Dog attacked my dog - advice please?

[Jeanie]

My dog was chasing her ball in a field last week - when a Staffordshire Bull Terrier suddenly hurled across the field and attacked her. By the time the owner had wrenched her dog off - my poor dog was in a severe state of shock, bleeding with a major wound to her leg. Staffy owner was concerned, gave me her name/number and confirmed she would pay vet bills. Took my poor dog to the vet. She was sedated, wounds washed out, pumped full of antibiotics and required 12 stitches.

Rang the staffy owner who agreed to pay the bills. Admitted her dog only attacks if there is a toy involved.. Anyway - having spoken to some other dog owners, it would appear that this staffy has been responsible for several attacks on other dogs - I encouraged the staffy owner to come and see my dog, in the hope that if she saw the injuries and how it had affected my dog, she may be more aware of how horrible it was - but she avoided that. Asked if she had tried a muzzle on her dog - she said she'd tried it - but it was 'traumatic' so she gave up. I ended up sending her some photographs of the injuries my dog had sustained along with a letter begging her to reconsider having her dog muzzled. She replied, saying she would walk her dog on the lead from now on.

Anyway - what do I do? Do I contact the authorities (police? RSPCA?) - I don't any trouble for the woman - but I do want to make her realise that her dog cannot continue to attack other dogs. Thankfully, my little Misty is recovering - and she's healthy and robust. What if there was a next time and it was a puppy?

Should the staffy owner should be pressured into muzzling her dog - Am I being overly dramatic?

Any advice?

[clair3934]

sadly as a dog owner my self I can understand how you feel about not wanting to report this person but you really should call your local dog warden and or police and give them her details and explane what happend and then they can take it from there, as you say it could happen again to a smaller dog/puppy but what if it was a child next time. no dog particulary likes being muzzled but its always in its best interest when it has aggresive tendancies. :-)

[B00]

Would she be so heartless if your dog had been a small child playing with a toy?

I genuinly can't understand this woman- surely it's better to muzzle the dog (at the very least keep it on the lead!) than to risk it possibly needing to be put down due to it being a dangerous dog?

No Jeanie, you arn't being overdramatic- thank goodness your little doggy is recovered :-)

[mystress]

I agree,this woman is not a responsible owner,it could be a toddler next time! Dogs are only as good/bad as their owners train/allow them to be.

I would contact the Police and the RSPCA.This dog obvoiusly needs to be muzzled when out,and if the owner will not persevere in this then other steps may have to be taken!

[bazwillrun]

Staffs have a bad history in this country especially since they became the dog of  choice on most council estates, people that usually get staffs do so because its the next best thing to a pit bull.

She was keen to pay all your vet bills purely because she knows that if you go to the  police and complain and they have or find out about its history they might just have it destroyed. She didnt pay out of kindness.

[shaneystar]

Agree with all the above.My dog ..a very agreeable cross alsatian was attacked a couple of years ago by a Bull Mastiff.
This dog had a history of attacking other dogs and the owner used to let roam around off the lead. I insisted he pay the vets bills .My dog had a puncture wound on his chest and I also reported the owner to the dog warden.Please or offend.The dog warden was very good and said that the dog must be muzzled and kept on a lead in the future.Luckily the owner saw sense and complied.I don't think you are being over dramatic at all.One thing I will say though ....when I take my dog out he knows most of the local canine population ..but if I see a strange dog I always put him on the lead.Once bitten twice shy!!

[smee.tracey]

I thought that by law, certain breeds including staffys, had to be muzzled in public. The police at least must be informed of this irresponsible owner.

[silly moo]

bazwillrun - what a terribly biased and discriminating attitude you have.
I agree that this particular owner was obviously not in control of her dog, but not all staffies are vicious and not all staffie owners are like her.
I take great exception to the council estate comment.

[silly moo]

P.S.
I do not own a staffie, but do live in an ex council house.

[Mrs_Pegasus]

Hi There

You may find the following link of interest especially the section regarding vicious dogs in public places.

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/welfare/domestic/dogs.htm

I hope Misty is making a speedy recovery.

[butter1]

Bazwillrun, I am also offended by your comment.  My family have had 2 staffs over the years.  They bought the first staff when I was 10.  I have only know staffs to be very friendly and loving towards children and their owners.  I don't see why people should be type-cast to having a certain dog. 

Staff aren't always aggressive, you could say all dogs have something in them to be aggressive.  I agree that this owner should make her dog wear a muzzle and maybe you should report her to a dog warden so that she is told that her dog should wear a muzzle.

Smee.tracey, is was the Pitt Bull Terrier that should wear a muzzle by law, not the Staff or English bull terrier.

[happy_face]

Dear Jeanie.

I'm so sorry for you and Missy for what has happened, what a traumatic and terrible time for you both. I own a Staffie myself and always walk him on the lead when there are other dogs in the vicinity. Not that I don't trust him but just to be on the safe side. He's a gentle little fella but I don't know if he might one day take a dislike to that one particular dog.

I find it offensive that people are so quick to judge Staffies and it can only be because they don't know them that they're so quick to judge. Any dog will be temperamental if not controlled properly and that hasn't got anything to do with the dog but the Owner.

