Rottweiler nearly attacked my guide dog

Mech1

De Bellem wrote: »

You nearly got it right. " ran " For someone who can see difference your ran should be a run. And bye the way I hope this dosen't happen to you tomorrow
That's if you will be able to see a bus

well spotted I missed that.

jill_valentine

lrushe wrote: »

If a 5-7 stone Rottweiler were to have attacked your dog, well let's just say there would have been a v.different outcome for your dog.

... Which is exactly why people are more wary of Rottweilers than, for instance, Chihuahuas. They're beautiful dogs and I've known some with fabulous temperaments, but the fact is a that a Rottweiler snapping at your dog presents a very different prospect than a little terrier or something. Nothing came of the OP's encounter, no, but having a powerful dog behave aggressively around you or your own pet is a very scary experience on a very primal level, and it would have been nice if the other owner had been more considerate of that.

DBB

miller50841 wrote: »

Afterglow there is always one or I find on the internet there are the keyboard warriors as we would like to call them of which there are plenty:rolleyes:.

You are well in your right to start this thread and voice your anger, opinion or just anything that comes to mind.

I do feel for you and could not imagine what it must be like for you but it's the real world and there is always someone that will try and put you down. It's sad but feel happy that you are above such person's.

Please desist from back-seat moderation. It is againt the forum charter.
If you have a problem with a post, report it.
Do not reply to this post on-thread.
Thanks,
DBB

lrushe

jill_valentine wrote: »

... Which is exactly why people are more wary of Rottweilers than, for instance, Chihuahuas. They're beautiful dogs and I've known some with fabulous temperaments, but the fact is a that a Rottweiler snapping at your dog presents a very different prospect than a little terrier or something. Nothing came of the OP's encounter, no, but having a powerful dog behave aggressively around you or your own pet is a very scary experience on a very primal level, and it would have been nice if the other owner had been more considerate of that.

No people fear Rottweilers because they have been demonised in recent years.
My Rottweiler weighs 5 stone but daily we will meet Labs, Boxers, Huskys, mixed breeds etc. who tower over her in size & strength & could potentially do her harm in a fight but it doesn't mean I should fear them all.
True the owner should have been more considerate but whether the dog was acting aggressively is up for debate, indeed my point was that if a 5-7 stone dog was aggressive the OP's experience would have been alot worse.

brrabus

lrushe wrote: »

No people fear Rottweilers because they have been demonised in recent years.

I did not grow up with dogs and tbh over the years I was afraid of Rottweilers, not because I met any of them or really heard anything but the name in itself was a bit scary, I know sounds pathetic. I was always a little bit scared of Alsatians as I was attacked by one when I was a kid. I however met my first Rottweiler at the beginning of June this year when I went to visit a friend in the UK. Initially when she said what she had I took a gasp, she immediately said don't worry he is a right pet. And he was, what a lovely dog.

I can understand why some people are scared when dogs charge at them, but in general all they want to do is play with the other dog. I look after a boxer and about three years ago someone had a go at me saying that he should be on a lead (this is in a green area down near a river) as he is a RB. Amazed because he is such a softie, I checked the internet and found out that he was not a RB but maybe the other person mistook him as a bulldog or something as he is all muscle. Now I usually try to grab him and put him on the lead if I see someone with a dog but sometimes his eyes are better then mine and he spotted them first.

dodderangler

I'm not going off thread or anything but you said the Rottweiler should have a muzzle on him. That is true. It should but in my experience with labs they should have them aswell. Most common dog that has growled or snapped at my Akita was a lab. And I've seen them attack other dogs or go for other dogs aswell.

DBB

Mr.Fred wrote: »

as for the smart arse and his bus comment. I wouldn't give him the time of day.

Again, if you have a problem with a post, report it. Do not take matters into your own hands.
If I see one more attempt at back-seat moderation, or taking matters into one's own hands, this thread will be closed and warnings/infractions will be issued.
Do not reply to this post on-thread.
Thanks,
DBB

piperh

I'm sure it was a very scary experience for you op and whilst the owner should have had his dog under better control if his dog had wanted to do any harm his owner would not have been able to stop him.

