Advocacy & Safety - Dog Bite

Well this happened when I was running yesterday and now my triathlon training is currently on the shelf for the time being.

I went out for my long run yesterday and was just about 3/4 mile from my house when I passed one of my neighbors who was outside with two dogs. I don't know them or anything but as I was running by the dogs came after me, one was little and one looked like a black lab. My neighbor immediately said oh don't worry these dogs are very nice and won't bite. About one second later the black dog came up from behind me and bit my leg just above my ankle. I looked down to see blood pouring out of my leg. The neighbor started freaking out and asked me to come in her yard so she could take me home. So I started walking in her yard and she never got control of the dog. I was keeping an eya on the dog but I was talking to my neighbor and out of nowhere the dog bit my calf on the same leg. I never saw him coming at all the second time. This wound was much worse, since now there were three large holes in my calf and a couple other puncture wounds on the other side. All in all I have about 8 or 9 puncture wounds on my leg, and I might have some tendon damage. And to top it all off the dog was not current on its shots so now I have to play the wait and see game while the dog is being quarantined. The hospital contacted animal control and they've taken care of that side of it. It was just a lovely day, but right now I'm just trying to keep it clean so it won't get infected and I'm going to see a surgeon next week to find out about any other internal damage.

After I got a good look at the dog it looked like a lab/rottweiler mix but I'm not sure about that. I would have never thought that dog would have bit me, but I just wanted to post this so people will remember to be careful around dogs. I'm a dog lover and this won't change it, but it will definitely change my approach while running or cycling. Just please make sure to use caution while running or cycling. My guess right now is that it'll be a month at least before I'm back up and going but hopefully that's just me thinking the worst.

outta make her pay for the med bills.

Get that tetanus shot booster if there's any question about when your last one was.
I agree, she should pay every cent of your medical bills. People have no idea at all about the capacity of dogs to change their minds in a split second. I've had people try to open their screen doors to get a package while their dog is trying to get at me through the wall of the hoouse, and say to me that their dog won't bite, at the same time.

You on her property when the dog bite you the second time?

Liability my friend. Hers?

You on her property when the dog bite you the second time?

Liability my friend. Hers?


Yeah I was on the property the second time. She offered to pay for anything not covered by my medical insurance. I got my tetanus shot while I was in the ER and now just waiting to see if I have to get the rabies vaccine. Well at least it's not 21 shots in the stomach anymore :)

Get a Lawyer ASAP and move to have the animal destroyed.
If not for you for the rest of us.
You trained hard and now all that time and effort may be down the drain because of a very irresponsible animal owner. You should be well compensated.

Yeah I was on the property the second time. She offered to pay for anything not covered by my medical insurance. I got my tetanus shot while I was in the ER and now just waiting to see if I have to get the rabies vaccine. Well at least it's not 21 shots in the stomach anymore :)

How generous of the woman to pay for what your insurance does not - considering that she is liable for all damages caused by her unrestrained dog.

Yeah, no kidding. Just curious if there are leash laws in your neighborhood or community?

Either way, I agree with powers2b. Any dog that would come after a stranger twice isn't safe. I would also talk to an attorney. And I damn sure wouldn't be inclined to pay for jack under these circumstances. Good luck with your recovery process whatever you decide.

So what would you do differently "next time"?

I think everyone I know that has been bitten has had the owner say, "Oh, but Fluffy would never hurt a fly..."

You need to speak with a lawyer. You might also speak with the animal control folks and the police yourself. Don't leave it to the medical folks. You need to work to have this menace removed and the owner punished. You don't want to find out how it feels to know this dog is dangerous and do nothing only to find out it later kills a kid.

From now on you should carry a can of mace and use it on the dogs that come near you and hell if the owners are that stupid use it on them as well.

Get a Lawyer ASAP and move to have the animal destroyed.
If not for you for the rest of us.
You trained hard and now all that time and effort may be down the drain because of a very irresponsible animal owner. You should be well compensated.

It is the owners fault, the dog was doing exactly what a dog does (all dogs bite). Yet I understand your position. :)

Report the incident to animal control immediately. Ask them about whether the dog should be classified as "viscious."

