Dog on dog attacks/chasing

cremedemonthe

cremedemonthe

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Is it me or does there seem to be more anti social dogs and their owners around these days?
At least two or three times a week we now encounter a dog or dogs that either attack and try to bite or chase one of my dogs when my dogs are walking along next to me minding their own business.
If you say anything to the owners (politely) you get verbal abuse, threats or denials that their precious little darlings would ever do that even when it is attacking your dog RIGHT in front of them!
Has anyone else found this to be a problem that seems to be getting more and more frequent?
Or am I just in a over crowded anti social part of Surrey!!
Oz :)
 
Funny, I was cycling today (my dog was on lead at heel) and this big elephant of a GSD came running up to us and ignored the owner calling it, so I stopped and dismounted so he could come and catch it, it started with sniffing but then it was trying to 'get on top' of my dog, who is quite dominant himself (although half it's size and weight) so my fella growled a warning and it all kicked off (just noise and handbags), but apparently it was all my dog's fault despite him being on lead, under control, me having the courtesy to stop and my dog never gave the other dog a backwards glance when we cycled off.....if his dog had recalled or been on lead and if we had been able to proceed then there would have been no Mexican stand-off.

My older dog is anti-social so I don't let him offlead in areas where we are likely to meet other dogs, it is not rocket science.

There are plenty of places to look to give dogs an offlead hooley away from other dogs, if you can be bothered to look.

There are a variety of issues, people not being willing to spot any faults in their own dogs, in their own training or handling (and not being bothered to change/improve anything), poor lines being bred from, people not socialising their dogs properly and people being led to believe that correcting their dogs in any way is wrong and cruel. Just some general musing.
 
There is a GSD x at the park where I walk Jake who charges up to other dogs then jumps on them/ bites them. The dogs owner does nothing and from what I've seen the owners of the harassed dogs do nothing either. He approached us twice and upon realising that I'm a mean spoil sport of a dog owner maintains a respectful distance. If only all out of control dogs responded so well to that sort of treatment.
 
In a word yes! I have to deal with this weekly,it started last summer with a few dog walkers near my yard walking on private land that goes off a footpath,they always have an excuse or completely ignore me when i shout at them! My dogs have cost me over £400 in vet bills in the last few months from other dogs attacking them. One person of them who i've had issues wit 3 times now has been reported to the police,seems hers has gone for every dog in a 5 mile radius of her house! She has finally taken on my advice and is walking her dog on a lead with a muzzle now. I really think some people just don't care and i always get the same excuse 'oh he/she has never done that before' yeah right bet that's what you say to every person you've come across who's dog yours has attacked!
 
They are trying to change the law, in a village close to us a ladies dog was set on by 10dogs walked by a local character:rolleyes:, this poor ladies dog survived but with a thousand pounds vet bill. The lady whose dog was attacked is the housekeeper to a local MP and he has said if they can get a thousand signature petition he will bring it up in parliment. The petition has 1300 signatures so far and is on going. This incident was reported in the Telegraph and The Times and happened on land belonging to the MP.

If anyone is interested I will put up the link .

As we mostly walk our dogs on our own land we dont encounter other dogs, but a couple of days ago when walking elsewhere we met another dog, my dogs are friendly but appreciate 2 Dobes would not be a welcome sight so put them on a lead. We called Pip who was running towards this off lead dog and she stopped 6feet from it and lay down and went into submissive mode. This dog ran up to her and started growling over her, the Dobes went mad especially Darcy who is very protective of her. The family who was with this dog never attempted to call their dog and we were still a few feet away. Pip got up and started growling back at this dog and if it had attacked Pip she wouldnt have stood a chance. I would have let Darcy off her lead to protect her but luckily once Pip growled the dog backed off.

It is a minefield out there with so many unsocial dogs with owners who are oblivious to their dogs behaviour.
 
Dobiegirl said:
They are trying to change the law, in a village close to us a ladies dog was set on by 10dogs walked by a local character:rolleyes:, this poor ladies dog survived but with a thousand pounds vet bill. The lady whose dog was attacked is the housekeeper to a local MP and he has said if they can get a thousand signature petition he will bring it up in parliment. The petition has 1300 signatures so far and is on going. This incident was reported in the Telegraph and The Times and happened on land belonging to the MP.

