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When Dog's Attack!

RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
edited May 2009 in Strut Central
I'm having the SHITTIEST 24 hours so allow me to conduct some much needed typer space therapy.I was chilling watching the hockey game last night and my 9 year old Jack Russell terrier needed to go to the bathroom. We don't have a fence in back so we have a tie line that he is attached to so he can conduct his business.I open the backdoor to kneel down and get the leash when within a split second, he took off and attacked another dog who was being walked. All happened within a split second and I was in my socks and it was pouring down rain outside.My dog is VERY aggressive. Any terrier owner can relate. He proceeded to bite the other dog (some wundermutt) repeatedly.The owner was FREAKING OUT. Saying how he was going to f*cking kill my dog and kick it in the head and saying shit to me. In the process of trying to break up the fight, he was bit too. He eventutally let go of the leash and both dogs took off... all the while my dog was shadowing the other dog and biting him. Yada... Yada... Yada.The owner turned out to be my neighbor across the street who was continuing to freak out yelling foul shit at me. Eventually... the dog scuffle was broken up and I was full of adrenaline. Dude kept yelling at me and I Freaked out on him (verbally). I called him a f*cking redneck and all kinds of other things and my wife came out and forced me into the house.The cops showed up and asked for vaccination papers and I presented papers that were 4 years old. Because his shots were out of date, my neighbor was ordered to go to the emergency room for the bite. I never did apologize. I was just way too amped up at the dude getting in my face and coming at me sideways.I realize all this shit is my fault and feel about 2 feet tall for the way I acted (should have been a bit more empathetic). Plus my wife hates me too because I acted out of hand.Anyone here ever go through a similar experience?I LOVE MY DOG TO DEATH. But he has let me down numerous times. Attacking other dogs, bit my Niece (TWICE), snapping at co-workers, etc.It's almost to the point where I want to give him up.

  Comments

  • djdazedjdaze 3,099 Posts
    Just go over to the dudes house and apologize, no biggie.
  • twoplytwoply Only Built 4 Manzanita Links 2,915 Posts
    Just go over to the dudes house and apologize, no biggie.


    Definitely. Regardless of whether or not the guy accepts your apology, you'll feel better for having given it. Hopefully he'll understand that while you're responsible for your dog's actions, you still can't fully control them.
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    That's terrible. I agree you should go over and apologize to the dude. I'm guessing he's wanting to sue you. I actually don't blame him. Jack Russells are problematic. It's not worth it, trade him in for a lab.
  • 4YearGraduate4YearGraduate 2,945 Posts
    Not to early to contact a lawyer. I have a feeling this dude is about to go in on you. Medical bills, vet bills, pain and suffering, etc.

    Sorry this happened man.

    But yeah, he's probably over there counting his money already.
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    Sux man. I agree bigtime with the go apologize, but you'll never be able to take back what you said. ALSO, instead of a collar, tie his lead to a harness. It's hard to get away when you've got them by the harness.
  • JRootJRoot 861 Posts
    Apologize carefully.
    Contact a lawyer.
    Get a new dog.

    Not necessarily in that order.

    I know you love your dog, but...
    has let me down numerous times. Attacking other dogs, bit my Niece (TWICE), snapping at co-workers, etc.

    ...you cannot have him biting dogs, strangers or people you love. Sorry Raj.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Apologize carefully.
    Contact a lawyer.
    Get a new dog.

    Not necessarily in that order.

    I know you love your dog, but...
    has let me down numerous times. Attacking other dogs, bit my Niece (TWICE), snapping at co-workers, etc.

    ...you cannot have him biting dogs, strangers or people you love. Sorry Raj.

    I'm going to go over there and apologize. That's the best I can do at this point. We have offered to pay medical bills, etc. But there's no telling where he wants to take this.
  • FatbackFatback 6,746 Posts
    Apologize carefully.
    Contact a lawyer.
    Get a new dog.

    Not necessarily in that order.

    I know you love your dog, but...
    has let me down numerous times. Attacking other dogs, bit my Niece (TWICE), snapping at co-workers, etc.

    ...you cannot have him biting dogs, strangers or people you love. Sorry Raj.

    I'm going to go over there and apologize. That's the best I can do at this point. We have offered to pay medical bills, etc. But there's no telling where he wants to take this.

    Good luck.
  • JRootJRoot 861 Posts
    My family used to go on vacation in the summer. My folks would load all us kids (6 in total, all JRoots), a tent, and a camp stove into the van (until 1982 a red VW bus), and we would just hit the road. Longest trip from Oregon was Saltville, VA to see my aunt and uncle. You don't want to go to Saltville, unless the interstices between inland salt mining and the confederacy is your thing. We did lose a bucket of bait down the river fishing outside of Saltville, an escapade that we still laugh about to this day.

    Anyway, we come home from one of these family vacations and there is a note on our door.
    Your cat attacked me and scratched me all up. I am 8 months pregnant and very concerned about your cat's vaccinations, etc. Please call me as soon as possible.

