Dog bit me

Wooleysmum

Wooleysmum

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Yard owner 's dog bit me for a second time yesterday- it nipped round behind me when I came to the yard with her daughter and my grandson. It was deep so had to go to A&E for tetanus and wound cleaning. It bit me some months ago - again nipped round behind me and bit my leg although not as severe as yesterday. That time was in her house. I have let it go as it would cause such a fall out. Why would it do,this? Totally unprovoked- never even looked at it. It's a collie. Any comments?
 
How is YO likely to respond? I think you do need to discuss it, as Moomin says it could be a child next time. My little dog bit a friend - he was seriously provoked by her drunken fussing in fairness to him - but ever since I have put a muzzle on him when children are around. I am sure he'd never do it again but wouldn't take the chance. YO should be mortified!
 
I claim the distinction of having been bitten by a famous international champion Border collie. It's owner has never accepted that it bit me, but it did. The collie perceived the OP as a trespasser or someone out of place who had to be chased away or rounded up. A working collie that won't bite is as much use on a sheep farm as a chocolate tea pot. So that's what they do when they consider it necessary.

Politically incorrect of course, but, with the owner's permission, I'd carry a stick and defend myself. Ideally, the stick would meet the dog's nose at the instant it's teeth met flesh. A thin whippy switch would inflict shock and pain without causing damage and that would be the traditional remedy because it works.

Of course, these days, you'd need to divert it's attention with treats while someone goes and phones for a canine behaviourist….
 
Dogs which would attack from the rear, are cowards. Collies which would be work focused, given the opportunity, will often be sly and creep around the back of their victims. It has sod all to do with territory, and everything to do with frustration. I've never had, and wouldn't have, a collie that behaves in such a fashion. All so often, owners seem to think that it's funny, in the early stages, until someone is injured. The dog needs meeting as it closes with it's victim, and I'm sorry about this, but the dog needs sorting out.

Alec.
 
I don't think a dogs that's bitten twice and the second time had the victim in A and E should be in public without muzzle and that includes the owners yard where there are paying customers .
 
Also wondering what yard owner said? I was on a yard once where the owners rottie x would run down the yard barking at people then jump up at them, I found this very rude and would have been mortified if my dog did this to someone but as the dog never bit anyone nothing was done about it, that said under the new dangerous dogs law that dog could be in real trouble as it would scare people that dont know it or aren't particularly doggy. Think you definitely need to talk to YO as next time could be even worse for either the person or the dog if its reported.
 
Any bite un provoked or not should not be let go by someones else's dog, speak to the YO and see what they have to say, as mentioned could be a child or baby in a buggy next time. She nay have to put it on a chain when visitors are around.
 
At one yard I was at the YO's terrier bit me - it hardly made contact, and to be honest I belted it one (shock horror, I know!) and didnt think anything about it. The YOs discussed it that evening, and let me know the next day that the dog had been PTS - as they said, it could have been a child rather than me.
 
Moomin1 said:
I'm sorry but I wouldn't be letting that go at all. Next time it could be a young kid.
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This happened to me....I was going to work and owners dog of the restaurant bit my arm whilst I was protecting my face, offered my wages without work and I said nothing - same dog severely attacked a child.

I felt so guilty..................please speak to the owners.
 
I called at a yard with some schedules and there were people around the trailers in the back yard, so I went through the gate to speak to them. An alsation dog came trotting towards me - I thought to say hello - and without any warning at all it jumped up and bit my arm, through a thick jacket it didn't draw blood, but it was very close, so it meant to bite. The other people by the trailers then turned on me and blamed me for walking onto the yard with a loose dog! I was so shocked I meekly accepted this. The dog owner came up and I said he had bitten and all she said "Oh I thought he had stopped doing that."

I suppose it was effective in that I never called at that yard again.

OP - I think a bit of a word with the YO is in order. Some people aren't so forgiving.
 
The adjustments to the Dangerous Dogs Act mean that dog could be removed and euthanised, so I'd be having a word with the YO, quick sharp. If you have clients coming in and out, you cannot afford to have an aggressive dog running free.
 
Lévrier;12582990 said:
At one yard I was at the YO's terrier bit me - it hardly made contact, and to be honest I belted it one (shock horror, I know!) and didnt think anything about it. The YOs discussed it that evening, and let me know the next day that the dog had been PTS - as they said, it could have been a child rather than me.
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If it had been a foal that turned and kicked the owner, the advice on here would be to retaliate instantly by throwing anything to hand. I don't really understand why it should be so shocking to do the same to a dog the first time it attempts to bite. Had that been done, it probably would not have tried a second bite and had to be put down.

All dogs should be taught the meaning of "Leave" or "No". Personally, I would not consider any dog of mine trained unless I could drop it instantly at anything up to 200 yards. My ten month old German shepherd pup will already walk down the yard and ignore hens with tiny chicks. I can drop him at 100 yards (haven't tried further). He knows full well that to chase what is forbidden would bring the world down on his head! It is called "training".
 
My friend was nipped by a friend's dog when we were children, being kids we said that friend had fallen off his bike and scraped his nose.

A few months later said dog bit my sister. She was in hospital for months, six operations, two skin grafts, she was off school for an entire year, she still has a visible scar on her face now, 21 years later.

I'd take a dog nipping very seriously. When I got my own dog teaching him bite inhibition was the single most important thing I wanted him to learn.
 
