I need advice please- reactive dog hurt another dog

[AlyJ 10]

Hi

 

My dog is 11 and has always been unpredictable with other dogs, hence always being on a lead unless he knows and has been carefully introduced to other dogs.

 

I have just driven down our street to see my husband, who has a heart condition, sprinting over the road as my dog went for one on a lead being walked past the house. We are always ultra careful about ensuring the gate is shut etc, but this was a momentary lapse - he was opening the gate for me, the dog ran out and then he saw red. Anyway, after my dog went for it, the dog owner walked the dog up the street to his house and his wife came down to say the dog was bleeding and they were taking it to the vet.

 

I have immediately said we would pay for the vet but I am now so scared that they might say we have to have him put down. I don't know the law or what happens in practice, but this dog is part of our family, is perfect with all humans as well as our other dog and his dog friends. I'm in despair at the moment and don't know what to do, other than pay for the vet and hope that the other dog is not badly hurt. My husband said it didn't seem it and was walking up the street. I'm not making excuses for the dog, because the fault is with us, but he is anxious and scared, rather than aggressive and has only ever nipped another dog at his worse. (3 times in 11 years.)

 

I feel terrible for the other dog owner, but want to know from you if I need to do anything else to make it right.

[medusa 16]

Hi

 

I don't think that anybody would consider putting a dog to sleep for a wound on another dog, especially as this is not a regular event. For anybody to be able to start that process I believe that it has to be a human that is hurt.

 

My dog arrived with me as a very poorly socialised dog with broken legs from her previous owner, and she's been on full alert about other dogs her whole life. She managed to cause a large vet bill for a very tiny nick on the ear of another dog that just wouldn't stop bleeding, and my guilt for taking my eye off the interaction for the split second that allowed it to happen ate into me. She was even on a lead at the time and I'm almost certain that she didn't even go for the other dog, she was barking at the other dog and they just carried on getting closer and the nick was so small that I wonder whether the other dog's ear was just too close to her very impressive GSD jaws as she was barking. There certainly was nothing visible like an attack or a scuffle, but somehow the other dog got a wound and there was no doubt that it was my dog that caused it. All we could do was apologise and supply our details so that they could get vet bills to us.

 

The outcome of it all was that the other owner didn't feel like we'd tried to brush off my dog being the cause, or run away leaving them with vet bills (we gave them our home address so they knew we weren't trying to shirk it) and once the dog was healed, it was all forgiven, but it changed how close I let my dog get to other dogs completely, because if I had turned tail with her and started walking the other way then there would have been no way she could have injured another dog. She didn't know any better, it was my fault.

 

You're doing all you can (apart from reviewing gate security and making sure that your dog is shut in the house/ behind a gate in the back garden/ in the garage/ whatever when the gate is open, and the most important thing is that once it's happened, you can't do more than you're doing so try to cut yourself some slack.

 

You're probably covered for the vet bills on the liabilities section of your home insurance too BTW.

[AlyJ 10]

Hi

 

I don't think that anybody would consider putting a dog to sleep for a wound on another dog, especially as this is not a regular event. For anybody to be able to start that process I believe that it has to be a human that is hurt.

 

My dog arrived with me as a very poorly socialised dog with broken legs from her previous owner, and she's been on full alert about other dogs her whole life. She managed to cause a large vet bill for a very tiny nick on the ear of another dog that just wouldn't stop bleeding, and my guilt for taking my eye off the interaction for the split second that allowed it to happen ate into me. She was even on a lead at the time and I'm almost certain that she didn't even go for the other dog, she was barking at the other dog and they just carried on getting closer and the nick was so small that I wonder whether the other dog's ear was just too close to her very impressive GSD jaws as she was barking. There certainly was nothing visible like an attack or a scuffle, but somehow the other dog got a wound and there was no doubt that it was my dog that caused it. All we could do was apologise and supply our details so that they could get vet bills to us.

 

The outcome of it all was that the other owner didn't feel like we'd tried to brush off my dog being the cause, or run away leaving them with vet bills (we gave them our home address so they knew we weren't trying to shirk it) and once the dog was healed, it was all forgiven, but it changed how close I let my dog get to other dogs completely, because if I had turned tail with her and started walking the other way then there would have been no way she could have injured another dog. She didn't know any better, it was my fault.

 

You're doing all you can (apart from reviewing gate security and making sure that your dog is shut in the house/ behind a gate in the back garden/ in the garage/ whatever when the gate is open, and the most important thing is that once it's happened, you can't do more than you're doing so try to cut yourself some slack.

 

You're probably covered for the vet bills on the liabilities section of your home insurance too BTW.

 

Thank you for this. I just feel dreadful, so terribly sorry. The worst thing is that the dogs are NEVER out in the garden alone. We go with them, it's secure and this literally was a moment when I'd been out for 5 hours with our labrador and left Max at home because he's a bit old for such a long walk, my husband came out to open the gate for me to drive in when it happened. He has a heart condition and has had such a shock himself and feels awful. He fell over trying to grab our dog and is now so upset. I know what you mean about the guilt eating into you. We just feel horrible. Thanks again, this was really helpful.

[ll49 10]

This is an awful situation and I understand how you feel, and the fact that you care so much and have offered to pay vets fees and are concerned about the dog will mean a lot to the owners. I do hope the dog is ok, and I hope you all are too.

 

If it makes you feel any better my friends dog was recently attacked by an out of control dog who was with a woman who did absolutely nothing about the attack and has never been in touch to offer to pay vets fees, or see how their dog is etc. Due to the dog being out of control my friend reported it to the police who came and took a statement and looked at the state their dog was in but then told my friend that because the dog hadn't bitten a person there was nothing they could do at that point apart from pass the information on to the dangerous dogs department for information in case anything further happens.

 

I'm sure your situation won't escalate to this as you're doing everything you can as a responsible and caring dog owner, I just wanted to let you know in an attempt to ease your mind.

[AlyJ 10]

Thank you for this. it helps, although I really feel for your friend as I would never walk away from something that I or my dog had caused.

 

The update is that the woman has just been to see me. The dog had a couple of stitches under general anaesthetic and was picked up this morning feeling sorry for himself, but essentially expected to make a full recovery. So happy to hear this. The vet bill is over £600, so bang goes our daughters 21st birthday celebration, but that's the way it is and we will sort it out this week.

 

Everyone has been very reasonable and I am grateful that the other dog owners are not pursuing it further. Although it is being resolved through the payment of the bill and the dog being ok in the end, we are still feeling terrible, can't stop feeling bad for letting the dog get to another defenceless animal. I am hoping this doesn't last for long as I just want to cry all the time! Thanks again for your comments.