[Closed] Dog

It sounds like a storm in a tea cup

If it had been one of my daughters who had been bit, it would most definitely not be a storm in a teacup. I suspect most parents of young children would see it in the same way...

But was it a bite, or was it just a fright?

Doesn't sound like any skin was broken.

I have a wolfhound, and the reason I like them is their reliability and lovely temperament.

I just wish I could offer a home to this poor dog. It doesn't sound like a bad dog, just a bit lost with the death of its owner.

Sharkbait - read the OP's latter contributions. Being pulled over is mentioned.

These days you need to very careful about having your dog in public, one mistake it's either the dog's life or a lawsuit facing you.

Think of it this way. You cannot read the dog's mind so there is no way you can be 100% certain that the dog will not be accused of being dangerous in public.

Where I come from in the far east most of the local stray dogs (actually a kind of local breed) are slowly being wipe out by the local council dog catchers because there were considered stray. Worst still religion come into play especially those of the muslamic kind.

Seems to me that this is a pretty clear case that the apparently aggrieved party isn't taking responsibility for her actions, the OP is taking responsibility for what happened and is trying to move forward in the best interests of the dog and his family. It seems it's the OP that's getting a raw deal off the majority of folk here.

I find it kind of odd the way society is moving.... 🙄

dog should be put down. end of.

I've a colleague who is interested in getting a wolfhound as a rescue. I think though, at 8 years old and with a life expectancy of 7 for the breed, a rehome may be difficult. (personally I wouldn't rehome the dog I'd keep hold of her - squirrelking / robdixon on the right track ).

Some of these comments are bloody outrageous, if we'd have got rid of every dog that nipped me or my sister when i was growing up as a child we'd have had no dogs! Despite them only playing they can be pushed too far/get over excited and some occasions accidentally draw blood. Even startling the most friendly dog in the world will get a negative response.

On a side note, I've been bitten harder and worse by a bloody rabbit than any dog I've owned, right through my damn finger.

OP you have acted calmly and responsibly with whats happened, and specially whats going on. Some real anti-dog people on here.

[i]dog should be put down. end of.[/i]

Is that a joke....if so its not funny! There are obviously a few issues here, but sounds like the problem would be solved if the dog wasn't taken into strange environments with kids running around near it and secondly if he was muzzled.

As for having it in the house with a new born...I think not!

Re homing somewhere with lots of space and it would be fine.

Some real anti-dog people on here.

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents.

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents.

I have young kids and a dog. I'm more realistic though and see that this wasn't a vicious mauling and that the OP has taken a hard but wise decision.

if we'd have got rid of every dog that nipped me or my sister when i was growing up as a child we'd have had no dogs!

Some real anti-dog people on here.

Or maybe they're just people who don't regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

Just a thought…. 🙄

Or maybe they're just people who don't regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

You can't say that about kids, that's terrible.

On a side note, I've been bitten harder and worse by a bloody rabbit than any dog I've owned, right through my damn finger.

the amount of apologists for dogs biting people.

Theres a whole new language! "nipping" "soft mouthing" "accidentally draw blood" etc etc

Maybe just parents of young kids who are all too well aware of a potential danger and future incidents

We were all kids once, was our generation bubble wrapped like they are nowadays, i'm no condoning it in anyway what so ever but children nowadays are wimps. H&S is well over the top, banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind...

Apparently dogs bite people, so we should all just accept that, should we?

Its nothing to do with acceptance, I've always thought it was a good idea for a dog license but that's a different story, they are animals at the end of the day, we've domesticated them for our own uses/enjoyment/companions yet when they act out of "character", we kill them.

Or maybe they're just people who don't regard it as reasonable to keep unpredictable animals as pets that randomly bite people for no apparent reason.

All animals are unpredictable, people more so but we keep them too. Children are even more unpredictable, even your own little ones.

Killer Bunny sketch is just fantastic.

If my dog bit someone he'd have to go. Ultimately a dog should never bite a person unless it's attacked itself. Startled and biting is not acceptable.

surfer - Member
Theres a whole new language! "nipping" "soft mouthing" "accidentally draw blood" etc etc

I think like with humans, intentions comes into it.

If I give my wolfhound a can of dogfood and tell her to eat, she'll chomp right through the can. That's a bite.

