My Loppity Longdog bit someone today.

[Clodagh]

Sash is the softest dog, she loves everyone, especially children. She has never even growled at anyone before...
I took Smallest Boy to a SJ comp and some people staying in our Self catering said she bit their 18 month old child. I mean, she must have done theres no reason for them to lie and he has a cut on his face.

. Apparently they were talking to her and then parents left to get something out of the car and there was a roar and he was bitten.
I feel awful and have apologised for ages but they really aren't happy and are talking of going to hospital. tbh its just a tiny graze, she must have caught him with a canine tooth, it hasn't gone right through the skin. I hate to think what he must have done to her to get such a reaction.

Hope it all blows over.

 

[Blue-bear]

Begs the question why they left there 18month old child unattended with a dog they dont know :S

 

[countrygirl45]

Yes - I would question why on earth someone would leave their child with a dog that is not their own let alone unattended. The child could have done anything to antagonise the dog (as children frequently do). I never left my children alone with our sheepdogs until I knew they would know how to behave properly (children not the dogs!).
Hope everything sorts itself out well for you and your dog.

 

[harkback]

This situation should not have occured in the first instance. The dog may well be the sweetest dog on the planet but dogs and unsupervised children do not mix. This child could well have tugged dog's ear, tweeked it's nose, poked it in the eye and the dog (quite naturally) reacted. However it has bitten a young child. At your business where you know visitors will be out and about, in this case with a young child. The dog simply should not have been left to free range in the S/C public area. I would speak to your insurers asap.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Meh

I have to agree with Blue Bear.

Lovely as our dogs are, we keep them away from guests, ask the guests to stay away from 'their' area and we have a big 'private' sign to stop people going beyond our own home property where they are, just to be on the safe side, you can't be too careful.

If anyone really wants to meet them I will bring them out on a lead for a one to one and they are always charming.

There was a horrible case of a little girl getting mauled by two resident rotts at farm cottages not too far away from us and I think a lot of people tightened up after that.

 

[Clodagh]

QR
I always tell the guests we have dogs, and keep them shut away if they don't like them. I've had Sash for as long as the SC and she has always has access to the farmyard and hence to the cottages. We have 5 dogs on the farm and most people are delighted to see them.
I do see that I will have to warn people not to let their children touch her but I really don't think I can keep her shut in the house forever unless I'm there.
Anyway, have just seen them again and they have calmed down a bit so fingers crossed.

 

[CorvusCorax]

It must be hard with an open yard.

TBH even though we have physical barriers between guests and dogs, you still get some who ignore signs - I posted a few months ago about going to the back of my house to find four big lanky Duke of Ed teenagers who walked past our 'private sign' and were actually trying to climb up and over the fence of our exercise pen to 'see the dogs' - both of whom are quite territorial (hence I bring them out on a lead to meet people because they do bark when they see people on the property) and they were going nuts.

Glad they have calmed down but dogs and the public can be a bit of a tricky issue, sadly!