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My dog bit someone

25K views 192 replies 70 participants last post by  GSDTrain 
#1 ·
This is a post I never thought I would have to write. My beautiful boy bit a jogger 3 days ago. I held off posting until I spoke with my lawyer, seems it's safe to talk about it here.

Details:
1.5 year old intact male GSD. Did puppy and obedience classes with great effect and socialized well until the beginning of last winter at which point he was about a year old. Since then he has had limited contact with strangers as we live way out in the country and have few visitors during the winter months. About a month ago I had friends over and he showed a great deal of aggression towards them, which was something I had never seen in him. He lives in a loving home with 3 kids, one of which is 2.5. He is wonderful with all of us. My toddler can do anything with him and he is so gentle. We also have 2 cats. He harasses them but does not try to hurt them. Just wants to sniff their bums, which irritates the heck out of them.

The bite occurred Sunday morning. He was outside on his lead for a morning pee while I made coffee. Next thing I know I hear ferocious barking coming from the front of the house. I ran out and witnessed him barking like crazy at a woman that was jogging by on the street. She started screaming and running around trying to get away from him. She fell down. As soon as I got down the driveway and yelled for him to come he did, and ran up and into the house. My wife walked her home while I stayed and gave a statement to the police along with providing vet papers and other details. His lead (250lb beast cable) failed due to fatigue at the clip.

The woman went to the hospital. Her injuries are a bite to the buttocks and a broken wrist. When she was running backwards from him she fell and landed hard on her wrist. We have reached out to them and offered to pay bills and help in any way we can. For now they are not ready to talk to us. My dog is quarantined in home for 10 days and right now the animal control officer is on vacation so I have no details as to what the next steps are. I know he will go for a vicious dog hearing as the town requires it. I also know at this point he will be terrible if brought into a room full of strangers.

Here’s some things I noticed about the attack. He had about 20 seconds with the woman before I was able to make it out the door and down the driveway. During that time he barked like crazy and got very close to her and bit once. With the way she was jumping around, I’m not even sure if the bite was intentional on his part. (Please realize, I’m not trying to dismiss the incident in any way, just trying to give you guys as much info as possible.) I also have not seen the pictures of the bite yet so I can’t say how bad it was. I do know there were no stitches required. When she fell backwards, he did not advance on her, just kept barking.

Right now, I’m not sure what the outcome will be. I don’t expect the town to force euthanasia but keeping him is not an option. My wife is steadfast and I can’t really blame her. The double jeopardy laws of RI are just too much of a risk. I have tried to contact the German Shepherd Rescue of New England and they can’t help until he is in a shelter and in dire need. I’m not even sure placing him is possible with a bite on his record. I have also reached out to the state police to see if they would be interested in evaluating him but have no info yet. My next call will be to Vom Winhaus Shepherds to see if they could do an eval once the 10 day quarantine is up.

My family is traumatized right now and I’m having trouble dealing with this emotionally. This is my fault and I will always have to live with that. This poor woman was sooo scared and I just can’t get the scene out of my mind. I love my boy and have been spending lots of time with him but none of that really matters now. What’s done is done. I guess I would like to hear anything you guys have that might help me place him or otherwise handle the situation.
 
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#102 ·
You said that your neighbors are rallying together about this incident. Am I assuming that they are against you bringing Thor back to the neighborhood, or are they for all you are planning to do as a responsible dog owner.

I wish you luck and will be praying that they can see that you are really working on things for Thor and are indeed being responsible.

In Ohio they have a three bite law...hoping that your state can at least be understanding...and not one strike and you're out. Tons of positive thoughts going your and Thor's way. Judy
 
#104 ·
thors

first I want to join the others in saying how truly sorry I am that this is happening to you. I cannot imagine being in your shoes right now.

ssecondly, I think the way you are handling it all is remarkable. For most, the first instinct would be to "protect their own" without stopping to see the situation from all sides. That you have realized there is a problem and are not only willing, but seem eager to identify and correct it, shows HUGE responsibility on your part.

I hope everything works out in everyones favor; that you are able to find assistance in training and remolding your dog, that the jogger is able to recover with as little further disruption as possible and that your dog is able to return home and turn over a new leaf.

