B****y dogs

This has happened to us to us on two occasions. Don't they realise how frightening it is for very small children - not to mention Granny! One of the dogs was yapping and snarling. But, of course, it was "only playing".

Not good. I hope you made your feeling clear Lg, though it would be more difficult with a neighbour.

LuckyGirl I really think you should you report that incident to the police community support officers (or whatver they are called) Then at least if they know about this particular dog and it happens again they might be able to take action.

My own view is that when in a public place all dogs should be on a short lead and thus under control of the owner. Husband would go further and say any dog in public should also be muzzled. Our dog is old and deaf and can occasionally be snappy for often no apparent reason. He always wears a muzzle when being walked. Friend who is terrified of dogs says she is happy to visit our home because she knows our dog is kept under control.
I don't buy the argument "he/she is only playing" nor the one " he/she won't hurt you".
Can be difficult to approach the owner- a bit like criticising someone's child.
I remember a dog owner shouting abuse at me for being afraid of his running free Rottweiler.

It is slightly awkward as she is a good friend of ours - to be honest, I think she got the message and will keep the dog on the lead from now on.

It is so frightening for little ones. The dog was taller than my DGD. I cannot imagine she will be very enthusiastic about going for a walk with me again.

Luckygirl* If you know her well I would suggest you could mention that you DGD is a little scared of dogs and could she keep hers on a lead when you GCs are about. A white lie maybe but its in the interests of diplomacy.

I was attacked as a small child by a large dog who was "only playing". I have grown up with a life long fear of large dogs. I even get nervous around small dogs. A small child doesn't know that a dog is "only playing", in my case all I knew was that the dog had a large paw on each of my shoulders pinning me to the ground and what appeared to be a huge mouth of very sharp teeth just inches from my face. This happened when I was about 4 years old I am now 66 and can still see those teeth!!

I hope your DGD is none the worse for the experience and the neighbour is now keeping the dog under proper control

Yes nellie I will have a word with her - I know her well enough.

I too had a dog incident when I was small sunseeker and can also remember it very vividly indeed - I was (and am) about as sporty as a bread pudding, but I shinned up a maypole that was on the playground where it happened - it was an alsation that went for me.

The neighbour is fortunate you're being so understanding, Luckygirl. Has the dog done this to any other children?

merlot - I am not sure, but I do know that one of the neighbour's children has not visited with their children for over 3 years, and they say it is because the children are frightened of the dog - and they do not want to receive visits with the dog. I can understand this. I really can. Although the neighbours is a bit non-plussed about it.

Even as a non-dog-lover I have to say that I do not think the dog is vicious - it is just large, boisterous, neurotic and out of control. To be honest is it blooming nuisance. Luckily the word "neighbour" round here means someone who lives about half a mile away - so we are not normally troubled by it.

How frightening for you both luckgirl. My sister was badly scarred under her eyes by a 'playing' dog who bit her when she was about 4. I would make it very plain to you neighbour/friend that this was a very frightening experience. I know you know this dog but I think if it happened to me I would try to get a photo of the dog concerned on the mobile or something to show local community support officers- they could pop round and 'have a word'.

You are very understanding Luckygirl but no dog should be out of control. I had a friend who re-homed two rotweillers (sp?), they had been mistreated - one having been injected with drugs by its former owners and the other badly beaten. They could have become vicious and dangerous but she had them under complete control, they were devoted to her and very protective. When she was diagnosed with terminal cancer they seemed to know and never left her side. They were the only dogs I felt comfortable with

Neighbour or no neighbour I would report this to the Local Police asap I would not take the chance of it happening again to another child the out come may be completley different a second time ?
The recent change in the weather one cannot gauge how a dog will react at the minute they get overheated and snappy and can change attitude in a second and any sensible owner would know this and act accordingly this neighbour does not sound like a very responsible owner.I hope your little one is not traumatised too much and it doesn't make him frightened of dogs in the future.

