One week ago, new neighbours moved in. With them, they brought a kelpie cross dog. Most weekends if the weather is warm enough, we leave our front and back doors open. We have a front yard with a gate that is always closed so Ted can’t roam the street. Yesterday was a beautiful day so the doors were open. We were home and no matter where we are in the house, we can hear when the front gate is opened. I had given Teddy a treat and taken him out the back so he could eat it in the sun on the grass and not on the rug like he wanted to. Steve and I were getting ready to head out and both went upstairs at the same time to get changed. I heard my neighbour calling his dog (also called Teddy) and thought nothing of it until I heard a dog yelping and crying out in pain. It was the same noise I heard when Teddy was mauled a few years earlier and while I knew the front gate was closed, I also knew it was my dog being attacked and I flew down the stairs to find him.
At first, I thought he had somehow gotten out the front of gate, but he wasn’t out the front when I checked and I realised the noise was coming from the backyard. I raced out the back to see my Teddy cowering on the ground and the neighbour’s dog was standing next to him. I picked Teddy up straight away not even thinking that the other dog could have a go at me. Lucky it didn’t and lucky Steve was right behind me and yelled at the dog to get out of the backyard.
The owner told us that the dog had been outside off lead and had gotten scared when another dog barked at it. The dog then jumped our front fence, went through our house and straight out to my backyard where it attacked Ted. Ted was ok, he had a bite to his ear that was only a graze (I know it was a bite as there was slobber on it). He was terrified and curled himself up in to a ball for a long time until I could calm him down.
The guy apologised profusely and said ‘I didn’t know he would do that’. Neither did the last two owners of the dogs that attacked Teddy. The attack was unprovoked (just as the last two were). My dog was eating his treat in his own backyard when he was attacked. The guy said that he was babysitting his housemates dog and wasn’t aware the dog was vicious. That’s not my problem in the slightest. I don’t care if you weren’t aware. I don’t care that the dog got a fright. The actions of the dog after that followed are what I care about. If I had a child in my house or in my backyard, that situation could have been a hell of a lot worse.
We reported the dog to the council, knowing nothing will be done this time, but that it will be on record. We’ve made the mistake twice before of not reporting the dogs and the first time, the owner continued to walk the dog off lead and around children knowing the dog had mauled another dog before. That time was a lot worse, the guy himself was bitten when he tried to get Ted out of the dogs mouth.
I am not saying Teddy is perfect. But I know Teddy and I know his personality. I know he is uneasy around small children (he has not been exposed to many) and that if caught unaware, he will growl at them. Since I know that, I am super vigilant when there are children around. I always tell the child’s parent that Ted is not good around children and can you please make sure your child stays clear. I know that isn’t always easy, so I don’t let my guard down and I am always between Ted and the child. Do I think he would attack a child? No. I know he wouldn’t. He might growl and put his teeth on a child, but he would never bite. Do I assume that because I think he would never bite a child that I can use that as an excuse if he did? No. Dogs are unpredictable and my dog is no different. What I do know is that Ted would never jump a fence and go and attack another dog. I know that when called, he will come. I know that when he is told to stop, he will stop. I know when he is told to heel, he will heel. So he is allowed outside, off lead. Because I know I can control him and if I see children or a cat or danger ahead, I can tell him to stop and he will so I can put a lead on him.
The reason for this post is to tell people to not assume their dogs won’t bite. If your dog is hard to handle off lead, if your dog is easily spooked (by as little as a dog barking at it!), if your dog is unpredictable – do not let it off lead and free to roam the street. If that dog had run down our street, it could have run in to a number of children that live there. In fact, on the other side of that neighbour is a house with a 1 year old and they leave their door open often too. I hate to think what could have happened if the dog went the other way.
Please be aware of your dog’s behaviour and please learn your dog’s personality well. It might just save a child or dog from being attacked in future.
That's terrifying, poor Teddy! It's made worse by the fact he was doing the right thing and hanging out in his home home! :(
ReplyDeleteI have too many similar stories - animals are unfortunately far too unpredictable, even when with their owners sometimes.
