Dog Park Disaster!

[michiruwater]

I do think that Cupid should have offered to pay any medical bills on the spot - it sounds like there wasn't much communication between Cupid and the other dog's owner, and therefore I am not surprised they want to file a police report because I would have absolutely done the same thing if the owner didn't offer at least that. And I will say, Cupid, that you are coming across like a child who doesn't want to get in trouble. I can understand that you don't want a police report on your dog, but you clearly understand that this was a bigger deal than you want it to be. Stating that it wasn't after creating a whole thread doesn't mean that it wasn't, it just comes across like denial. And now you've called them more than once - what if they have caller ID, and after they figure out who you are, go back to call that person who called several times about the incident and realize it was you all along? How do you think you'll come across then? It's been less than 24 hours. There's still a good chance that medical issues will come out of this, which might be why they want to file a police report because they'll want a record of this if they want to go after you for the costs. If I were you, I would call, confess, and then get the phone number of the people whose dog your dog attacked and call to apologize and tell them you want to pay any bills that come out of it. Leaving it alone and hoping that they're too disorganized to figure out how you are and come after you is really childish and, in my opinion, greatly increases the odds that your dog will end up with a police record.

I am also completely against just returning an animal that is tough to take care of, especially if the animal hasn't actually harmed anyone yet (addressing other posters, not you, Cupid). Pit bulls are known to be aggressive. A person who knows this and chooses to adopt one anyway has full responsibility for it. You took on that responsibility when you decided to adopt a living thing which needs a home. If that dog then turns out to be aggressive, you cannot just return it like a vacuum cleaner. It's a living being, and it loves you. How awful.

[Cupid]

Unfortunately, as I explained before, you can't be sure there was no blood. You and the other dog/owner, left right after it happened. We didn't know how bad my dog was until he was examined by the vet. Did you exchange names and phone numbers? If a dog attacks another dog, and a police report is filed, it stays with the dog. As I said before, be very careful not to put your dog in another situation where he/she can get into an altercation - 3 strikes. You are also at an unfair disadvantage because of the breed. Pit Bulls and Pit mixes are assumed to be aggressive/dangerous, even when they're not.

Any breed can be aggressive (though I've never heard of an aggressive Cavalier ). when I've told people that my dog was attacked by a Lab, everyone is shocked - Labs are so gentle. But, animal control told me that the highest incidence of dog on human and dog on dog attacks are Labs. Probably because there are so many Labs as pets and because they are assumed gentle and the owners don't use caution.

We didn't exchange names and numbers. He left, I put mine in submission (which the trainer showed me how to do), someone went and got her leash for me on the other side of the park, and we left.

Also, just to clarify, my dog weighs about 45 pounds and is short and long, so obviously a mix, but she has the pit head shape, but a small version.

And the trainer: When I told him I was signing her up for the dog park and asked if she was ready for that, he just smiled and said "are YOU ready for the dog park." He did show me what to look for and to quickly intervene when she got to that point, I tried, but since you are not ALLOWED to come into the dog park with a leash/lead, I was unable to catch her in time.

[Cupid]

l. And now you've called them more than once - what if they have caller ID, and after they figure out who you are, go back to call that person who called several times about the incident and realize it was you all along?

No, I called once, yesterday. The incident happened Tuesday evening, I called Thursday afternoon.

I should also clarify something I said earlier. They said they "might" file a police report. I think I said they "wanted" to file a police report. There is nothing in the park rules I received saying that if your dog attacks/fights with another, that you are to report it to the office, or exchange personal information with anyone.

I will let them gather all their evidence, emails, etc., and take it from there.

Thanks for advice here.

[michiruwater]

There is nothing in the park rules I received saying that if your dog attacks/fights with another, that you are to report it to the office, or exchange personal information with anyone.

No, it's just the courteous thing to do, as a human being. I mean, are you serious? It's clearly the right thing to do. Saying it's not in the rules doesn't negate that. If someone else's dog attacked your animal and killed it, and they just walked away stating that it's not in the rules so they're not giving you anything, would you seriously just be like, oh, okay, it's not in the rules??

I mean, come on, Cupid. You're smarter than this, and I guess I've never followed you posts that closely, but I'd love to think that you have more integrity than this.

[Tesla]

Um, what if they guy left before information can be exchanged? It sounds like the guy left with his dog while Cupid was still restraining hers (his?) and waiting for the leash. Doesn't sound real conducive to trading information.

[cruisin]

I am also completely against just returning an animal that is tough to take care of, especially if the animal hasn't actually harmed anyone yet (addressing other posters, not you, Cupid). Pit bulls are known to be aggressive. A person who knows this and chooses to adopt one anyway has full responsibility for it. You took on that responsibility when you decided to adopt a living thing which needs a home. If that dog then turns out to be aggressive, you cannot just return it like a vacuum cleaner. It's a living being, and it loves you. How awful.

