn't treat tiny dogs the same as medium/large dogs. He's not aggressive, but rather than sniffing and playing like he would with the big dogs, he's very wary and avoids them, he seems totally confused by them, and he'll get away from any that go near him, especially yippers.

LettertoHerms · 06/06/2014 19:20

I was not ready to post that! This stupid phone! That was pro

LettertoHerms · 06/06/2014 19:20

Oh ffs.

My post

LettertoHerms · 06/06/2014 19:21

was not well put! I give up!

mistlethrush · 06/06/2014 22:24

My sighthound completely understands that small dogs are different from prey animals. Indeed, when really focussed she can clearly differentiate between squirrels and rabbits (the only thing that she has caught is quite a few flies and possibly a bee).

mrslaughan · 07/06/2014 09:53

It would depend, my dog is a giant, he is as soft as a marshmallow....but if he started getting aggressive with other dogs, "un-provoked" I would have to seriously consider PTS as I would be concerned that I would not be able to control him, and if he managed to get the muzzle off.....

If however it was provoked, I would manage it.

Only this week I lost my cool with another dog owner, her small dog had my big marshmallow backing into a hedge with its aggressive behaviour....I had to get between them to rescue my dog (something I was very uncomfortable with because of the behaviour of her dog), while she couldn't be arsed getting of the bench and interrupting her conversation.....I don't know what my dog would do if he was bitten, but a warning snap could potentially kill a small dog. In this situation I would have very little sympathy, as I have seen too often small dogs actually aggressively towards larger dogs, but that is supposedly fine because they are small. It just really pisses me off.

tabulahrasa · 07/06/2014 10:01

My rottie's dog aggressive...it's often unprovoked, well, to any sane sensible dog it would be. I don't think looking at him really counts as provocation, lol.

He's muzzled and on lead and yes it's not fun, but I can hold him when he kicks off...and his muzzle fastens on behind his head, has a collar and a strap over the top of his head, there's no issues with it coming off.

Obviously a giant breed would be different, but rotties aren't huge, most people should be able to hold one back on a lead.

Original poster

Raskova · 07/06/2014 14:10

Oh for gods sake. Just lost a really long reply.

My dog used to be dog aggressive too. He hasn't been for a long time but I know it's in there somewhere. The worst one was when he was a pup and walking through the middle of nowhere (Cannock chase) he was off lead and met a boxer pup. They had a little barking/growling session and within five seconds my dog had got this boxer on his back and was basically on top of him. I don't know what would have happened but I dragged him off. Neither dog looked bothered and stopped at that point. Luckily, the boxers owners weren't too bothered and apologised as if their dog had started it. Perhaps if that had been a teeny dog like a chihuahua I'd be in the same position. Maybe I'm being a bit precious. I didn't have DD then though.

I also think if a rott sized dog wants to go, he'll go. Mines small. People often ask if he's a girl. Years ago he saw a cat and actually pulled me over. Recently, I've had to hold him down while the vet plays with his infected paw. I had to use all my strength and eventually he always wiggled out. He also got the muzzle off. I trust he wouldn't bite but did it just in case.

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TwelveLeggedWalk · 07/06/2014 14:16

Would depend in circumstances but tbh it wuld be so out of character that I would consider Pts because it wuld almost certainly mean something was seriously wrong.

Not convinced many people could control an aggressive Rottie or similar on a long line by the way.

tabulahrasa · 07/06/2014 14:38

Oh not on a long line...I have to reel him in way before we pass dogs, but just holding him by the collar, especially when you do it every day, that's not beyond most people.

Original poster

Raskova · 07/06/2014 14:48

Yes that's what I do on walks. Hold his collar and short lead if at a point I need to and like that I've not lost control but I do think if he wanted to he could pull me over

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