I am curious why he would be acting so strangely "on the inside" since he did not pay any attention to other people or dogs when you were bringing him to the pound. Poor thing - he must be so confused, lonely and lost. I really, really hope this all gets resolved soon.
 
#105 ·
Originally Posted By: ddThyroid issues can trigger aggression, so you might want to get a thyroid check done to rule that out if you plan to go the behaviourist route.

If I were you, I would wait until things calm down before you make any real decisions. This is a shock and you need time to absorb that.
I agree with dd on all points here. I was in shock when mine bit. Not making any drastic decisions for awhile (I would suggest at least a week) could save yourselves not only unecessary heartbreak but some big bucks as well.

After going the hard, long, very expensive route because I literally began jumping thru hoops afterwards in order to fix my dog and be able to keep him ... I did a number of things that cost a LOT of money that I would probably not have had to do - if I had learned about thyroid problems before this happened. That will always be step #1 for me to do and to suggest to others with like issues.

My vote is to have all GSD's tested simply because they are on the list of breeds prone to this illness and also perhaps if breeders started routinely checking for thyroid issues and taking responsible actions when finding a dog that does have thyroid problems ... I think it has the potential to go a long ways towards removing the bad rep GSD's have gotten. But that's beside the point for this thread.

Others mentioned things which are all definitely possible. BUT you did not actually see what happened which can really work against you if the woman that was bitten get $$$ signs in their eyes or is in the least bit below board. The fact that they're not willing to talk to you, that bothers me a LOT.

For some dogs all it takes is for this woman to have looked him in the face and that is enough to set some dogs off because they take it as a confrontation or threat and they either get afraid and go for the bite first (I'll get you before you get me) or they go into protection mode.
 
#106 ·
Originally Posted By: Princess55I still believe alot of over reaction is going on , this dog isnt agressive, maybe alittle prey drive driven, <<< snipp>>> he is quite normal for its age
Princess55 and someone else mentioned the fact that they see no TRUE aggression in this incident which I also agree with. These comments come from dog owners who own protective breed dogs which a large part of the population is afraid of just because they are protective breed. These people are also much more in-tune to dog behavior.

What your dog did was normal behavior, like Timber1 said, if this dog was aggressive you'd not have been able to call him off easily like you did and this woman's injuries would be much more serious. Sounds like her most serious injury is her wrist which was broken in a fall and not bitten.

The big problem comes in when the people that will be judging this dog and/or making demands for it's future will not look at dog behavior. All they're going to see is "the dog bit." They don't care how, when, where, why etc ... the dog bit and that's all they see and what they'll base their decision on. This right here is why so many dogs get dam@#$* to death when it doesn't have to be this way and why so many people automatically get rid of their dogs (rehome or whatever) because they themselves don't look beyond that when something like this happens.

I used to be one that "if a dog bit it had to go." Umpteen years ago my daughter (then 6) was bitten in the face by one of the biggest Akitas you've ever seen in your life. The Akita was my sister's and her husband's and because they had children (who this dog had grown up with from puppyhood) her husband shot the dog that night - no questions asked just done. NOW I look back and I honestly think that if that dog meant to hurt my daughter, there is no way she'd have walked away with an injury that only took like 3 stitches to repair. This dog could have totally maimed her pretty little face for life, but he didn't. It was nothing more than a nip and was brought on when a very tired dog having played hard w/the kids all day long, had climbed under an end table for some peace and quiet and a nap and my daughter interrupted this by invading this space AND although not intentional she literally cornered the dog. Perfect set-up for a bite to happen.

If I had known then what I know today, there's no way I'd have allowed them to put that dog down without a huge fight to save it's life. Point here is that the mentality about this topic has not changed for many people in all these years and seems like these are the people that make the decisions when it comes to a dog's future after a bite.
 
#107 ·
Originally Posted By: RavenSophiJust to get it right, I'm not completely blaming her. There can be blamed placed on the owner of the dog too...I'm just saying, if she did the basics...there might not have been a bite.
You are very lucky to have been taught a better way to handle yourself under this kind of circumstance. The majority of people have not - they just react to protect themselves. I wish more people knew the safer way to handle this, but that's in an ideal world which I doubt I'll see in my lifetime. There are more people out there that teach their children to never go near a GSD or a Pit or you name it than there are people teaching their children how to handle themselves in a situation like this ... and fear spreads and multiplies.
 
