Page 13 | My dog bit an old lady.

Milliemoons · 2025-10-04T15:43:55+00:00

And I feel so awful about it. He’s a chihuahua, he’s tiny but he still drew blood. He’s never done it before. It was super windy, I had my newborn in a pram and my three year old who was running off and I took my eye off him for one second and he just launched himself at this poor lady. He was off lead but he usually is and I’ve never had a problem (he’s 7). We were in a public park where dogs are permitted off lead. Needless to say I won’t be risking that again. She was really worried about needing to go to the doctor to be vaccinated (I assured her he was fully vaccinated and healthy). I apologised over and over but the poor woman was shaken up. I just keep thinking about it. DH says not to worry, I apologised and I reassured her I would not be allowing him off lead again. Has this happened to anyone else?

Dawnb19 · 05/10/2025 15:04

I hope the old lady has someone with her to give her proper advice and I hope she gets it cleaned and it doesn't get an infection. My puppy bit my partner when they were playing and it drew blood (literally a 1cm scratch) and within 2 days he had sepsis and could had lost he's hand. He washed the cut out with salt water but it still got infected. Our puppy was vaccinated as well.

LovingLimePeer · 05/10/2025 15:06

If the bite has drawn blood, she should be given broad spectrum antibiotics as soon as possible. Dogs' mouths are filthy. I've seen someone die from a delayed presentation for medical attention following a dog bite.

Onmytod24 · 05/10/2025 15:06

Put it down to your panic that you didn’t help the lady the way you should’ve done. Maybe copy a few posters and put them on lamp posts near the area and local shops. You really need to find that lady if she’s in her 70s or 80s it could end up being very serious if she didn’t get medical help you need to try and track her down to the best of your ability. Take advice and maybe get reassurance from your local GP.

SaySomethingMan · 05/10/2025 15:13

I really can’t believe you left an elderly lady on her own after your dog attacked. This could really affect her in terms of her confidence in going out, etc.
Poor woman

I agree with those saying it needs to be pts. And don’t say it didn’t cause damage, it drew blood.

LovingLimePeer · 05/10/2025 15:14

Onmytod24 · 05/10/2025 15:06

Put it down to your panic that you didn’t help the lady the way you should’ve done. Maybe copy a few posters and put them on lamp posts near the area and local shops. You really need to find that lady if she’s in her 70s or 80s it could end up being very serious if she didn’t get medical help you need to try and track her down to the best of your ability. Take advice and maybe get reassurance from your local GP.

Edited

Why would a GP give advice for a patient not under their care?

No reassurance would be offered by a GP anyway (even in the event they did offer advice about someone who was not their patient and without any knowledge of that person's medical history). Dog bites that are deep enough to draw blood and in the location specified are likely to need broad spectrum antibiotics or the victim will be at risk of limb loss/sepsis/death.

See NICE guidance:
cks.nice.org.uk/topics/bites-human-animal/management/managing-a-cat-or-dog-bite/

Itmakesme · 05/10/2025 15:17

dontmalbeconme · 05/10/2025 04:25

Let's also euthanise all the toddlers who bite/hurt people.

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🤣🤣🤣🤣

ECHR thankfully

Grammarnut · 05/10/2025 15:18

LandSharksAnonymous · 04/10/2025 16:58

I'll get slammed for saying what I'm about to say... but now your dog has a bite history it should be muzzled going forwards - both for his protection and for people.

Your DH absolutely should not be saying 'not to worry.' And the fact your dog is tiny is irrelevant because a bite is a bite. The weather is not an excuse for your dog biting someone. The only 'excuse' - if we can call it that - for a bite is when a dog has been tormented repeatedly and/or is terrified and reacts (but there's almost always a warning 'snap' or grumble in these cases) rather than just 'lunging.' That's why many rescues have rules about taking in dogs with bite histories which, unfortunately, your dog now has.

I'd also take him to the vets if he's never shown aggressive behaviour before as i'd want to rule out any pain etc.That being said, if nothing can be found and he did attack unprovoked/with no trigger, I absolutely would not want him around my DC if I were you.

I'm not saying any of the above to be harsh, but once a dog has bitten...they shouldn't be around children IMO. Particularly young children.

