hey i was walking my chihuahua today and we are attacked my an american boxer ( i think), i lifted lottie above my head as it was her that  he wanted to bite and he was jumping up me and bit my arm ( no puncture wounds just bruised and scratched) the dog was of lead and the owners eventually pulled him off me and dragged him away. i made my way home asap and have been shaken up all day about it. however i am concerned as to what can i do about this situation, we were walking in a place where many many people walk their dog, but now i am terrified of the idea of taking Lottie out for a walk agian incase this happens again ( its happened on one other previous time but it was a smaller dog) is it worth calling to police i dont really know what to do :(

If you felt at all frightened for you own safety then yes, the police may act under DDA Sec 3.

At present in England and Wales (not Scotland) they are reluctant to act on dog-dog attacks, believing that there is no legislation for that. It does come under a civil act rather than criminal, but I believe a precedent was set last year, where police did act themselves and prosecute successfully.

Scotland has an amendment to the DDA which covers 'attacks on other animals' and also 'attacks on private property'. It is thought this will be brought into law in England & Wales at some point as the 'private property'  safeguards postmen... and as there is at present a bit of a wide loophole with regard to dog attacks on other animals (not livestock such as sheep & cattle - that's already covered); at present there is no criminal law redress for dog attacks on other dogs, cats, chickens or rabbits.

You should also speak with your Local Authority, and Parish Council if you have one.  It's possible that your LA could ask their warden (if they have one) to add this to his/her list of areas to keep an eye on.  It's also worth looking at what Dog Control Orders are in place in your area - do you have the 'dogs on lead by direction' order in force where you were walking?  "To keep a dog on a lead when told to do so by an authorised officer"

In the meantime it's important to get Lottie out and about in areas where YOU feel safe, otherwise you'll just be sending panicked messages down the lead.  Try walking her in a town or visit your local garden centre with her :)

I do sympathise,mustve been terrifying.I had an experience that shook me up,too,although there was no actual contact.I was walking my  3 on-lead collies past a playing field,when a rottie simply roared and charged the chain link fence between us,Im sure it didnt see the mesh,as it belled out with the force,but I was glad the fence was there,it seemed intent on murder!Not very brave,I went home and quivered.Not walking them simply isnt an option,sometimes though,I really have to psyche myself up to go out. If Im feeling particularly fragile in the courage dept,I go through all the differing walks I could go on,in my mind,and pick the one I feel most comfortable with,it can just be a chase round the nearest field after a ball,or a lead walk round the streets,if Im really bad,but at least they get out.I wish you all the best!

attacked my an american boxer ( i think),

Never heard of an american boxer, I think you probably mean and American bulldog, check out the photo at the link, the colours & markings vary.

http://bulldogbreeds.com/americanbulldog.html

he was jumping up me and bit my arm ( no puncture wounds just bruised and scratched) the dog was of lead and the owners eventually pulled him off me and dragged him away.

It does not have to puncture the skin >BUT< you MUST get a medical report which says the bruise is "consistent with a dog bite". To get that before the bruise goes you need to go to casualty today and get them to look at it so you have a medical opinion, a court will not (cannot accept) non medical evidence.

It does not have to bite at all, under the DDA a person only needs to feel they are being threatened or words to that effect.

is it worth calling to police i dont really know what to do

I certainly is, as sure as hell it will go for other dogs, if a kids with the other dog they might try to stop it & get badly mauled & their dog dead.

I too have never heard of an 'Amercian Boxer' as a breed.
Yes there are Boxers from America that have cropped ears and some are imported from the US
BUT they aren't that common.

