Family Pet Mauled To Death

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

When my 3 small dogs and I were confronted by an off leash German Shepherd who ran out of its driveway and chased after us, the owners told me it was all my fault because I was walking 3 dogs along the pavement on the lead rather than one - they didn't make a sound by the way. I can assure you that whether I'd had 1, 2, 3 or 4 (the legal limit) there would have been no difference in the Shepherd's response.

The owners were extremely abusive as I asked them to get their dog under control. They had no gates to even close so they shouldn't have any dog off leash in their front yard.

I called council and they said that dog owners that allow their dogs to do this have no concept of how it affects people unless a dog much larger than theirs threatens them.

Edited February 28, 2013 by dogmad

[Nic.B]

Ever heard of size difference and the impact that has upon smaller breeds when they meet unknown dogs?

I have met plenty of small dogs that quite happily meet and greet my dog without issue. It's not simply a small dog thing, it's a lack of socialisation and training by owners who think their little fluffball can do no wrong and has the right to do whatever it pleases. Sounds to me like you're trying to justify your small dog acting aggressively toward other dogs?

Oh please, my small breed has been used in temp testing endless dogs. My small breed will correct my large breed at times and the huge lump rolls over on her back for him.

I have done endless intros with unknown dogs, care needs to be taken with size differences. A small breed may correct (appropriately)a larger breed, a dominant, pushy or bouncy dog. They are within their rights to do so. That should not equate to a serious attack on another dog.

If my small breed was with me when we were attacked by three unknown dogs he would not have stood a chance. It was an unprovoked attack. My Bull Arab was completely neutral and did just as I asked her to. Those three dogs should be euthed and if I ever find them, they will be.

[Sheridan]

I think i'm going to start reporting these little yappers to the council for rushing me. Let them start declaring some of these little out of control ankle biters as dangerous dogs. Maybe then some of you will get the message that it's not ok for your little dogs to aggressively yap at other dogs/people(it is against the law no matter the size of your dog!!!).

Greytmate : A responsible owner wouldn't take an aggressive dog of any size to an offleash dog park, whether you keep it on leash or not - common sense says that someone's dog is going to approach yours and may react to your dogs aggressive behaviour.

Sheridan - please go and take a course in english comprehension!

I understand you very well.

What part of dog killed by other dog for whatever reason = wrong don't you understand?

[Nic.B]

I think i'm going to start reporting these little yappers to the council for rushing me. Let them start declaring some of these little out of control ankle biters as dangerous dogs. Maybe then some of you will get the message that it's not ok for your little dogs to aggressively yap at other dogs/people(it is against the law no matter the size of your dog!!!).

Greytmate : A responsible owner wouldn't take an aggressive dog of any size to an offleash dog park, whether you keep it on leash or not - common sense says that someone's dog is going to approach yours and may react to your dogs aggressive behaviour.

Sheridan - please go and take a course in english comprehension!

I understand you very well.

What part of dog killed by other dog for whatever reason = wrong don't you understand?

Yes you do Sheridan. He on the other hand will never get it!

[staffydave]

Big or small who cares they are all dogs. owners should insure that thier dog behaves regardless of the size. In saying that a person with a large or say a buull breed owner like me should also exept they do have a extra resposiblity because the consequences can be so much greater. I understand that being a staffordshire bull terrier owner( even though he is the most easy going dog around) I must be aware that if he does become involved in a fight the chance of him inflicting damage on another dog is greater then if a little maltese was in his place. Anyways why do these threads allways decend into big vs small its getting old.

[Nic.B]

Big or small who cares they are all dogs. owners should insure that thier dog behaves regardless of the size. In saying that a person with a large or say a buull breed owner like me should also exept they do have a extra resposiblity because the consequences can be so much greater. I understand that being a staffordshire bull terrier owner( even though he is the most easy going dog around) I must be aware that if he does become involved in a fight the chance of him inflicting damage on another dog is greater then if a little maltese was in his place. Anyways why do these threads allways decend into big vs small its getting old.

[staffydave]

nic you seem to have a real attitude what in my post could you find so frustrating

[Rosetta]

Big or small who cares they are all dogs. owners should insure that thier dog behaves regardless of the size. In saying that a person with a large or say a buull breed owner like me should also exept they do have a extra resposiblity because the consequences can be so much greater. I understand that being a staffordshire bull terrier owner( even though he is the most easy going dog around) I must be aware that if he does become involved in a fight the chance of him inflicting damage on another dog is greater then if a little maltese was in his place. Anyways why do these threads allways decend into big vs small its getting old.

Beats me - maybe cause someone came on and said things about yappers, ankle biters and such like "provoking" big dogs and therefore shouldn't be surprised if they are killed.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Rosetta

[staffydave]

I said nothing of the sort so why was that silly post directed at me doesnt make much sense.