I previously put a question on AB because I was fed up with other dog walkers just letting their dogs run riot in the park. And I think that's the more important point to put across in this. If you can't control your dog then have it on the lead. The woman obviously knew her dog would attack when toys were involved so why did she have hers off the lead when she could see the 2 of you playing.

I keep my dog on the lead to protect him (bites, kennel cough, worms etc) and it does my head in the way people will let their dogs run up to mine. If I see someone with their dog on the lead I will always respect their choice as they must have a good reason for it. Shame not everyone thinks that way.

Hope that Missy gets better soon

[butter1]

Happy_face, just wanted to say that I agree with everything that you have said.  It also annoys me how others dog owners let their dog just come running up.  My dog is tempermental as she was abused and attacked by another dog when she was a puppy.  I do let her off the let when we go to the park but as soon as I come close to other dog walkers she goes back on the lead.  Jeanie, I hope Missy gets better.x

[callisto]

dear jeanie ..... what a time your dog and yourself have had it really was enlightening to read that in this day and age after all the bad horror stories of attacks that owners of such like breeds would want to help promote the breed not hinder, i agree with all comments this staffie is out of control after several attacks and report this dog you must for its sake as well as future targets.. As for the other posting making remarks and assumptions like that is bound to offend understandably you have strong views and opinions in your posting but offended several others was it really necerssary to be so presumptious ?????

[callisto]

p.s jeannie i hope your staffie gets better soon , lol x

[Jeanie]

Thanks to all for the replies.  Misty is doing well thanks (she's a collie x poodle by the way - daft I know, but i works in a bizarre bearded collie lookalike type of way!)

Just wanted to confirm that the staffie owner is a very respectable upper class lady - so she does not fit the 'suggested stereotype' of a staffie owner.  Apparently, she's always had dogs of this breed, but this is the first 'rescue' she's taken on.  She has since written me a letter (along with cheque to cover vets bills) - confirming she will not muzzle the dog, but will always keep it on the lead.  

Vet told me that the attack on Misty was a typical staffie 'go for the kill' attack - in that the dog immobilises the victims back legs and then goes for the throat.  He's encouraged me to contact the dog warden - said I don't have to give names, addresses etc, but just to see if there is any recognition when I describe the situation.  If the woman has been advised to muzzle the dog in the past, she should be abiding by that to avoid any future attacks - especially as the next victim may not be as lucky as Misty.     

[jenky]

Jeanie - your own last post says it all. If this owner has tried a muzzle before, then she was presumably ordered to do so. By refusing to use one now she may well be contravening a previous order - Do you think this woman is strong enough to control her dog?

[bazwillrun]

to those that disagreed with me, you must have your heads in the sand, take a walk around any council estate and see which breed of dog is predominant. It is the chav dog of choice, and why do you think that is ?

  

[Jeanie]

bazwillrun - I know exactly what you are saying - and agree that the Staffordshire has become the dog of choice for the typical chav. The breed is renowned for being a tough, aggressive dog - and are designed for fighting. However, I know they can also be loving family pets - in the right hands.  

 I don't think you can condemn all staffie owners as being of a certain type - the lady owner of the dog involved in the attack on my dog could certainly not be put in the chav category.  She is very well spoken and lives in a very affluent area. 

However - it does beg the question as to why we are attracted to certain breeds/types of dog.  As a total dog lover myself, I must admit to finding it hard to see the appeal of a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (and that's not just because of what happened - ), also not keen on Bulldogs, Boxers, Bull Terriers etc.  Just not keen on that type of dog, but some people would only ever go for this type of dog.  Whereas - I love Collies, Bearded Collies, English Sheepdogs, Newfoundlands etc.  Guess it depends what qualities you're looking for in 'man's best friend' .

Both my dogs are collie x poodles. The mix works so well in my opinion.  The few negative traits of both breeds are softened and you end up with very easy to train, very intelligent, very loving, gentle, great looking dogs and brilliant family pets. 

[butter1]

Bazwillrum, I do not have my head in the sand at all.  I have never lived on a council estate and we've had 2 staff.  What a ridiculous thing to say.  To me, Staffs are very intelligent and very friendly...I do believe it depends on the owner or their back ground to how they are.  I personally love short haired terrier dogs.  American Pitt Bulls are known for being aggressive...people get confused with them and the staffs as they look similar.

[Stilton]

i only registered on here to quickly reply, as i was disgusted by the stereotypes being cast..

Sorry to hear about your dog Jeanie

Bazwillrun - Your stereotyping of other people, who own staffies.. To all be 'chavs' makes you appear to 'have your head in the sand'. Just because it is a dog of a certain breed, doesnt mean that one dog is aggressive.

As im sure this is a 'dog lovers' forum, people will agree that their dogs have personalities, i used to know absolutely nothing about dogs before we got our staff and had no interest in having one, i viewed it was going to be an annoyance.

I say, i talk to and play with the dog more than the humans in my family.. and am completely glad that we got one now. If we had to get another, it would also be another staff, as judging by this one, from an owners perspective.. It is a loving and sometime too playful dog :-D

Also,  my dog always seems to get picked on by much smaller dogs, and is afraid of cats, but perhaps.. this is just my staff..