I have a boy who is very vocal and appears to aggressively lunge when he sees another dog however all he wants is to play but if the other dogs owners aren't aware of this it can be seen as nastyness. He plays with his sister in exactly the same way and we've never been able to breal the habit.

On a side note to Whispered saying her RBs run free and she is sure of their temperament i have met one of her RBs and there is no question of his gentleness even if he does want to play rough.

Whispered

piperh wrote: »

On a side note to Whispered saying her RBs run free and she is sure of their temperament i have met one of her RBs and there is no question of his gentleness even if he does want to play rough.

Thanks he's a sweetie alright. He is a good bit heavier now than when you met him, so the body slamming doesn't go down well with other dogs! (That is why it's so important they don't approach other dogs unless I know them or their owners, or have been given permission by the other owner.) Thanks to some wonderfully confident dogs and owners he's learning his manners though and doesn't try to rush straight into a game anymore. He knows how to greet a dog in a polite manner now. Very proud of him.

piperh

Ah bless him he;s lovely, I think perhaps he needs to come and put manners on my bear cus he doesn't learn lol. And he's not an Rb and still looks aggressive, Any dog can be scary not just a RB .

JustAThought

Dear Afterglow,

I am very sorry to hear of your guidedogs bad experience with another dog ; it must have been extremely shocking and scarey to hear that interaction and your dogs fear and reaction, particularly given that your dog is a highly specialised dog with thousands of hours of training put into it to ensure it can support your needs and work in specialised partnership with you.

As you know, Guide dogs are specially bred, trained & go through months of training & testing for their sturdiness, steadyness & ability to be calm . For ANY dog to cause unwanted or unwarranted damage to these dogs, beyond all others, is just terrible. For your dog to be shaken ( metaphorically) by a dog which, by law, should be muzzled in a public place & under the control of it's owner is even worse. It seems was neither was the case in this instance.

To prevent you being restricted by the owners failure to comply with their duties I would ensure that I reported it to the dog warden , and to the local park authorities. I assume you don't want a repetition of your dogs reaction -or fear -then you need to report this, and report that it happened to a guide dog . I would also get your mom to write in too as she saw the incident & was therefore also a witness -two letters speak stronger than one. I know of several places - where as a consequence of bad dog owners & their irresponsible actions & unwanted negative dog behaviours that the councils have instructed the dog wardens to police those areas tighter -with the consequence of the beaches/places being better for all.

I note That a number of Rottweiler owners have listed here saying their dogs are lovely etc. while this may well be the case the incident involving your dog should not be allowed to repeat itself. By law RB dogs, or mixes of restricted breeds have to be muzzled in public places & with a responsible owner , and under its control. That your highly trained and specialised dog who is trained to be calm & react positively or neutrally to threats was afraid of the this dog , its snarling & teeth baring & it running towards it, says volumes about this restricted other dog & the level of care it's owners we're showing to you.

I am very sorry to hear about your & your dogs experience. To prevent it happening again as you may be living its it's same area you need to get the authorities involved. What would you have done /do if your dog was so disturbed that it could no longer perform its duties for you , or had to be taken out of the role permanently, or be taken from you for re-training/respite . No doubt the people who love their restricted breed pets & say they are harmless will continue to lead their lives happily with their pets with no muzzles running about, but this will be little comfort to you and little help if your dog is traumatised and developed a fear of dogs, certain circumstances which can leave it unable to be relied on to perform its essential duties for you.

The best you can do for YOUR dog and YOUR future is to take steps to make sure that this particular dog cannot run at or scare, intimidate, threaten you again. Write to the park owner ( council I assume) and the dog warden & the seargent at the local station.
It shouldn't have happened & it shouldn't be allowed to happen again.

