Dog Question - Dog attack

[kwickimom]

Sure don't want to recommend you diving into scalding water, but is that kind of threat grounds for a police report from you? Please don't laugh at me, but is there such a thing as a protective order to keep this irrational neighbor away from your dogs?

 

Hes not irrational. Hes mad and has a right to be. He didn't break the law, she did. And I don't know where they live but most places let you protect yourself and property. I was legally able to tell me neighbor I will shoot her dog if it comes on my property and I can shoot it if it does. IMO he has every right to sit there with a loaded gun and to warn her that he is doing so.

[rwjx2khsmj]

Thanks for all the information and advice. I appreciate so many of you taking time to help me look at this issue from a less personal point of view. We'll be deciding what to do about the dogs this weekend.

[Mergath]

I'm baffled by the responses saying the neighbor is at fault for the situation. The OPs dogs went onto his property, one of them attacked his dog, and somehow the neighbor is at fault? So if someone's unleashed dog comes running into my yard when my dd is playing and attacks my dd because it mistook her yelling and playing for aggression, is that my fault, too? I'm not trying to scold the OP, I know she knows she should have had the dogs leashed, but I can't see how any of this was the neighbor's fault. And I'm not a gun person at all, but if one of my pets was attacked in my own yard, I'd probably threaten to shoot the attacking pet if it came onto my property again, too. I have no tolerance for aggressive animals allowed to run wild.

[Laurie4b]

No, I would not put your dog down over this.

 

I *would* have your dog evaluated by an animal behavioralist. It's my understanding that dog-aggressive and people-aggressive are not necessarily related, but the animal behavioralist will be in the best place to evaluate.

 

I would wait a while before interacting with your neighbor again and then I'd probably do it by letter, apologizing again and outlining what steps you are taking to change the situation.

 

I would not take your dogs with you when you are jogging past his property for a long time. When you start up again, I'd take only the dog who didn't attack. It is too hard to control two dogs anyway.

 

Interesting note: we recently visited Germany. I'd say 90% of dogs are off leash there. However, to get a dog license, the owner has to take the dog to extensive obedience training. That's every single dog owner. Dogs come in restaurants, etc. The only incident I saw was a dog that started barking in a restaurant. The employees did ask the owner to make the dog stop. I don't think they made them leave, though.

[nmoira]

Its very interesting to see people try to cast the aggressor as the victim here (call the police re: his threats, worry about poisoning).

 

The OP was trespassing and her animal attacked a pet.

 

And kudos to the OP for realizing this and being responsible from the get-go.

[Kathryn]

I'm baffled by the responses saying the neighbor is at fault for the situation. The OPs dogs went onto his property, one of them attacked his dog, and somehow the neighbor is at fault? So if someone's unleashed dog comes running into my yard when my dd is playing and attacks my dd because it mistook her yelling and playing for aggression, is that my fault, too? I'm not trying to scold the OP, I know she knows she should have had the dogs leashed, but I can't see how any of this was the neighbor's fault. And I'm not a gun person at all, but if one of my pets was attacked in my own yard, I'd probably threaten to shoot the attacking pet if it came onto my property again, too. I have no tolerance for aggressive animals allowed to run wild.

 

According to my understanding, OP was jogging past his property with her two unleashed dogs. Her bad. His dog was in his yard unleashed and not in his control. His bad. His dog advanced on OP growling and barking (his bad), at which point OP's dogs moved to protect their owner by going for an animal they saw threatening their leader. They saw no property line, they saw an animal threatening their leader. One responded to calls to stop and one did not. Her bad.

 

I think she did the right thing by paying the other dog's vet bills. She should certainly not go out without her dogs being leashed, but yes, I believe that the man bears some responsibility here (at least according to the ordinances in my county). As to your analogy with your daughter, your daughter would have to be realistically verbally and physically threatening a dog's owner for it to be valid.

 

ETA: never mind, I went back and see I misunderstood. She and her dogs were on his property when the dog advanced. In that case, I agree.

[Rebecca VA]

Hope the OP's dog doesn't end up like Pep in this story! ;)

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2325538/How-Pep-dog-sentenced-life-prison-framed-killing-Pennsylvania-governors-beloved-cat.html

[pdalley]

I'm baffled by the responses saying the neighbor is at fault for the situation. The OPs dogs went onto his property, one of them attacked his dog, and somehow the neighbor is at fault? So if someone's unleashed dog comes running into my yard when my dd is playing and attacks my dd because it mistook her yelling and playing for aggression, is that my fault, too? I'm not trying to scold the OP, I know she knows she should have had the dogs leashed, but I can't see how any of this was the neighbor's fault. And I'm not a gun person at all, but if one of my pets was attacked in my own yard, I'd probably threaten to shoot the attacking pet if it came onto my property again, too. I have no tolerance for aggressive animals allowed to run wild.

 

 

I agree.

 

The OP acted responsibly by paying the vet bills. I am assuming that all dogs involved had current rabies shots though I know there are some states that do not have the rabies problem we do here in NC (it is a law that your pet must have a current rabies vaccination or it is assumed rabid and either will be held in a 6 month quarantine at the owner's expense or put down and then tested to make sure there was no rabies involved). If the dogs are current on rabies then they are given a booster after an attack.

 

However, if a dog is on it's own property here in NC then it is legal. It does not have to be tied up or behind a fence or even have an owner standing out there with it. If another dog comes onto a dog's property it will more likely than not attack the intruder. That's nature. This is in no way the neighbor's fault. Yes, he is very much overreacting. I'm not sure of the laws in the area but he could report your dog as a dangerous dog and you could be given a citation if there is a leash law in your area.

 

The neighbor's dog was well within his rights to protect the perceived threat to his own yard. Dogs are generally territorial.