Dog Attack. Very shaken.

Developing news... and this could go down another unexpected path too! Happy to report that name and address are now known, report being taken very seriously, and the local police support worker (eh??) has been, interviewed mum and 'visiting, to give caution at this early stage' the owner. What happens from here is slightly unknown, but seeing first hand what these ''Huskies'' do, when other dogs are in their vicinity (under control?!) has been mentioned. ((We keep saying huskies, and I believe they are, but they could be a similar breed that I don't know)).
And, further investigation has produced that the owner is living on benefits, due to unable to work because he can't move without sticks, and suffers constant back seizers... so with him walking his dogs, (dogs walking him, pulling him over ect..) this may also go down the benefit fraud route too... we didn't see that coming!
Thank you very much for all input, Moss, although not eating 100% (stress??) is feeling much better, and enjoying her walks again, and mum sporting some bruise is also feeling better, although worried and now won't walk on her own. I'm very sad about that. She is usually so independent.
Onwards>>>
 
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I am so glad the police are taking this seriously. I hope they can do something to prevent this from happening again.

Glad Moss is feeling better. Might be worth taking her temperature regularly for early signs of infection.
 
Sadly malamutes are going down the same road as huskies puppy farmed beyond belief and being sold to idiots with no clue.
Malamutes are a lot more specialised than huskies they are bigger, stronger and can suffer from same sex aggression the good breeders out there do their upmost to breed good temperaments as well as all the other components that make up this amazing breed but some can still not stand other dogs of the same sex so as you can imagine most puppy farmed dogs with have hurrendos temperaments.
 
Cyrus said:
Sadly malamutes are going down the same road as huskies puppy farmed beyond belief and being sold to idiots with no clue.
Malamutes are a lot more specialised than huskies they are bigger, stronger and can suffer from same sex aggression the good breeders out there do their upmost to breed good temperaments as well as all the other components that make up this amazing breed but some can still not stand other dogs of the same sex so as you can imagine most puppy farmed dogs with have hurrendos temperaments.
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Both Cyrus and I have mals from the same very experienced breeder - all excellent temperaments; this is what good breeders concentrate on first and foremost. But these days, there are so many badly bred mals out there that the breed is gaining a worryingly ill deserved reputation.
 
A lovely friend of mine and her husband have just bred a beautiful litter of pups and they had a waiting list as long as your arm for buyers, they did extensive interviews and selection for who the puppies will go to and although they compete their dogs in showing and weight pulls up and down the country winning numerous championships already, they have been extremely careful over breeding this litter. Malamutes are much bigger than huskies, much more powerful and from my own experience a much more specialist breed, despite Huskies being specialist themselves. My friend has two bitches and a dog and they all live very happily together, but they are given the life that they need....not made to fit what an owner wants. Too many people buy these dogs and it all goes wrong.

The sad thing is, if this man is convicted of his benefit fraud, what will happen to his dogs. It absolutely incenses me when people don't consider their animals when making stupid choices in life.

Really glad Moss is doing better. Keep an eye on wounds and check temp regularly, Puncture wounds can be fine for a few weeks then BANG, nasty infection so just keep an eye. So sad that your mums confidence has been knocked by this. :(
 
_GG_ said:
A lovely friend of mine and her husband have just bred a beautiful litter of pups and they had a waiting list as long as your arm for buyers, they did extensive interviews and selection for who the puppies will go to and although they compete their dogs in showing and weight pulls up and down the country winning numerous championships already, they have been extremely careful over breeding this litter. Malamutes are much bigger than huskies, much more powerful and from my own experience a much more specialist breed, despite Huskies being specialist themselves. My friend has two bitches and a dog and they all live very happily together, but they are given the life that they need....not made to fit what an owner wants. Too many people buy these dogs and it all goes wrong.

The sad thing is, if this man is convicted of his benefit fraud, what will happen to his dogs. It absolutely incenses me when people don't consider their animals when making stupid choices in life.

Really glad Moss is doing better. Keep an eye on wounds and check temp regularly, Puncture wounds can be fine for a few weeks then BANG, nasty infection so just keep an eye. So sad that your mums confidence has been knocked by this. :(
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GG would their affix happen to be Samnooshka?
 
Cyrus said:
GG would their affix happen to be Samnooshka?
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Yes it would! Known them for years, through motorbikes though not dogs or horses, lol. I've had my two collies playing on fields with their old dog Lupo who was absolutely stunning and the then still young Mina. They were perfectly behaved and had great recall but Sam, even knowing them and having that amount of control knew not to be stupid and just let them run off. Everything was considered and planned. If people that are experienced with these dogs take the precautions, it's no wonder clueless owners are powerless when things go wrong.
 