If anyone is interested I will put up the link .

As we mostly walk our dogs on our own land we dont encounter other dogs, but a couple of days ago when walking elsewhere we met another dog, my dogs are friendly but appreciate 2 Dobes would not be a welcome sight so put them on a lead. We called Pip who was running towards this off lead dog and she stopped 6feet from it and lay down and went into submissive mode. This dog ran up to her and started growling over her, the Dobes went mad especially Darcy who is very protective of her. The family who was with this dog never attempted to call their dog and we were still a few feet away. Pip got up and started growling back at this dog and if it had attacked Pip she wouldnt have stood a chance. I would have let Darcy off her lead to protect her but luckily once Pip growled the dog backed off.

It is a minefield out there with so many unsocial dogs with owners who are oblivious to their dogs behaviour.
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Yes, please put the link up, I'd like to see it, thanks
 
There's a guy near me with a badly trained akita, gets really aggressive with other male dogs. It went for mine a few times, we had words & guy said it was natural for an akita to be dominant & I should keep mine away. Used to avoid him but bumped into him on a day off, mine was trotting alongside daughters pram, his came from nowhere & dived on mine, nearly taking the pram over with it. After a real fight with me holding daughter out of way, ended up with his dog the loser. Guy caught up eventually & tried to boot my dog cos his 'would never do that'. Was ranting & raving right in my face until my dog sat in the way snarling. Told the guy I'd got it on my phone (i hadn't ) & I'd go to the police if I ever saw his dog loose again. So far, 6 yrs later, I've not.
 
littlelegs said:
There's a guy near me with a badly trained akita, gets really aggressive with other male dogs. It went for mine a few times, we had words & guy said it was natural for an akita to be dominant & I should keep mine away. Used to avoid him but bumped into him on a day off, mine was trotting alongside daughters pram, his came from nowhere & dived on mine, nearly taking the pram over with it. After a real fight with me holding daughter out of way, ended up with his dog the loser. Guy caught up eventually & tried to boot my dog cos his 'would never do that'. Was ranting & raving right in my face until my dog sat in the way snarling. Told the guy I'd got it on my phone (i hadn't ) & I'd go to the police if I ever saw his dog loose again. So far, 6 yrs later, I've not.
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Well, he is a brave man isn't he, doesn't like it when the boot's on the other foot!
What dog have you got?
 
Mum was a doberman, no idea what dad was, possibly some kind of lurcher, mines v dobie like, especially in the face but a leaner build to a dobie, still around the 6 stone mark tho & nothing but muscle. His usual default action to aggressive dogs is to rely on his speed & get out of the way. Think it was the fact the akita was coming towards daughter & I & was on top of him in seconds. Not much of a fighter but is very fit & quick, the akitas overweight & unfit. When it submitted, it was exhausted which probably explains it. What annoyed me most about the guy was people with less speedy dogs had already had run-ins involving vets with his dog.
 
I have a fast lurcher who can usually get out of the way but dogs seem to chase her towards the road and owners just stand and watch, she's been chased so many times now.I have a old jrt who can't run to get out of the way and was bitten by a great dane last week, the owner just stood and laughed. I have a staffy x lab who is soft but if a dog attacked him and he retailed to protect himself he would get the blame because of his "type"
 
Really does annoy me. Mines playful but I don't like him playing daft wrestling games even with old or delicate looking dogs incase he squashes them accidently. Really winds me up too cos its always the breed, not the scummy owner that gets the blame.
Hope your jrt is ok now, I would have been tempted to hit the owner.
 
littlelegs said:
Really does annoy me. Mines playful but I don't like him playing daft wrestling games even with old or delicate looking dogs incase he squashes them accidently. Really winds me up too cos its always the breed, not the scummy owner that gets the blame.
Hope your jrt is ok now, I would have been tempted to hit the owner.
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I did have a go at him, he said his dog didn't bite mine even though it was right under his nose, his dog had been on a lead and we were over the other side of the path/road out of the way but the dog lunged across the path taking the owner with it to bite my dog.
He said "go away you idiot" in the end, if I was the idiot for pointing out his dog's failings I hate to think what he is!
 
