Playful Dog Mouthes (bites) Neighbour Pruning Over Fence.

[Pailin]

A friend of mine has a 2yr old dog that can get a bit mouthy when overexcited and their dog has bitten a neighbour who was pruning bushes over the fence line (5'5" wooden fence). They witnessed it happen but not close enough to stop it in the instant. The dog was not aggressive or protective but rather trying to play )jumping and excited) and has managed to break skin and left two puncture wounds. They've offered to pay for any medical expenses and also offered for the neighbour to come around and meet the dog, so they can see her nature etc and that the dog was not trying to bite or harm etc.

Where do they stand with this? They are so worried and stressed right now.

Thanks.

[mumof4girls]

Ouch , bit more than mouthing if the dog broke the skin ..

I was visiting a friend and her dog last weekend in lismore and her dog was very mouthy to the point it was annoying and it hurt . I thought later that if he did that too a child the owner ( my friend ) could well be in trouble .. All comes down to training .. Anyway I hope the neighbours don't take it further and your friend needs to teach their dog not to mouth , 2yrs is way to old to be doing that .

Hope others have advice but I think it's a wait and see game , I would also get a trainer out and let the neighbours know that I am addressing the problem :-)

Edited February 27, 2014 by mumof4girls

[Sash]

Can't comment on where they stand but I'd be seriously concerned about a dog that is big enough to do that over a 5.5 foot high fence and has such poor bite inhibition. Time to call in a professional trainer, asap!

[Airedaler]

I agree with Sash. I have an 11 year old that has very poor bite inhibition but he has never broken the skin and only mouths now when he is very excited. Still not really acceptable but for a dog to do this over a high fence is rather worrying in my mind.

Certainly your friends need to let the neighbour know they are taking the matter seriously and addressing the issue somehow to prevent any further occurrences.

I would imagine if the neighbour reported the matter there could be unpleasant consequences for owner and dog.

[Salukifan]

Dog was in its own yard so I'd expect the consequences from council to be negligible.

That said, I think your friends are deluding themselves if they think this was "playful" behaviour.

Jumping and excited dogs can be motivated by aggression too. The dog was not trying to bite? It DID bite and the sooner they acknowledge it, the better.

I"d be suggesting they get some professional help before the dog goes anywhere NEAR the neighbour.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Haredown Whippets

[hlabbey]

Hi all,

I'm the friend Pailin was posting for. It has been a very frantic day and I wasnt able to post straight away. Our girl will be two in March.

My husband was outside hanging washing at the time when our neighbours relative was pruning their bush. They have a retaining wall so while our fence is 5'5 because they are standing higher they can lean over a considerable amount. According to my husband the dog has jumped up excitedly as the woman's arm was over the fence. She had a pruning shears in her hand at the time. The next thing he hears is, "Ouch! She just bit me." He immediately grabbed the dog and put her on a lead on the pergola. He then went to check on the woman who was calm. We've obviously offered to pay for her medical visit but she declined. He checked on her after her GP visit. Apparently he irrigated the wounds but said they weren't deep and should heal quite quickly. She then came over and met our dog and gave her a pat. She also said that it seemed to her as soon as our girl realised she got her arm she let go.

I can assure you we aren't deluded or playing this down. We have 3 small children so this is a big deal for us. The only time she gets mouthy is if a toy involved (so we make her sit and drop the toy) or our seven year old goes crazy running around and starts trying to wrestle with her (we immediately stop play and he knows this is not on.) That said we've not had an issue with this for quite some time.

I am assuming one of two things; either she thought the shears were a toy of some sort of toy or it's some sort of fence agression. Either way it's not on and we are planning to contact a behavourist. We are perplexed as she is a friendly dog and despite different workers in our yard has never shown any sort of agression towards humans or other animals (she is known to catch the rare black bird.)

[Guest Ams]

Hi all,

I'm the friend Pailin was posting for. It has been a very frantic day and I wasnt able to post straight away. Our girl will be two in March.

My husband was outside hanging washing at the time when our neighbours relative was pruning their bush. They have a retaining wall so while our fence is 5'5 because they are standing higher they can lean over a considerable amount. According to my husband the dog has jumped up excitedly as the woman's arm was over the fence. She had a pruning shears in her hand at the time. The next thing he hears is, "Ouch! She just bit me." He immediately grabbed the dog and put her on a lead on the pergola. He then went to check on the woman who was calm. We've obviously offered to pay for her medical visit but she declined. He checked on her after her GP visit. Apparently he irrigated the wounds but said they weren't deep and should heal quite quickly. She then came over and met our dog and gave her a pat. She also said that it seemed to her as soon as our girl realised she got her arm she let go.