Seek all appropriate medical aid and keep track of all expenses. You should not have to charge ANY of this to your own insurance, but against her liability coverage.

Yeah, it's going to be a long road for the next week or so. The dog was labeled viscious by animal control already due to the second bite. Right now I'm waiting to see if I have to get the rabies vaccine since the dog wasn't current on shots. I'm gonna wait and see if I have any tendon damage since I might have some in the front and my achilles but hopefully it's just really sore at this point. But I will be covering my butt for sure just in case. Thanks for all the replies.

Don't forget to sue the owner. The worst part should be over for you now. Time for the irresponsible owner to start feeling some pain. For all of us that get repeatedly chased by dogs, you need to hold her accountable.

I have never filed suit on anyone in my life but i get chased by dogs ALOT and i always say that if one of those suckers bites me, i am suing. I carry K-9 muzzle on my waist on every ride. It is pepper spray that is designed for doggies.

I have only used it twice, but I can attest that it works. Usually I let the dumb&ss dogs chase me until i am about ready to wreck and get a fractured something or other. Than i get done and think, "damn, i should have just sprayed that sucker." I am always hesitant because the way the justice system works sometimes, i don't want to be the one getting sued.

Also, try squirting dogs with your waterbottles or through a water bottle at them. Aim for their eyes with the water- it'll slow them down if nothing else. I've been chased by a dog or two, generally on a pretty flat road, so i can outdistance them on the bike. You can also unclip one foot and try and kick the dog if it gets close =-= its better then being bit!

I rode by a guy walking a large dog the other day. No leash. The guy was walking against traffic. The dog was eyeing me, so I crossed over to the other side. No traffic. I yell to the guy and inquire about my safety. Guy sez no problem. The dog starts to pick up his pace and is staring at me. The guy grabs the dog and starts to repremand him. I darted by and thought to myself that I was lucky. One quick step by that dog, and things could have gotten ugly. I worry about dogs all the time. Never bitten, chased a few times with no problems. I'm going to buy a marine horn. You know, basically a loud noise in can. I've almost crashed a few times watching the dog and not the road. Just a reality of biking. I love dogs myself, but owners are often surprised how quickly a dog can run away and get into trouble.

Quick recovery birddog.

The dog will probably be euthanized anyway, even if animal control doesn't make her. The cost of her insurance will skyrocket, and it is cheaper to get another dog from the pound. People with free roaming dogs don't really care about their dogs, so I doubt she wil pay the extra insurance to keep it.

Carry pepper spray, not mace.Hardly anyone carries "mace" anymore. Pepper spray is more effective.Its made with ocium capcium oil. (chili pepper oil concentrate) Spray that into the animals eyes, and mouth till the animal ceaces its attack. Remember to keep the bicylce between you and the animal.You can use your bike as a shield. And your portable tire pump can also be used as a weapon

Birddog, I see at least a new Italian Bike in this for you. :D

Get a Lawyer ASAP and move to have the animal destroyed.
If not for you for the rest of us.
You trained hard and now all that time and effort may be down the drain because of a very irresponsible animal owner. You should be well compensated.

Yeah, no kidding. Just curious if there are leash laws in your neighborhood or community?

Either way, I agree with powers2b. Any dog that would come after a stranger twice isn't safe. I would also talk to an attorney. And I damn sure wouldn't be inclined to pay for jack under these circumstances. Good luck with your recovery process whatever you decide.

You need to speak with a lawyer. You might also speak with the animal control folks and the police yourself. Don't leave it to the medical folks. You need to work to have this menace removed and the owner punished. You don't want to find out how it feels to know this dog is dangerous and do nothing only to find out it later kills a kid.

Report the incident to animal control immediately. Ask them about whether the dog should be classified as "viscious."

Seek all appropriate medical aid and keep track of all expenses. You should not have to charge ANY of this to your own insurance, but against her liability coverage.