I have no doubt the law will be changed and dogs will have to be kept on a lead whilst being walked away from home. I never, ever take our own dogs with me when riding but I have had ridden horses, barked at, bitten, and on one occasion chased down the road . Very recently a friend was dumped by his horse in woodland when meeting the local "dog walker" running with 7 loose dogs, none of whom was within the sight of the handler.

We have access laws in Scotland which we adhere to as land owners it is such a pity that dog owners are taking the pi** as indeed are some riders. Locally there are cases where the land managers have had enough and access is being denied.... get a grip everyone before it's too late. OH just said this week that he is going to put up signs stating that all dogs must be kept on a lead crossing our land.

I know of a village where a farmer has let the locals know that any dog seen loose on his farm will be shot..... he is getting too many dog attacks on stock ad is no longer giving anyone the benefit of doubt.
 
I tend to think a lof of the time the dog picks up the anxiety from an owner who gets stressed at the thought of their dog meeting other dogs. People don't bother to socialise their dogs with other dogs as there si a culture of 'mustn't let them interact with strange dogs' which then = upset dogs as they aren't used tos trange dogs appraoching them. So I think everyone needs to calm down, let their dogs be dogs. All of this reactiona s soon as you see another dog leads to your dog thinking something is up.
FWIW I have never had another dog behave aggressively to mine, admittedly mine don't take much notice of other dogs as they walk in a pack and a brief disinterested sniff is the most they do.. The terriers occasionally take offence at another dog and grumble but keep on walking. Maybe the other dogs aren't willing to take on a pack? If I see a dog obviously being pulled over to the side or an anxious looking owner I take mine to the side to let them pass but I really don't get these problems of loose dogs bounding over to me and jumping on me/the dogs and I'm walking in very doggy area so I tend to think it's an attitude thing.

bit of waffle there!
 
'went into submissive mode. This dog ran up to her and started growling over her, the Dobes went mad especially Darcy who is very protective of her. The family who was with this dog never attempted to call their dog and we were still a few feet away. Pip got up and started growling back at this dog and if it had attacked Pip she wouldnt have stood a chance. I would have let Darcy off her lead to protect her but luckily once Pip growled the dog backed off. '

All this is quite normal dog behaviour-what's the issue? The dog didn't attack, it reacted to your dog going into submissive mode (and neither dog was more under control-yours wouldn't recall and theirs wasn't recalled) and reacted normally then when yours growled.
 
I for one certainly don't assume every loose dog is going to attack mine, but like any group of society a % of dog owners are irresponsible. I grew up with pyreneans who even with the most aggressive dog very rarely even had to raise their hackles to keep an aggressive dog away, so there's probably something in the fact you have a pack. We also had one that given the opportunity would have gone for another large male, hence he was trained to 'leave' & kept on a lead.
 
'

All this is quite normal dog behaviour-what's the issue? The dog didn't attack, it reacted to your dog going into submissive mode (and neither dog was more under control-yours wouldn't recall and theirs wasn't recalled) and reacted normally then when yours growled.[/QUOTE]

Susie T Pip is a pup, she stopped 6feet from this dog before going into submissive mode(not growling), I was very suprised at the reaction from the other dog having never had this before with any dog who had submitted. This dog stood over her growling, Pip got up before she growled back at the dogs reaction, and the dog ran back to its owner who had still not called it. My beef for want of a better word was the owner who never attempted to call his dog. Yes Pip should have come back when called but apart from that her behaviour was good, she never jumped in the dogs face, she stopped 6ft from him and submitted.
 
every day i take my lot out I have a problem:rolleyes: For some reason, no one round us bothers with a lead, or a secure garden:confused: Yes we are on a very rural road - you can go 20 mins with no traffic, but there IS traffic, the odd lorry and lots of tractors and we are not far from a dual carriageway. Of 6 houses in a 1 mile radius we are the only ones who walk our dogs on leads on the road, have adequate fencing and gates and know 110% of the time where our dogs are! One day I found a springer in my garden - belonging to people about 1/2 a mile away... it had jumped IN over our fence. There is a farm along the road that I have to pass the end of their driveway with my lot, who to their absolute credit listen to me and stay trotting along at heel and ignore the labrador who comes bounding out across the road snarling and snapping at my guys:mad: Every time it happens the owner cheerfully shouts it back and it ignores him. The owner is a lovely man but I just dont understand the logic, whatsmore, it does the same when i ride past or lead my horses in from the field past there and one of these days its gonna get kicked:rolleyes:
 
I was going to post about this subject the other day after Elsie was 'attacked', but thought it was just me and a one off. Evidently not.

