My dog just bit someone!

[Oblio13]

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I, on the other hand, did plenty of dumb things when I was a kid. And I managed to evade adult supervision plenty of times, too. Come to think of it, I got bit by several dogs. But that was back in the days before people were sue-happy.

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Whether or not you think it's fair, if a dog with a prior history attacks someone, it will likely be the pet owner who is held responsible, not the victim's parents.

Picture yourself on a jury listening to a defendant:

"Your Honor, the child was looking over my fence into my yard without permission. I'm sorry she lost her eye, but it's really her parent's fault. Besides, the bites on my neighbor and the mailman weren't bad, so how was I supposed to know the dog was aggressive?"


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[SarahBeth9394]

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I, on the other hand, did plenty of dumb things when I was a kid. And I managed to evade adult supervision plenty of times, too.

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Whether or not you think it's fair, if a dog with a prior history attacks someone, it will likely be the pet owner who is held responsible, not the victim's parents.

Picture yourself on a jury listening to a defendant:

"Your Honor, the child was looking over my fence into my yard without permission. I'm sorry she lost her eye, but it's really her parent's fault. Besides, the bites on my neighbor and the mailman weren't bad, so how was I supposed to know the dog was aggressive?"

That would not be my response at all. My response would have been that the parent neglected their child by 1)not teaching them that you don't stick your hand through a fence. 2)you don't just let yourself in closed fences and 3)leaving a small child unattended. Had it been a water trough the child would be dead.

 

[HennysMom]

poor puppy... I'm sorry he's put you into this predicament, its tough.

My dog (bless his soul) was 14 (black chessie lab) and was the most loving dog ever - never once bit anyone, but.. he was VERY protective of us all, especially towards the end of his life (like the last 4 years). I believe he'd of taken a bite out of someone if they'd of pressed him or broken in, no doubt.

I too think your dog was antagonized at that gate - if others can come onto your property and he is fine - then..he's associtating the gate and people at it (without you) with terror he experienced.

I'd put up postings BEWARE OF GUARD DOG - not just "BEWARE OF DOG" that way people KNOW he means business - then put up another sign and laminate it stating "ALL DELIVERIES AND/OR UTILITIES MUST CALL FIRST XXX-XXX-XXXX - DO NOT APPROACH GATE / FENCE"

That way - you are in the clear in once sense with your homeowners insurance and the law. Take PICTURES of the signs - post on several locations on the gate and fencing (from pictures I saw) all the way around your property - and then HOLD UP A NEWSPAPER with the date and date stamp your camera - so you can show what date you took those pictures. Also video tape your entire location and all areas where signs are posted. Put them in a safe place in case there are future incidences.

Consider running electric invisible dog fencing across your driveway and down the fence line in front of your drive / front yard. put it back about 10 feet or so - that way the dog will learn not to go so close to the gate as well, or the fence. The little "flags" that come with it along with the beeping - your dog will catch on quick with loving reinforcement and teaching. No need to shock him, you can train him on the beeping alone with praise and rewards (we did and it worked wonderfully). Eventually we could turn off the fence and the dog knew based on the flags not to go outside of that area - other times, we left the fence on, it just depended (our entire yard was not gated, nor the driveway).

These are some important steps you can take to ensure your dog, your family and others are well protected

Now - if your dog should bite someone again after all precautions above are taken, then... yes...you will have to consider the alternative unfortunately

as thats what we pet owners must do, hard as that may be sometimes...But - try this first and see how he does.

 

[DiVon80]

Hay! Maybe this dog knows something about the mail man that you don't know....???? I socialize my dogs to an extreme.. They are very good at judging peoples charcter. They were generally right. Don't ever under-estimate your dog. Lets put it this way: No matter how good of a criminal you are you will still get nervous an let out a scent that is very easily picked up by the dog. The dogs nose knows. You still need to stop the bitting. As for the locked gates thats something that needs to be done....Give you something to think about statistic wise: breakins on homes with out a fence highest, breakins with a fence less likely, breakins with a fence and dog highly unlikely. I have always lived with my home fully fenced and locked mainly for my dogs safety. In the 80's we had one of our first litter of rottie pups. We had to meet people who were interested in our pups away from our home then decide to bring them to our home. We never just gave our address to anyone. Rottie pups were hard to get(breeders protected them as much as possible from bad buyers) and high dollar. I would never live in a situtation where someone can just knock at my door. Watch the news kids are disappearing from there homes....