[Rosetta]

I said nothing of the sort so why was that silly post directed at me doesnt make much sense.

I know you said nothing of the sort - you asked about why the thread "descended" into big versus small. Just sayin why.

[staffydave]

then why was that stupid post directed at me what was wrong with what i said.

[mymatejack]

When my 3 small dogs and I were confronted by an off leash German Shepherd who ran out of its driveway and chased after us, the owners told me it was all my fault because I was walking 3 dogs along the pavement on the lead rather than one - they didn't make a sound by the way. I can assure you that whether I'd had 1, 2, 3 or 4 (the legal limit) there would have been no difference in the Shepherd's response.

The owners were extremely abusive as I asked them to get their dog under control. They had no gates to even close so they shouldn't have any dog off leash in their front yard.

I called council and they said that dog owners that allow their dogs to do this have no concept of how it affects people unless a dog much larger than theirs threatens them.

I've encountered both situations and I agree, when a larger dog goes for your dog it is scary and not acceptable, especially if unprovoked. I can think of two different larger dogs that attacked my last dog, I couldn't count the number of little yappers that aggressively approached him though. Neither situation is acceptable and I find it amazing on a forum like this where so many claim to be experts on dog behaviour that some of those so called experts seem to think that a small dog doing it is fine.

ETA : In my experience owners of little yappy fluffballs who allow their dogs to aggressively approach other dogs have no concept of how it affects the owners of the other dog. Although I've been lucky to have a fairly non-reactive dog I was always worried when he was targeted by a yapper - clearly I wasn't worried about the little yapper doing damage to him but what if he did react? There would be no mention in the news report that said little yapper started it, it would be all my, and my dogs fault! Do you clowns not realise that?

Edited March 1, 2013 by mymatejack

[mymatejack]

I think i'm going to start reporting these little yappers to the council for rushing me. Let them start declaring some of these little out of control ankle biters as dangerous dogs. Maybe then some of you will get the message that it's not ok for your little dogs to aggressively yap at other dogs/people(it is against the law no matter the size of your dog!!!).

Greytmate : A responsible owner wouldn't take an aggressive dog of any size to an offleash dog park, whether you keep it on leash or not - common sense says that someone's dog is going to approach yours and may react to your dogs aggressive behaviour.

Sheridan - please go and take a course in english comprehension!

I understand you very well.

What part of dog killed by other dog for whatever reason = wrong don't you understand?

Yes you do Sheridan. He on the other hand will never get it!

where did I say it wasn't wrong?

back to school for you

[HazyWal]

Clowns :laugh: oh dear. Mymatejack I have definately been on the receiving end of small dogs rushing my greyhounds, many times and yes it shits me to tears because my dogs are muzzled... by law. I have been involved in many a heated discussion here on DOL about small dogs vs large but never have I come across a poster that has such a loathing for small dogs and their owners as you. The way you contantly bang on about little yappy dogs and their stupid owners is quite disturbing and your constant lack of respect is wearing extremely thin.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Clowns :laugh: oh dear. Mymatejack I have definately been on the receiving end of small dogs rushing my greyhounds, many times and yes it shits me to tears because my dogs are muzzled... by law. I have been involved in many a heated discussion here on DOL about small dogs vs large but never have I come across a poster that has such a loathing for small dogs and their owners as you. The way you contantly bang on about little yappy dogs and their stupid owners is quite disturbing and your constant lack of respect is wearing extremely thin.

Well said SM. I'm sick of hearing about savage "yappy dogs" from MyMateJack. Perhaps we should swap houses because I'm sick of medium and large dog owners who don't give a shit about anyone else. Haven't come across any littlies behaving badly in this area.

[Remarkabull]

I must be missing something because I haven't seen one post where anyone has said that little dogs rushing or attacking a larger dog is ok?

I have large and small dogs and I have had my dogs rushed at by other dogs of varying sizes. Two occasions particularly come to mind because of the reaction of the offending dogs owners.

The first was many years ago and I was walking my Bull Terrier bitch and a SWF came tearing across a front lawn and crossed a road, yapping its head off. For its safety I picked my dog up and held her until the owners could grab their dog. Eventually the owner made his way over to us, laughing at what was going on and made some snide comment about my bitch being so scared of his little dog I had to pick her up. I gave him a filthy look and said she's not scared, I picked her up so she didn't kill your stupid dog! He then launched into an attack saying that breeds like that shouldn't be allowed etc. I turned and went on my way.