To the OP, thanks for the update and Im another who is really pleased this is being taken seriously. As I said before I know nothing about these types of breed but have always believed them to be for the very experienced owner who understands what they need, its nice to see on this thread some good, sensible comments from some of those experienced in the breed. It is worrying though that they are being puppy farmed and being sold to anyone who turns up with the appropriate amount of cash! Do any of you foresee they will soon be filling rescues up and down the country?
 
MyBoyChe said:
To the OP, thanks for the update and Im another who is really pleased this is being taken seriously. As I said before I know nothing about these types of breed but have always believed them to be for the very experienced owner who understands what they need, its nice to see on this thread some good, sensible comments from some of those experienced in the breed. It is worrying though that they are being puppy farmed and being sold to anyone who turns up with the appropriate amount of cash! Do any of you foresee they will soon be filling rescues up and down the country?
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They already are. They are beginning to suffer the same problem as staffords do - Huskies and Malamutes must be among the most stunning dogs and the puppies are gorgeous. Sadly a lot are now being dumped, usually when they hit the teenager stage and actually need some proper input. I still maintain that a first time would be dog owner should have pass a simple test before they can have a dog. I view taking on a very different breed of dog from what you are used to as a bit like switching equine discipline. I am very happy with my 3 rescue staffords and can handle them. Could I do the same for a husky or say, a working GSD? I would struggle unless I had actually put some effort into understanding these dogs properly.
 
Well hell slap it up him if he is going to get done for fraud as well!

Glad your girl is OK.
I know hindsight is a wonderful thing but my dog has now been attacked a number of times and the advice has been to immediately give the dog something to think about in the aftermath, a few commands or a play or something - so that he is not dwelling on what just happened.
While my instinct was to put him in the car and go home and cry, this can make the nervous dog more nervous, retreating to the safe place to hide or the bolshy dog think he has won and is returning to his den in a position of grandeur.
Obviously this is not easy to do when you have a potentially injured dog and kids and other family members to think about and there are two big dogs gobbing off.

Agreed, these breeds are already taking up a lot of rescue space and are hard to rehome, as even their fans will admit, they make rubbish pets. They are essentially working dogs and now we can add in bad or ill-considered breeding to the mix also.

Some people, sadly, want a dog that looks like a Husky or a Malamute or indeed Luci a working GSD :p but they can only offer or can only be bothered to offer the care needed for an elderly arthritic Labrador...or in actual fact a teddy bear.
Then some go down the road of breeding half and half or crossbreeds to get 'the best of both' for the 'pet market' and sometimes we end up with a dog with drive from one side and nervousness or softness from the other and then you have a right mess. Maybe a different rant for a different day :p

And unfortunately there are now plenty enough people with pound signs in their eyes who will happily churn said dogs out with no thought to their breeding or what will happen when they start digging and singing and chewing and gobbing off at other dogs or people and the new owners have had enough and are only happy to give them a couple of half hour bimbles around the block every day.
 
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_GG_ said:
Yes it would! Known them for years, through motorbikes though not dogs or horses, lol. I've had my two collies playing on fields with their old dog Lupo who was absolutely stunning and the then still young Mina. They were perfectly behaved and had great recall but Sam, even knowing them and having that amount of control knew not to be stupid and just let them run off. Everything was considered and planned. If people that are experienced with these dogs take the precautions, it's no wonder clueless owners are powerless when things go wrong.
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Have known them for years too but through the dogs such a small world lol
Sammy and James are perfect examples of a good owner/breeder of this breed, someone who thinks of everything these dogs need such a shame that people like the guy in question ruin a breeds reputation
 
Cyrus said:
Have known them for years too but through the dogs such a small world lol
Sammy and James are perfect examples of a good owner/breeder of this breed, someone who thinks of everything these dogs need such a shame that people like the guy in question ruin a breeds reputation
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Small world indeed. I am Cheryl Bray on facebook if you ever see me commenting on another stunning picture they post, especially of the pups. I still well up when I think of Lupo :(

And indeed, people like them put the dogs first 100% of the time. There is no compromise even...they took these dogs on knowing full well what kind of commitment they would need and they never compromise the dogs needs in favour of their own wants. That can mean their lives being totally overwhelmed at times, but that's what it takes. These dogs aren't pets. Breeders of these dogs need to behave like Sam and James and put prospective owners through the ringer to get a puppy. It's not about extensive interviews, but truly educating people on what these dogs need and ensuring they only go to the people that have the resources and ability to care for them properly.

