What Would Be The "right" Thing To Do?

[W Sibs]

Oh, I hope the Husky is ok.

I will definitely report it.

[Staranais]

My old dog would have reacted exactly the same way - galloped over and barged the other dog, then done it serious damage had it reacted at all. He didn't belong in a dog park, and neither does this dog.

I don't think it's always possible to be black and white about which owner is in the wrong, as there are so many factors involved. But in this case, it seems fairly clear to me.

I'm not sure what the legal conclusion would be here, though.

[oakway]

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

The only people that really win in these cases are the lawyers that pocket the fees.

[Greytmate]

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

The only people that really win in these cases are the lawyers that pocket the fees.

You would report the staffy because it attacks other dogs who are trying to avoid a fight. It is a dangerous dog, and after an incident like this, the dog should be kept under the type of control that a DD declaration enforces.

Dog parks are a resource provided by the council that people can give dog adequate exercise under control. That is all they are, just a public space like any other.

Owners like the staffy's owners, that fail to control and allow their dog to cause harm should be reported, fines and forced to keep their dog muzzled.

Not all dogs are capable of such harm, and I won't stand back and accept it simply because the animal is a dog.

The husky is not to blame for being rushed, bumped and attacked.

Yes there are many aggressive dogs out there, or dogs with a lot of potential for aggression. People that choose to breed or own a dog like this have an absolute obligation to prevent them causing harm to other dogs and people. No lawyer needed, just witnesses that can provide info to council, and a council prepared to act to enforce basic laws that protect people and property.

[poodlefan]

Dog parks are a resource provided by the council that people can give dog adequate exercise under control. That is all they are, just a public space like any other.

Sadly however, some dog parks (the fenced ones) are utilised by some people because they CANNOT keep their dogs under control on lead OR off.

Any dog that tows its owner into the park on its back legs is one to watch carefully. And they are legion.

I had occasion earlier this year to be outside one of Canberra's new dog parks waiting to go on a walk around the lake. The number of dogs that lept from cars and nearly dislocated their owner's shoulders towing them towards the gate was honestly about one in two. Didn't bode well for how responsive they were to owner control off lead.

Edited May 18, 2011 by poodlefan

[lovemesideways]

I'll be back at the park today, so hopefully the elderly gentleman will be there with his other dog and I can ask how the husky is going. If the staffy mix is there I will be getting some photos of them and their names to report to council.

unfortunately I was on the other side of the massive oval at the time

bit hard to tell what really went on from that distance ?

Not when its a almost empty oval with a clear view across.

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

I blame the owners of the staffy mix because they brought a dog who was not under any sort of control to a dog park. When their dog then tried to seriously injure or kill another animal, they left. I have no doubt they will come back to that same park with the same dog, and the same this is going to happen again.

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Report the owners for bringing a dog who was not under control to a off leash area where they legally need to be under control (even though most owners ignore this)

And so hopefully this same situation can be avoided.

Its like if you're walking down the street and somebody bumps you, and you say "Hey watch it!" and that person who bumps you then turns around and pulls out a knife and stabs you. Thats not a appropriate response. Dogs are dogs, but there is a such a thing as proper manners. If my young lab sniffs a older dog who growls and tells him to piss off, my dog walks away, thats a appropriate response. Not trying to kill the other dog.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

If I saw a kid trying to seriously injure or kill another kid I would be calling the police. Not shrugging and saying "oh well kids will be kids"

This wasn't a little disagreement, and yes I do know the difference. This was a serious fight resulting in injuries that will cost a lot of money to fix.

There is no excuse for your dog trying to seriously injure or kill another animal. That dog should not be in a off leash area with other dogs and children. What if the other dog who growled had been the little jack russel who was being walked by a small girl? That dog would be dead and potentially the girl seriously injured if she had tried to grab and pick up her small dog.

[sas]

No doubt I'll get flamed, but I have seen that many staffy type dogs fire up at other dogs telling them 100% appropriately to leave them alone.... I am bloody careful around them.

That said, I've met plenty of staffy types with good bite inhibition so when something does happen no one gets hurt.

No flames from me.. its one of a few breeds I am cautious around.. they are what they are. Its their owners more than anything that provoke caution.. they are the biggest unknown.

Same here. My fear agro dog (who is always on lead) will get nervy around them for some reason. Sadly the park we used to go to people would turn with up with over excited staffies and just let them loose.

Edited May 18, 2011 by MEH

[Lillynix]

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

The only people that really win in these cases are the lawyers that pocket the fees.

What for? For the dog not being under effective control and therefore having the potential to be dangerous to other dogs and other people.

I'm definitely not the most educated of people when it comes to the dog world, but everyone should be able to feel safe around other peoples dogs in a public space, made available to dog owners. While sadly yes, it happens, one shouldn't have to be wary of who's going to attack next.