Again as has been suggested it it may have been an American Bulldog, or another breed/cross breed.
It's quite important to try and get the breed or type right as you could cause problems for others by getting this wrong.
(I had a red and white Boxer puppy once incorrectly described as a long legged bulldog or a 'vicious' Rottweiller..the people
were soon corrected - this was when the dangerous dogs act first came in)

It's hard to correctly advise the correct way to deal with a potential 'attack' as all dogs can be very different in their behaviours.
Some actions which wouldn't normally cause problems *may* egg another dog on and possibly intensify the situation.
I know a couple of mine *may* try and jump up if someone was trying to hold something at arm's length high and waving around.
(not saying this is what you were doing). As they seem to be reactive when toys held high etc.
That said most responsible owners are aware of triggers in dogs and keep dogs on leads when others are around if they are
'reactive'. I have one who is reactive with balls...especially tennis balls and I have to put her on a lead if I can see people throwing for their dogs
as she would want to claim the balls as hers and would fight to have it. When balls are not in the picture she is an angel and will happily
play for hours with other dogs of all breeds. Put a ball into the mix and suddenly she's sprouted horns and is a complete horror.
All my dogs are socialised well as we show, and I always get compliments on their good behaviour at the vets.
However we have got one of our pups back he's now nearly 5yo and he's not been socialised very well and is fear aggressive we
never let him off lead and he is muzzled when needed. We are going to undertake behavioural training with him to see if we can retrain
his behaviour, but we are 'managing' him responsibly as we are aware of what could happen if we didn't.

I would report this incident to Dog Warden and/or Police (see what Dog Warden advises) as this owner sounds like they aren't being responsible and their seemingly disgregard
for others and having a reactive dog off lead and not able to control them sounds like a ticking time bomb. This owner needs to correct (thru behavioural training/obedience training) their dogs behaviour or if the dog cannot be rehabbed they need to manage the dog correctly by either only exercising dog on lead when around others or a combination of on lead and muzzled if too unreliable around dogs/people.

You also need to get over your fears as if you are on tenterhooks it's going to go down the lead to your dog and potentially make it more reactive
to other dogs and potentially cause problems with behaviour. So if you can I'd walk with people and their dogs that you know & trust to build your confidence back up.

Good Luck

I'm sorry but this doesn't sound like this dog wanted to do anything much but play.  I absolutely recognise that he was totally out of control and his behaviour is not acceptable in the slightest but I feel you are exaggerating it somewhat(sorry, but it's how I'm reading it)

If I was out with my big dogs and someone picked up their little dog(about the size of one of thier toys) and started swinging it about, my dogs would've got worked up and excited too(not that they ever would've been in that position).  The jumping up in natural cos he wanted to see/sniff/play with what you had out his reach and the nippin(a bite would've broke the skin) was pure excitement not rage.

This dog is dangerous because it has stupid owners who are not in control but he's not aggressive.  I would hve a word with the owners next time you are in the park and meet them and let them know that you felt threatened when you met their dog the last time.

Cracar - that's what it read like to me too. A big, excitable young dog, trying to elicit play with the chi (in a bullying manner) then mouthing at the owner when it couldn't get to the dog. Excitable mouthing by a big dog can easily leave bruising, but if it had been genuinely aggressive it would have bitten.

Can understand it being very frightening though and the owners shouldn't have let it happen.

Did the owners not say anything when they dragged it away?

> but now i am terrified of the idea of taking Lottie out for a walk agian incase this happens again

Oh no, how horrible for you :(

It doesn't matter in the slightest if the dog was playing or being agressive, it amounts to the same thing - you felt frightened by it's behaviour, that is all that's required for a dog to be in breach of the DDA

It's the reason Buster stays on a long-line, the bigger the dog, the easier it is for a person to be frightened by it's behaviour, even if the dog does not mean to be menancing.

Your fear is real, nomatter the dogs intentions, and it is something you should not have to feel like.

Could you go to a training class with your dog, it may help build your confidence around other dogs???

> I'm sorry but this doesn't sound like this dog wanted to do anything much but play

I thought that last night but didn't want to stick my head above the parapet :-)

>I'm sorry but this doesn't sound like this dog wanted to do anything much but play.

It doesn't matter at all what the dog's intention was:  A person got their arm scratched and hurt, and a dog was out of control.  Full stop. 

Dogs must be under control in a public place. 

A big dog 'just trying to say hello' 'just being friendly' 'just trying to play', can be just as terrifying as an attempted attack = An out of control dog and an irresponsible dog owner.

Yes, rabid, I totally agree but I don't think it needs reported for being aggressive, just out of control.

