Dog Attack

[Poodle wrangler]

Earlier today my sister's dog attacked mine grabbing him by the face and held him down and wouldn't let go.

I don't let my dogs or children near him normally, but my 3 year old opened the front door. My dog went out, walked up to her dog, and he went for him. Her dog on leash, mine off. Brother-in-law and OH only adults outside at the time. BIL tried to pull him back using leash, but dog wouldn't let go. OH tried kicking the dog (unsuccessful) and said dog only let go after he put his knee on dog's neck with his full body weight. Panic-driven manoeuvres. My 5 month old standard poodle was just "screaming" with his head pinned down. I ran out, moved kids well away and went for the hose as her dog hates water. By this time the dog had let go. Dogs are similar size, the sister's dog being a ?RidgebackXStaffy ex-pound dog (ie. well-muscled jaws).

My dogs has 2 puncture marks on the side of his head which I washed with salty water and then left alone. Also looks swollen. He seems OK and I'll watch the wounds for any problems.

These dogs will never have the chance to be together again, but what SHOULD we have done in this situation? It seemed to be unprovoked.

Thanks :D

[Tonymc]

Poodle Wrangler hindsight is cheap after the event.You all did what you thought was best in the circumstance.The end result was that you got the two Dogs separated and the Fight stopped.

Sounds like the whole matter was just an Accident as your Three year old did not realise that letting the Dog"s get together would result in a Fight. Tony

[B-Q]

a coupel of times sophie grabbed a dog through the fence (i really don't blame her, its had attacked her so many times and left skin off all her side before she finally went at it) i acted like an idiot, i was copmpletley hysercal and in tears, she just wouldn't let go, no sound at all. its owners on one side of the fence, us on our side... insane.

we just had to wait it out really, she ended up getting a fair few whacks up the side of her head. eventually the neighbours fixed the fence but not before their dog pissed sophie off enough to get her to grab her again, some guy ran up and beat her over the head with a pipe :D: lucky the neighbours called us and told us, she was in the vet for 2 days on drips.

a dog fight is relativley easy to break up if one of the dogs hasn't got a hold yet, when they snapping and biting at each other you can drag them away, its once one gets a hold its just doing whatever you can to stop the dog holding on.

i'd say LOTS of socialisation would be important so your dog doesn't become fearful/aggressive at dogs in maturity

[KOE]

Try spraying the dog with the grip with some sort of aerosol up the nose.

[SkySoaringMagpie]

My dogs has 2 puncture marks on the side of his head which I washed with salty water and then left alone. Also looks swollen. He seems OK and I'll watch the wounds for any problems.

Personally with any puncture wound (as opposed to an open wound) I'd go to the vet and get a course of prophylactic antibiotics before seeing a problem. Puncture wounds are near impossible to flush properly, and even if you can there's a high chance of infection.

Plus if it's swollen, there is a chance the attacking dog has pulled the top layer of skin away from the underlying flesh, and that might end up needing a drain. A vet check wouldn't go astray.

Pats for your dog, it's a horrible thing to have happen.

[Poodle wrangler]

I guess their dog has been an increasing concern. It concerns me more now that he will accidently end up in the same room with my kids and he cannot be controlled even on leash. He's bitten both other dogs and people. He's attacked my older dog, though I thought it probably justified as my dog did the "wrong" thing and stole his bone.

The dog has no recall. I was there once when the dog escaped from the house, dog ran off for zoomies, then ran up to a worker a few doors down the road and bit him. The guy did nothing other than put his hand out as you sometimes do for a dog to sniff in greeting. No fast moves, not carrying anything looking menacing, didn't approach dog.

The dog's an ex pound dog, so his history up to 8 months of age is unknown. He's about 8 years old now. Desexed. Went to some training at a younger age. Walked about 4-5 times a week, dragging my sister behind him. I don't think they'll be willing to see a behaviourist or train him further. Dog actually lives with my parents who are over 70- no way either could manage this dog on a leash :D .

Edited June 11, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[wolf82]

Just watch the wound closeley, my two have had several fights had had punctures / tears. I found that there was no real need to goto the vet, just monitor the wound (check it 2-3 times a day, and bathe it in salt water twice a day too) and it will heal fine in the air.

At one stage after a fight between my two, the AmStaff tore the huskies neck and we missed it (it didnt bleed and fur was so thick), after a good 3 days, i noticed a clump of fur under his neck, i chopped it all off and found a tear that was well infected (it was like a pocket under the skin).

I scrubbed it in warm salt water a few times a day and let it get plenty of air. It healed very nicely in the end, dogs are pretty hardy and heal well

Steve

[Poodle wrangler]

Personally with any puncture wound (as opposed to an open wound) I'd go to the vet and get a course of prophylactic antibiotics before seeing a problem. Puncture wounds are near impossible to flush properly, and even if you can there's a high chance of infection.