I don't think you are referring to my neighbors, here. The dog they took in was from friends who were getting divorced. It was 7 years old, the friends never told them the dog had problems. After they and their young children were traumatized by it attacking cooper, they were afraid of it attacking their children or other pets on the street. I think they were right to give it back. especially since their friends neglected to tell them the truth about the dog. In general, I agree with you. You don't take in an animal and then decide to toss it out because you don't like or want it anymore. But, if it showws itself to be a danger, that is a different ball game.

No, I called once, yesterday. The incident happened Tuesday evening, I called Thursday afternoon.

I should also clarify something I said earlier. They said they "might" file a police report. I think I said they "wanted" to file a police report. There is nothing in the park rules I received saying that if your dog attacks/fights with another, that you are to report it to the office, or exchange personal information with anyone.

I will let them gather all their evidence, emails, etc., and take it from there.

Thanks for advice here.

I am sorry Cupid, but I do think you should have exchanged some sort of information. There was no way to know, in the excitement of the incident, whether or not the other dog was hurt. And you should pay for it, if there are/were vet bills. Your homeowners will cover it. And, if it were me, I would find out if the complaint was from the dog owner and make contact. Honestly, I can't imagine that anyone other than the owner would file complaints. I'm not judging you, just suggesting that this was a very stressful and confusing situation. Don't compound it by avoiding it.

Um, what if they guy left before information can be exchanged? It sounds like the guy left with his dog while Cupid was still restraining hers (his?) and waiting for the leash. Doesn't sound real conducive to trading information.

Well, the guy was foolish for doing that. I don't know if Cupid could have asked him/her to wait and share information. It also could be that the owner was scared and wanted to get their dog away ASAP. Then, later when they were more calm, decided they needed to get the dog treatment. If the dog is fine, and they have not attempted to contact the police, it is what it is. Not much anyone can do now.

[michiruwater]

No, cruisin, I was pretty much just referring to whomever it was who thinks Cupid should get rid of the dog because it displayed aggressive behavior exactly once. More specifically, if you adopt a breed that is known to be aggressive, and then it actually acts aggressive, that is no one's fault but your own, IMO, and getting rid of the dog for acting like it is supposed to is totally wrong. If you posted about it earlier I don't think I read that post.

[triple_toe]

Cupid said herself that the owner carried the dog away after having a few choice words about the situation, so it's not like the owner ran away from fright. Cupid had the opportunity to exchange information and offer to pay for vet bills.

[Rafter]

Hmm, I really don't want to be negative repped. But. I am SO tired of these pit owners saying how sweet and cuddly they are and it's just the OWNER that makes them aggressive and deadly. Pit bulls have a rep because they EARNED it. I can't imagine your insurance company accepting you with a Pit. Or maybe you don't have insurance.

Out of all the dogs in the world, WHY go for a Pit? You should know their reputation, and you should be dealt with accordingly. I'd be pissed if your Pit attacked my dog. I would sue you for every cent of vet bills, loss of work, pain/suffering and heaven help you if your Pit touched my family. I'd take you down.

But... You do own this pet, and love it, and it is sweet to you. So just KEEP IT IN YOUR HOUSE AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. And if it attacks your kid, grandkid, whatever, at least it's just in your family and it's your conscience for causing a family member to be harmed, and medical bills. Love your beautiful sweet Pit doggie, but do NOT put others in harm's way.

I agree, the police reports were probably just to get a record on you and your aggressive attack dog. Next time, babydoll will be put to sleep. And if you do have home insurance and don't report it, they will not cover you if your dog harms anyone/anything the next time. You now really need to think if you should even own this pet. First strike, you need to adjust. I personally would not take your dog out ANYWHERE after this attack has been documented. You are in a tough situation.

I respect that you have the right to own this kind of dog and love it. Great. But keep it away from everyone else. For the record, the Pits that I have known have been incredibly sweet and cuddly and playful and loving. But you think I'd get one? HTTN.

I agree with this.

I will never understand why people want to own a pitbull (or Rottweiler).

[cruisin]

Hmm, I really don't want to be negative repped. But. I am SO tired of these pit owners saying how sweet and cuddly they are and it's just the OWNER that makes them aggressive and deadly. Pit bulls have a rep because they EARNED it. I can't imagine your insurance company accepting you with a Pit. Or maybe you don't have insurance.

What insurance do you mean? I doubt that you would be denied homeowners because of a dog.