#108 ·
Originally Posted By: trudy They said they wanted to meet the GS that mauled the child and left NO marks. Seems the child had crawled under a spot in the fence to play with the dog and was rolling around being licked when the mom saw what appeared to be the dog mauling him.
Oh I love this story! Thank you for sharing it. What a great way to show how excited people can escalate a situation.
 
#109 ·
Originally Posted By: Wisc.TigerA friend of mine has the fence like Selzer posted and she asked if we could help her put the wire fence on the inside of her privacy fence because the dogs keep knocking the boards loose and getting out. I wouldn't tust my dogs with a privacy fence if I had a problem dog.Val
We had a privacy fence previously, unless you go with a strength much much more than what we used, I would not trust it either. Some CALM big dogs are fine with it, but like Wisc Tiger said that with a dog who's got issues, the fence may not last long. We had a new chainlink fence put in that I feel oooooooh so much safer with! it's also made for calmer dogs - they can see out and around them - it's more like open space for them especially considering we have a very small yard. We had one digger, our yard was becoming increasingly pot-holed with her digging. New fence went in last year ... since about that time she's been laying ON the yard instead of digging it up. I do think the fence has something to do with this - she seems to really like laying there and watching the world go by
I think having a fence a dog can see through also helps with socialization - helps to keep them from being hidden away from the world and confined. Dogs need to see and smell and a privacy fence takes that away from them.
 
#110 ·
How cool, a dog responsible jogger! I commend you for not only working to protect yourself, but the dogs you encounter as well. You have just put a smile on my face, thank you!

The guy with the attitude of "I moved to the country so I wouldn't have to tie up my dog" ... him I can do without. That attitude sucks. Why do people think it's ok to ditch their responsibility to their own dog and people around them just because they move?
 
#111 ·
Originally Posted By: Tony123I let her run out to the driveway while telling the man she was friendly. When she got to him, she paused for just a second before licking him.
You're very lucky the person in your drive wasn't carrying mace or worse. Not only could your dog have been injured or worse, it could also be traumatic to her to approach someone in her friendly manner and get punished for it.
 
#112 ·
Originally Posted By: ThorsI just visited my boy in the pound. It broke my heart. While there I talked with the volunteers and one of the directors. He's unapproachable at this point and lunges at them when they go to open his doggie door to the outside.
Oh this just sucks big time. They made you put him in a place that OF COURSE he's going to be reactive to people he doesn't know! He's scared and in a strange place! Ugh! Just what they need to help their side of the case. Man this really ticks me off!
 
#113 ·
Originally Posted By: ThorsOh, and on a even sadder note, the woman who was bit has been in for surgery once for her wrist and may have to go back. Just a terrible situation...
The surgery is not from the bite ... she could have fallen anywhere.
 
#114 ·
MaryJane is right-on. Confidently but not arrogantly answer Q's but do not volunteer information nobody's asked for. You can to easily dig yourself a hole without realizing it. Lawyers are very skilled at getting a person to talk and leading them right down the path they want them to go, nevermind it's the absolute wrong direction. State facts, don't make any verbal assumptions. I think I'd try to talk in a way that places blame NOWHERE, not on the dog or the jogger. Facts don't place blame, they are just statements.

Definitely make sure they know your plans for the dog - but - if they asked me such as "what are your plans" I would ask what would be required before answering. That way I don't wind up volunteering more stringent rules than they would. Just make sure you have a good solid answer for each restriction.
 