Plus if it's swollen, there is a chance the attacking dog has pulled the top layer of skin away from the underlying flesh, and that might end up needing a drain. A vet check wouldn't go astray.

Thankyou. I didn't know that might be necessary.

Took him to the vet first thing this morning as it still looked swollen.

The vet said there's an abscess developing underneath and fluid sitting under the skin, so Charlie's having antibiotics and warm compresses to help bring out the fluid etc. in there. He's booked to be desexed Thursday, so the vet is going to look at it then and lance and irrigate while he's under anaesthetic, if needed. Didn't think it was necessary yet.

I'm going to ask that my sister's dog goes to my sister's house when we visit (dog lives with my parents), so there's zero contact possible. I'm considering this attack a warning. It's both my dogs and kids I'm concerned about. The "keeping them separate" plan, at my parent's, is too likely to fail at some point - This episode being an example .

Thanks, everyone . He seems fine other than a wonky face (the fluid). He's tough, he's a poodle .

Edited June 12, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[poodlefan]

PW, your sister needs to do something about her dog's behaviour.

The only thing you can control is your dogs and children's interaction with that dog. I would politely inform your sister that, under the circumstances, her dog is no longer welcome at your place. I'd not be taking my dogs to hers.

She needs to act. Her dog's life and the safety of others depend on it.

[Poodle wrangler]

PW, your sister needs to do something about her dog's behaviour.

The only thing you can control is your dogs and children's interaction with that dog. I would politely inform your sister that, under the circumstances, her dog is no longer welcome at your place. I'd not be taking my dogs to hers.

She needs to act. Her dog's life and the safety of others depend on it.

I agree. Convincing both parents and sister is another story. It's my sister's dog that lives with my parents. Sister has no fencing. Had he bitten any of us, with his history, I'd have taken him to the vet straight away to be PTS.

Excuses include: "But he's so gentle at other times", "He's territorial" and "but Charlie went up to him" (i.e. it was Charlie's fault this happened). I didn't even argue about that (though I disagree), but said, "Look, he's bitten 3 people I know of. If he bites someone, Mum will be sued because the dog is registered in her name, let alone the fact that he could bite a child in the street." Her response was to again blame my dog and say, "Don't talk about this now, you'll spoil Dad's birthday" .

I spoke to Mum today and told her about the vet etc. She said again how "he's alright when it's just us here" (referring more to how dog becomes overexcited when sister arrives). I'm reluctant to upset her too much as she's spent most of last week in hospital.

I don't know what else to do. My parents are elderly and hate conflict. They're reassured by having the dog there as their home was burned down about 10 years ago- people broke in, used accelerant and set it on fire while they were out . I wish I was making it up, it still sounds unreal to me. They live in a quiet, suburban street in southern Sydney that backs on to a reserve.

I'm over 2 hours away from their place, so am in no position to do much to try to rehabiltate their dog. I helped chose him from the pound about 8 years ago and suspect he was mistreated b4 we had him.

I'm going to tell Dad and my sister that we need the dog to be elsewhere, for safety, for us to come to visit. I don't want there to be any chance of him biting the kids or dogs, but it doesn't solve the problem for my parents if he gets out .

Is there anything else I can do?

Edited June 12, 2007 by Poodle wrangler

[poodlefan]

PW, he's not your dog and it's not your responsiblity I'm afraid. All you can do is manage things from your end.

I appreciate how difficult it is when other family members think you're overreacting. Do they understand they will be financially and legally responsible if he bites anyone? If it happens off their property there will be no insurance cover. On their property, a dog with a history of aggression isn't likely to be covered anyway.

[Poodle wrangler]

Do they understand they will be financially and legally responsible if he bites anyone? If it happens off their property there will be no insurance cover. On their property, a dog with a history of aggression isn't likely to be covered anyway.

I've said that they could be sued, but I think they're in denial about the problem .

[Poodle wrangler]

Update:

I took Charlie to the vet the morning after the bite as it was still swollen. Started antibiotics. Vet opened it up today under anaesthetic (Charlie being desexed) as an abscess was forming underneath. This started as just 2 puncture wounds, about 48 hours ago:

[BC]

Yuk hey. My dogs have had the occasional scrap and one has had drainage tubes in his chest as the outlayer was ripped away.

I then had to clean it every night and pull off any scabs that formed. (Lucky I'm a bit gross and dont mind doing that)

Hope he is OK. Probably a bit sore a sorry for himself for a few days but he will be fine, but scary and not a nice thing to happen.

Mine did not stop when I wet them with the hose, so now I have a bit of cut off hose. I take this for walks with me in case something happens and if mine decide to have a barney again, they will be getting whacked with that.

Edited June 14, 2007 by BC Lover