To be fair, Pit Bulls were bred, by humans, to be aggressive. All breeds have good and bad traits. Most responsible breeders will breed the dogs with good traits. Pit Bull breeders bred bad traits into the dogs for fighting purposes. Not all Pit Bulls are bad. Sadly, many are aggressive, but humans reenforced that trait. As I said, my dog was attacked by a Lab. Does that make every Lab bad? No, but I get very nervous around them, if I have my dog. And, as I said, according to animal control there are far more dog on human, dog on dog attacks from labs than Pit Bulls. You just don't hear about it as much, because Pit Bulls are vilified.

But... You do own this pet, and love it, and it is sweet to you. So just KEEP IT IN YOUR HOUSE AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. And if it attacks your kid, grandkid, whatever, at least it's just in your family and it's your conscience for causing a family member to be harmed, and medical bills. Love your beautiful sweet Pit doggie, but do NOT put others in harm's way.

I agree, the police reports were probably just to get a record on you and your aggressive attack dog. Next time, babydoll will be put to sleep. And if you do have home insurance and don't report it, they will not cover you if your dog harms anyone/anything the next time. You now really need to think if you should even own this pet. First strike, you need to adjust. I personally would not take your dog out ANYWHERE after this attack has been documented. You are in a tough situation.

Now that Cupid knows the dog is aggressive, hopefully she will muzzle it when she takes it out. And it may be that the dog was taken to a vet. If so, it is mandatory to file a police report.

[heckles]

I didn't see any injuries to the dog, people were very upset, I got the leash and removed her from the park. Havent been back since.

I called the city dog park office today just to see if there any complaints filed, I didn't say who I was because I wasn't asked. The clerk said there were 3 complaints filed so far about this incident and she gave me her email address if I could send her an email describing what happened, a description of the dog and its owner, but she had the dog's name right.

It seems like there might be something you're not telling us here. If the incident was as minor as you claim, why did you have reason to believe that there would be complaints, and why were there three so far?

[skatingfan5]

What insurance do you mean? I doubt that you would be denied homeowners because of a dog.

To be fair, Pit Bulls were bred, by humans, to be aggressive. All breeds have good and bad traits. Most responsible breeders will breed the dogs with good traits. Pit Bull breeders bred bad traits into the dogs for fighting purposes. Not all Pit Bulls are bad. Sadly, many are aggressive, but humans reenforced that trait. As I said, my dog was attacked by a Lab. Does that make every Lab bad? No, but I get very nervous around them, if I have my dog. And, as I said, according to animal control there are far more dog on human, dog on dog attacks from labs than Pit Bulls. You just don't hear about it as much, because Pit Bulls are vilified.

Sadly, another pit bull attack, this one fatal and on its adult owner in their home, has hit the news.

Daryl said the dogs were familiar and friendly with all three members of the household, which is what made the attack so puzzling. He said the incident has traumatized his mother, leaving her inconsolable and unable to sleep.

“Nobody knows,” Daryl said of how and why the pit bull attacked. “The dogs slept at the foot of their bed. He played with my nieces and nephews. We can’t figure this out.”

[Skittl1321]

And the trainer: When I told him I was signing her up for the dog park and asked if she was ready for that, he just smiled and said "are YOU ready for the dog park." He did show me what to look for and to quickly intervene when she got to that point, I tried, but since you are not ALLOWED to come into the dog park with a leash/lead, I was unable to catch her in time.

Man, I wish this trainer would have flat out told you it was a bad idea, but between this statement and the one about a strong prey-drive, it just seems like hindsight is 20/20 in regards to this happening.

[OliviaPug]

I agree with this.

I will never understand why people want to own a pitbull (or Rottweiler).

I owned a lovely, amazing, smart, gentle and wonderful Rottweiler for 8 years (until she passed away due to nasal cancer). She was perhaps the most incredible dog I have ever been a master to. We had an amazing, loving relationship. My Rottie may have been an exception to a rule, but I seriously don't think so. In any event, I was a good master. I was most definitely an alpha. I knew her capabilities and behaved accordingly. I never took her to dog parks, but I did on occasion take her to parks (on leash, of course). She was attacked by two standard sized poodles who came at the two of us out of nowhere. I stood in front of my Rottie and kicked the first one that came at us in the snout. That worked. The second one went for my leg but I managed to also kick it, and it retreated. These two poodles had gotten out of the house! It was crazy. She was also attacked by 2 Golden Retrievers on 2 separate occasions and a mix of some sort. None of these dogs were on leash.

In any event, I think my story just goes to prove the fact that dogs can be unpredictable in both good ways and bad ways.

It is certainly an immense responsibility to own a dog as powerful as a Rottweiler, but it was one of the best and most rewarding doggie experiences of my life.

I now own pugs, who are not really dogs, so I've found

O-
ETA: I think I used the poster name of "rottie" on another figure skating board in those days, but I'm having trouble remembering the name of the site. Was there a "Figure Skating World" at one time? I think it may have been that one.

