Dog attacked by old lady. Dog bites back.

[freethinker44]

So my dog ran up to a neighbor of mine as she was walking past our house. He is kind of a big breed but he isn't threatening at all, he is used to having lots of new people come around our property. Anyways, he trots up to her and she completely freaks out. I mean, she started flailing her arms in the air and yelling and then she actually charged towards him. I guess she was trying to scare him off. Well, it didn't work and he bit her. Luckily she is a friend of my wifes parents and he didn't break the skin or anything so she is not pressing charges against us. But what bothers me is, after everything calmed down, she told us he was dangerous and we were crazy to let him around our kids. She is the crazy person screaming in the middle of the road and yet my dog is the one who is dangerous. My question is, should we have the old lady put down?

[The Sum of Awe]

Wow... That's a crazy lady... why would you let her around kids>

[Wannabe Yogi]

Originally Posted by freethinker44

So my dog ran up to a neighbor of mine as she was walking past our house. He is kind of a big breed but he isn't threatening at all, he is used to having lots of new people come around our property. Anyways, he trots up to her and she completely freaks out. I mean, she started flailing her arms in the air and yelling and then she actually charged towards him. I guess she was trying to scare him off. Well, it didn't work and he bit her. Luckily she is a friend of my wifes parents and he didn't break the skin or anything so she is not pressing charges against us. But what bothers me is, after everything calmed down, she told us he was dangerous and we were crazy to let him around our kids. She is the crazy person screaming in the middle of the road and yet my dog is the one who is dangerous. My question is, should we have the old lady put down?

Bet she won't do that again. The sad fact is dogs need to live with in confines of humans rules or humans kill the dogs. I don't know what your area is like, but I were I live, if your dog is not leashed and your dog has a problem it is your fault.

Once my dog ran up to two dobermans they were pulling there owner down the street (sign of poorly trained dogs). They attacked my dog. I knew it was my fault my dog was off leash. Not fair but it is just the way it is.

[jazzymom]

Sorry but a big dog that trotted up to a woman who was walking can be problematic. She may have just been afraid of dogs. I know I love dogs but I don't want to be approached by a dog I don't know. When my dog was alive I did not let her approach people unless they wanted to be approached. I was bitten as a child by a dog and I was minding my own business. It was traumatic.

[freethinker44]

Originally Posted by jazzymom

Sorry but a big dog that trotted up to a woman who was walking can be problematic. She may have just been afraid of dogs.

If she didn't go berserk on him nothing would have happened. We would have called him back, waved to her, and apologized but assured her that he was just trying to see who she was. No big deal. She even admitted she probably shouldn't have acted that way. It just annoys me because, we live on a farm with 3 other properties on our mile long road. We have 100 acres of front yard and he has to be on a 20 foot chain now. It wasn't even his fault. It's a double standard, if she did that to a human, he would be totally justified in defending himself. But since it was an animal, the animal is automatically considered the dangerous one. From his perspective he was walking around his front yard when some old lady randomly attacked him. I mean, it ended well because she was a family friend, but if it was anyone else it would have been a death sentence for my dog.

[jazzymom]

Originally Posted by freethinker44

If she didn't go berserk on him nothing would have happened. We would have called him back, waved to her, and apologized but assured her that he was just trying to see who she was. No big deal. She even admitted she probably shouldn't have acted that way. It just annoys me because, we live on a farm with 3 other properties on our mile long road. We have 100 acres of front yard and he has to be on a 20 foot chain now. It wasn't even his fault. It's a double standard, if she did that to a human, he would be totally justified in defending himself. But since it was an animal, the animal is automatically considered the dangerous one. From his perspective he was walking around his front yard when some old lady randomly attacked him. I mean, it ended well because she was a family friend, but if it was anyone else it would have been a death sentence for my dog.

I understand you know your dog and what he would or would not do. My point is that she did not know your dog. I live in a neighborhood with dogs and when I walk I would be afraid if a dog ran up to me. Especially if I did not know them.

Did he leave your yard? Did she run into your yard?

The law says a dog needs to be leashed if they are not in a yard. If a dog bites someone the owner will be held responsible.

I don't want to argue, I am just seeing it from the perspective of a person who has been bitten by a dog when I was minding my own business. Having a dog run up to you can be traumatic if you don't know the dog.

Sometimes people are just really afraid.

[Draka]

I thought common sense dictated that if you are going to go for a walk there is always the chance of encountering various animals. Pets, strays, and wild. If you don't know how to comport yourself in a safe manner when encountering such then perhaps you shouldn't bother to brave the outdoors. Seriously, I walk frequently and often enough dogs will come up to me. Depending on their approach I either raise my arms a bit and just continue on or I simply stop and stand still and perhaps speak to them in a calm and soft voice. I've never had one issue.

[jazzymom]

Originally Posted by Draka

I thought common sense dictated that if you are going to go for a walk there is always the chance of encountering various animals. Pets, strays, and wild. If you don't know how to comport yourself in a safe manner when encountering such then perhaps you shouldn't bother to brave the outdoors. Seriously, I walk frequently and often enough dogs will come up to me. Depending on their approach I either raise my arms a bit and just continue on or I simply stop and stand still and perhaps speak to them in a calm and soft voice. I've never had one issue.

The law says that dogs can't run loose and people do have a right to be able to walk without dogs running up to them.

Most localities have leash laws.

[Koldo]

Originally Posted by freethinker44

So my dog ran up to a neighbor of mine as she was walking past our house. He is kind of a big breed but he isn't threatening at all, he is used to having lots of new people come around our property. Anyways, he trots up to her and she completely freaks out. I mean, she started flailing her arms in the air and yelling and then she actually charged towards him. I guess she was trying to scare him off. Well, it didn't work and he bit her. Luckily she is a friend of my wifes parents and he didn't break the skin or anything so she is not pressing charges against us. But what bothers me is, after everything calmed down, she told us he was dangerous and we were crazy to let him around our kids. She is the crazy person screaming in the middle of the road and yet my dog is the one who is dangerous. My question is, should we have the old lady put down?

It sounds like your property isn't properly enclosed. Which is/was the source of the problem.

[Draka]

Originally Posted by jazzymom

The law says that dogs can't run loose and people do have a right to be able to walk without dogs running up to them.

Most localities have leash laws.

Yes, but the law and common sense don't often go hand in hand now do they? Stray dogs and cats exists. Animals get off their leashes or slip out of their front or back doors before the owners can grab them. Stuff happens. Wild animals exist as well. One can come across a raccoon or a possum or the like. Stuff happens. Just because a law exists it doesn't mean that one shouldn't know how to comport themselves around animals and instead act like a raving buffoon flailing about screaming and yelling. That's a sure-fire way to get oneself attacked...by just about any kind of animal.