At least you know your dog trusts you & has the sense to run away when it perceives danger -you are lucky your mother was there to testify and also witness it. However , you should not have to worry about happening again or not being able to identify the dog when you go out perhaps without your mother to run your dog again. This dog should be muzzled & it's carefree owners warned of the seriousness & consequences of their dogs actions both for you , your service dog, and to them . So that it does not happen again, and so that they take steps to ensure they keep their dog well away & well clear of you in the park on on the street should your paths ever cross again in the future, and for other park users & dogs, you should report this. Once reported it can be acted upon. Only the authorities can guarantee that .

barbiegirl

Sorry you felt scared op. I just want to reiterate some of the other posts. I own a jack Russell who is very vocal and grow ly when looking to play. In fact to see him and his sister play together you would think they are killing one another. It does not sound like the other dog, regardless of breed, was about to attack. If he wanted to he would have. It really is as simple as that. It sounds like he was a mouthy loud dog looking to play.
I disagree strongly with reporting the dog. He did nothing wrong. A report could lead to a family losing their beloved pet because you are more used to your impeccably trained and behaved canine partner than a boisterous, ill-mannered pet.
My dogs have been attacked, once by two labs and once by a chiquawa (sorry can't spell that word at all ). It is scary but it was also a real attack. This was not.

kylith

OP, I'm sorry that you were made afraid, it must have been a very stressful situation. I must add my voice to the others saying that this does not sound like a dog that was going to attack, it may have been trying to play or it may have been nervous of your dog, in which case your dog reacted perfectly by backing away. IME dogs looking to attack don't bark, they just go for it.

And please try not to be afraid of Rotties; they're actually super dogs and much less likely to be dog aggressive than some other breeds; I took my terriers to a rottie walk a couple of years ago and who started a scrap? One of my dogs and another terrier, the Rotties just sat there. In the last 5 years I have come across only one dog-aggressive rottie.

ShaShaBear

It is also worth adding to JustAThought's comment that even if every Restricted Breed in the country was walked on a lead with a muzzle from this moment onwards with no exceptions, you would actually still be equally as likely to run into an aggressive, untrained and unrestrained dog.

Every single dog in the world has the capability to react negatively to other dogs. Sometimes it is a specific breed they don't like, for others it is the size, for some even the gender. Sometimes it is because they are actually terrified of other dogs due to their own personal experience, and they feel the need to "puff out their chests" and appear threatening and dominant to the other dog in the hopes that they will be left alone.

My collie suffers greatly from fear-based dog aggression, and we have not been able to correct or even alleviate it with any amount of training, reinforcement or behavioural assessments. Every time we make some progress, he encounters an untrained dog that sets him right back to step one. Mind you, we know he does not mix, so we keep him on a lead at all times, with a yellow ribbon (which is fast becoming the national symbol for "my dog needs space").

Can I ask, does your dog wear a jacket or harness on free time that depicts his role as your guide dog? It might be worth considering, as while many people who do not bother to train and restrain their dogs have absolutely no shame for the actions of the dog, giving them the visual heads up that the dog is actually relied upon for sight might make them more likely to prevent a disaster.

Feeble

<snip>

ShaShaBear

Feeble wrote: »

<snip>

Absolutely do not do this.

Gin77

I wonder do owners of RB's know the fear their dogs envokes in other people. A lot of owners dont "Oh thats just Buffy playing sounds familiar"
A while back I was in Vodafone waterford with my 2 yo daughters who loves dogs btw. When this 6ft eastern european guys strolls in with his pitbull no lead in sight. My daughter went to pet the dog but before she did I calmly intervened and took her away from the dog. The owner just turned to the dog and pointed his finger at him. I wanted to say something but I didn't have the guts to confront him so I just let it go. Regret that now.
When I see people with dangerous breeds I wonder why they decided to get one, was it for protection, or to macho themselves up a bit, or because they look cute.
Lately my neighbours bought a bull mastif puppy for protection, how unfair is that for the neighbour? When they had a collie you could hardly walk on the road past their house, what hope does anyone have now. The worst part is I know the dog wont be trained either.