    Smokey was a helluva fierce cat. She was gray with a little bit of white stripes (no hipster). My parents hated Bob Barker and loved sex, so there was no spaying. Springtime was generally the season of love, which meant waking up in the middle of the night to godawful caterwauling from the neighborhood toms who still had their testes. Smokey had several litters of kittens, which we always gave to a good home (FREE) because keeping them was not an option: Smokey would get all territorial on her own offspring the minute they got weaned.

    Smokey was more territorial than any dog I've ever met. She attacked snakes, birds, bats, moles, voles, and mice on the regular -- sometimes for sport, other times for hunger. She also attacked any dog that strayed onto our property that did not leave in short order. Her cathair would go all erect, porcupine style, she would hiss and growl out a few warnings, and if the offending trespasser didn't beat the retreat, she would pounce.

    This is exactly what happened to the lady who left the note on our door. She was walking her dog, the dog started thinking about taking a piss on our lawn, and Smokey was not having any of it. When the dog didn't leave, Smokey attacked. The dog didn't know what to do, and retreated to her owner, with Smokey in full attack mode. The scared dog wrapped its leash around the pregnant owner's legs, with Smokey hissing and scratching all the while. When the leash ran out of purchase, the scared dog did the only thing it could do: peed on the owner's legs. In the fracas, Smokey apparently drew a little blood from the owner's leg.

    Fortunately for us, this incident occurred the day after we left for vacation. Back in the era before cell phones and the internet, we had not left any information on how to contact us with the person who was coming by to give Smokey her food and water. (What were we gonna do, leave them with the entire KOA directory? We never knew where we were going to pitch our tent until midday -- and it was always a subject of great discourse in the van ("ooo, this one has a swimming pool!").) By the time we got home, the woman had given birth to a healthy happy baby, and had nearly forgotten all about the incident.

    I hope that this little dog episode ends just as happily as the Smokey attack. Here's a little visual -- that's Smokey on the left ignoring my sister's goading efforts.

  • king_maxwellking_maxwell 68 Posts
    Nothing like a person with 12 posts telling the list owner what to do. But whatever.

    I deeply sympathize with your situation Raj. I'm sorry to hear about the hassle and neighbor woes.

    For those who are recommending that Raj get another dog, or take this one to the pound/shelter: no one adoptions a nine year old JRT who bites. Biting dogs will likely be killed.

    The alternative is a trainer to come to the house. I speak from experience with two dogs who could not even enter obedience school (they don't have what we might call the 'social skills').

    Good luck.
  • RAJRAJ tenacious local 7,782 Posts
    Nothing like a person with 12 posts telling the list owner what to do. But whatever.

    I deeply sympathize with your situation Raj. I'm sorry to hear about the hassle and neighbor woes.

    For those who are recommending that Raj get another dog, or take this one to the pound/shelter: no one adoptions a nine year old JRT who bites. Biting dogs will likely be killed.

    The alternative is a trainer to come to the house. I speak from experience with two dogs who could not even enter obedience school (they don't have what we might call the 'social skills').

    Good luck.

    Thanks. I took the kids with me (for cuteness factor) next door and apologized. He was very cool and even apologized for coming at me sideways as well. Hatch was buried. No Lawyers needed. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
  • GrafwritahGrafwritah 4,184 Posts
    Nothing like a person with 12 posts telling the list owner what to do. But whatever.

    I deeply sympathize with your situation Raj. I'm sorry to hear about the hassle and neighbor woes.

    For those who are recommending that Raj get another dog, or take this one to the pound/shelter: no one adoptions a nine year old JRT who bites. Biting dogs will likely be killed.

    The alternative is a trainer to come to the house. I speak from experience with two dogs who could not even enter obedience school (they don't have what we might call the 'social skills').

    Good luck.

    Thanks. I took the kids with me (for cuteness factor) next door and apologized. He was very cool and even apologized for coming at me sideways as well. Hatch was buried. No Lawyers needed. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

    I just realized we don't have an "A Good Look" graemlin.


    It sounds like a logical move would be to put up a fence. Obviously you want to keep your dog but he has issues. At least you know if you have a fence nothing like this could happen again ... well, within the confines of the Raj compound.
  • JRootJRoot 861 Posts
    Nothing like a person with 12 posts telling the list owner what to do. But whatever.

    I deeply sympathize with your situation Raj. I'm sorry to hear about the hassle and neighbor woes.

    For those who are recommending that Raj get another dog, or take this one to the pound/shelter: no one adoptions a nine year old JRT who bites. Biting dogs will likely be killed.

    The alternative is a trainer to come to the house. I speak from experience with two dogs who could not even enter obedience school (they don't have what we might call the 'social skills').

    Good luck.

    Thanks. I took the kids with me (for cuteness factor) next door and apologized. He was very cool and even apologized for coming at me sideways as well. Hatch was buried. No Lawyers needed. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

    Great news!
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    No Lawyers needed. I feel like a ton of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.

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