>

Attacked by the neighbours dog :(

A

aquazi

Lifer
Derby + N. London
So after some advice.... what would you folks do in my situation....

So i generally get on with my neighbours - send xmas cards, say hello - but are not really friends.

Their older daughter got a bull terrier last summer and it has been an absolute nightmare... we have a hedge between the gardens and this thing gets through, runs wild in the our garden and is aggressive to the point we cant even go in our garden.

So anyway I got some garden fence and sorted that issue out... the dog just barks aggressively through the fence along with their sheep dog... .which is off putting but no harm done....

Until today... i had an parcel from interlink (worst company ever - which is another story) a new cotbed from mamas and papas which the neighbour signed for. After work i see the card there go knock on the door and the little girl (prob around 3 years old) opened it.. and from nowhere this dog bounced on me... i flung my arm out to protect my face and i see its ripped the shirt but my body blocked most of it...

The neighbour comes rushing out as he was in the garden when he hears the dogs barking calls the dogs back and says sorry didnt realise the little girl opened the door...asks if i want a hand carry the box to which i declined and go back to my house with the box...

At this point realise my arm is throbbing - the adrenaline or shock clearly disguised it at the time... and the dog got a bite on it - blood down my arm and teeth marks which has now turned into a pretty sizeable bruise :(

So mop up the blood and Detol it (had my tetanus last yr so that ok) and call the wife who is away (7.5 months pregnant) who is fuming and wants to come home and have a go at the neighbours.. to which i calm her down.

I have taken it rather calmly - it bloody hurts but the dog was only being defensive to a stranger at the door towards the little girl.. but the wife thinks i should report the dog.. saying what if it was her, or our baby which it attacks next time?

Or atleast go and show the neighbour what it has down to me - as he probably wasnt even aware what had happened.

I feel like i should just let it pass and get on - keep the peace between the neighbours.. but she does have a valid point - so what would you do?
 
Think how you would feel if the dog ripped the face off a passing child or your own. Or indeed the child in the house

Report to the police ASAP.
 
This sounds pretty serious mate. I dont really know what I would do in that situation as it is quite hard to imagine. I would speak to them and say I have a child on the way I cant have this viscous animal behaving this way around a young child.. :thumbsdown:

Hope you're ok btw, nothing too serious..
 
it is your neighbours legal responsibility to keep the dog under control irrespective of whether or not you are on their property.
Without a doubt report it before something worse happens.
Also politely tell your neighbours if the dog comes onto your property you'll be handing it back in a black bin liner.
 
Very difficult situation and not an easy one to deal with obviously. Just IMO could you go round and have a sit down calm chat about the barking and your concerns about the dogs aggressive behaviour with a little one on the way? Keep it friendly as much as possible as you have to live next door.

Not a nice thing to have to deal with and not one I'd like atall so I wish you the very best and hope it can stay non confrontational.
 
As a lover of animals and a generally reasonable person I would say that if it had just jumped on you, then a quiet work with the neighbor, but a bite is a bite. As above, what if it's a/your young child that knocks on the door? A big do like that could easily kill the the child or seriously hurt them for life.

I think taking some pictures is the first thing that needs to be done (of your injury) and definitely show them/your injury to the neighbor. If it can do that to you is it safe to have around a 3 year old child all day? No matter how much I loved my dog, if it did that on a hair trigger there is no way I would want it round my kid.

There is the chance that if the dog is classed as Dangerously out of control it will be seized and possibly destroyed. Worst case.

This may not be the best way to fostering good feelings between you and your neighbor, but at what cost?
 
Take some photos of the injury and report it to the Police. The dog sounds as though it's out of control if it attacked you and you shouldn't have to worry about venturing into your own garden for worry of attack.

Tim.
 
Go and have a word, keep it calm, explain your concerns and allow the owner to learn a lesson. The dog was protecting its family (over the top may maybe) but it does not understand that you mean no harm. It just sees you as an intruder on its territory and protected the girl. The young girl should not really be opening the door exposing the dog to that situation when she cannot control it.

