dog attack!

me and my friend both have 6 month old staff pups, i have the bitch she has the dog (brother and sister) we always walk them in the evenings...however 3 nights ago we were walking them and took a different route from the field we were on. both of them were on leads as they tend to want to play rather than walk when their off lol. suddenly a big male staff with no collar and no owner with it came running upto us. it first came to my bitch and she growled (shes very feisty at times) he ignored it and then suddenly went for the other pup who isnt the most confident with other dogs. he backed away. the staff suddenly started trying to get him round his throat, and he wasnt playing. at this point my friend was pulling her pup up by his harness if she hadnt have done it most certainly would have had him. i picked my bitch up who was gojng mad in my arms she wanted to fight! i started knockin on doors to try and find the owner. the staff then went for my friends arm she moved (she was screaming the street down!) luckily someone opened their door and let us in. the staff was gone when we came out. this is the first time weve dealt with this, and ive never been so scared! now its made us wary of walking them on our own, so the other halfs have done it the last few days. weve been told that the dog belongs to someone living in the area and is always getting out and wandering round! i just want to know if anyone has any advice on what to do in a situation like that? people keep saying we should have let them both go and let them fight but looking at the size of this muscly staff i dnt think they would have stood a chance! or maybe im been to protective! and advice or tips will be appreciated!

Do you have any dog wardens in your area? If so, I'd start by informing them. I'd also make an informal complaint to the police. Tell them what happened & when etc, so that if it happens again they will have a record of it.

Other than that, I'd steer clear of where it happened - no point in inviting danger!

Typical idiot owner, though. If you know your dog's a bit da then you make sure it doesn't get out on its own!

The worse thing you can do is listen to what they are saying and let them fight! Your dogs are pups and wouldnt stand a chance with a fully grown .. When a fight starts it is so hard to stop it and get them apart, let alone helping promote a bad name for them again.
My adivce is probs just see if you can find a differant route for a while even go back on the route you did with the field just to be on the safe side, the owner of the dog really needs to keep the dog in before something bad happens to either him i.e cars in the road or someone else's dog and try and report it to wardens if poss to prevent it happening again etc.

we are definitely steering clear of where it happened, however its just around the corner from where my friend lives! weve been told whos dog it is and it only lives a few mins from my friend now shes even more scared to go anywhere as shes worried it will happen again. apparently he gets out the house as soon as the front door opens and does a run for it, but nobody comes to look for him a im gueesin he always goes home. he does get walked so weve found out, so no wonder he tries to make a break for it at every chance! i was thinkin of ringing the rspca and reporting it to them. it worries me that what if i had my children with me when it happened. your right typical idiot owner!

tishasweet wrote: people keep saying we should have let them both go and let them fight but looking at the size of this muscly staff i dnt think they would have stood a chance! or maybe im been to protective! and advice or tips will be appreciated!

That's ludicrous, the pups wouldn't have stood a chance, even if they both attacked together! A grown staff is more than a match for a couple of pups!

yes i agree they really wouldnt have stood a chance! and regardless of whether they are only pups or not i dnt want to encourage it. staffys are lovely dogs but its incidents like this and idotic owners that give them a bad name!

What a scary situation. Agree with Caryll totally, inform a dog warden (contact your council they will put you in the right direction) and avoid walking there for the time being.

Don't let it put you off though, some people just have little or no responcibility Xx

i know it shouldnt let it put me off because i really enjoy walking her she loves it and keeps me fit and helps me escape my madhouse every evening! im just a bit wary now...think i may take her tonight and just go to the other field nearer to me, not as far a walk but she gets a good run around

It's a shame when you can't walk just where you want to cause of some tool, but at least you'll know you're safe!

yes it is a shame but id rather lipsy and me be safe

how awful for you, i would have been terrified, hope you never see the dog again. Please report this irresponsible dog owner, he needs to know what is happening when his dog is running wild

What a nasty experience. I would definitely report this to the authorities. One thing though, picking up your dog when another is intent on attack is probably the worst thing you can do. Everything I have read seems to say that you should stand in front of your dog and face the aggressor with calm assertivness and claim the space around you. This may be ok for big burly blokes but I am damn sure that I would pick up my boy and bolt.

Can only advise walking a different route.

What a frightening ordeal.
I think it is a normal reaction to pick up a pup when you see or feel something threatening it (even if you've been taught or read it's the wrong thing to do). Maybe its that sense of responsibility of something so young and innocent that we want to protect. Like Lynne I would struggle to do otherwise.
Def walk your dogs elsewhere and report the info you have to the appropriate authorities.
I feel sorry for the adult staff in a way as well, it's possibly not had a good upbringing and eventually something will happen where the dogs ends up hurting another dog or someone. Bet the moron owner wont be around then either.

yeh i would report it and i most certainly would not have let my dog go and let them fight it out if my dog was the one on the receiving end. no dog should be let to wander like that it odes need reporting. its not just a danger to other dogs but to humans too.

Phone the police, it is illegal to let your dog wander and if it is dangerous it will be taken away.

Caryll wrote:

Typical idiot owner, though. If you know your dog's a bit da then you make sure it doesn't get out on its own!

And this is exactly why lexi is penned in with metal fences and if she gets out we know exactly where to look first (the side of the house where the cats get fed lol) and if she not there we go on a mad search. My neighbour has two small springers that she would absolutely decimate! But probably the main reason is that the other neighbour has 6 very large police german shepards and if she got up there and tried to act the big lady they would shred her

Oh no! You could always carry a walking stick. I don't know if mace/bear spray is legal where you live, but that also works (not illegal here). Your dogs need to know they are safe with you and you never want to let them get into fighting because sometimes once it is there, they will remember and want a go at whichever dog they don't fancy. Just a shame people aren't more responsible!

You should definatly report it and I think its bad that you a responsible owner should feel threatened by some morons dog the sad thing is the dog will probably be given up and the moron feel no shame.
I would protect my 2 with my life and the very same thing happened to me it really was the most awful situation my arms were a complete mess I hope to never be there again

aww gem im sorry to hear that, luckily none of us were harmed...i would protet her as much as i could. it worries me that if i had had my children with me, aged 11, 7 and 2and it happened i would know what to do? i would want to keep my children in that situation and would do anything to protect them. i was thinkin the other night about it i kept wondering what i would do...do i just let her go and get my children away, or try my hardest to protect them all..but im only human!.....also my firends husband nipped to the shops last night and the staff was back! this time he came running over, his pup backed away behind him. the staff growled at him anf my friends husband shouted to move and tapped him on the nose (i dnt agree with smacking any dog) but in this case it paid off as the staff ran off with his tail in between his legs! i am ringing the authorities first thing, because next time someone could get seriously hurt! its not fair on the dog either as deep down hes probably a softie and just needs some proper care!