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The doghouse

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Original poster

My little dog attacked by Greyhound...question...

15 replies

BallyGoBackwards · 14/12/2015 12:18

Was walking my little dog yesterday on lead in the rain in local park. No one around. I spot a lady walking a dog in the distance off lead. The Greyhound spotted us and basically bounded up to us. He kept rounding us and pouncing on my dog. I was shouting to the woman to recall her dog but she was a fair distance away. The greyhound started to bite at my dogs neck. At this stage I was screaming at the women to recall her Dog. She was trying but her Dog was oblivious. After her trying to call him she decided the best thing to do was run in the other direction while calling her dog.....he eventually followed her.

We were both terrified. At one stage my dog was dangling mid air as I was trying to pull him away.

My question is....should I have picked my dog up?? Is that advisable? in my panic I didnt think to do that as the Greyhound was up to my hip and I was terrified too. When I got home my DH asked why I didnt pick him up so feel like I cocked up..... your thoughts would be appreciated.

I have since found out that this Greyhound has done this before. The owners mustn't know that greyhounds should be kept on lead at all times (where we live anyway) I feel like its only a matter of time before it seriously injures another dog.

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 14/12/2015 13:22

Picking him up...might work, might get you bitten as well.

She should have him on lead if he has an issue with other dogs, though really what breed he is is a bit irrelevant.

Running off is a perfectly good technique to try when recall has failed btw, it's usually more effective than trying to catch a dog.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/12/2015 13:26

Depends on the other dog. With a greyhound I probably would have picked a small dog up and then given the greyhound a smack on the nose. They're very unlikely to be aggressive to humans. But with a different breed Id have tried to keep myself between the dogs and shouted like mad at the dog.

You ought to report the greyhound to the police and dog warden. Don't be fobbed off, owner has broken the dangerous dogs act laws. She ought to have the dog muzzled if it's prey drive is that high.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/12/2015 13:28

When I had a greyhound from the rgt they gave me a basket muzzle, it's their policy for all greyhounds. I was told she should always be on a lead and always muzzled. Have to admit I ignored this advice as she wasn't interested in chasing anything and had good recall. But they are notorious for poor recall.

SunnyL · 14/12/2015 13:30

It depends on whether the greyhound saw your little dog as prey i.e. a rabbit or squirrel. I had a whippet with incredibly strong prey drive and literally nothing would get through to him when he thought something was chasable and edible. We got to the point where he could only be walked on the lead with a muzzle. If this woman has a difficulty recalling her dog then the fault was hers not yours.

Coffeethrowtrampbitch · 14/12/2015 13:31

I wouldn't have picked him up.

In our park a mastiff style dog attacked a sheltie,.sheltie owner picked him up. Mastiff leaped up and pulled sheltie down, causing the elderly owner to require heart surgery due to the blow on his chest.
The sheltie died as a result of the attack, mastiff was pts, owner has never been the same, and was lucky he wasn't killed as a result.

This is a horrific story, but I think it illustrates why you shouldn't pick your dog up if it's being attacked, you just don't know what the attacking dog will do.

Original poster

BallyGoBackwards · 14/12/2015 13:32

I think the breed of the dog was relevant as the owner was not compliant with the law. Also I was trying to relay the story as correctly as possible.

OP posts:

tabulahrasa · 14/12/2015 13:41

Oh I didn't mean it was irrelevant as to whether you should pick yours up or size or what have you.

Just that no matter what breed of dog it is, if it's going to bite other dogs it should be on the lead.

FuckyNell · 14/12/2015 13:47

Oh dear how horrible. My little pug was attacked by a Doberman who usually had a muzzle on but he slipped it. I'm afraid I let my dog go and she ran for it. It was horrible but no way would I of put myself between them.

The owner of the dobie was drunk and hadn't fastened its muzzle properly.

TheCunnyFunt · 14/12/2015 13:52

Where are you that the law is to have a greyhound on a lead? It's not the law in the uk as far as I'm aware.

Thebookswereherfriends · 14/12/2015 13:54

We have a greyhound who will chase small furries, but not small dogs - it somehow distinguishes between them, but if I am in a park I will keep the dog on a lead around other dogs because if she does get it into her head to chase a squirrel then no recall would work at all. They are extremely singleminded - it's what they've been bred for. We once lost her in the woods for 20 mins because she was chasing a deer, we were hoarse and knackered by the time we caught up with her and she only stopped because she was exhausted. I think it's pretty relevant about the breed. I think a greyhound would be more likely to let go if you picked up the dog, it's more about the chase.

NicoleWatterson · 14/12/2015 14:01

I have picked my great lump dog up when it was being attacked, but I'm not sure it's the best thing to do either. Your dog is going to push further to defend you and squiggle around causing more problems.

I don't think you were wrong to leave yours, greyhounds aren't small dogs, so you wouldn't have got it out of harms way. It's easy to say after the event would you should /could. You do what's best at he time

Allbymyselfagain · 14/12/2015 14:25

I have picked mine up when he was attacking resulting in some very nasty hand wounds. However I had at that point already dropped his lead for him to run and the dafty had tried to protect me (wouldn't leave my side) and screamed for the owner. Once picked up I could kick the other dog without worrying about kicking mine at the same time.

When it happens you go into shock, don't sit and worry I should have done this, I should have done that. You did what felt instinctive and that's all you can do. Report the damn owner asap and take photos of any damage. Irresponsible owners make me so angry.

Original poster

BallyGoBackwards · 14/12/2015 14:37

I am in the ROI The CunnyFunt. I have checked on my local county council website. As well as Greyhounds being kept on leads the walker/owners can only walk 4 dogs max at any given time (who knew)

OP posts:

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 14/12/2015 14:47

Ive just googled and it's the same in NI, infact there you're not allowed to walk more than two greyhounds at a time and they must be leashed and muzzled.

Original poster

BallyGoBackwards · 14/12/2015 14:52

Dont get me wrong I am not one to live and die about rules and strict bans etc. My own dog can be unpredictable with large dogs. My dog was off lead and when I saw the lady and her dog in the distance I put mine on lead. I didnt know what breed it was just that it was large and if it engaged with mine I wouldnt be sure if my dog would kick off. So my point is when in doubt put your dog in lead.

Anyway I think the general opinion is dont pick up your dog....

OP posts:

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