If I ask her to bring it here, she'll pick it up with her teeth and give it to me. There won't be a scratch on the can. That's not a bite, that's how dogs hold things.

In this case it sounds like the wolfhound was startled and grasped her. If it was a bite there would have been holes in the girl. There's no doubt the girl got a fright because kids don't drop their iPhones. It doesn't sound like an attack to me.

I have got rid of a dog in the past (Ridgeback) that snapped at a kid. Didn't touch him, but it was a warning of intention, so I gave it to a friend on a farm.

We were all kids once, was our generation bubble wrapped like they are nowadays, i'm no condoning it in anyway what so ever but children nowadays are wimps. H&S is well over the top, banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind...

I remember being bitten by dogs when I was a kid. Because I was doesn't mean my kids should have to put up with the same. I like that my kids are wimps if it is a result of them not needing to be wary of dogs etc. I also remember dogshit everywhere, and smoking in cinemas blah blah blah...

Some things no longer happen for good reason.

And dog apologists, there is just no way to justify that a dog 'nips, bites, snaps', or whatever you want to call it, a strange child in any context whatsoever. Children are by nature trusting and are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

banning triangle shaped flap jacks some to mind...

Children are by nature trusting and are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

This is part of the problem.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it's ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you'd ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to "pet" a farm animal. Dogs aren't there for the entertainment of other people's children and shouldn't be seen as such.

Sounds a bit like the girl has had a bit of a harsh lesson in manners...

Really? By being bitten by a dog. Nice line of justice there. Wow.

It doesn't sound like an attack to me.

I suspect it would have to be very violent indeed to constitute an "attack" to you, Judging by the rest of your post.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it's ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you'd ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to "pet" a farm animal.

You dont tend to get many of them walking down the street do you? Anyway you have succeeded in blaming the child so job done.

Responsible parents would teach their kids to ask the owner first if it's ok to go up to a dog and make a fuss of it in exactly the same way you'd ask a farmer if it was safe / ok to "pet" a farm animal. Dogs aren't there for the entertainment of other people's children and shouldn't be seen as such.

Responsible dog owners, who seemingly know there is a chance their dog could bite someone, should keep them muzzled and on a lead at all times.

Works both ways.

are brought up to assume that a dog is friendly and can be approached without fear of being bitten.

Mine never have and even though they love dogs always ask if it's Ok to stroke or approach a dog. Funny exactly like I was by my parents.

And mine too, but most kids, mine included, will just assume a dog is friendly.

So it's ok to have a dangerous animal,because parents are responsible for assessing the risk of a dog they have never seen before?

surfer - Member
I suspect it would have to be very violent indeed to constitute an "attack" to you, Judging by the rest of your post...

I wasn't there. Might help if the OP could tell us if it actually was a bite. Dogs use the mouths to grasp things, as I said intentions are important.

And I would have no tolerance for a dog which even made a threat to a human.

epicyclo you are making excuses for an aggressive dog.

So it's ok to have a dangerous animal,because parents are responsible for assessing the risk of a dog they have never seen before?

No but as a father I also have a duty to warn my kids of dangers. One is to be careful around strange dogs.

And when you've warned them,and they are bitten,then whose fault is it?

Maybe there isn't always someone to blame when all reasonable precautions have been taken. Some people are too eager to blame others.

With drac on this. Drummed into my kids heads you keep a respectful distance away from dogs you do not know, much the same as you would teach your kids about strangers...as my parents taught me. May not stop them being bitten in situations say where a kid runs round a blind corner into one...but does mitigate it a whole lot better than letting kids either think there are no dangers or by letting them learn for themselves with unfortunate results.

Mine never have and even though they love dogs always ask if it's Ok to stroke or approach a dog. Funny exactly like I was by my parents.

No but as a father I also have a duty to warn my kids of dangers. One is to be careful around strange dogs.

this^^

I don't think it's an actual bite because a bite will have proper punctured wounds. Very different.

I grew up with street full of strays and also fierce "guard" dogs (more like dogs let loose in the compound or street).

As a kid we learned whether a dog is friendly or not by calling out to the dog, then see if it comes running around wagging its tail with ears down, or tongue out "greeting" us (posture - its body is relax and not tense). We don't immediately pat the dog but let them see our palm or hand before patting them on their heads.