Recently I was gardening out the front, and was kneeling down pulling some weeds out. The next door neighbour was also out, and thought it was a brilliant idea to let her Irish Wolfhound out without his lead. He raced straight up to me, and was much taller because I was on the ground - I nearly died of fright. He response was 'oh no, he's fine, he's gentle'; not the point lady!
TL;DR - give Teddy a giant hug!
Yes, exactly. It takes a lot of persistent training to know your dog really well and for them to understand commands and listen each and every time. We have taught Ted commands from a young age and are constantly reinforcing them, but as you said - pets are unpredictable. Even humans have 'off days'.
DeleteThat would have been really terrifying. I hate dogs running towards me or Ted full speed as we both get scared. I don't understand why people think it's ok to let their dog do that and in fact, most puppy pre-schools teach you not to let your dog do that.
Poor Ted! Why was your neighbours dog off his leash? I didn't think they were allowed unless they were at a dog park?
ReplyDeleteGive Ted an extra hug for me x
We’ve let Ted off the lead out the front before, but I am always closely supervising him…usually when he goes out for a wee. I never would if I thought he’d run off, but it’s taken years of training and consistent good behaviour from him for me to even think of allowing it. In general, I don’t trust other people’s dogs and will always get Ted to sit down at my feet (and hold his collar) if I see one coming (or just put him inside the gate). I’ve been called a stress head before, but you can never be too careful.
DeleteThere are a few dogs around who I know don’t come when they are told to, yet I still see the owners walking the dogs off lead often, or letting them out the front off lead. Not sure what the neighbour was thinking – surely they’d know their dog gets spooked easily?
There are off lead dogs parks around, but we generally don’t use them as we’ve seen a couple of bad dog fights and I’d prefer to minimise the risk to my dog. We usually just walk Ted around the neighbourhood instead.
glad your little man is ok! Must have been so scary for you! (and him :()
ReplyDeleteI am terrified my boy will be attacked, because we adopted him from a shelter he has anxiety issues and is quite scared of other dogs. He's come a long way with confidence in the 18 months we've had him but he still gets nervous and scared, when sometimes all other dogs want to do is play or have a sniff.
He has only been attacked once and that was by a little white shitzu/Maltese thingy. They seem to be the most aggressive dogs (I generalise but just from my experience) who always go for him. I've become quite a good judge of dogs who I think will cause a bit of dog biffo.
Any time I am out walking now, the second I see a dog running towards him who looks like they might charge/bite, I grab Simba and pick him up. I don't care if it makes me/my dog look like a wuss haha
I wouldn't care either. Your dog's safety is important! I've done it before when big dogs run at Ted or when little jumpy dogs are jumping on him... always the same response - oh, my dog is just playing.
DeleteAmen Rhi !!
ReplyDeleteI work at a Council, in the animal section & more or less ALL of the attacks we have reported (be it against humans, livestock or other dogs) can be avoided !
So glad to hear you're like that with Ted around Children, of my 2 dogs 1 is good with kids, 1 is not so vigilance is always necessary !
Good on you & glad Ted is ok
xx
That must be a hard department to work in. Interesting that most can be avoided. I wish people had a lot more sense and control over their animals. Owning a dog comes with huge responsibilities and far too many people fail to understand that.
DeleteOh gosh, so sorry to hear Teddy was attacked. I wouldn't know what to do as I haven't experienced it before. I definitely agree with not assuming. Even though my dogs has grown up around the kids since he was little and I do feel comfortable with him playing with my girls, still, a dog is a dog and you just never know. For me, rule of thumb is never leave kids alone with a dog, whether it is your own dog or someone else's dog. Poor Teddy. I hope he gets over the attack soon xo
ReplyDeleteHe got over it pretty quickly, but it certainly affects me more. We went walking the other day and a dog had a go at him again.This one was protecting it's other friend and wasn't about to bite him or anything but it did scare him which led to me panicking etc. Dogs will be dogs though, just need to be careful!
DeletePoor poor Teddy. Must have been such a fright. I'm very cautious about Frankie around children and visitors as she has become far more protective since bub arrived.
ReplyDeleteHow does Frankie go with Alexander? Is she gentle?
DeleteYou should also not assume your own dog would never bite.
ReplyDeleteI definitely don't assume that my dog would never bite. I wrote that above - third paragraph from the bottom :-)
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