Birddog, I see at least a new Italian Bike in this for you. :D

BirdDog, it sucks that you got bit and it's messed up your training routine. Really. But I'm glad you stated that you're a dog lover, and this incident won't change that. I'm a bit disappointed in all the other people that are immediately calling for this dog to be put down and the owner sued. She's got these dogs for either companionship, protection, or both. We don't know the whole story but I've got a feeling you're disinclined to take any action yourself. The dog may have viewed you as a threat when you ran by, or only wanted to play, and misjudged a nip on the leg. Hard to say. It bit you, which is not acceptable. I'm sure you were quite agitated (not necessarily angry) when you yelled to the owner, and I'm sure there was distress in her voice when she spoke back. That would have put the already excited dog on higher alert, at which point you approached the owner. Dogs are territorial and protective. If it was genuinely vicious, it would have kept biting, and not just gone for a leg. I hope you heal quickly and without any complications, and I hope the owner not only covers any expenses you incur, but that she sees to it that the dog is properly immunized as well. If it's truly an unsafe animal, it should be euthanized. If it's not, I'm sure you'll agree it should be allowed to live, but that the owner needs to take a bit more proactive approach to animal handling. Good luck.

Well, first let me tell you SORRY!!! OMG. Our dog was bitten by a pit bull this last July when we were walking him. He had to have surgrey and ended up with 12 stitches (sp?)
The owner of the dog saw the hole thing too. It was my husband who had to pull the dog off of ours. Thank God our dog in the end was ok, but the first thing they did was clean out the bite marks.
The owner did pay for all of our bills, (he didn't have a choice with me) and was very, very sorry about the whole thing. I will tell you this I have yet to walk my dog down that street since last July.
Just be very firm with the owner of the dog. They do know that their dog can be laid down to sleep and that is hard but a dog bite can kill!!!
Good luck with your healing and sorry that you have to take a break when least expecting too.

BirdDog, it sucks that you got bit and it's messed up your training routine. Really. But I'm glad you stated that you're a dog lover, and this incident won't change that. I'm a bit disappointed in all the other people that are immediately calling for this dog to be put down and the owner sued. She's got these dogs for either companionship, protection, or both. We don't know the whole story but I've got a feeling you're disinclined to take any action yourself. The dog may have viewed you as a threat when you ran by, or only wanted to play, and misjudged a nip on the leg. Hard to say. It bit you, which is not acceptable. I'm sure you were quite agitated (not necessarily angry) when you yelled to the owner, and I'm sure there was distress in her voice when she spoke back. That would have put the already excited dog on higher alert, at which point you approached the owner. Dogs are territorial and protective. If it was genuinely vicious, it would have kept biting, and not just gone for a leg. I hope you heal quickly and without any complications, and I hope the owner not only covers any expenses you incur, but that she sees to it that the dog is properly immunized as well. If it's truly an unsafe animal, it should be euthanized. If it's not, I'm sure you'll agree it should be allowed to live, but that the owner needs to take a bit more proactive approach to animal handling. Good luck.

I've been thinking about our training at work (Postman), and something else we might not want to do is to enter the neighbor's yard(dog's territory). Once the first bite occured, getting a bit away from the scene might have been a better approach. The lady should have put the dogs away before asking him to come over. Another mistake by an uninformed or lackadaisical owner.

The problem today is the lack of responsiblity. Back when people still had common sense and a sense of responsibility, they would take a dog like that out in the country and put a bullet in his head. A dog that bites for ANY reason (other than possibly defending itself or owner) should be put down.

That offends all of the people today that have lost touch with responsiblity. Dogs are not humans. They are animals. Dog bites, dog dies. End of story. They don't get a jury of their peers because, again people, they are not HUMAN!!!

Hindsight is always 20/20. How we deal under stress is another matter.

... I'm a bit disappointed in all the other people that are immediately calling for this dog to be put down and the owner sued. She's got these dogs for either companionship, protection, or both. ... It bit you, which is not acceptable. ... If it was genuinely vicious, it would have kept biting, and not just gone for a leg. ... If it's truly an unsafe animal, it should be euthanized. If it's not, I'm sure you'll agree it should be allowed to live, but that the owner needs to take a bit more proactive approach to animal handling.

Have you ever been bitten by a dog? I have, on two occasions, once on the right calf (25 years ago, while cycling up a 17 percent grade) and once on the right thigh (5 years ago, while jogging). The first animal was a golden retriever with current shots and conscientious, sympathetic owners. I gave them a rather stern warning about letting their dog run loose in the alley behind their house, but did not contact Animal Control. The second dog was an American Staffordshire Terrier, which is basically a pit bull. This one I did report, because it was clearly a viscious beast, and the bite I received was anything but "playful." Fortunately, my injuries healed quickly, so I did not file suit, and the dog later self-euthanized by getting run over a car it was chasing (I am not making this up; truth can be stranger than fiction!).

I like most animals I have met, but I seriously question whether dogs of certain viscious breeds belong in an urban environment, and I would certainly support a two-strikes rule to eliminate certain dogs. Perhaps it is unfair to the dog that its owners do not keep it properly restrained, but I have to put the health and safety of the public above that of these particular dogs. (For the record, my wife's father and younger sister have always had shetland sheepdogs, and we have always enjoyed their company and have spent many memorable hours hiking with them.)

I was bitten rather viciously by my cousin's dog when I was at a young and impressionable age. I got over it, but respect the fact that domesticating animals does not necessarily make them safe. I also owned a Shar-pei, which has jaws similar to that of a Staffy. We played very rough, and he bit me dozens of times, many times much harder than I'm sure he intended, as he was super gentle with children. He was a pretty excitable dog, but never bit anyone other than me. I've taken the stance that all dogs can and will bite, and should be approached as such.

None of us were there when BirdDog got bitten, and none of us has the right to decide the fate of the dog that bit him.

The problem today is the lack of responsiblity. Back when people still had common sense and a sense of responsibility, they would take a dog like that out in the country and put a bullet in his head. A dog that bites for ANY reason (other than possibly defending itself or owner) should be put down.

That offends all of the people today that have lost touch with responsiblity. Dogs are not humans. They are animals. Dog bites, dog dies. End of story. They don't get a jury of their peers because, again people, they are not HUMAN!!!

If we followed that there would be no more dogs. All dogs bite, end of story. :D Dogs are property and are the responsibility of their owners.

If we followed that there would be no more dogs.

That would be nice.

That's a terrible view.

did ya put the **** to 'er yet?

That's a terrible view.

Spoken by a person that has been bitten several times and still allows the offending animal near children.

Hmmm

Spoken by a person that has been bitten several times and still allows the offending animal near children.

Hmmm

Maybe you need to read my post again.

For all the people claiming pit bulls are dangerous to humans, it couldn't be farther from the truth for most of them. You are far more likely to be bitten by a chihuahua or a cocker (esp. if you live in the US with these "American cocker" excuses for dogs). I worked for a vet and my favorite dog EVER was a pit bull. He was dumped at the office after a fight, and had to have surgery, dressing changes, and a special wound spray. The wound spray wasn't fun, but he would let me spray him without any protest, and would always give anyone that cared a kiss. He was dog agressive, but this was as much trained as learned.

IMO, if you want to start getting rid of breeds the American Cocker has to be the first to go.

In December, I had a harsh reminder that biting isn't the only hazard from dogs. On a club ride, on roads that are among the most popular around here for bikes, another rider and myself were riding well ahead of the group. I was right on his wheel as we approached a man, woman, and kid walking a bicycle on the shoulder of the road. What we didn't see was the rott behind them. Although the man had a leash, the dog wasn't on it, and as we approached, the dog stepped out into view, and angled toward us. I assumed the dog was going to bite, but just as we reached it, it stepped in front of my friends bike, and he hit it at close to 20 mph. A light weight df bike hitting a big dog did not happen as I expected. The bike stopped instantly, and my friend was slammed, face first, into the asphalt. He sustained a terrible gash over his eye, a fractured eye socket, bruised liver, broken bone in his hand, and many other less severe injuries. He is just now returning to riding. Of course, the dog wasn't hurt.

I carry a can of Halt, and don't need another reminder to be ready whenever I see a loose dog. Don't forget that hitting one can be worse than getting bitten.