I have a Shepherd who is a perfect family dog. If I play fight with my son our dog will attack me to protect him, but uses as minimal force as she can. Sometimes it hurts as she gets excited but when I see how she can crush a leg bone from a cow in ten minutes to get the marrow out, I can see what she is capable off if she wants to bite something properly. If I hold my hands up and shout "Stop" she freezes. She knows its a game.

The other day, i opened a door and she spotted next doors Lab walking across the end of our drive. She took off and knocked it over before I could stop her. I called her back and belted her. Apologised profusely to the neighbours whose dog was fine. If I'm now out the front cleaning the car, I put her on a rope, whereas she used to lie freely on the lawn and wander around the cul-de-sac. It was out of character for her, but I can see what she did was just protecting her territory. Whilst you think you know your dog and can control it,they are never 100% predictable.

Do I want the Police round ? Do I want my dog put to sleep ? No. Luckily I have an understanding neighbour who has accepted my apology. I now act accordingly and responsibly by restraining her and everyone is happy
Go and see them, explain your feelings and concerns. Point out may have happened and Im sure your neighbour will appreciate it and respond appropriately in controlling the dog. Don't always blame the dog, when its the keepers fault.
 
Yeah i think you guys do make a lot of sense - i dont need to be hostile - but will have a sit down with the neighbour and say as a neighbour they need to keep them under control.. and show them what it did to me.. next time could be someone hurt far worse.


Well an iphone snap...... its not that bad in the grand scheme of things... could have been my face... also i didnt help matters by cleaning it up with neat detol and giving myself some chemical burns near the wound :(


 
I personally think it should be reported, next time it could be your other half or child.

Considering a 3 year has the capability to just set the dog loose without the guy realising. There is a reason dogs that attack people can be destroyed.

Plus it would resolve your garden issues :-)
 
Get a backbone and go round to your neighbour. That dog would get put down if it attacked me or my family.

As it has attacked you, it clearly has the ability to attack the 3 year old who opened the door. What if it attacked her?
 
ben g said:
Get a backbone and go round to your neighbour. That dog would get put down if it attacked me or my family.

As it has attacked you, it clearly has the ability to attack the 3 year old who opened the door. What if it attacked her?
Click to expand...

No Ben, it was protecting the 3 year old.. My dog will occasionally growl at other adult dogs but never at a puppy. They know what is a threat. She growls if a man comes to the door and I'm not home. If I am home, she remains quiet. She protects my family when Im not here. I never taught her that.

If your kid comes home from school having had fight, should he go straight to prison/borstal, or do you discipline him for bad behaviour and make him learn whats right and wrong. Dogs are like kids. Its down to the way they are treated. Give them security, routine and love and they respond accordingly. Treat them with hostility and it breeds violence. Don't instantly blame the dog for the owners error.
 
There's big difference between knocking someone/another dog over and a bite. My boss's dog is very big, barks very loudly and rushes at you when you get to the door, first time he bowled me over as he was just excited. That's not the same as attacking and biting. As you said it could have been your face, or your wife's or a kid's.
 
I don't know how the law is in the UK but in Pennsylvania and most of the US a dog bite must be reported by law to the police.
 
Wholley crap that's a bite, definitely have a word, and if they don't seem to be sympathetic then report it.

It's the owners rather than the dog, however, if the dog gets out without restraint then it could do some serious damage no matter who it is.

hope that heals up soon
 
In the UK WLH, any dog attacks where a dog breaks the skin is covered by the Dangerous Dog Act 1991 and should be reported to the police to investigate
 
I have 3 dogs so can be viewed as a person who sides with dog owners but this situation is crazy

I would report them to your local rspca inspector, you almost have a duty to do so. They sound like Jeremy Kyle guests with a stupid status dog that is literally a lethal weapon

they ( jezza neighbours ) need to go and so does the dog ( hopefully rehomed and to a family with a family brain cell to spare / share )

Sad but very common nowadays
 
Sae said:
Wholley crap that's a bite, definitely have a word, and if they don't seem to be sympathetic then report it.
Click to expand...
Thats the key issue here. If the owner is not taking it seriously and responisbly then Yes, report it. If you are happy that he is concerned and takes a satisfactory course of action to prevent a reoccurance or the dog being a nuisance. then deal with it bewteen yourselves.

Sleep on it and speak to him tomorrow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom