Hello but i really need some help here :(

Hey everyone.

My names Tom and I have a full pedigree staffy. His name is DeeJay and is just over 5 years old now.

First off, he is such a loving people happy dog. He does get on well with some dogs, but only dogs that he knows.


On Monday, an owner from a few houses down the road was walking past with his Alsatian. DeeJay has seen this somehow got out and attacked the Alsatian. The owner, my dad, and my neighbor ran over to get my dog off the Alsatian and away from the situation.The owner of the Alsatian now has a badly cut finger (30 stitches), and he is blaming my dog. There is no proof that my dog had done this, but because of the history of the breed, this don't look good for myself and my dog.

We have had the police around and I am yet to talk to them due to work commitments, but I really don't know what to do at the moment. I have spent most of this evening crying my eyes out. If this goes to the CPS, there is a chance that I could get a criminal record because of this accident. Even the police officer (without saying it) says that comes across as an accident, but I just got this feeling that the owner of the other dog wants to take this further.

So far, I feel I only have 3 options

1. Muzzle DeeJay anytime he is outside the house (if the outcome with the police is good)
2. Take him to Battersea Dogs Home to hopefully find a new and better owner.
3. Euthanasia


I really don't know what to do at the moment. Got so much going through my mind. Hopefully someone can help

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What an awful situation to be in

I have no experience of anything like this but I wouldn't do anything hasty until you know more, certainly not giving your dog away or worse. This person may decide not to take it any further, am i right in thinking this person only got injured through trying to seperate the fight? And that he's never shown any signs of aggression before? I would definitely keep him on lead outside the house but I'm not sure a muzzle is necessary? Someone who knows more may say differently though?

Hi & welcome to the forum.

You say there's no proof that he bit your neighbour, but he did attack the GSD? If that's the case then it'll be taken as read that the injury the man received came from your dog. The first thing you should probably do is apologise to your neighbour (as much as you'd hate to do it) and promise him it would never happen again.

Hopefully the interview with the police will go well & you can prove that your dog is good with people & that the bite was an accident. But if that's the case, you may be required to put a muzzle on him in public places.

I would imagine that the police would want to to make sure that your dog's never in a position to be out of control again, though & you'll need to take steps to prove that you can do this.

How did he get out?

If you do get problems with the police, please give the following people a ring - they may be able to help you, or point you in the right direction...

http://www.ddawatch.co.uk/about_us.html

Hi & welcome from darcy & me, I'm sorry I haven't any experience in this either, but caryll's advice will help you, please speak to the police as soon as possible, & definitely try and apologise

Nothing more to add to Caryll's suggestions. Also, if he was out any money I'd offer to pay. Goes along well with an apology. Two dogs going at it often can get the person trying to break it up. It isn't out of people aggression at all, but rather one of the risks of sticking your body in with two dogs going at it.

Sazzle wrote:What an awful situation to be in

I have no experience of anything like this but I wouldn't do anything hasty until you know more, certainly not giving your dog away or worse. This person may decide not to take it any further, am i right in thinking this person only got injured through trying to separate the fight? And that he's never shown any signs of aggression before? I would definitely keep him on lead outside the house but I'm not sure a muzzle is necessary? Someone who knows more may say differently though?

The other owner got a cut finger, but my dad cut a small cut on the neck also where he tried to get in close to pull him away. As soon as my dad and the dog went inside, my dog was all over my dad trying to lick his neck to say sorry I guess.

My dog also has swollen tail which has only just come up today from where I guess the other dog has bitten my dog.

The idea of the muzzle is so he can't attack other dogs and shows that I am a responsible owner I guess. He has actually been attacked 3 times by 3 different breeds before.

Caryll wrote:Hi & welcome to the forum.

You say there's no proof that he bit your neighbor, but he did attack the GSD? If that's the case then it'll be taken as read that the injury the man received came from your dog. The first thing you should probably do is apologize to your neighbor (as much as you'd hate to do it) and promise him it would never happen again.

Hopefully the interview with the police will go well & you can prove that your dog is good with people & that the bite was an accident. But if that's the case, you may be required to put a muzzle on him in public places.

I would imagine that the police would want to to make sure that your dog's never in a position to be out of control again, though & you'll need to take steps to prove that you can do this.

How did he get out?

If you do get problems with the police, please give the following people a ring - they may be able to help you, or point you in the right direction...

http://www.ddawatch.co.uk/about_us.html

Sorry but what is GSD?

We as a household have been advised not to approach or talk to them and just let the police deal with it. The when the officer came round to interview my dad they asked if they could see him (he was put in the kitchen out the way). When he came in he was wagging his tail and jumping about as what he would do with any person who comes in the house. He is a very happy and excitable dog.

The officer owns rotts herself. She did say that the staff would of had lock jaw on the person. Now I know that is a load of non sense as lock jaw is just a myth. I'm not sure that trying to prove it to her will help my case.

Thanks for the link though. Already had a read through that.

Ohh yeah, should note that I'm from the UK also.

Ben wrote:Two dogs going at it often can get the person trying to break it up. It isn't out of people aggression at all, but rather one of the risks of sticking your body in with two dogs going at it.

Exactly.

r33-tom wrote:Sorry but what is GSD?

Sorry - it's an Alsatian. They're not called that any more, they're called German Shepherd Dogs or GSD for short!

Caryll wrote:

r33-tom wrote:Sorry but what is GSD?

Sorry - it's an Alsatian. They're not called that any more, they're called German Shepherd Dogs or GSD for short!

Ohh right, thanks for clearing that up. lol.

Personally there is no proof that your dog caused the injury as in the fray the man may have been bitten by his own dog. He was an idiot to get his hand so close to their mouths.

If you haven't already take your dog to a vet to get his injuries looked at an recorded (make sure they are recorded)

Yes, your dog got out but as long as you can show he is friendly and not a danger nothing will happen (you may be forced to muzzle though)

As for even considering a rescue or euthanasia I wouldn't even entertain those thoughts just yet. You are shook up and wanting it to "go away" and it won't go away.

Keep your head down, play ball and be cooperative but don't roll over. If the man is gunning for your dog, fight back and prove his innocence. After all, not all dogs like others! Just make sure your yard is more secure.

tbh your on a bit of a back foot as your dog was loose and not considerd to be under control at the time. you need to focus on this with the police and the police only. you may also want to speak with a good dog solicitor, someone like wheldon law.
force home the point that this was a one off and that the dog slipped out by mistake and have something to prove it wont happen again, double doors baby gate etc you also need to show that you are proactive in dealing with the situation and taking it seriously. despite what you may read the police are very understanding to people that are showing they understand a simple mistake and are trying to make a mends.
above all DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING OVER TO THE POLICE until you contact an organisation like DDA watch 0844 844 2990 or you may find your dog put down unnecessarily.

Hayley wrote:Personally there is no proof that your dog caused the injury as in the fray the man may have been bitten by his own dog. He was an idiot to get his hand so close to their mouths.

If you haven't already take your dog to a vet to get his injuries looked at an recorded (make sure they are recorded)

Yes, your dog got out but as long as you can show he is friendly and not a danger nothing will happen (you may be forced to muzzle though)

As for even considering a rescue or euthanasia I wouldn't even entertain those thoughts just yet. You are shook up and wanting it to "go away" and it won't go away.

Keep your head down, play ball and be cooperative but don't roll over. If the man is gunning for your dog, fight back and prove his innocence. After all, not all dogs like others! Just make sure your yard is more secure.

That's a good call about the vet. Not even thought about that to be honest. Will get him booked up!

Nathan wrote:tbh your on a bit of a back foot as your dog was loose and not considerd to be under control at the time. you need to focus on this with the police and the police only. you may also want to speak with a good dog solicitor, someone like wheldon law.
force home the point that this was a one off and that the dog slipped out by mistake and have something to prove it wont happen again, double doors baby gate etc you also need to show that you are proactive in dealing with the situation and taking it seriously. despite what you may read the police are very understanding to people that are showing they understand a simple mistake and are trying to make a mends.
above all DO NOT SIGN ANYTHING OVER TO THE POLICE until you contact an organisation like DDA watch 0844 844 2990 or you may find your dog put down unnecessarily.

Within the 5 years of owning him from a puppy, this is the first time he has ever got out. He gets on well with my neighbors labs fine.

We use our baby gate everyday to pin him in the kitchen when we have guests over who are not keen on dogs in general.

I fell because the pfficier who came to interview my dad owns dogs herself, I feel that she knows the situation we are in and is wanting to help us. She saw that DeeJay was a happy dog and wouldn't want to hurt anyone. I can only hope that this is sorted soon so we all can move on and get on with our lives.

I'll make a note of the comment about the DDA Watch and not signing anything. Hopefully it wont get to that, but just in case, I can phone them up.




Just want to say thanks to everyone who has posted. Feel like there are people out there who are willing to help. Means a lot

bless you mate, just remember that you are not alone. everyone on here is here to help and they are a tough lot and they have collectivley have been through everything.
I'm taking a special intrest in your case as I feel its sounding alot like something i can help with. im on here allday but can only post 19:00 onwards as i work 08:30 to 17:30 and have dogs to walk and look after. but i will try and get back to you should your ask inside those hours. in honestly though there will always be someone here to help they are a cracking bunch of people

I appreciate the help.

I work shifts in central london (live in kent) so some days I don't get home till either 5pm or 8pm shift depending.

I have my interview with the police on Tuesday so hopefully that all goes well and we can see what happens next.

Will get a few pictures taken soon also. Deejay is half blue also so is a little larger and the average staffy

Hi and welcome to the forum! I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Im sure that was very scary for you! You do need to be very careful about not letting your dog get out! Although I do understand accidents can happen, this can never happen again! I would be very cooperative with the police but at the same time don't "roll over" like Hayley said earlier! I would definitely take some time to make your yard and house more secure so if this does go any further you can tell them and prove that you've taken steps to make sure this NEVER happens again so they can see you are a responsible owner! I wouldnt go as far as muzzling him 24/7 while hes inside, especially if you make your house more secure to prevent him from getting out again! I truly hope this doesn't go any further and you did the right thing by coming here and asking for help! Has he ever showed aggression/attacked other dogs before or was this the first time?

Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Where did your dog come from - private breeder or rescue centre ?

If he came from a rescue centre are you still able to contact them, get some help from them if you can - some advice on what to do or even get your dog back there for an assessment.

Contact a canine behaviorist for some advise too, or even better speak to a few of them. The more things you can do to help yourself the better the outcome will be.

Hello and welcome to the forum from me and the kids , first off with the exception of the injury to the owner I have been there (it was me that got the injury so doesn't count in my book )
Be as proactive as you can to prove your good ownership and that this was an nfortunate accident . At the moment please make a note of possible advice regarding the incident for solicitors , dda watch etc but also please put them t the back of your mind . Your first priority should be to change your work commitments and speak to the police yourself so you can get your own feeling on things. Just sit tight and see what develops.
Hopefully it will be seen as an accident as your boy does not have any history of this and will go no further.
TBH I would normally expect a GSD owner to be a bit more aware of incidents such as this and possibly bea little more understanding but everyone can't be the norm , remember they have also suffered at the hands of the press and public opinion. It would be great if you could speak to the owner but you must follow the advice of the police so not to antagonise the situation .

Wish you the best of luck with this and please keep us updated , we are all here for avice , a chat or a rant if it helps

Welcome to the forum, I know it's not a good start for you on here but hopefully you will get some good advice and some constructive criticism, to help you with your problem. I would have been around to the neighbours asap to grovel at the feet if need be.. It might be that you dog is friendly but like I have said many time you can never be complacent about how you dog will react. Just a shame you weren't on the ball that day. But it will be a lesson you have learned hopefully not at your dog's expense. For those that say it was the guy's fault he got injured I'm afraid I disagree, he would not have had to be put in that position in the first place if it weren't for your dog, I'm sure we would all jump in to protect our dogs if they were being attacked. You can't shift the blame on to him. BTW any delay on your part to rectify the situation may be seen as a can't be bothered attitude.. deal with it asap!

Kathy wrote:Hi and welcome to the forum from Rocky and me.

Where did your dog come from - private breeder or rescue centre ?

If he came from a rescue centre are you still able to contact them, get some help from them if you can - some advice on what to do or even get your dog back there for an assessment.

Contact a canine behaviorist for some advise too, or even better speak to a few of them. The more things you can do to help yourself the better the outcome will be.

I bought DeeJay from an approved breeder. After 10 weeks old, I picked him up.

I have been told that he needs the snip, but I can't see how that will help personally. I like that he has everything and nothing missing. Would prefer to keep him that way.

Dave wrote:Hello and welcome to the forum from me and the kids , first off with the exception of the injury to the owner I have been there (it was me that got the injury so doesn't count in my book )
Be as proactive as you can to prove your good ownership and that this was an nfortunate accident . At the moment please make a note of possible advice regarding the incident for solicitors , dda watch etc but also please put them t the back of your mind . Your first priority should be to change your work commitments and speak to the police yourself so you can get your own feeling on things. Just sit tight and see what develops.
Hopefully it will be seen as an accident as your boy does not have any history of this and will go no further.
TBH I would normally expect a GSD owner to be a bit more aware of incidents such as this and possibly bea little more understanding but everyone can't be the norm , remember they have also suffered at the hands of the press and public opinion. It would be great if you could speak to the owner but you must follow the advice of the police so not to antagonise the situation .

Wish you the best of luck with this and please keep us updated , we are all here for avice , a chat or a rant if it helps

Thanks for that.

pag wrote:Welcome to the forum, I know it's not a good start for you on here but hopefully you will get some good advice and some constructive criticism, to help you with your problem. I would have been around to the neighbours asap to grovel at the feet if need be.. It might be that you dog is friendly but like I have said many time you can never be complacent about how you dog will react. Just a shame you weren't on the ball that day. But it will be a lesson you have learned hopefully not at your dog's expense. For those that say it was the guy's fault he got injured I'm afraid I disagree, he would not have had to be put in that position in the first place if it weren't for your dog, I'm sure we would all jump in to protect our dogs if they were being attacked. You can't shift the blame on to him. BTW any delay on your part to rectify the situation may be seen as a can't be bothered attitude.. deal with it asap!

Well I have been told that the officier is off duty till Tuesday, hence why I have to wait till Tuesday to give my interview with her at my house.

I just want Tuesday to come and get it over with.

Good luck on Tuesday! Please keep us updated and let us know how everything goes!