I have recently had an 'episode' with a Staffordshire bull terrier going for my face. It was so frightening. It was a stray and my neighbour was looking after it in her front garden whilst waiting for the police/dog warden to come and collect it. I bent down to it (I should have known better, I am not a dog lover but it looked a bit forlorn). It leapt up and went for my face. I managed to back off and run inside. There was a court case as this dog had been left alone in a back garden and got loose whilst the owner was at work. Fortunately he pleaded guilty and I didn't have to go to court. This dog also went for the dog warden when he came along. He couldn't catch it and it went tearing up the road just as children were coming out of school at the top of the road. It was my third frightening encounter with a dog. I keep well clear now.

I hope your GD is ok Luckygirl.

GD is fine katyk I am glad to say. No scars - at least not visible ones. I will see my neighbour later and suggest that dog should not be off the lead. I think she thought it would be OK because so few people live round here.

I was shocked to read this, Luckygirl. I hope your GD hasn't been harmed. As a dog-lover, I cannot think of one reason to excuse your neighbour having an out of control dog, especially one that could have inflicted serious injury. Friend or not, she needs to take immediate steps to control and train her dog so that it never behaves like this again. That was not 'just playing' and it demonstrates her lack of understanding about responsible dog ownership. It's examples like this that bring down the reputation of careful dog owners who think ahead about what could possibly happen, even with tiny dogs who might get spooked and run into the road, causing an accident.

From a child protection perspective, there would be justification for informing the police so she could be visited and warned. It's not fair on the dog, either - another incident like that could result in it being taken off her.

All dogs should be under control. Keeping them 'held on a lead' is the law on the public highway. In a park or open area then if they are not under control through voice commands then, I agree they need to be kept on a lead.
All my dogs, past and present, are trained in recall and good behaviour and I allow then off lead knowing the will come when called and not jump up at people.
I know it's an old chestnut but it is the owners' fault and their responsibility.
Don't report your neighbour but do have a word with her and express your concern.

I don't think you should report the neighbour to the police on this occasion, especially as you say she is a good friend and is now keeping her dog on a lead.

You are very forgiving Luckygirl, I would not be. Last week a three week old baby was killed by a dog in our town. I find it very worrying that owners dismiss incidents by saying the dog is just playing.

Ok sorry in advance Staffie lovers. I don't not like or really trust this breed at all. Don't just think of "Staffies" remember the Bull terrier part of the breed name.

They increasingly seem to me have to have become a statement by the more thuggishly inclined young people who cannot afford the bigger bull terriers. Look at many of those more dodgy looking young men who lope about with these dogs in tow.

If those breeding these dogs have increased and it is being done for money it may be that these dogs are not getting the socialisation they should or that their ancestry might include the similar breeds with more aggressive tendencies. They are dogs once bred for bull baiting.

I will now hide.

No need to hide from me Nellie !

That says it all, really. Some (many?) of the breeds now kept as pets were originally bred for specific aggressive sports, or as guard dogs. If they are underworked and frustrated and their owners are not in total control of them, they still have the instinct to attack and will use it.

Go on any dog re-homing site and it's nearly all Staffies or Staffy-types. And is it my imagination or is this breed getting larger? I'm sure some I see look more like Pit-bulls than Staffies.

Yes Elegran many dogs were bred as working animals and if they are not mentally and physically challenged in their day to day existence they become frustrated. That goes as much for Border Collies as Labradors as Jack Russells.

In 2016 it becomes law that all dogs must be micro-chipped but apparently nearly 50% still haven't been proving that many dogs owners are not as responsible as they ought to be. As a dog lover it makes me mad

How awful Luckygirl, you both must have been terrified. I do think though it's a case of B****y dog owners rather than B****y dogs.

Like you Anya I'm a dog lover and owner of 2 now, having got a puppy 2 weeks ago and it makes me reallythat irresponsible owners allow this kind of thing to happen. All too often dogs who haven't been properly socialised and controlled are destroyed because of the idiots who own them.

So pleased that your GS wasn't hurt Luckygirl.