#115 ·
About the three bite law in Ohio. I fortunately have not had personal experience with it, but my neighbor owned a very mean cocker spaniel that had two bite reports and they were worried about what would happen if he bit again. He never did, but the two bites were reported to animal control and she had to house quarantee him each time. We live in Lake County. I don't know if things have changed since then as laws are becoming stiffer and stiffer. Please do not consider me any kind of an expert...I am just going by what my neighbor experienced. That was a couple of years ago...the cocker has since passed to the Rainbow Bridge. Our GSD, Kayla and the cocker had a hate relationship going and one day the cocker attacked Kayla. He would not stop and was like a tazmanian devil...totally out of control. He kept trying to bite her over and over again and finally she just reached down and bit his head once. He was OK but he finally stopped. Kayla was on leash and Copper wasn't...very scarey. I thought Copper was going to be seriously hurt...Judy
 
#118 ·
Originally Posted By: MandalayI am curious why he would be acting so strangely "on the inside" since he did not pay any attention to other people or dogs when you were bringing him to the pound. Poor thing - he must be so confused, lonely and lost. I really, really hope this all gets resolved soon.
Dogs react to the picture shown to them, and the surroundings. A dog that is rock solid on lead with his handler can be reactive and dangerous when behind a barrier such as a fence or in a kennel or in a crate. To us, it's easy to say "same dog, same strangers or other dogs so the reaction should be the same"... but it's not. Especially if these things were not specifically worked on. My male is not dog aggressive at all on leash, or in the open for that matter. But if someone walks by my fence with a dog, he loses his brains. He also acts differently to people at my back fence (where only my neighbors are, who I always talk to when I see them) as opposed to my side fence where strangers walk by.
 
#119 ·
Thors,

Best of luck to you during your hearing. Your focus seems to be exactly where it should be. Accept the seriousness of the situation, and detail your plans to ensure it will never happen again. There is literally nothing more you can do. You deserve a lot of credit for fighting for your boy. Many would have just put him down and washed their hands of it. I really hope this works out.
 
#120 ·
I'm so very sorry, I wish they had not taken him to the pound, shows how much they know of a GSD. Every GS I have met who has been in a kennel for more than a few days becomes kennel aggressive... They aren't a breed to be locked in a small area surrounded by strangers and scared dogs.

You need to get your vet to come with you, if he or she has experience firsthand with your dog.
Find a training facility that you are going to get him into and get in touch with obedience trainers, show proof in court that you are doing this so they will take you seriously. Get fence installed, get a blueprint or plan showing how the fence will be, it's height and strength and also show that to the judge to prove you will be doing everything possible to keep him and the public safe. Explain your situation in detail to a behaviorist and see if they could get in touch with the judge, by letter or printed email. Maybe even showing up if they car enough. Are your friends/neighbors going to try to come? Their testimony could make all the difference. If they judge knows anything about dogs, he or she will know that what your dog did is what many a dog would do, he felt there was a threat to his family/territory and went to investigate, then had a moving, screaming target. It would be hard for any dog not to give a good nip to something showing such signs of fear that he could see and hear. Probably smell as well.

Good luck
 
#122 ·
Good luck with the hearing, have my thoughts and prayers are headed your way! It sounds like as long as you show up prepared and have answers for all the concerns of the different parties, you should be okay. Your poor boy being locked up! Whatever happens, keep calm okay? Don't forget to bring proof of whatever training he has already completed, it will help. Wishing you the best!
 
#123 ·
Well...I have very little to say at this point. My life has been turned upside down. My wife and I sat in the hearing today as my neighbors explained how long they had lived at their houses. They went on to explain how they could no longer live normal lives because of my vicious dangerous dog. My attempts to explain dog behavior and the steps we were willing to take to help this dog fell on deaf ears. A panel of "animal lovers" consisting of 2 animal control officers and the director of the RI SPCA voted unanimously to euthanize my dog. I've spoken with an expert witness for dog bite cases and know the appeal process. The bottom line is my dog, if not killed, would never be able to have a decent quality of life again. If I appeal, the most I am likely to get is a six sided enclosure, removal of his canines, and the dictate that he never leave the property again unless I inform the police that he is going to the vet.

I'm in a very dark place right now. If anything good can come of this, please read and understand what happened here. Please, please don't let this happen to you.
 
#124 ·
I am so, so sorry.

There is a post in the general (non-dog) section of rescue-a family looking for a dog with issues. I do not know them and would suggest a visit there as well as all other checks. I do not know if this is an option, I don't even know if it's a good thing to even tell you about that post.

Again I am sorry.
 
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