I don't agree with muzzling dogs - difficult for them to sniff etc which is part of their main sensory system and thus as much deprivation as wearing a blindfold would be for a human who can see - but I won't slam you for the suggestion, merely say it sounds unnecessary in this case. The wind is not an excuse here, but that (and that it is nearly a full moon) will affect animals and children (and adults). It's a chihuahua and tiny, so just keep it on a short lead (I'd put the 3-year-old on reins, too!). I agree re visit to the vet would be a good idea, however, since this is out of character. There may be something wrong with the dog, it may be in pain etc which has made it snappy - the cause could be anything from a serious illness to joint aches given the dog is 7.
No dog, whether it has bitten someone or not, should ever be along with children btw.

florence1234567 · 05/10/2025 15:18

The dog should be put to sleep now.

God forbid that old lady had been a child.

If it had been any of my kids, I would have demanded your contact details and I would have informed the police about the incident.

Imagine it goes for one of your children in the future.

Skybluepinky · 05/10/2025 15:19

Sounds like if you are to keep the dog it needs to be muzzled when around children and adults as once they bite they continue to.
i wouldn’t be happy to keep a dog with a biting history when you have a child.
Your husband sounds like he is clueless of course you should worry your dog attacked someone and you stupidly took out a dog you weren’t in control of.

Mrsgus · 05/10/2025 15:21

No dog should be off lead in a public park regardless of how 'friendly' their owners think they are for this very reason!! Hopefully no real damage has been done, except maybe an infection in the wound site, which there will be a wound as you said your dog drew blood. Oh and the fact the poor woman is now probably traumatised and will fear going anywhere where dogs are, especially ones who are let loose to be able to do this!! You should have given your details at the very least

madaboutpurple · 05/10/2025 15:22

Quite often dogs are put down after biting someone so as your dog is still alive please get a muzzle. There was a news report a few months ago that a man died due to not getting a tetanus jab after the event. It does not matter that your dog's jabs are up to date. That was a stupid comment to make. I really hope the lady is ok and that she has gone for medical help If it does it again the person could insist on putting your dog down ..You are going to have to step up training your dog, protecting people.

sundaychairtree · 05/10/2025 15:29

My brother was bitten while out running and the hospital said they always inform the police for dog-bites where it is not the owner's dog.

WearyAuldWumman · 05/10/2025 15:32

lessglittermoremud · 05/10/2025 09:07

How did you know she had capacity and not early stage dementia?
You go back to your Sunday but having had to take an elderly relative to appointments for repeat dressings due to a minor wound and being told by the TRAINED MEDICAL staff that it really COMMON for minor grazed and scrapes to break down in an older person causing months of worry and misery I’ll stick with those facts….

Edited

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Agreed. I had POA for 3 elderly people, including two who had full capacity. Any minor injury was actually a major worry.

I'm old-ish myself now. If I have to deal with medical problems, I'm on my own. I can't afford to be injured - it means coping with trips to hospital on my own and there's no one to help if a minor injury goes pear-shaped.

WearyAuldWumman · 05/10/2025 15:37

Francestein · 05/10/2025 11:48

The old lady could also be on medications like blood thinners or some that affect her immune system. The dog bit the lady because the OP was negligent, not because it was windy.

The first thing that went through my mind was 'blood thinners' or 'diabetes'. The slightest cut was a problem for my late husband - he inherited the family heart trouble and was on warfarin.

WearyAuldWumman · 05/10/2025 15:40

Implodingyourmirage · 05/10/2025 15:02

But anyone bitten by a dog should get it checked out.

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Absolutely.

Wrenjay · 05/10/2025 15:45

This is going to have a severe reaction: My view is once a dog, any dog, has bitten/shown any aggression at any point, it needs to be put to sleep by a vet. No ifs, ands, buts, nothing, no more dog. A pet is replaceable a person, child, partner isn't.

AcquadiP · 05/10/2025 15:50

You've had your dog for 7 years (half his lifetime) with no previous episodes of aggression. Do I believe he should be pts or rehomed? NO. There was a trigger which caused this bite. It could have been the strength of the wind. It could have been something being carried by the wind which spooked him (horses are frequently spooked by flying carrier bags for example.) It could be he is in pain or has some sort of physical ailment which is causing him discomfort so a vet visit would be advisable ASAP. There is no "dog bite register" in the UK as a previous pp stated. As I'm sure you will do in future, your dog needs to be keep on a lead around strangers or exercised whilst wearing a muzzle. But pts or rehomed is a complete overreaction. If he was going to be aggressive to a member of the family including your DC, this would have occurred a long, long time ago.