As for your second statement I bolded. It's just laughable. If I were to see children being bullied at a school I would damn well take action to stop it happening again. Bullying in the school yard is never okay and is not just kids being kids. The same way that dogs should not be attacking one another, it's not just dogs being dogs and it certainly isn't okay.

[W Sibs]

No flaming from me, and I own the breed

The majority do seem to have a low trigger point......

My Staffy is like that with certain dogs....he will quite happily accept a telling off for rudeness with familiar dogs, He takes it on the chin without getting upset over it. But I KNOW he would fire up if he was rude to an unknown dog and they told him off.....which is why I NEVER let him play with random dogs...introductions are careful & can tae several sessions..and then I get yelled at by the owners for being a "snob" or they give me the standard answer "My dog's friendly".....Can't win

Small dogs & pups he is absolutely rock solid with, but a dog larger than him & I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him.

I must admit, it's BECAUSE I own this type of dog that I see a Staffy coming and my heart sinks....

Some dogs need to be protected from themselves.....if an owner can't do that they shouldn't have that breed IMO....

One of Emmy's doggie playmate is a Staffy name Oscar. They went to puppy pre school together and from day dot, Emmy has established that she's boss between them. We call Oscar, Emmy's whipped boyfriend But he is a big and solid boy who doesn't usually put up with crap from other dogs. He also likes playing rough.

Oscar is rarely off leash on parks due to the fact that he either scare humans and little dogs too (although he is great with little dogs but he is very strong/solid). Even though his owner has awesome control over his dog, he doesn't trust other big dogs at the park. Just one wrong move and there will be dramas and he isn't willing to risk that.

Oscar is only allow to play with his other dogs and the dogs Oscar knows from puppy pre school. Although he is allow to meet and say hi to other dogs but it's always on leash.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

It's the attitudes that "dogs will be dogs" and "dogs will sort themselves out" that leads to all the problems and in many cases severe injuries or death.

It happens because people seem to think that their dog must go to the dog park whatever. I won't rehome most of my dogs to anyone that goes to dog parks, littlies and submissive types are in great danger. Even when people can see their dog behaving in that way they just don't get it, they keep going to the park regardless and putting their dog through it, it's madness.

And staffies and staffy types seem to be perennial offenders I'm afraid and I don't think it's because they are fairly common, it's the nature of the beast. People really should be well educated when they take these types of dogs on althought quite often they don't appear to care either which is a major concern and cause of problems in the community.

Staffy types are over represented in the pounds, I'd like to do more research as to why they are dumped so frequently. I do know that they require good fencing normally but would like to know other reasons.

Edited May 18, 2011 by dogmad

[Lillynix]

So far a few swift kicks to the stomach have worked for me. Depending on where you are, I'd also drop your dog's lead - its inhibits their ability to defend themselves.

I'm a lot better at stopping aggressing dogs from getting teeth on mine than I was initially. I've had more success getting in between the dog and mine and yelling at them doesn't hurt.

But I'd go the boot every time. If the owner of the other dog has issues, so be it. They shouldn't let their dog get that close in the first place.

Missed your post before PF, thank you for answering I hope I never need to act on this though!

[Alibi]

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

The only people that really win in these cases are the lawyers that pocket the fees.

Thats the stuipest thing i have ever read.

[BJean]

If you go to dog parks with dogs off lead expect this to happen.

Their dogs, there lose, if you put your dog into this environment expect fights to happen.

Why blame the dogs????? after all, as I said, they are dogs.

Why blame the owners, their dog is most likely the best behaved dog home.

I believe that if dog parks are going to continue you had all better learn to put up with dog fights. (or don't go)

Report them ?, what for ?, their dog was just as much fault as the other.

They are dogs, they do not always ask politely or excuse themselves when incidents happen, then all hell breaks lose.

Go have a look in the local school yard you will see the same type of thing happening.

All you would say is kids will be kids. Well dogs will be dogs.

The only people that really win in these cases are the lawyers that pocket the fees.

You would report the staffy because it attacks other dogs who are trying to avoid a fight. It is a dangerous dog, and after an incident like this, the dog should be kept under the type of control that a DD declaration enforces.

Does it?

The husky growled first.

If the husky hadn't growled the staffy would not have attacked.

Dogs will be dogs and if you let them run around offlead in a high octane environment

then to say growls are okay but aggression should not go any further

forgets that they are dogs.

[john.davey.1960]

There is nothing to report. Two dogs got into a blue which from a distance you could hardly have seen properly. I'd mind my own business. A Husky growling at a Staffy is an overt threat, dog to dog. The Staffy simply reacted in the only way dogs can. The owners of the SBT probably left the park for fear of the nonsense spouted by many in this thread. It is not a DD.

