My dog just bit someone.......I am beside myself.....

[Deuce'sMom]

All the things I did wrong to lead up to this........

I had my dog out for a walk, but I didn't stop to put on the best boots I have and it is icy underfoot. He tends to react strongly to strangers so I went to the opposite side of the street and then Deuce focused in on a young guy on the far side of the street.

Before I could react, Deuce was pulling me towards him barking like crazy and this young man is coming TOWARDS US with his hand extended - gloves off. I had him tied to my waist and ended up on the ground in the middle of the road and yes, Deuce did bite the young man.

I am inconsolable. I can't believe my dog did that. I tied my dog to a tree and despite the young man's protests of "its fine, its fine......." I knocked on his door and looked at the puncture wound on his palm with bruising on the top of his hand. He again said "don't worry about it". I have a speech imediment but the whole time I was yelling NO....GO AWAY.....yet got close enough that Deuce bit him.

I have been in tears sine I got home. I don't know where to go from here. I know my dog is protective of me...but this young man offered no threat and got a sore hand out of the deal. I am scared for my dog and feel very badly for the young man. Who knows what will happen........

Donna

[elisabeth_00117]

I am so sorry for this.

I have a dog who is reactive to people sometimes too, usually in enclosed spaces and usually when it is a lone person. Seems he never reacts in a crowd.

I would follow up with this young man, ask him if there is anything you can do. Ensure he is not "really hurt" - as in needs stiches, etc..

Is your dog up to date on rabies? Provide that information to the young man.

I am not sure what else to suggest, this is just what I would do.

Along with get a trainer to help with this issue. Like, now.

I am sure more experienced members will chime in and provide some better information.

My dog has been socialized with everything imaginable from the time he was born and continues to be - sometimes it's genetic, sometimes it's us (I have anxiety sometimes so I am sure that comes down the leash), sometimes it's everything combined.

[JakodaCD OA]

Donna, I'm sorry this happened to you , Deuce and this young man.. I would do as elizabeth suggests follow up with the guy, apologize again. He sounds like he is understanding. What I can't understand is, why he'd keep coming with a dog barking his head off at him?? Maybe he's embarrassed as well.

Don't beat yourself up about it, it could have been much much worse, and I'm not excusing what he did, you learn, you move on to try and prevent it from ever happening again

[hunterisgreat]

I would preemptively provide him with a bill of you dogs health before someone plants "that dog may have had rabies" seeds in his head and show him you are consulting with a trainer to address the situation, both to demonstrate your taking full responsibility for the situation. Better position for a potential court case.

What kind of collar/ leash do you use?

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by JakodaCD OA

. What I can't understand is, why he'd keep coming with a dog barking his head off at him?? Maybe he's embarrassed as well.

Struggling with that myself

[elisabeth_00117]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

I would preemptively provide him with a bill of you dogs health before someone plants "that dog may have had rabies" seeds in his head and show him you are consulting with a trainer to address the situation, both to demonstrate your taking full responsibility for the situation. Better position for a potential court case.

What kind of collar/ leash do you use?

I always use a prong (even if only attached to the dead ring) and secure it with a martingale (attached to both) because Stark is almost 90lbs of pure muscle and well.. I am not that strong.

He has knocked me on my butt more than once at training with just his harness on.

He LOVES/HATES? squirrels and I KNOW he would pull me to one if given the opportunity.

I woud suggest looking into a more secure way to walk him by looking at different anti-pull collars/harnsses.

[elisabeth_00117]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

Struggling with that myself

Some people think they we must be over-reacting, others probably think they "can handle it" and some are just plain ignorant.

Just a few weeks ago I posted on the other board about having Stark in a down in the middle of a hallway around the corner. I and Stark, didn't see a young man round the corner and then STEP OVER Stark. Stark jumped up, barked and I think tried to snap (I had grabbed his collar and tried to push him over - stupid move on my part as I should have just reinforced his down with a verbal command! Live and learn!) at the guy.

The guy had more than enough room to go around or stop and ask me to move (not that I should of had Stark laying there in the first place - again - live and learn) but decided it was a good idea to round the corner, step over a dog in a down positon that he didn't know while wearing a hoodie with his head down staring right at my dog.

Not sure what was going through his mind. I wouldn;t even try that with a Poodle!

[carmspack]

so sorry to hear that. Get some control training please. He shouldn't be reacting strongly to strangers. I know you did your best by going to the opposite side of the road --- but unless you live in a ghost town there are going to be people there too. Tying a dog around your waist is dangerous. You can't separate yourself from the dog --get pulled into traffic, get in the middle of a dog fight, have spinal damage yourself . You can't give a correction.
hope the man is okay and you also

[Stevenzachsmom]

Donna, I don't have any advice to offer, but I am very sorry this happened to you.
Hugs,
Jan

[DharmasMom]

I am very sorry as well.

I do know that if am walking down the sidewalk and see a dog barking like crazy at me and lunging at me AND the owner is yelling at me to GO AWAY, I am not going to take my glove off and approach the dog with my hand out. I am going to give the dog a very wide berth. It may not excuse Deuce entirely but the way I see it the guy certainly contributed to the bite.