We walk on some land where we do come accross other dogs from time to time. I am hyper vigilant as ours are only 99% on recall and it does scare people if a Rottie, Staffy and JRT go bounding towards their dog at full pelt, even though ours are all very friendly. As soon as I see a dog we call ours in and put them on leads, unless we know the dog and it is one of their playmates.

We were walking accross the sands the other day when we saw another dog at the last minute. It was laid near the boat its owner was working on. We called ours to heel (and they came, phew!), but the other dog approached us and decided to have a go at Elsie. Nothing serious really, the other dog was growling and snarling, and Elsie was trying to get away. She managed to get loose (it had hold of her neck) and legged it, with the other two following her. The owner of the dog called out a cheery 'sorry, he can be a bit aggressive sometimes' and popped back below deck. I was gobsmacked! Why on earth would you have a dog that you know to be aggressive towards other dogs loose in a dog walking area? Madness!

We caught up with our three who had found a dead sheep and were happily enjoying a quick snack and carried on up the beach. We always keep them on leads on the main beach if there is anyone else on as we are concious that people are scared of dogs like Elsie and Poppy. However, a little terrier came running up and Elsie was straining at the lead. She is a bit fear aggressive, in that she will posture and pull when on a lead (100% fine with other dogs off it) and I was petrified the little dog would have a go at her and she would be held responsible if anything happened due to her size and breed.

Why was it ok to let the terrier run riot on the beach? Was it due to its size and the fact the owners knew it was friendly? What happens when their friendly little dog runs up to the wrong dog and gets attacked?

I do think some dog owners would benefit from another brain cell to go with the solitary one they seem to currently have.
 
MrsElle said:
I was going to post about this subject the other day after Elsie was 'attacked', but thought it was just me and a one off. Evidently not.

We walk on some land where we do come accross other dogs from time to time. I am hyper vigilant as ours are only 99% on recall and it does scare people if a Rottie, Staffy and JRT go bounding towards their dog at full pelt, even though ours are all very friendly. As soon as I see a dog we call ours in and put them on leads, unless we know the dog and it is one of their playmates.

We were walking accross the sands the other day when we saw another dog at the last minute. It was laid near the boat its owner was working on. We called ours to heel (and they came, phew!), but the other dog approached us and decided to have a go at Elsie. Nothing serious really, the other dog was growling and snarling, and Elsie was trying to get away. She managed to get loose (it had hold of her neck) and legged it, with the other two following her. The owner of the dog called out a cheery 'sorry, he can be a bit aggressive sometimes' and popped back below deck. I was gobsmacked! Why on earth would you have a dog that you know to be aggressive towards other dogs loose in a dog walking area? Madness!

We caught up with our three who had found a dead sheep and were happily enjoying a quick snack and carried on up the beach. We always keep them on leads on the main beach if there is anyone else on as we are concious that people are scared of dogs like Elsie and Poppy. However, a little terrier came running up and Elsie was straining at the lead. She is a bit fear aggressive, in that she will posture and pull when on a lead (100% fine with other dogs off it) and I was petrified the little dog would have a go at her and she would be held responsible if anything happened due to her size and breed.

Why was it ok to let the terrier run riot on the beach? Was it due to its size and the fact the owners knew it was friendly? What happens when their friendly little dog runs up to the wrong dog and gets attacked?

I do think some dog owners would benefit from another brain cell to go with the solitary one they seem to currently have.
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Yes, I agree and my main rant is the owners DON'T even make any attempt to recall their dogs half the time when you or your dogs clearly don't need unwanted attention like when you have the car door open and are trying to get your dog/s in or out of the car (van in my case) and the strange dog is trying to get in with them!
All hell can break loose sometimes and the owners just stand there watching or walk off disinterested.
My Lurcher will chase smaller dogs as she thinks all dogs are there to play with her, so I call her back and make her stay with me, so I know she can be a pain if I don't watch her, she's just so playful(whippet x saluki) and still young.
No dog is perfect and most have their off days when they get selective hearing but you have to gauge the situation accordingly, I keep everything calm and relaxed and then a out of control aggressive dog appears and jumps on one of mine and off we go again.
 