Anyone, like Sam and James that can have a pack of these dogs living peacefully together is doing something seriously right and my hat's off to them all. I have a pack of four dogs, two collies, a lab x rottie and a jack russell. I would LOVE a malamute but I could not fit my life around them at the moment and that is what it takes. My lot are happy with the routine we have, a malamute would not be.
 
A quick correspondence through the officer helping with this case sums up the type of person the owner is!!
''Yes, my dogs were involved, but I'm not concerned it will be taken any further as it was only dog on dog attack''

(his dog attacking, poor Moss at the receiving and never made any attempt to be 'up for it', without human intervention she would have been killed imho)

I guess that makes it ok then!? I guess there is never going to be an incident where any human, whatever age is ever going to be hurt in any way??
Should add, that mum seems to have got very determined to do something positive about this, the very least those dogs to be muzzled when in public.
 
Am so sorry to hear of your experience and very glad it is being taken seriously.

So difficult to keep pets safe when owners won't be responsible.I have a had a couple of near misses with my lad as he's just so over friendly and never views other dogs as a threat (Irish Setter,anything with a pulse is a potential new friend *rolls eyes* ),all incidents could have been avoided if the owners had been watching and taking more care with their dogs.

Hope your pets and your mum can move past this and enjoy being out and about again:)

Cyrus said:
Huskies are known for their friendlyness towards other dogs they love to be part of a big pack unfortunately there are too many badly bred dogs with incompetent owners.
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Have to say we ruled out a husky when getting a new family pet simply as heard they weren't good with other animals and livestock and we have cat and horses so not ideal (also heard they howl and are destructive which sealed it for me have to say),but had not heard they were bad with other dogs,and like you say they are pack dogs so this doesn't make a lot of sense??

My opinion has been changed somewhat by a husky that lives over the road from my horses.Owners have had her from a pup and admittedly have worked really hard on her training from day one,but she is now she is one of the most well adjusted,friendly and well trained (even recall!!) dogs I have ever known,much better behaved than my setter most of the time :o.Just shows what the right owner and correct training can do,and has changed my opinion on them as pets,although the thought they might howl and chew my house up does still put me off a bit lol
 
My dog isn't a Husky but he might howl and would definitely chew as well, if he was not worked and if he was allowed free access to chewable things. If you don't work a working dog, they will put themselves to work on something and occupy themselves.
So I work him hard and when I am not working him, I don't leave him in a room alone with lots of nice chewy furniture :p
 
CaveCanem said:
My dog isn't a Husky but he might howl and would definitely chew as well, if he was not worked and if he was allowed free access to chewable things. If you don't work a working dog, they will put themselves to work on something and occupy themselves.
So I work him hard and when I am not working him, I don't leave him in a room alone with lots of nice chewy furniture :p
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Do you mean working as in breed type or a specific working strain or line of breed??

Have to say I don't entirely agree if you mean just due to breed.In the case of the husky's it was just something that came up time and time again that they don't do being alone so if left are prone to howling and being destructive,probably not true of all of them (and I know not true with one I mentioned in earlier post),but for me wasn't worth the risk.

I have a setter,working dog and yes needs a lot of exercise,but doesn't do anything very negative if doesn't get it,and never howls,chews or objects to being left to his own devices.

I grew up with GSD's (well bred ones not backyard poor examples),and none of them worked,but neither were they ever any problem.

I would agree that all dogs need exercise and a certain level of training and stimulation,but I don't think all working types need to have a specific job or be worked in order to be well behaved and content.

Sorry if misunderstood what you were referring to and have wrong end of stick:o
 
I would still consider huskies as a working breed, in that they have a very strong instinct to run all day and pull, that is their work, that is their job, a decade or two of popularity in the UK as pets is not going to override those genetic drives. There may be exceptions but as a rule, that is what they want to do, that is why their recall is notoriously bad, why they go missing, why they are implicated in livestock chasing, neither will they be happy with a 'normal' dog walk on a short lead which is why a lot of them redirect and gob off at other dogs.

They are also genetically inclined to dig and howl. Again, that is a very hard thing to override - digging a hole to sleep in, howling to communicate with their pack. That does not translate well into a suburban semi.