[MacMadame]

there are people that i think should not be allowed to ever leave their house but i dont have that authority (yet)
to suggest making a dog a shut in isnt really very helpful

Not only is not helpful but it will make the situation worse because a shut-in dog is not getting a chance to burn off his excess energy and that will make him more aggressive.

Cesar Milan is a showboat in many ways, but this mantra of his is spot on.

I think he's awesome. I've seen him work with some pretty aggressive dogs and get them to be okay in a pack too. One of the things that struck me about those particular episodes is that it was the behavior of the humans that was setting off the dog pretty much every time. I think working with a trainer can definitely help in this situation.

Me contacting them and owning the "feck up" is not going to do any good!

It would engender good will. It certainly wouldn't hurt. And it's the responsible thing to do.

If there does end up being a police report and a visit from Animal Control, you want to have the record show you did the responsible thing. That will make any claims you make to the authorities that you are planning to do the responsible thing have more credibility.

[rfisher]

You most certainly can be denied homeowner insurance because of certain breeds of dogs. My carrier has a breed list that will require an extra rider if you acquire the dog.

And, just FYI, people who are afraid of dogs are likely to get bit due to their behavior. They do everything that will trigger an attack in some dogs, even those not known to have agressive behavior. The dog can smell your fear, sense your anxiety.

I hate when people get a dog to teach their kids responsibility, or they see a movie about a dog, or they see a cute ball of fluff somewhere. Do not get a dog unless you know what you are doing and are prepared to care for it properly including imposing rules of behavior. It is a huge committment of time and money. I think it's worth every penny, but it's not for everybody. If people would only think before they acquire, we could close most of the shelters in this country.

ETA: I love Rotties! Handled right and with the right temperment, they are wonderful dogs especially with children

[OliviaPug]

^^^^^^ What rfisher said times 100!!!

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[overedge]

I hate when people get a dog to teach their kids responsibility, or they see a movie about a dog, or they see a cute ball of fluff somewhere. Do not get a dog unless you know what you are doing and are prepared to care for it properly including imposing rules of behavior. It is a huge committment of time and money. I think it's worth every penny, but it's not for everybody. If people would only think before they acquire, we could close most of the shelters in this country.

This is true for cats as well. Okay, maybe not the "imposing rules of behavior" part, good luck with that!. But as a shelter volunteer who works mostly with the cats, I am continually amazed at the number of people who adopt cats and then bring them back because, oh, it sheds on my furniture, it meows a lot, it has claws, etc. etc. etc. A cat is not a decoration and it isn't going to sit quietly and stare adoringly at you all day long like Hello Kitty or something.

[Anita18]

And, just FYI, people who are afraid of dogs are likely to get bit due to their behavior. They do everything that will trigger an attack in some dogs, even those not known to have agressive behavior. The dog can smell your fear, sense your anxiety.

I hate when people get a dog to teach their kids responsibility, or they see a movie about a dog, or they see a cute ball of fluff somewhere. Do not get a dog unless you know what you are doing and are prepared to care for it properly including imposing rules of behavior. It is a huge committment of time and money. I think it's worth every penny, but it's not for everybody. If people would only think before they acquire, we could close most of the shelters in this country.

That's what I keep telling my fiance. If we come across a big dog that barks (usually in someone's yard), he's literally running away from it. I keep walking on the sidewalk, I don't let the dog faze me. I tell him dogs can sense fear, and capitalize on it. Even with my family's golden who loves people, if they run away because they're scared of big dogs, his instinct is to chase them, which scares them more! At least when he runs them down, he doesn't attack them. Except with doggie kisses.

Dogs are a terrible pet to "learn responsibility" unless you're talking about a teeny dog that physically wouldn't be able to do much damage. My friend has a tiny Yorkie that weighs 2 lbs. Many small dogs will nip more, but at least it doesn't do a lot of damage if they bite.

Old fat cats are a better pet to learn responsibility with, at least more than big dogs. And even my old fat cat will nip you if he's had enough physical attention.

[cruisin]

Sadly, another pit bull attack, this one fatal and on its adult owner in their home, has hit the news.

How horrible!

You most certainly can be denied homeowner insurance because of certain breeds of dogs. My carrier has a breed list that will require an extra rider if you acquire the dog.

I didn't know that. I never saw that in our policy, but we have always had Cavaliers. You don't get more gentle than that.

One thing I would add to your comment is that people should research the kind of dog they should have. Certain breeds are good with kids, some are very needy, some are aggressive, some are large, some small, some medium. Talk to a vet, a breeder, friends who have different breeds. Go to web pages for different breeds and get a sense of their physical needs and personalities. Find a dog that is compatible with your family and lifestyle. We have Cavaliers because they are so sweet natured and they are fairly small (about 17-18 lbs). but, they are very playful and not fragile. But, we did a lot of research before we got our first Cav. I now have my third one and love him so much!