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A running dog attacked my daughter, can I fight with this dog to protect my daughter?



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 9th 03, 02:46 AM
KW
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Default A running dog attacked my daughter, can I fight with this dog to protect my daughter?

A running dog attacked my daughter, can I fight with this dog
to protect my daughter?

Friday evening around 8:00pm, my wife, my one-year old daughter
(who was sitting in a stroller) and I walked on street. A huge
black dog came from our back and was running around my wife and
daughter. My daughter was frightened and crying. This dog found
another dog and ran away. Then, my wife held my daughter and we
went back to escape the dog. That huge dog ran back to us, and
it seemed he wanted to attack us. My daughter and my wife were
scared badly. I used my stroller to stop him, this dog roar badly
around us, and open his mouth with some big teeth. There were
several people standing in front of a house and looked at us all
the time. No one said anything. My daughter cried badly and I lifted
up my stroller in case this dog biting us. I think I have to fight
with him if the dog attack us. At this moment, a lady walked to
us and said "Do not do this". I told her my daughter scared very
much and I have to put my stroller between the dog and my daughter.
She said it is not your daughter scared, it is you scared. If you
do this he will bite you. I said OK, you let him go, then a man
called back his dog. I put down my stroller and we ran back home.

I have been in Waterloo for years. I seldom see a dog running
without lashing. This could be the first time that I see such a
huge dog to attack people, but the owner just standing aside and
said nothing.

I am wondering what should I do in this situation and if there is
any number I can call to get help. No matter if this dog had bitten
my daughter or not, my daughter scared badly and kept crying, even
after we came back home. The owner did not control their dog and did
not do anything when their dog trying to attack people. Is this the
way the people here should be?

One of my friends said, in Canada, people treat a dog like a baby.
So, if I fight with that dog (even when he attacks us), I would be
considered as criminal as fighting with a baby. Is this true? Yes,
this dog did not bite my daughter, but my daughter was scared to cry,
if I can do nothing except letting the dog running us (It seemed that
the owner did not want to do anything) and letting my daughter cry?
I am totally confused.

I would be appreciated very much if someone can kindly teach me what
I should do and what I can do.
  #2  
Old August 9th 03, 03:15 AM
Charlie Wilkes
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Default

On 8 Aug 2003 18:46:01 -0700, (KW) wrote:

A running dog attacked my daughter, can I fight with this dog
to protect my daughter?

Friday evening around 8:00pm, my wife, my one-year old daughter
(who was sitting in a stroller) and I walked on street. A huge
black dog came from our back and was running around my wife and
daughter. My daughter was frightened and crying. This dog found
another dog and ran away. Then, my wife held my daughter and we
went back to escape the dog. That huge dog ran back to us, and
it seemed he wanted to attack us. My daughter and my wife were
scared badly. I used my stroller to stop him, this dog roar badly
around us, and open his mouth with some big teeth. There were
several people standing in front of a house and looked at us all
the time. No one said anything. My daughter cried badly and I lifted
up my stroller in case this dog biting us. I think I have to fight
with him if the dog attack us. At this moment, a lady walked to
us and said "Do not do this". I told her my daughter scared very
much and I have to put my stroller between the dog and my daughter.
She said it is not your daughter scared, it is you scared. If you
do this he will bite you. I said OK, you let him go, then a man
called back his dog. I put down my stroller and we ran back home.

I have been in Waterloo for years. I seldom see a dog running
without lashing. This could be the first time that I see such a
huge dog to attack people, but the owner just standing aside and
said nothing.

I am wondering what should I do in this situation and if there is
any number I can call to get help. No matter if this dog had bitten
my daughter or not, my daughter scared badly and kept crying, even
after we came back home. The owner did not control their dog and did
not do anything when their dog trying to attack people. Is this the
way the people here should be?

One of my friends said, in Canada, people treat a dog like a baby.
So, if I fight with that dog (even when he attacks us), I would be
considered as criminal as fighting with a baby. Is this true? Yes,
this dog did not bite my daughter, but my daughter was scared to cry,
if I can do nothing except letting the dog running us (It seemed that
the owner did not want to do anything) and letting my daughter cry?
I am totally confused.

I would be appreciated very much if someone can kindly teach me what
I should do and what I can do.


You have options other than attacking the dog with a blunt instrument.
This applies even in Canada.