Livelovebehappy · 05/10/2025 15:53

Snugglemonkey · 05/10/2025 12:45

They should not unless it is specifically a dog run.

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Nearly all parks are council run. Considering councils clamp down on dog owners with multiple signage i'm guessing there must be a reason why they havent done so in this case.

ChickpeaCauliflowerSalad · 05/10/2025 15:59

dontmalbeconme · 05/10/2025 02:05

I cannot believe the amount of people who want to murder an innocent animal for OPs mistake. Horrible, horrible (in)human beings.

OP is bring responsible, and will always enforce a lead from now on.

This was a very small and vulnerable dog who was scared and lashed out, that is all. It needs to leashed, not murdered.

Well said!

Calm measured response is so rare in regard to dogs on here!

AcquadiP · 05/10/2025 16:06

EarthSight · 05/10/2025 10:19

This. It's very probable that your dog will end up turning on your baby, given how loudly they shriek or cry which might aggravate or frighten your dog.

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Why is it "very probable" that the dog will turn on the baby when he never did so when the toddler was a baby?

LillyPJ · 05/10/2025 16:06

AcquadiP · 05/10/2025 15:50

You've had your dog for 7 years (half his lifetime) with no previous episodes of aggression. Do I believe he should be pts or rehomed? NO. There was a trigger which caused this bite. It could have been the strength of the wind. It could have been something being carried by the wind which spooked him (horses are frequently spooked by flying carrier bags for example.) It could be he is in pain or has some sort of physical ailment which is causing him discomfort so a vet visit would be advisable ASAP. There is no "dog bite register" in the UK as a previous pp stated. As I'm sure you will do in future, your dog needs to be keep on a lead around strangers or exercised whilst wearing a muzzle. But pts or rehomed is a complete overreaction. If he was going to be aggressive to a member of the family including your DC, this would have occurred a long, long time ago.

You have no idea whether the dog will be aggressive to a family member or anyone else in the future. I'm sure the owner would have said previously that the dog wouldn't bite anyone. But it did. A dog is an animal and therefore not totally predictable.

Goldsandal · 05/10/2025 16:11

There are some really OTT replies on here. Yes, it’s awful, yes the OP should have made sure the elderly woman was okay.

However, accidents do happen unfortunately. Chihuahuas, though tiny, are essentially guard dogs. Wind makes animals a bit crazy. I have a dog and while they have never bitten, they also seem quite skittish around old people - I don’t know why but I’ve heard from other owners that this isn’t uncommon! I ensure that they are on a lead around older people and if they want to stroke her, I warn the older person that they are a bit nervous (in the past I’ve had older people trying to touch my dog’s head without asking, and I’ve seen my dog duck away and seem less than friendly).

Yes OP should take precautions in future but this was one very unexpected incident in 7 years. Telling the OP that her dog should be put down immediately seems a bit ridiculous to me…

CoubousAndTourmaIet · 05/10/2025 16:11

Hulabalu · 05/10/2025 14:24

As I u understand, the dog in the news bit its owners arm accidentally while jumping for food she was throwing in the air. So I don’t think it was fair for the animal to be pts.

I don’t think your dog should be pts as your dog won’t see stranger danger with your children. It was probably scared in the wind and got agitated. Chihuahuas are known not to like strangers and be very territorial.

That's a cop out, referring to a Chihuahua as "territorial" and not liking strangers. I have a giant guarding breed that weighs over 50kg, would that be a valid excuse for her if she bit someone? Of course it wouldn't.
There are no excuses for this sort of behaviour, irrespective of breed or size.

Noodles1234 · 05/10/2025 16:12

A baby, a young child and a dog (esp off lead), probably sounds too much for one adult to do effectively. I think on lead and muzzled from now on to be fair to other members of the public.

I think your DH is incorrect to be unfazed by it all. I think your reaction sounds better, you realise it was too much to pay equal attention to and you realise you need to alter it moving forward.

I would also be a little cautious with your own two as they grow and if they have friends over.

Wrenjay · 05/10/2025 16:12

Once a "biter" always a biter is my motto. Humans, old, young, infirm, able bodied, are all worth more than a "pet". How would anyone feel if the pet showed/killed/bit their youngster under any circumstances. All "pets" should be insured and pts if any aggression is made. You are not dealing with wild animals, these are animals you have invited into your home and are not toys.