I can assure you we aren't deluded or playing this down. We have 3 small children so this is a big deal for us. The only time she gets mouthy is if a toy involved (so we make her sit and drop the toy) or our seven year old goes crazy running around and starts trying to wrestle with her (we immediately stop play and he knows this is not on.) That said we've not had an issue with this for quite some time.

I am assuming one of two things; either she thought the shears were a toy of some sort of toy or it's some sort of fence agression. Either way it's not on and we are planning to contact a behavourist. We are perplexed as she is a friendly dog and despite different workers in our yard has never shown any sort of agression towards humans or other animals (she is known to catch the rare black bird.)

Yes you are. I have a very mouthy dog but he has never ever broken skin regardless of how excited he gets. Wounds that require medical treatment by irrigation are BITE wounds. You dog has bitten your neighbour. This is the reality. You need a good behaviourist now, no delaying.

[Salukifan]

I am assuming one of two things; either she thought the shears were a toy of some sort of toy or it's some sort of fence agression. Either way it's not on and we are planning to contact a behavourist. We are perplexed as she is a friendly dog and despite different workers in our yard has never shown any sort of agression towards humans or other animals (she is known to catch the rare black bird.)

I've seen plenty of very friendly dogs whose back yards I would NOT enter if the owners weren't home. I have one myself.

Glad you are seeking professional help. You can move beyond speculation to deal with the issue.

Aidan Bindoff would be my recommendation in TAS.

[hlabbey]

I am not disputing that my dog has bitten anyone. I am not playing down this fact at all. First and foremost our concern was for the woman.

I have said we are contacting a behaviourist and that this is serious.

I was only adding other information in for insight so others with more experience might have something else to offer that I'm not seeing.

Thanks for jumping on your high horse and telling me just how wrong I got it though. You showed me.

[hlabbey]

Yes, it was Aidan's name who I was thinking of. I believe he is down South?

Edited February 27, 2014 by hlabbey

[tdierikx]

I would expect my dogs to alert bark at an intrusion over my fence - but not to bite without fair warning.

You sound like you are wanting to do the right thing by getting in a behaviourist for some professional help... good on you for that...

T.

[hlabbey]

I've contacted Aiden, thanks everyone.

[Salukifan]

Yes, it was Aidan's name who I was thinking of. I believe he is down South?

Hobart I think.

[sandgrubber]

I wasn't there and didn't see it, so my opinion of whether it was a bite or not is irrelevant.

But in my book, it's quite possible for a playing dog to break skin, especially if they are jumping when they make contact and the person has thin skin. My dogs break my skin on a pretty regular basis . . . accidentally. . . especially when young.

[dancinbcs]

I cannot believe anyone would lean over a fence like that of a yard with a dog in it. I have owned several dogs who I have no doubt would have bitten anyone who came over the fences into the back yard. Even if the neighbours lean't slightly over for a chat with us the dogs would be agitated. If anyone had reason to lean further over the fence, I would have locked the dogs inside. These same dogs could be taken to meet the public days and be patted by strangers, hugged by babies, etc for hours and would welcome any visitor that we invited into the house. Many dogs are very territorial of their yard and if it was an intruder thinking of jumping the fence, you would want them to be.

I have also had skin broken when playing with dogs and even training hyped up dogs. If the dog in this case had grabbed at the pruning shears and got the woman's arm instead, I have no doubt that the skin would be broken.

[persephone]

playing dogs ..of course they can break skin- especially where gravity is involved - dog makes contact ...and has their weight behind it as well....

As said - we don't know if she was playing or guarding ......

Hope you can get some guidance from Aidan :)

[JulesP]

I cannot believe anyone would lean over a fence like that of a yard with a dog in it. I have owned several dogs who I have no doubt would have bitten anyone who came over the fences into the back yard. Even if the neighbours lean't slightly over for a chat with us the dogs would be agitated. If anyone had reason to lean further over the fence, I would have locked the dogs inside. These same dogs could be taken to meet the public days and be patted by strangers, hugged by babies, etc for hours and would welcome any visitor that we invited into the house. Many dogs are very territorial of their yard and if it was an intruder thinking of jumping the fence, you would want them to be.