I seen the exact same thing yesterday with a shnauzer(sorry!) and a staffie.  Shn owner was very nervous so she scoops up the dog and held it under her arm, staffie then ran about at the ladies feet soooooo excited about this new game! and of course the shnauzer and owner were frantic.  As the staffie owner was miles away,my OH intervened and took hold of the staffies collar and explained to the lady that she had just made the game more interesting by lifting him.  Turned out the shnauzer had hurt a muscle in his neck and wasn't allowed to pull on the lead or get over-excited so that was why she lifted him.  We kept hold of the little staf till the owner decided to come look for him.  Lovely little dog and an ambassador to the great nature of stafs but owned by an idiot. Shame, should have tucked him under my jumper and ran!!

> It doesn't matter at all what the dog's intention was:&nbsp; A person got their arm scratched and hurt, and a dog was out of control
>
> Dogs must be under control in a public place.
>
>

So--- do you want this dog to be seized, held in kennels till the court case and then probably killed? Because that happens all the time under the Dangerous Dogs Act, often when the dog was not being aggressive. Innocent victims. If it was me, I would speak to the owner, and warn them what could happen to their dog if they don't keep it under control and it did the same to someone else, but there is no way I would have the blood of a friendly dog on my hands just because he wasn't under control.

>but there is no way I would have the blood of a friendly dog on my hands just because he wasn't under control.

It is the owners responsibility to ensure their dog is under control in a public place, the 'blood' would be on the owners hands.

Irresponisble owners are those that allow thier dogs to cause a nusience to others, no matter the dogs intentions.

> do you want this dog to be seized, held in kennels till the court case and then probably killed? Because that happens all the time under the Dangerous Dogs Act

surely only if the dogs type is uncertain or prohibited -in which case the owner should be aware of the possible consequences of thier dogs actions, if permitted to frighten people.

A neighbour of mine had a dog bite a person in public (leaving 4 puncture wounds), the dog was never seized, but a control order was givin to keep the dog on-lead in public.

> So--- do you want this dog to be seized, held in kennels till the court case and then probably killed?

Erm, no.... that is not what 'usually happens' at all!
In a case like this - where the dog is clearly not running about biting the heads off babies - the police will call the owner in to make a statement, then decide whether the owner is responsible, needs a warning, or a court order made for the dog to be kept muzzled and on-lead at all times.

>surely only if the dogs type is uncertain or prohibited

No - the DDA applies to any breed.

> No - the DDA applies to any breed.

I know the DDA applies to any breed (hence my earleir reference to keeping Buster, a legal breed, leashed due to it being easy for friednly behaviour to frighten people & be in breach of the DDA), what I meant was I don't think dogs are usually seized and held in kennels awaiting a court case, for causing a minor injury to a person  (such as the OP has suffered) under the DDA, unless they are suspected of being a breed/type that is banned.
Afterall, the dog that has recently been shot for mauling the police officers never even had a control order placed on it for putting a man in hospital in the past.

Considering the amount of dog bites that happen every year, it doesn't seem feasable that any minor injury caused by a dog will result in the dog being seized & kenneled awaiting trial/destruction.

In scotland.

me & my dogs were attacked about two months ago by a Rottie. my dogs were on the lead. the Rottie was on the lead, but owner couldnt control her dog, when it came at me and my dogs. i ended up in a ditch. one of my bitches got a punture wound in her neck.  Had the woman said sorry, or even accknowledged she had a problem i would not have perhaps gone to the police, however she acted as though the dog was not at fault. the police went to her door, and told her she must keep the dog under control. Fat lot of good that did as she ONVIOUSLY couldnt control it. i asked what would happen if the same thing happened again and was told it would be her word against mine. so i take my video camera with me now!   I was very creful when i made my complain. i said the Rottie came towards ME & my dogs, so it was not dog on dog.

Hopefully the police might take some of these issues more seriously, now 5 of their own officers have been mauled by an aggressive dog which had a year previously put someone in hospital - the police did nothing on that occasion.  Had they taken action, 5 of their officers might not now be recovering from dog bites...

>Considering the amount of dog bites that happen every year, it doesn't seem feasable that any minor injury caused by a dog will result in the dog being seized & kenneled awaiting trial/destruction.