ShaShaBear

Gin77 wrote: »

I wonder do owners of RB's know the fear their dogs envokes in other people. A lot of owners dont "Oh thats just Buffy playing sounds familiar"
A while back I was in Vodafone waterford with my 2 yo daughters who loves dogs btw. When this 6ft eastern european guys strolls in with his pitbull no lead in sight. My daughter went to pet the dog but before she did I calmly intervened and took her away from the dog. The owner just turned to the dog and pointed his finger at him. I wanted to say something but I didn't have the guts to confront him so I just let it go. Regret that now.
When I see people with dangerous breeds I wonder why they decided to get one, was it for protection, or to macho themselves up a bit, or because they look cute.
Lately my neighbours bought a bull mastif puppy for protection, how unfair is that for the neighbour? When they had a collie you could hardly walk on the road past their house, what hope does anyone have now. The worst part is I know the dog wont be trained either.

Firstly, they are not "dangerous" breeds. No more so than any of the other ones. I've only been bitten by a dog twice. In both instances they were well-known family choice breeds notorious for being excellent with children.

I imagine people that choose them (apart from the obvious select few who do it specifically for the menacing looks and reputation of the breed) do it because they enjoy the personality, activity level and alarmingly gentle nature of a properly trained example of any of these breeds. Some of them are also well-known working dogs, which can also be a factor. So basically, the same reasons why most other responsible dog owners decide on a specific breed.

steddyeddy

Whispered wrote: »

I didn't say it was playful, I said it was normal.

No I don't have them muzzled when I let them offlead. Ever. And yes I'm sure they are not a danger to anyone.

Like I said in my first post, dogs should be kept under control at all times and it doesn't sound like that one was.

EDITED: They are permitted to be offlead in private property, which is what I usually do. If we can't do that then we generally walk 7km to a secluded area to allow them have a swim and run about.

FURTHER EDIT: Not commenting on this particular incident, but dogs very often bare teeth when playing.

No your not sure unless you can read their minds. Their animals and you don't know how they will respond to fright, aggression or stress.

Stepping Stone

afterglow wrote: »

Hi all

I am writing here in an effort to know that I am justifyed thinking how I do after an experience I just had this evening.
I free run my guide dog once a week. This is a time when the dog is off the lead, and allowed to just be a dog. Run, pick up sticks, just do general doggy things, you know sniffing etc which would not normally be allowed while working due to the very important/vital nature of the work.
While we were out this evening, we were approached by a rottweiler. She was barking/bearing her teeth at my guide dog. (my mum told me this as she was free running my dog with me, she is always there just as a pair of eyes) My dog, just backed away, and also stood between me and the dog. I am so shaken up by the whole experience, our working partnership could have been over all because of a stupid irresponsible owner who had a dog that I'm nearly sure from reading these forums is on the RB list am I right, and who didn't care about the consequences for me and my dog.
When he eventually came over I was crying because I was so scared for my dog and what could have happened. He said the dog only wanted to play but even though I couldn't see I could tell that the growls this dog were emitting were not play growls or anything of the sort?
How does anyone keep these dogs as pets, and with 2 young children two, I would also be scared for those children, and now am scared to free run my dog again.
Please can anyone at least reassure me that I am not wrong for being shaken up and angry and annoyed at this person for nearly ending my guide dog's career and our working partnership together.
Thank you

You said that the owner has two kids and that you and your dog were running around. Is it possible that you got too close and the other dog gave your dog a clear sign to back off from its family?

Your dog didn't seem shaken fron your description. It seemed to behave like a dog who has been told to back off and did. It may very well be that your dog committed the canine social faux pas.

Just a thought.

andreac

steddyeddy wrote: »

No your not sure unless you can read their minds. Their animals and you don't know how they will respond to fright, aggression or stress.

That can be said for any breed of dog, not just restricted breeds.

tk123

Gin77 wrote: »

I wonder do owners of RB's know the fear their dogs envokes in other people. A lot of owners dont "Oh thats just Buffy playing sounds familiar"
....
When I see people with dangerous breeds I wonder why they decided to get one, was it for protection, or to macho themselves up a bit, or because they look cute.

OK so how do you feel about dangerous restricted breed german shepherds being assistance and guide dogs then?

Look at the end of the day the OP got a fright which was terrible but the dog is fine so move on. My car could backfire and scare the life out of a guide dog and ends it's career..if it wasn't soclaised and exposed to stuff like that happening.
I know guide dog pups with no manners and to put it midly lax puppy walkers - the pups are let run at other dogs who want nothing to do with them and are put in their place in no uncertain terms so a dog barking at them wouldn't phase them. OP have your mum take a look at this pic - does it look like the what the Rottie was doing to your dog at all? I snapped it when my too were playing yesterday...

steddyeddy

andreac wrote: »

That can be said for any breed of dog, not just restricted breeds.