One option is to go to the authorities, tell them what happened, and
have them talk to the dog's owners and report back to you about what
the dog's owners said. You may have over-reacted to a dog whose
behavior was rowdy but not really aggressive, or he probably would
have bitten you for behaving the way you did. The by-standers who did
nothing may have been people who knew the dog and thought he was safe.

Be prepared to relax if that's the best solution. One of the few good
things about Canada is that it's a place where you can get top-quality
marijuana. I smoke it, and I think you should too.

Good luck.

Charlie
  #3  
Old August 9th 03, 03:48 AM
Child
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Default


"KW" wrote in message
om...


One of my friends said, in Canada, people treat a dog like a baby.
So, if I fight with that dog (even when he attacks us), I would be
considered as criminal as fighting with a baby. Is this true?



no. you have every right to protect yourself and your family from a dog.
But perhaps, in this situation it might be best to just be calm, pick up
your daughter, and tell the dog loudly, but not yelling, to GO HOME BAD DOG.

I wasnt' there, and i didn't see the incident. I assure you that if a dog
attacked either my family or my pets, I would not hesitate to protect them
with whatever was handy. But most of the time, in fact, almost all of the
time, its not needed!


  #4  
Old August 9th 03, 04:16 AM
Jo Wolf
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Between you and your wife, you almost Caused your child to be bitten...
and yourselves as well. Moving rapidly, flapping things, yelling,
screaming, crying... ALL attract a dog and can turn on it's prey drive.

Report the dog and the address of the owner to the city or county office
with a name closest to Animal Control. Explain what happened. You will
probably get this same lecture as above.... but they will talk with the
owner and remind him about the local leash law.

You clearly haven't a clue how to control or repel a dog, so don't try
it. You don't even know how to tell if the dog is attacking or wants to
play. You'll be the one injured when you stir it up. The woman was
right. But there are ways to handle the situation.

Here's what we start teaching tiny pre-school children... They can do
it. So can you. Stand still. Shut your mouth. Make your hands into
fists and tuck them under your chin. DO NOT look at the dog's face; eye
contact encourages whatever type of behavior the dog is engaging in. If
you are B-o-r-i-n-g, the dog will sniff you and wander away. After the
dog has moved away, you may move slowly and normally... but keep your
mouth shut or you'll attract the dog again.

Do NOT run, wave your arms or a stick or the baby's stroller or anything
else. Did I say keep your mouth shut?

One of you may CALMLY pick your child up... but if the child is yelling,
simply cover it's mouth. Prevent arms and feet from flailing.

By the way... you are teaching your child to fear dogs by your behavior.
Not too smart, as this will make her more likely to behave unsafely even
around friends' dogs in their homes... and get bitten. So cool your
jets, and be calm and deliberate and ASK dog owners how they tell when a
dog is playing in a bouncy, exhuberant way... or is possibly thinking of
grabbing....

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia

  #5  
Old August 9th 03, 05:43 AM
Tara O.
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Jo, while I agree with the ways you presented to protect yourself, I think
the tone is incredibly harsh. A man and woman are walking down the street
with a baby when a large dog comes to them and starts circling. The baby
becomes upset and luckily the dog runs off. To avoid walking in the
direction where that dog has now joined another dog, the couple w/crying
baby turns around and heads back...that's smart, not stupid. He didn't say
anything about running or fleeing. The huge dog comes running back to them
and acts in a way that they believe is threatening. Having a large dog
circling you, acting in a menacing manner (and yes that's open to
interpretation), growling and showing teeth is frightening. Its been done
to me before and you can bet I was scared. To be in that situation while
holding a 1yo crying baby in your arms and thinking of its safety first can
be one of the most horrifying experiences a person can have. This has also
happened to me (same exact dog that came after me when I was alone) only my
daughter was a little older. Its highly unfair to scold them. They are not
responsible for this dog's actions. They should be able to walk their baby
down the street without fear of being threatened by loose dogs. If you want
to scold someone, ask for the phone number to the owner of the dog. Dogs
get loose and accidents happen but IMO pedestrians ALWAYS have the right to
walk in their neighborhoods without being set on by strange dogs.

--
Tara


"Jo Wolf" wrote in message
...
Between you and your wife, you almost Caused your child to be bitten...
and yourselves as well. Moving rapidly, flapping things, yelling,
screaming, crying... ALL attract a dog and can turn on it's prey drive.