I am beginning to think it is dependent on the amount/level of complaining the original complainer does.  The more of a pest they make of themselves the further it will go.  I am currently dealing with the dog warden about my dogs in relation to what I consider to be malicious complaints that have little grounding in reality and the bits that are correct, I don't think warrant dog warden involvement.  I don't want to say too much online until it is done and dusted but am concerned that the legislation in Scotland (that will probably get rolled out in the rest of the UK) does not provide much support to those where malicious complaints are made.  The statement about a person only needing to feel scared is wildly subjective.

There was a case in Scotland recently where a staffy escaped from the house and bit a cat leaving it with permanent injuries.  The dog was destroyed after a long court procedure and part of the case was based on the 'fact' that it had happened before but there was no proof it had happened before.  A staffy in the area got out but there was apparantly no evidence that it was this dog.  From what I have seen so far of the new legislation, it is targetting the wrong people.  I am not saying that action shouldn't have been taken against this dog but death seems a bit excessive.  The irony is that if my hobby was running over cats in my car every weekend, I could do this without reporting the deaths of any of them but if my dog was to chase and catch one s/he is likely to end up dead!

http://www.scotsman.com/the-scotsman/scotland/dog_on_death_row_for_biting_cat_1_1956547

the law doesn't appear to consider malicious complaints - if they can stand up in court and spout bare faced lies then they are believed... I have no trust in our legal system at all, for dogs or humans unfortunately :-( 

The police are happy to hear any evidence that the dog has a conscientious and responsible owner. Certificates from training (such as KCGCS Puppy, Bronze, Silver etc) are taken into account, together with all the details of classes attended, and personal references from the trainer/s.... also anything which indicates the dog is well-socialised and well controlled. In the case of any malicious complaint, then I am sure that a genuine owner can put forward a reasonable defence.

I have heard of a few cases where the owner an out of control dog has been forced to take it to some training classes by the court, instead of a control order.

If I was out with my big dogs and someone picked up their little dog(about the size of one of thier toys) and started swinging it about, my dogs would've got worked up and excited too(not that they ever would've been in that position).  The jumping up in natural cos he wanted to see/sniff/play with what you had out his reach and the nippin(a bite would've broke the skin) was pure excitement not rage.

Even so -in such a situation there IS nothing else to do but pick the little dog up, as otherwise it might get seriously injured simply by being stepped on by the big one.

I have heard of a few cases where the owner an out of control dog has been forced to take it to some training classes by the court, instead of a control order.

I personally know one who was ordered to be muzzled when out in public EXCEPT if being shown.

>Even so -in such a situation there IS nothing else to do but pick the little dog up, as otherwise it might get seriously injured simply by being stepped on by the big one.

Yes, that's what I was thinking - even if people are right that the dog was only overexcited and not meaning to seriously attack, it could very easily have injured or killed such a small dog without meaning to. And it DID injure the OP, even if it was 'only' bruising and scratching. I think the OP has to report it, these owners have to either train it or keep it on a lead. :-(

im confused as to what the breed was it had a boxer type face, and was very broad and was full brindle color, i know it was much bigger than a boxer. i phoned the dog warden (from the council) and was told that if its a dog being aggressive (off lead) to a dog it is a matter to the council. if the aggression moves onto a human its for the police. it doesn't have to have drawn blood to be classed as an aggressive dog and all dogs should be kept on lead in public spaces, in open fields dogs are allowed off lead provided they are not aggressive and the owners accept that if any instances happen then they are fully liable and the dog could be put down. However if an act of aggression happens the above services should be called immediately so the dog can be confiscated or the owners warned etc.

Overall the dog was 100% showing aggression to me and my dog, i held lottie up because i didnt want her to get bitten , im not the kind of person to carry her around usually. the owners dragged the dogs away, and said sorry as they were doing so but  looking back i think that the should have asked me if i was okay at least!

i fully advice keeping dogs on leads, i never let my dog off lead unless im practicing recall and there is no one around. i take lottie to training which does help my confidence and i will continue to walk her but i will go out at 6am in future when these careless owners are hopefully still in bed! i will try to not lett lottie become nervous by what has happened but  i know its only a matter of time before it happens agian, in the winter we hardly ever passed anyone on our walk but now the sun is out there is far more!