It always seems to be the'hypervigilant' people who are watching out for other dogs all the time who seem to have problems, is this because the dogs are picking up on thei hypervigilance I wonder?
 
SusieT said:
It always seems to be the'hypervigilant' people who are watching out for other dogs all the time who seem to have problems, is this because the dogs are picking up on thei hypervigilance I wonder?
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Is that one aimed at me as I used the word 'hypervigilant' in my post? Having had dogs for nigh on 30 years and not having problems with my dogs getting into fights, I can assure you that me keeping a beady eye out for other dogs has not resulted in any of my dogs picking up on anything.

It was lucky I was keeping a sharp eye out the other day as someone had left a gate open and sheep had strayed onto the beach. Had I not seen the sheep I have no doubt that the poor sheep would have been chased by one of mine (other two fine with livestock), however, my 'hypervigilance' ensured that I saw the sheep, called the dogs in before they spotted them and we walked past the sheep nicely and without problem.

No doubt you would be the first to complain if I spotted you in the distance but didn't recall the dogs immediately, resulting in several stone of happy bouncy rottweiler bowling into you at full pelt (if it was one of those 1% unable to recall times). I have been on the recieving end of Elsie's power when she ran into me and let me tell you, bruised ribs bloody well hurt!

Better safe than sorry when it comes to the breeds I own, people are very quick to point the finger if a Rottie or Staffy is running around off lead, where a Yorkie or Poodle would get 'ahh, cute doggy'. People see mine and run off screaming :D
 
SusieT said:
It always seems to be the'hypervigilant' people who are watching out for other dogs all the time who seem to have problems, is this because the dogs are picking up on thei hypervigilance I wonder?
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No think this is incorrect because even when I have had my back turned and haven't been watching my dogs as distracted by talking to another dog walker a rogue dog has come over and jumped on mine.
 
It was jsut such a good way to describe it using that word-I don't aim my posts anywhere.
'No doubt you would be the first to complain if I spotted you in the distance but didn't recall the dogs immediately, resulting in several stone of happy bouncy rottweiler bowling into you at full pelt (if it was one of those 1% unable to recall times). I have been on the recieving end of Elsie's power when she ran into me and let me tell you, bruised ribs bloody well hurt!' no.. I wouldn't? I have big dogs too.. very few dogs I know want to run up to strangers and jump on them-this including the ones at the local park which always has a steady stream of dogs.
 
My girl was attacked and the owner just stood there, if a dog starts on her again and the owner does nothing it's gets a warning about vets bills and a tap on the floor with my stick. Sticks are good for keeping the distance between dogs.
 
Not around here, actually as long as you avoid the prime tourist season things are generally better. We often get dog walkers with up to 10 dogs many off lead and we have very few problems. Luckily I think most the neurotic owners and those with little control avoid the open New Forest as there is so much to distract dis-obedient dogs. :)

Now walking in the local park, that can be quite a trying experience so I tend to avoid it at peak times!!
 
I have to agree I've seen more of this in recent years and can only conclude that it's not just gang members who are buying 'protection' dogs and I don't mean Staffies because I've met some lovely ones.
The tragic thing is that I'm seeing owners who 'encourage' aggressive behaviour by actively ignoring it. It's passive training but it's just as deeply ingrained.
I met a lovely pointer recently, he was lunging at another dog owner, then lunged at a cyclist. I'm afraid I saw red and as soon as we got closer, I waited for the dog to 'lock on' and I bellowed. The dog stopped barking and approached me wagging his tail. The owner was livid. This is a gun dog for pete's sake:(
Dogs need direction. They are pack animals. Somebody has to be pack leader and it has to be the owner.There probably isn't a dog in the world who wouldn't lay down their life if the owner was truly threatened. Leave man work to the experts.
Control your dog!!
(rant over)
 
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