For all the people claiming pit bulls are dangerous to humans, it couldn't be farther from the truth for most of them. You are far more likely to be bitten by a chihuahua or a cocker (esp. if you live in the US with these "American cocker" excuses for dogs). I worked for a vet and my favorite dog EVER was a pit bull. He was dumped at the office after a fight, and had to have surgery, dressing changes, and a special wound spray. The wound spray wasn't fun, but he would let me spray him without any protest, and would always give anyone that cared a kiss. He was dog agressive, but this was as much trained as learned.



My next-door neighbor has a young pit bull(raised from a pup) and he(the dog) will barely let me come near him and there's a chain-link fence between us. Scared of strangers, I guess. He gets along really well with our dogs(mutts), however. Depends on how they're raised.

BirdDog: Hope you make a speedy recovery and do whatever you think needs to be done in that situation. I'm ready to take any animal down(man or beast) if I, or my family, get attacked, but I like to hope it'll never come to that....

For all the people claiming pit bulls are dangerous to humans, it couldn't be farther from the truth for most of them. You are far more likely to be bitten by a chihuahua or a cocker (esp. if you live in the US with these "American cocker" excuses for dogs). I worked for a vet and my favorite dog EVER was a pit bull. He was dumped at the office after a fight, and had to have surgery, dressing changes, and a special wound spray. The wound spray wasn't fun, but he would let me spray him without any protest, and would always give anyone that cared a kiss. He was dog agressive, but this was as much trained as learned.

IMO, if you want to start getting rid of breeds the American Cocker has to be the first to go.

So, of those three breeds, if a dog was really intent on attacking you, which one would be your last choice to be attacked by?

has this dog been a probllem with others in the same neighborhood? Seems that the owner is not the correct person to be in "control" of that dog. If this was My problem -- mine --- i'd to go to the pet store and ask if a dog is offended by an aeosol can of RAID. Or a similar product. Someting small/lightweight enough to carry along.

My dad's policy was 'Dog bites. Dog dies.' Our little spaniel bootsie bit a kid down the street when I was just a youngin', and I can still remember the sadness of our dad taking him to the pound to be out to sleep. (the dog, that is, not the kid.)

I have had endless run-ins with dogs both walking and riding. The local gun shop told us powerful pepper spray is most effective on dogs; for me, my attitude is the first spray goes on the dog and the secone one goes on the damn owner.

It is such a hassle getting your shots and treatment and all that; and then trying to get the bills paid by your company, their company, the owner, whatever; that you might as well just go to a lawyer and sue. Down the street from us they had a big, honestly loveable Great Dane; but the problem is he ran out across the road to attack us and our honestly Loveable Beagle. Last time I looked there is no dog there; but the owner, who's face could give any dog a run for the money, is there in all his repugnant glory. His wife, who doubles as a cow in a the moonlight, doesn;t go out in her front yard anymore...probably afraid of a drive by shooting.

I always tell my rottweiler story on these forums. The long and short of it? Two rotties chased after me when I was on my world tour in Alaska. A recreation vehicle coming from the other direction hit one and killed it instantly; and did a nice bang up job on the second one. Amen.

roughstuff

You have to take into consideration the total damage done per same # of dogs. Cockers are much more likely to bite and cause more damage per 1,000 IMO.

Thte damage that can be done by a pit bull has been overrated. THey aren't any stronger than any other large breed. They are just too stupid to be scared of most things. Most of the people that will pit fight will shoot a dog on the spot that will show agression to a human. The dogs were never human agressive until the gangs took them over.

To answer the question: I would rather meet the average pit than the average cocker.

I have personally had the most trouble with German shepherds.

My boyfriend rented an apartment at a house where the owner had a couple of them. One was clearly unstable. He got more and more hostile toward me to the point where one day he jumped me from behind and bit me on the back of my thigh. Didn't break my skin. After that I'd carry a big rock or stick to hit the dog if he got too close.

Once when I was on a 24 mile day hike with some friends I was bit by a part German shepherd dog on the back of my calf. Problem was we were in the Wilderness and the guy who owned the dog clearly was the type who owned a couple of guns and was equally as unstable, so I just got the heck out of there. It was 7 miles back to the car. I have a big scar.