A non-friendly dog will start barking either standing their ground or side way prepare to run (if there is only one) but if they are a few of them, once you get one barking, the rest will team up and probably start moving toward you (tense body and very alert). They will show their K9 teeth with ears standing up (alert) and tail straight up. In this case, we either move slowly or not make eye contact but keeping alert of where they are. You will get a few behind you sniffing your legs. The really bad ones will bite at the moment you turn around. My boy racer mate got bitten many times but no big deal as he would go to the hospital for jabs and the owner(s) got told off.

After that we would go back to put the aggressive dogs in their place by beating the crap out of them, not injuring them or to kill them btw, so they would not try to bully us again but others would hate us until they die. That's how we got chased by dogs everyday. A way of life. No big deal. However, if you get an aggressive mastiff like dogs (my friend's dog that can be rather temperamental, a bit psycho ...) then you better be prepared for a fight and for us we carry metal pipe(s) with us ... the dogs know that and would not dare come close to us. 😆

We had encountered Rottweiler size dog (think it's mixed) as well as a pack of say 10 or more aggressive ones. For big dogs it would be Mexican standoff ... 😆 Never run or turn your back on them.

Any dog in a public place should be muzzled and on a lead, simple as. That's the sensible response to the thousands of non-owner victims ending up in hospital each year.

My son has been trained to deal with dogs, me too as I had to visit up to 200 farms a year and as an unwelcome visitor sometimes had dogs set on me. However, dog psychology means a dog will often place a child lower in the pack than itself whereas a male adult can usually dominate a dog unless it's been trained to attack. Dogs bite kids, the only way to be certain a dog won't is to muzzle it.

Any dog in a public place should be caged and towed on a skateboard, simple as.

And as for the grasping scumbag of a mother... greedy little blackmailer.

i'm just back from work - update time, The dog has gone to dogs trust(where he came from) they have been told the full story as well as details of father passing and upheaval . They gladly took him and will send him for assessment and rehoming. The police have said no crime has been committed as the dog did not set out too bite and was just being a dog. It has been a terrible terrible 24 hours . We believe we have made the right decision and after looking into things the dog has had a few episode that we chose to ignore.
We are only glad that nobody got seriously hurt (the girl has a minor mark) My mother is 70 , my wifes pregnant and i work away .Thanks for the replies mostly positive Except the generalist? hmm ? hopefully the post can close thanks .

Why is it fine for a child to assume dogs are there to be petted? If my kids just randomly approached/stroked your kids would they react or think it was acceptable? I have to train my dog,you need to educate your child.

Trevron. I think you have done the right thing well done. If a dog of that size only left a minor mark it clearly didnt mean to cause harm just give a warning. Doesnt excuse it though and I hope the lttle girl recovers emotionally and physically.

me too as I had to visit up to 200 farms a year and as an unwelcome visitor sometimes had dogs set on me

These dogs that set on you what injuries did they cause?
STW home of the attacked and mauled. If its not a mastiff its a sheep dog.
I used to visit farms for a living and never got bitten or " set upon". FFS if you are set upon by a reasonably sized dog you will get seriously hurt I would think.

I'll be up front I hate dogs, and got bit in a similar instance when I was yonger(ultimately where my fear comes from.) went to clap a red setter and it took a chunk ot of my hand.

In this case it doesn't sound like the dog was being vicious, just startled and it was a natural reflex, rather than an attempt to case harm.

Sonds like the OP is doing the right thing taking the dog to people that will have experience and know how to proceed. I wouldn't put the dog down, but it should be monitored and kept away from children at a minimm imo.

The dog apologists on here must be having a laugh.
Why the **** should I have to teach a child how to behave around dogs. Dog owners need to be aware that they are responsible for the behaviour of their pets in public. If they cannot guarantee it then if it snaps, soft mouths, nips or whatever then don't take it out in public.

Why the **** should I have to teach a child how to behave around dogs

Er, the same way that you have to tell a child how to behave around ducks or geese in the local park. Or around the local cat/s. Or pigeons. Or cars.

Er, the same way that you have to tell a child how to behave around ducks or geese in the local park. Or around the local cat/s. Or pigeons. Or cars.

So, how are we meant to behave around pigeons?? 😕 🙄

Oh dear.