Report the dog and the address of the owner to the city or county office
with a name closest to Animal Control. Explain what happened. You will
probably get this same lecture as above.... but they will talk with the
owner and remind him about the local leash law.

You clearly haven't a clue how to control or repel a dog, so don't try
it. You don't even know how to tell if the dog is attacking or wants to
play. You'll be the one injured when you stir it up. The woman was
right. But there are ways to handle the situation.

Here's what we start teaching tiny pre-school children... They can do
it. So can you. Stand still. Shut your mouth. Make your hands into
fists and tuck them under your chin. DO NOT look at the dog's face; eye
contact encourages whatever type of behavior the dog is engaging in. If
you are B-o-r-i-n-g, the dog will sniff you and wander away. After the
dog has moved away, you may move slowly and normally... but keep your
mouth shut or you'll attract the dog again.

Do NOT run, wave your arms or a stick or the baby's stroller or anything
else. Did I say keep your mouth shut?

One of you may CALMLY pick your child up... but if the child is yelling,
simply cover it's mouth. Prevent arms and feet from flailing.

By the way... you are teaching your child to fear dogs by your behavior.
Not too smart, as this will make her more likely to behave unsafely even
around friends' dogs in their homes... and get bitten. So cool your
jets, and be calm and deliberate and ASK dog owners how they tell when a
dog is playing in a bouncy, exhuberant way... or is possibly thinking of
grabbing....

Jo Wolf
Martinez, Georgia



  #6  
Old August 9th 03, 03:01 PM
dianne marie schoenberg
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Default

Jo Wolf wrote:
Between you and your wife, you almost Caused your child to be bitten...
and yourselves as well. Moving rapidly, flapping things, yelling,
screaming, crying... ALL attract a dog and can turn on it's prey drive.


While I agree that it's prudent for folks to know how to
avoid being bitten, I disagree that the fault lies with
the OP here. Personally I believe that everybody--whether
knowledgable about dogs or not, whether fearful of dogs
or not--has the right to walk on public property without
being harassed by free-running dogs.

FWIW, a friend of mine used to teach workshops to mail
carriers to help them avoid being bitten. Still, whether
or not a mail carrier has had special training in avoiding
bites, when a bite does occur it is considered to be the
dog owner's fault and not that of the person bitten!

In this case, I would've advised the OP to call the police
immediately (you're likely to get a much quicker response
from them than from Animal Control). Now, after the fact,
a call to Animal Control would be in order--but unfortunately
unless they catch the dog running loose, or you can tell
them where the owner lives, you're not likely to get much
help from them. Even so the complaint will go on file,
and if someone else reports a problem with the dog later
your account will help Animal Control decide how to
handle the situation.

Dianne
  #7  
Old August 9th 03, 08:51 PM
Stacy
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This wouuld be my first choice in advice... stand still and totally RELAX
your emotions. If you are excited and upset, the dog will be too... if you
stand there and do not react.. making NO eye contact with the dog, chances
are the dog will walk away. Hard to teach to a small child.
If that doesnt work.. I say do what you have to do to protect yourself and
your family.

Where I come from.. If a dog attacks.. the dog is usually put down and the
owners held responsible for any injuries.. and even in some cases, death of
the human or animal victim.

Stacy

Emily Carroll wrote:
| *snip story*
|
| It's generally a bad idea to try to fight a dog if you can't read
| doggie body language (which it doesn't seem you're experienced in).
| The best thing for you to do is stand completely still and not
| threaten the dog physically, or with your body language. Think to
| yourself, "It won't bite me because I'm doing this." (Not
| necessarily true, but if you keep thinking thoughts like this you
| won't be afraid of it). If you are scared, the dog will be more
| likely to bite you because it will sense you're afraid and might
| fight back. If you act like something completely uninteresting,
| completely unthreatening, the dog will treat you like an inanimate
| object.
|
| When you fight back, you give the dog a reason to be involved with
| you. Obviously you were scared for your daughter, but it's much more
| likely that her crying was a result of YOUR fears than her own. And
| I agree with other posters--you need to make her familiar with dogs
| so that she is not afraid in the future. To a predator (which is
| what an aggressive dog is), a crying baby sounds very much like prey,
| and even if the dog is not particularly interested in eating your
| child, crying triggers instincts in most dogs. (Well-socialized dogs
| will be triggered that baby=human puppy, so puppy needs something,
| but un-socialized dogs may hear "PREY").


 




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