The other was more recent, only 18 mths ago. I was walking my Dobe at a park that had a fenced area for off lead (I was not in the off lead area) and I could see someone in the fenced area with a dog. My Dobe all of a sudden became very alert and I turned to see this other dog running flat out towards me. At first I wasn't that worried as there was a fence between us but the dog turned when it realised the fence was there, jumped in the lake, swam around the fence and kept coming at us! I put my dog behind me and yelled at the top of my lung's 'get away' at the dog. Thankfully it was enough to make the dog rethink (it was a young, entire male Pitt Bull) and it slowed and circled us. I kept myself facing him and yelled every time he looked like coming closer. The whole time his owner was yelling at the dog to come back and when he finally arrived he was annoyed that I had yelled at his dog. He said 'he only wanted to play' and then started whinging about the fact that the leash free area was not secure enough. There is no way in hell that dog was coming to have a friendly game with mine and it scared me how clueless this guy was about his own dog!

So there are plenty of people out there with all sizes and breeds of dog who don't know or don't care about the effect their dogs behaviour has on other people. personally I'd rather be rushed by the little ones at least then I know my dogs won't get hurt and I have a better chance of avoiding them getting close enough for my dogs to hurt them.

Of course I'd prefer people to be responsible and keep their dogs restrained but I don't think that's ever going to happen

[mymatejack]

I wonder how some of these small dog owners would feel if they owned a larger breed. I'll put forward a little scenario. You're walking your large dog on leash down a suburban footpath. You've spent countless hours during his/her life socialising and training it and it's a perfect family pet, gets on well with other dogs and loves people. Out of nowhere a little snappy tom launches an aggressive yap fest in your dogs face, your dog reacts and with one bite kills or seriously injures the yapper. Things can happen that are beyond your reasonable control. What do you think the news report will say? Which dog do you think will cop the death penalty? Do you seriously think that's fair?

Edited March 1, 2013 by mymatejack

[Santo66]

I wonder how some of these small dog owners would feel if they owned a larger breed. I'll put forward a little scenario. You're walking your large dog on leash down a suburban footpath. You've spent countless hours during his/her life socialising and training it and it's a perfect family pet, gets on well with other dogs and loves people. Out of nowhere a little snappy tom launches an aggressive yap fest in your dogs face, your dog reacts and with one bite kills or seriously injures the yapper. Things can happen that are beyond your reasonable control. What do you think the news report will say? Which dog do you think will cop the death penalty? Do you seriously think that's fair?

Providing the big dog is on leash and the little dog was off leash in a public place and gets chomped, bad luck. An owner of a leashed dog is not held responsible for the consequence of an attack by a dog at large not under effective control.

[Maxiewolf]

I wonder how some of these small dog owners would feel if they owned a larger breed. I'll put forward a little scenario. You're walking your large dog on leash down a suburban footpath. You've spent countless hours during his/her life socialising and training it and it's a perfect family pet, gets on well with other dogs and loves people. Out of nowhere a little snappy tom launches an aggressive yap fest in your dogs face, your dog reacts and with one bite kills or seriously injures the yapper. Things can happen that are beyond your reasonable control. What do you think the news report will say? Which dog do you think will cop the death penalty? Do you seriously think that's fair?

Well I'd say since it was the little dog that got the chomping.. Id say the little dog is the one with the death sentence. And this is not what happened here, this was a beach, both dogs where off lead and one dog came and killed another dog. Tragicly simple. The big dog is the one still breathing.

I wish they would update this story, would like to know if the owner of the attacking dog has handed himself in or done anything about his dog, If this was the dogs first offence and he doesn't want it killed - then he needs to own up to the consequences of owning a menacing or dangerous dog - and keep it muzzled and leashed in public. Thing is he might have snuck off and PTS his dog of his own accord, and then what noone has to answer for this act?

Just as bad really. And this family still has no closure...

[mymatejack]

I wonder how some of these small dog owners would feel if they owned a larger breed. I'll put forward a little scenario. You're walking your large dog on leash down a suburban footpath. You've spent countless hours during his/her life socialising and training it and it's a perfect family pet, gets on well with other dogs and loves people. Out of nowhere a little snappy tom launches an aggressive yap fest in your dogs face, your dog reacts and with one bite kills or seriously injures the yapper. Things can happen that are beyond your reasonable control. What do you think the news report will say? Which dog do you think will cop the death penalty? Do you seriously think that's fair?

Well I'd say since it was the little dog that got the chomping.. Id say the little dog is the one with the death sentence. And this is not what happened here, this was a beach, both dogs where off lead and one dog came and killed another dog. Tragicly simple. The big dog is the one still breathing.

I wish they would update this story, would like to know if the owner of the attacking dog has handed himself in or done anything about his dog, If this was the dogs first offence and he doesn't want it killed - then he needs to own up to the consequences of owning a menacing or dangerous dog - and keep it muzzled and leashed in public. Thing is he might have snuck off and PTS his dog of his own accord, and then what noone has to answer for this act?

Just as bad really. And this family still has no closure...

I said a few posts back that I wasn't referring to this particular situation.