Working GSDs and showline/pet GSDs, sadly, are more like a separate breed by and large, because they have been popular for a lot longer, a lot of the strong working drives have been bred out of a lot of them, the things that make them good working dogs are the things that make them unsuitable for a low-energy pet homes. There was a period of balance a few years ago but there are more pet owners out there than people who want to work their dogs so the balance has tipped.
I've had both and though I hate to admit it because I love the breed, it was like the difference between day and night.

By work, I mean any sort of work. Biking is work, swimming is work, obedience is work, agility is work, intensive obedience training is work. My dog is a pet of course, the two things are not mutually exclusive, but he needs work.
 
CaveCanem said:
I would still consider huskies as a working breed, in that they have a very strong instinct to run all day and pull, that is their work, that is their job, a decade or two of popularity in the UK as pets is not going to override those genetic drives. There may be exceptions but as a rule, that is what they want to do, that is why their recall is notoriously bad, why they go missing, why they are implicated in livestock chasing, neither will they be happy with a 'normal' dog walk on a short lead which is why a lot of them redirect and gob off at other dogs.

They are also genetically inclined to dig and howl. Again, that is a very hard thing to override - digging a hole to sleep in, howling to communicate with their pack. That does not translate well into a suburban semi.
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Absolutely! I work my mals; I wouldn't have them if that wasn't part of the deal - they need to run. In harness they can go as fast as they want, they race each other whilst pulling the rig, and absolutely love it. Then they sleep, then they destroy/dig/chase/molest us - that's mals - you can't change them, and that's why I love them so much.
But I would never, ever recommend them to anyone!
 
All those things you mention about the husky were what I had heard and what put me off.
Have to say not seen evidence of many of them in the one i posted about,she even has excellent recall (lack of that usually was probably one of the main things that put me off them I could not bear to have a dog that could not go off lead),but as said her owners have ensured a routine and training from a very young age (still go to classes now I believe and she must be about 2 yrs now),I still wouldn't class it as 'work' though as not a specific job or high energy activity (although they do occasionally bike her and do walk her obviously),more consistency and including her in their daily lives where possible,she's very well adjusted and placid in her nature.
Maybe they just got lucky in their choice of dog,but I think it's more environment and shows to me that it can be done and that even the most challenging breed can make a good pet.


CaveCanem said:
Working GSDs and showline/pet GSDs, sadly, are more like a separate breed by and large,
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I am unsure what type we had,one was from a very good breeder (this was back in the 80's BTW may have been different types than now??),whose dogs went all over the place including back to Germany quite often so perhaps useful types rather than pet or show??

They were just very content and calm dogs.Had many of the usual GSD traits (incredibly loyal and protective was the thing I remember most as a child),and obviously needed a certain amount of training and exercise,but it was minimal as my family worked and wouldn't have had the time to devote to a proper working lifestyle.They just fitted in and were at all times well behaved.They were all female though (put that as not sure if the check thing will star out the correct word lol) maybe that made a difference??

Apologies going completely OT here just interesting discussion:o
 
Gosh, how awful for everyone.

To reiterate earlier advice: get your dogs to the vet for a checkover ASAP.

Ask for your dog warden to call and see you and show them any injuries to your dogs and yourselves.

Tell your local police.

Tell your local councillor; and ask them to look into this on your behalf.

Finally, and by no means least, get yourselves, all of you, to either Doctors or (better still) casualty to be checked out. And make sure you get a photographic record of any injuries/bruising etc that you've got.

IF the local dog warden (shame on them) "won't do anything until someone is injured" - then SHOW them, that you HAVE been injured by these dogs. Why TF nothing has been done is shameful. IF these dogs do anything further to anyone, either dog or human, then IMO the dog warden should be culpable for doing sweet FA. But IME dog wardens are *****e-scared of actually doing anything constructive, other than people not picking up dog-poo.

Horrific, words fail me.
 
Yep, apologies OP!! As you mention, this is the one husky you have met, exceptions and rules and all that...in some breeds and lines, I cannot agree that it's more environment than genetics and I would still class regular training classes at two years old and biking as work. I would say your friends are obviously very good owners and trainers and they have been lucky to be matched to a low drive and attentive dog.

With the GSD, I would have classed the 70s and 80s as the time when there was a much better balance in the breed, I would kill to have the bitch I had in the 80s and 90s as a teenager, that type seems very thin on the ground now - I'll not go into it as it is quite boring for non-obsessives :p, but there was a very influential group who dictated the way that the breed should head, that is still resonating now, let me know and I will send you an article on the subject :p
 
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