I have also had skin broken when playing with dogs and even training hyped up dogs. If the dog in this case had grabbed at the pruning shears and got the woman's arm instead, I have no doubt that the skin would be broken.

Glad you wrote that dancinbcs.

Unless the neighbor had asked if they could lean over the fence I would be super grumpy about them doing that. And if they had asked I would have removed the dogs first.

I just wouldn't be putting my limbs into someone else's garden if they had a dog. I wouldn't walk into a garden or stick my fingers through the fence. Has common sense totally deserted everyone?

[Dame Aussie]

Hi all,

I'm the friend Pailin was posting for. It has been a very frantic day and I wasnt able to post straight away. Our girl will be two in March.

My husband was outside hanging washing at the time when our neighbours relative was pruning their bush. They have a retaining wall so while our fence is 5'5 because they are standing higher they can lean over a considerable amount. According to my husband the dog has jumped up excitedly as the woman's arm was over the fence. She had a pruning shears in her hand at the time. The next thing he hears is, "Ouch! She just bit me." He immediately grabbed the dog and put her on a lead on the pergola. He then went to check on the woman who was calm. We've obviously offered to pay for her medical visit but she declined. He checked on her after her GP visit. Apparently he irrigated the wounds but said they weren't deep and should heal quite quickly. She then came over and met our dog and gave her a pat. She also said that it seemed to her as soon as our girl realised she got her arm she let go.

I can assure you we aren't deluded or playing this down. We have 3 small children so this is a big deal for us. The only time she gets mouthy is if a toy involved (so we make her sit and drop the toy) or our seven year old goes crazy running around and starts trying to wrestle with her (we immediately stop play and he knows this is not on.) That said we've not had an issue with this for quite some time.

I am assuming one of two things; either she thought the shears were a toy of some sort of toy or it's some sort of fence agression. Either way it's not on and we are planning to contact a behavourist. We are perplexed as she is a friendly dog and despite different workers in our yard has never shown any sort of agression towards humans or other animals (she is known to catch the rare black bird.)

Yes you are. I have a very mouthy dog but he has never ever broken skin regardless of how excited he gets. Wounds that require medical treatment by irrigation are BITE wounds. You dog has bitten your neighbour. This is the reality. You need a good behaviourist now, no delaying.

They have said they are contacting someone and I think its obvious from the post they're taking it seriously?

I also wouldn't lean over a fence into a yard with a dog.

Good luck with it all, let us know how you go :)

[Agility Dogs]

I cannot believe anyone would lean over a fence like that of a yard with a dog in it. I have owned several dogs who I have no doubt would have bitten anyone who came over the fences into the back yard. Even if the neighbours lean't slightly over for a chat with us the dogs would be agitated. If anyone had reason to lean further over the fence, I would have locked the dogs inside. These same dogs could be taken to meet the public days and be patted by strangers, hugged by babies, etc for hours and would welcome any visitor that we invited into the house. Many dogs are very territorial of their yard and if it was an intruder thinking of jumping the fence, you would want them to be.

I have also had skin broken when playing with dogs and even training hyped up dogs. If the dog in this case had grabbed at the pruning shears and got the woman's arm instead, I have no doubt that the skin would be broken.

Glad you wrote that dancinbcs.

Unless the neighbor had asked if they could lean over the fence I would be super grumpy about them doing that. And if they had asked I would have removed the dogs first.

I just wouldn't be putting my limbs into someone else's garden if they had a dog. I wouldn't walk into a garden or stick my fingers through the fence. Has common sense totally deserted everyone?

This.

I was trying to think of a polite way to word this - I've got no doubt that two of my dogs could do the same if someone was hanging over the fence - especially if they were using 2 stroke pruners.

It's rare a week goes by that I don't have a hole in my hand from one of the three dogs.

[wuffles]

My first thought was, can anyone really guarantee their dogs wouldn't bite if someone stuck their hand over the fence?? I don't think mine would, but if they did, I can't say I would be completely surprised. I've asked my neighbours to ensure their children don't poke their heads over the fence because while they wouldn't be aggressive towards them, I am worried about flying excited teefies which I've copped on numerous occasions :p