As a yard owner she will have insurance and I would have thought, a H&S policy, risk assessment and accident book?
Having a loose dog, with a history of biting, on a yard where people are out and about, might not be very smart of her and as well as a dead dog, someone could quite rightly take her to the cleaners.

To add, I had an inkling it would be a collie before I finished reading the post. As mentioned, this type of bite is a mixture of frustration, feeling 'trapped' and insecurity, coming up from behind, biting, and clearing off, rather than engaging the 'threat'.
 
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Sorry but the dog should not be allowed to roam on the yard now in my opinion as it can't bite clients and what if it was a kid??
Well it would be put down im sure... please get attention drawn to the this dog.

I remember going to the stables and a nippy jack russell lived there, one day the owner had enough (no lie!) picked it up and bit him where it bit her... stopped it's habit and stuck to biting the mice and rats! (Dont know if i agree with this method but it worked!)
 
Being a working dog, the collie should be housed in a dog run with a kennel when not working or being exercised. They don't make good house pets when their primary job is to herd sheep. It's their instinct to round up. It's not the dogs fault, it is bred into them, other wise what use would they be to a farmer?
 
I'm not wary of dogs, but if I walk onto someone's yard and have a strange dog come up to me, I do tend to just ignore it, even if it comes and sniffs me. That is less threatening to a dog who may be slightly worried.
But in this case if the dog has bitten without you even interacting, it may need to be PTS
 
Did you speak to the YO? I would be insisting she kept her dog under control when there are clients on the yard - a good kennel/run would be best. Chaining a dog often leads to frustration and sometimes that can mean increased aggression.
 
Alec Swan said:
Dogs which would attack from the rear, are cowards. Collies which would be work focused, given the opportunity, will often be sly and creep around the back of their victims. It has sod all to do with territory, and everything to do with frustration. I've never had, and wouldn't have, a collie that behaves in such a fashion. All so often, owners seem to think that it's funny, in the early stages, until someone is injured. The dog needs meeting as it closes with it's victim, and I'm sorry about this, but the dog needs sorting out.

Alec.
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Agree with Alan.. It's an unfortunate trait in some collies. It was frowned upon with the cattle dogs I grew up with as they could cut and damage the cows feet. Is it a necessary attribute in sheep dogs.? I'd have though that a dog capable of biting a human bad enough to need medical aid would be a drawback around sheep ?
 
TrasaM said:
Agree with Alan.. It's an unfortunate trait in some collies. It was frowned upon with the cattle dogs I grew up with as they could cut and damage the cows feet. Is it a necessary attribute in sheep dogs.? I'd have though that a dog capable of biting a human bad enough to need medical aid would be a drawback around sheep ?
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A good sheepdog should only grip a sheep when necessary (ie if one is standing up to it and won't move) or on command. A sheepdog with a dirty grip or one that bites for fun is no use to a shepherd or farmer.
 
Wooleysmum said:
Yard owner 's dog bit me for a second time yesterday- it nipped round behind me when I came to the yard with her daughter and my grandson. It was deep so had to go to A&E for tetanus and wound cleaning. It bit me some months ago - again nipped round behind me and bit my leg although not as severe as yesterday. That time was in her house. I have let it go as it would cause such a fall out. Why would it do,this? Totally unprovoked- never even looked at it. It's a collie. Any comments?
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Would you be letting it go if it were a bigger dog? Or your child or elderly relative it had bitten?

Dont think so.....
 
Moobli said:
A good sheepdog should only grip a sheep when necessary (ie if one is standing up to it and won't move) or on command. A sheepdog with a dirty grip or one that bites for fun is no use to a shepherd or farmer.
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Yes, though so. Was the same with cattle dogs we had. Nips were ok to get them moving but hanging onto tails and properly biting their heels was 'discouraged'
Interesting though, if this were a different breed and not a sweet fluffy collie it would not be tolerated.
 
TrasaM said:
Yes, though so. Was the same with cattle dogs we had. Nips were ok to get them moving but hanging onto tails and properly biting their heels was 'discouraged'
Interesting though, if this were a different breed and not a sweet fluffy collie it would not be tolerated.
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I have heard so many times that "that's what collies do"! As though it is an excuse. Well - no - they shouldn't and they certainly shouldn't be allowed or encouraged!
 
Moobli said:
I have heard so many times that "that's what collies do"! As though it is an excuse. Well - no - they shouldn't and they certainly shouldn't be allowed or encouraged!
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exactly - a lot of the time the going round the back and herding is what collies do however they are smart dogs and know the difference between a person and a sheep and with training / boundaries they know fine well that nipping at sheep in the context of work is very different to nipping at a person. The foromer I don't know enough about to have an opinion on how much is acceptable - the later is not acceptable at all and needs either firmly squashed out of the dog or precautions taken such as muzzle or chained up to prevent someone being badly hurt.
 
I'm just putting this out there OP...but if your wound was bad enough to have to go to A&E, that could be a punctured Femoral artery in a small child and that usually only ends one way. A dog doesn't have to full on attack to cause serious injury or worse.

I would definitely speak to YO. They need to know!
 
If it had been a stafford or stafford x I doubt you would think twice about raising this with the YO. I know nothing about collies but the attack from behind and ending up in A&E would really worry me. If any of my dogs (staffords) even nipped once I would take it incredibly seriously.
 
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