As for breaking up a fight someone has to hold the non-bull breed while the bull breed's owner uses a breaking stick to break the hold. Physically attacking the dog places the attacker and future humans the dog meets at risk.

If two non-bull breeds are fighting one owner must grab their dog while the other owner grabs theirs. They are at more risk of being bitten even by their own dogs! It is imperative that the dog's owners remain calm. Their energy levels will influence their dogs.

Unfortunately this is what happens in off-lead dog parks. Expecting a dog that is being challenged by another dog to be under control is nonsense and is something that one hears only from the ignorant non-dog owners.

[corvus]

A "blue" doesn't usually involve injuries that warrant a vet visit. That's really NOT "dogs being dogs". "Dogs being dogs" have blues that are mostly noise. A dangerous dog by definition is likely to cause damage, which this dog did. How can you say that is not dangerous? The husky had to go to the vet!

[poodlefan]

There is nothing to report. Two dogs got into a blue which from a distance you could hardly have seen properly. I'd mind my own business. A Husky growling at a Staffy is an overt threat, dog to dog. The Staffy simply reacted in the only way dogs can. The owners of the SBT probably left the park for fear of the nonsense spouted by many in this thread. It is not a DD.

A growl is a warning as much as a threat. A dog that barges into another dog wouldn't ordinarily react to that dog's response by chasing it down and repeatedly attacking it while it offered no resistance. Whilst it may be a natural canine response from SOME dogs, the question you have to ask yourself is what place a dog like that has in a public offlead park or uncontrolled around strange dogs anywhere. I'll answer it for you - none!

Most of the conflicts I see between dogs result in a whole bunch of sound and fury and not a single mark on anyone. They've learned to inhibit their bites - clearly something the aggressing dog in this situation hasn't.

JD I can't believe you think there's no real risk posed by a dog that will tear chunks out of another for being told off by another dog. If I had to lay odds, I'd say the dog had form. That's would be a pretty serious first aggression incident from any dog.

Edited May 18, 2011 by poodlefan

[BJean]

A "blue" doesn't usually involve injuries that warrant a vet visit.

what warrants a vet visit often depends on how much the owner is worried.

That's really NOT "dogs being dogs". "Dogs being dogs" have blues that are mostly noise. A dangerous dog by definition is likely to cause damage, which this dog did. How can you say that is not dangerous? The husky had to go to the vet!

They do, who says?

Edited May 18, 2011 by lilli

[megan_]

All the people who think it is okay for their viscious dog to kill mine if mine bumps into it, please let me know where you live so I can avoid you and your dogs!

ETA: If people keep on justifying why there dogs do this kind of thing (he's a bull breed, bred to fight etc) you will see your breed banned very quickly...

Edit the edit: I don't expect my dog to attack dogs that bump into it. I must be an ijit!

Edited May 18, 2011 by megan_

[Just Andrea]

Let us look at this from another angle:

There is such a thing as dog park etiquette - "A Husky and a large Staffy x got into a nasty fight, the Staffy X was let into the park, very excited, ran in and bumped the husky."

Any responsible owner would not just let their dog "run in" - they would get out of the car, dog on lead and surveil the park and settle their dog down first - walk around park, let dog have sniff on lead....etc, look at what other dogs were around and wait until their dog was in a less amped up state before allowing it to take off and enter the personal space of other people and their dog.

Hyped up dog running into a park by itself bumps right into another - regardless of breed - what do they honestly think will happen.........?

Let's not label the staffy anything - instead lets just label the owner a dickhead to begin with (and a gutless wonder for sculking away after his dog was allowed to instantly enter the personal space of another dog and his owners without being close at hand in a hyped up state and cause injury).

Edited May 18, 2011 by Just Andrea

[BJean]

Let us look at this from another angle:

There is such a thing as dog park etiquette - "A Husky and a large Staffy x got into a nasty fight, the Staffy X was let into the park, very excited, ran in and bumped the husky."

Anyone responsible owner would not just let their dog "run in" - they would get out of the car, dog on lead and surveil the park and settle their dog down first - walk around park, let dog have sniff on lead....etc, look at what other dogs were around and wait until their dog was in a less amped up state before allowing it to take off and enter the personal space of other people and their dog.

Hyped up dog running into a park by itself bumps right into another - regardless of breed - what do they honestly think will happen.........?

A non-contact, noisy blue?

This wasn't a, "I'm gonna pin you down and show you whos boss!", lots of noise but no contact sort of fight. This was serious

Let's not label the staffy anything - instead lets just label the owner a dickhead to begin with (and a gutless wonder for sculking away after his dog was allowed to instantly enter the personal space of another dog and his owners without being close at hand in a hyped up state and cause injury).

Edited May 18, 2011 by lilli