I am scared of dogs now. I hike with hiking poles and cross them in front of me whenever I see dogs. They and their poison oak encrusted fur stay away from me. Even the friendly ones seem to know what the sticks mean.

I've never been threatened while riding a bike so far. I am sure it would be a horrible event. I would feel very vulnerable without a stick or a rock or something. I don't even have a water bottle handy to throw. Maybe I could grab my flag pole and hit the dog with it.

I have nothing against dogs, but I don't trust them anymore.

You have to take into consideration the total damage done per same # of dogs. Cockers are much more likely to bite and cause more damage per 1,000 IMO.

Thte damage that can be done by a pit bull has been overrated. THey aren't any stronger than any other large breed. They are just too stupid to be scared of most things. Most of the people that will pit fight will shoot a dog on the spot that will show agression to a human. The dogs were never human agressive until the gangs took them over.

The purebred American Pit Bull was originally bred for fighting, but if properly socialized they make great pets. What most people refer to today as a pit bull is some cross bred mongrel that has had the good qualities bred out of it, and the aggression bred (or beaten) into it. My Shar-Pei didn't have a lot of wrinkles, and due to his broad head and wide jaw, was sometimes mistaken for a pit bull. Most people don't even know what a pit bull is, which is only perpetuated by the media's fondness for calling any aggressive cross breed with a muscular stance a "pit bull". That said, the individual is the problem, not the breed.

Diane, I run a GSD website and can say that I agree with you that there are a lot of bad GSDs out there. Nerves are the first thing to go with bad breeding. So people have these pet line dogs with poor nerves, but the drive hasn't been completely bred out yet. Bad combo. With good nerves they are wonderful dogs, but the average American dog isn't close to what it should be. There are only about a half dozen breeders I would even consider getting a GSD from in all of North America (although my next dog will be a rescue).

Expat, good post.

Thank you.

ahh Jesus, I'm so sincerely sorry for you. Keep us posted on your recovery.
"worry does not take the sorrow out of tomorrow, worry takes the strength out of today"
-Corrie Ten Boom

Marge, I don't even know if this thead was serious, or just an effort to open a discussion. I don't think we've heard from the dog bite victim.

Well I thought I'd let everyone know my status. I went to the surgeon and there's no tendon damage or serious internal damage. I have about 7 deep puncture wounds and one 2 inch gash on my calf which are healing pretty nicely. I will have battle scars but it could have been much worse. These bites were bite and releases and it looked like my leg had been ripped open. It wasn't an attack but it wasn't a nip either. If the dog was really serious it would have been much much worse.

I've been given the ok to start cycling as much as I can and can start running this week. However, the running might have to wait since my calf is still very tight and the pounding will hurt too much at this point. I have to wait for swimming until the wounds close since I swim in a public pool, but I could start swimming now. It'll probably be a month or so before I'm at the point where I can really push it. I was on crutches as of last Tuesday so the leg has made great progress over the last week.

The owners of the dog are contemplating putting the dog down since they don't trust him anymore and he will have to be pinned up at all times. We live in the country and there are dogs running everywhere which is why I wasn't so startled when the dog came after me. I did find out the dog was a full blooded lab which was very surprising to me. I'm usually chased 2 to 3 times a day while running or cycling, some good dogs some bad. It's their decision to put the dog down, not mine and I'm not going to push the matter. If I had to choose I would put the dog down without question, but it would still be a tough decision. I've had dogs my entire life and have one sitting beside me right now. All I wanted to do was to remind people to be careful, especially dog lovers like myself who might let down their guards to dogs that look like they won't bite. I would have never thought this dog would bite but I was wrong. This actually did happen so just be careful.

Now someone close this thread.

My ride Sunday invovled a dog encounter. Someone had left their large black dog loose in the front yard. The dog vectored on me, and the only option was to dismount and keep the bike between myself and the dog, who was quite serious in his intention to take a chunk out of me. I'd had a stupid moment that morning, and left without my pepper spray. The only thing that ended the confrontation was the arrival of a pickup that saw the situation and put the truck between me and the dog, giving me a chance to ride away. There and then, I had to revise my view of pickup drivers.
My view of loose dogs, however, has only been reinforced. I will not leave without the spray again.