I agree.

Gin77

I'm not against RB's as such, however I do think if you own one you should have to do a dog handling and behavioral course and a special licence (not the normal dog licence) This is reason we restrict weapons, so they don't get in the wrong hands.
I think the public have a right to know when they're in danger, be it a untrained dog, grumpy dog, untrained owner.
Ireland is so strict with guns but so lax with dogs.

Rommie

Gin77 wrote: »

I'm not against RB's as such, however I do think if you own one you should have to do a dog handling and behavioral course and a special licence (not the normal dog licence) This is reason we restrict weapons, so they don't get in the wrong hands.
I think the public have a right to know when they're in danger, be it a untrained dog, grumpy dog, untrained owner.
Ireland is so strict with guns but so lax with dogs.

Would it not make more sense to do this with all breeds then? I dont see why restricted or not makes a difference- a great dane is going to do a lot of damage if it attacks someone and I've met some fairly cranky ones.

snoman

Hi OP

I wonder if it would be helpful for you to get someone else to free walk your dog. Near where I walk my dog there is an older guy who walks his neighbour's guide dog. You have so much emotionally invested in your dog it must be hard for you, and your mum, to walk him without worrying. I'm sure if you put a notice in your local vet's you'd get some volunteers. Also maybe this way your dog would be able to walk with another dog, which would probably be great for him.

snoman

Gin77 wrote: »

I'm not against RB's as such, however I do think if you own one you should have to do a dog handling and behavioral course and a special licence (not the normal dog licence) This is reason we restrict weapons, so they don't get in the wrong hands.
I think the public have a right to know when they're in danger, be it a untrained dog, grumpy dog, untrained owner.
Ireland is so strict with guns but so lax with dogs.

The majority of RB owners have dogs that are perfectly well behaved and socialised (even though it is very hard to socialise them with the amount of restrictions already imposed). People who own dogs for fighting, being hard or plain thuggery are not going to go the legal route, they're not going to go on a course to get a special licence. Dogs are not weapons, they are sentient beings and they cannot be legislated like guns.

We live in a world in which it appears we want to eradicate all risk, it's not always going to be achieveable, nor is it, in my opinion, desirable.

Gin77

Rommie wrote: »

Would it not make more sense to do this with all breeds then? I dont see why restricted or not makes a difference- a great dane is going to do a lot of damage if it attacks someone and I've met some fairly cranky ones.

Yeah I agree 100%.

Gin77

snoman wrote: »

The majority of RB owners have dogs that are perfectly well behaved and socialised (even though it is very hard to socialise them with the amount of restrictions already imposed). People who own dogs for fighting, being hard or plain thuggery are not going to go the legal route, they're not going to go on a course to get a special licence. Dogs are not weapons, they are sentient beings and they cannot be legislated like guns.

We live in a world in which it appears we want to eradicate all risk, it's not always going to be achieveable, nor is it, in my opinion, desirable.

I love these blind stats you use, maybe they should have a vote too.
If there not weapons why do thugs use them and why do the police have a K9 unit, also the army uses dogs. Also why do they not report on the news when a Lab savauges a toddler.
Another point would you trust a strange dog RB or not with your child if you have one.

andreac

Gin77 wrote: »

I love these blind stats you use, maybe they should have a vote too.
If there not weapons why do thugs use them and why do the police have a K9 unit, also the army uses dogs. Also why do they not report on the news when a Lab savauges a toddler.
Another point would you trust a strange dog RB or not with your child if you have one.

Because a Lab wouldnt make good headlines and sell as many papers etc. There are far more attacks by non rb's than restricted breeds but they never make the papers.

I wouldnt trust any strange dog, respective of breed around children.

A dog isnt a weapon. The only thing that causes a dog to be aggressive are humans. A dog isnt born aggressive, its us humans/owners that do this, so you cannot blame the dog in any way.