Out for a walk with my foster dog this morning. Lovely and quiet. No one around. Because I have had problems with him rubbing his nose sore I had taken his muzzle off for a little while so he could eat grass, sniff etc without making it worse. He was on a 6ft lead. We were just mooching around and it is totally my fault because I relaxed my guard. A man walking his dog came round the corner and caught me unawares. Foster immediately lunged for the mans dog,, pulled the lead right out of my hand and chased the dog. I ran off in the opposite direction calling him and he did eventually come. The dogs owner was quite understandably shouting about keep your dog under control.

By the time I caught foster and went back the man and his dog had gone so I am unable to check if any damage was done. My question is now with the changes to the DDA I know dog on dog attacks can be prosecuted. What are the penalties likely to be. I totally deserve anything they might do to me but I dont want foster to come to any harm. The situation was totally my fault. I relaxed too much enjoying the peace and quiet.

I do see this dog owner when walking my dogs in the week and always keep my distance and the dogs are on leads so I am sure he knows I am usually a responsible dog owner. Do I change my route to avoid him in future? or approach and try to apologise and ask about his dog? If I try to talk to him when I  have my dogs with me they will bark. I dont  know where he lives so I can go and apologise in person. I just feel so bad about the incident. Have done nothing bit sit and cry since I got in

Not sure if it's the same in England as in Scotland, but up here the most likely scenario would be a visit from the dog warden and possibly a control order, which means on leash and muzzled when out in public.

Don't think the changes included dog on dog attacks. Someone correct me if I am wrong. Personally I would apologise next time I see him , YOU are obviously a responsible dog owner and this was that accident we all dread. So easy to take the eye off the ball for a moment and it wasn't as if you ignore the situation you did your best to sort it out
I would be surprised if you had a dog warden visit and going as far as a control order , I would expect the guy went off cross and probably left it at that. It has become so hard to own dogs these days :(

Could you possibly go out without the dogs to see if you bump into him? Apologise, explain the situation and ask about his dog. If he has had to take it to the vet, ask him to send you the invoice and offer to pay.

Last year my dog was caught in the white of his eye by a springer on the park. They have grown up and played together but we think a bitch in season had been on the park making all dogs a bit more mental. Mine was playing with his ball. The springer came over and started it. They did apologise but I would have been very grateful for the offer to pay the £45 vet bill.

If he sees you are genuinely sorry and realises you are helping a foster, he may just leave it at that.

> ask him to send you the invoice and offer to pay.

Ask to see any injuries first.  It's a sad state of affairs but some people will do more than is necessary with treatment if they think someone else is going to pay - even any treatment at all; I've heard quite a few times of injuries magically appearing when money is offered!  Someone I know had to get their dog to the vet after another dog nipped him on the top of the head when guarding a ball - from what the owner described later on it was just a nip, he apologised and didn't take a ball out any more but the woman I know had it sounding like a massive attack!  Her dog had a huge scar front to back on top of his head and 13 stitches - I don't believe for one second any of that was necessary and the vet that did it has since been struck off for performing unnecessary and in some cases, damaging procedures on dogs.  By all means apologise and explain, but be careful if you go into monetary territory - get an itemised invoice so you know exactly what you're paying for.

Don't think the changes included dog on dog attacks

I'm not sure either BUT the police are taking more notice of dog on dog attacks these days.   Usually quite rightly although in your case it was a genuine mistake, which you have held up your hands to.   Pity you weren't able to talk to this guy at the time - I guess the walk is too far away to go out on your own and 'find' him?   I agree to have your dog with you might not be the best idea!!

On balance, unless you can find where he lives? I'd sit tight and hope for the best.   If his dog was injured, I have no doubt he'll come after you for the vet bill at least?   But in that regard, you must see the actual bill in case he plays dirty with you.

Just had a look at the new amendments , I can't see dog on dog attacks specifically mentioned, other than on assistance dogs ( you can get three years in the pokey for that ).
The only sticky point I can see is if the other owner claims he was fearful he would be attacked.

Up here you can get done if your dog attacks anything, a Staffie was pts in Dundee for attacking a cat, the cat survived, even the cat owner was horrified the dog was ordered to be destroyed.
Thankfully there are exceptions if your dog kills a wild rabbit etc.

The only sticky point I can see is if the other owner claims he was fearful he would be attacked.

Yes I am pretty certain the only dog attacks added are on assistance dog. The owner being fearful has always been the case. The dog doesn't need to do anything at all, just LOOK scary.

>Not sure if it's the same in England as in Scotland, but up here the most likely scenario would be a visit from the dog warden and possibly a control order, which means on leash and muzzled when out in public.

In my experience the dog warden does nothing other than visit. In my village there is a rottie who has bitten three dogs, they had a visit from the dog warden but no order to do anything differently, another rottie that has bitten two dogs and a gsd that has bitten one. All 3 dogs are still allowed off lead unmuzzled :-(

In my opinion, and it's what I've done myself, if your dog can be aggressive it should be muzzled all the time unless you are in a safe, secure area. Sounds like the OP has learnt their lesson, shame it was at the expense of another dog.

That's shocking Chaumsong, just goes to show you can legislate till your blue in the face, but it's all pointless unless it's enforced.

In my experience the dog warden does nothing other than visit.

I know somebody whose toydog -whilst on a lead- was killed by a large working dog in Scotland. The large dog had to be put down after the toy's owner contacted the dog warden. Few years ago now, perhaps 5.