 

[DiVon80]

One of the things I am having trouble with....all the talk of euthanasia.....wow!!!

Is that something people do to a family member when he gets in trouble??? My dogs are my family we do not give up on them...

I don't know where you live but, we are in a time when kids are killing each other and any one else who crosses there path.(New Orleans,La) Just lately near a friends condo a young women was gun down and murdered for her purse. They got a total of 50.00 cash. Now here was a productive citizen destroyed by 15 and 16 year olds...People in this country really need to wake up.....

 

[seedcorn]

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That would not be my response at all. My response would have been that the parent neglected their child by 1)not teaching them that you don't stick your hand through a fence. 2)you don't just let yourself in closed fences and 3)leaving a small child unattended. Had it been a water trough the child would be dead.

So dog is put down & other people get written up by child services, real happy outcome.

To get back on track, we are liable for our animals. Understand risks and take precautions that nullify the risks.

This is an animal we are typing about not a human. Unfortunately animals sometimes have to pay for human mistakes.

For those, that believe an animal is as important as a human, please don't respond to this post, just ignore it, consider me the unenlightened. thank you

 

[Rhett&SarahsMom]

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You might have a hard time suing someone who pepper-sprayed an aggressive dog with a history of biting. I hope so, anyway.

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If you think it's normal and desirable for a dog to bite innocent people through and over a fence, you shouldn't own a dog.

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Kids don't have common sense. Dogs sometimes get out of yards.

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You might consider adding a personal liability rider to your homeowner's insurance. I'd wager this'll happen again.


Dogs are, within the limits of their species, breeds and individual personalities, what we make them. I agree with those who have said that this is "not the dog's fault". However, that doesn't really matter when a kid is disfigured.

Kids are smarter than you think, at least I was and knew better. But then how old a "kid" are we talking about and WHY would a child to young or whatever to not know to approach a strange dog be doing WITHOUT adult supervision?

Again why should a responsible pet owner be punnished for someone else's lack of responsibility to properly teach and or supervise their children?

Because "people" do not always properly teach or supervise their children.

I have seen kids from age 2 and up just run up to dogs at the local park. Wanting to pet the dog. Parents or caregivers standing around talking and not watching their kids. At the same time I have been "attacked" by dogs let off their leashes at the same park while out walking.

We have dog. He is KNOWN to be aggressive to mail carriers and delivery men. We keep him locked in the house or on leash etc when the mail or UPS guy is on the street. because we are RESPONSIBLE.
I would die if he ever bit or grazed a tooth on anyone. He would be at hte vets in a heartbeat being put to sleep.

That said. My daughter is afraid of most dogs. Big or small. And she has grown up with both my Border Collie and my moms AmStaff.
She prefers them to not run up to her. She respects them, and all animals because we taught her to.

It goes BOTH ways

 

[TriciaHowe]

This is a picture from my porch and you can just make out the gate behind the tree. We aren't in an area where people are just wandering by. We also have a LARGE bell on a pole with a rope (rope is a couple feet off the fence line) to ring or people can toot the horn if they need something. There is no reason for someone to enter unannounced, including the meter reader. He can toot the horn and I would be out there in a minute. I am always here.
I did send an email to the electric company this morning asking that he not enter the yard unannounced - that I would put the dogs up when he is here. I will see what they write back. Short of putting a padlock on the gate to keep him out I don't know what else to do. I got the stand offs for the electric wire this morning so now I have to go out this afternoon and run it. There is only a small area to worry about as most of the fence line is blocked by trees.

PS that is my daughter defending her pool from the ducks who were free ranging that day

 

[SarahBeth9394]

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No not a happy outcome. But as long as I am a responsible parent and pet owner I expect others to be responsible themselves. Alot of what is wrong in society these days is a total lack of being responsible for ones own behavior. And I would certainly want the neglectful parents written up.

As for the dogs/humans things please don't lump me in with those who put dogs on the same level as humans. At the same time understand that part of a dogs job is to guard the property. It is instinctual.

 

[SarahBeth9394]

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Tricia I hope they will be happy to let you know what date the meter reader is coming. If I had to call them monthly to verify the date I would.