What to do about a neighbor's angry dog?

Wassermelone

So my dog, Eisley was bitten fairly badly by another dog. Eisley is ok - he's been to the vet, was stitched up, and is on antiobiotics and pain meds. As dogs do, he already seems to not care and is just as smiley as usual.

But this is not the first time this other dog has gone after my dog. The first time was months ago and only a light bruising as my wife was able to disengage them very quickly. They live on the ground floor two floors below us and the most convenient route to walk Eisley and every time we walk him pass their small gated area the dog goes full bezerker mode barking and snarling. This is not play barking (as shown by it actually attacking my dog). He seems to basically be extremely territorial towards other dogs (but not people - I don't think hes a danger to people).

I... I don't want to be responsible for having another person's dog put down, but I don't want it there. I don't want it anywhere near. I need to talk to the owners more (to further complicate the matter, we were actually on vacation while our dog was bitten and it was the friend who was walking Eisley who took it to the vet) to get them to pay for the vet visit (which they have said they would to the friend).

Should I talk to the home owners association? Animal control? I really just don't know.

ceres

That order: talk to them, if it keeps happening (which it will) talk to the HOA, and if nobody has done anything about it for certain period of time, call animal control and see what they say. This is something where keeping the dog in and crate training could be the answer, they'd just have to do that and they might not want to hear it.

The territorial dog's breed will likely affect how it's treated, which is sad, but it's still a menace to other pets.

Blarghy

I'd suggest talking to the owners first before escalating to any outside agencies and see if you can work something mutually agreeable out first. If they're willing to work with you, you'll probably be able to habituate the dogs to one another, so the other dog doesn't see your dog as a threat.

Djeet

I'd report the attack to animal control or sheriff's office or whichever authorities, and then notify the owners you have done so. 1st report won't result in anything happening, but it starts the paper trail. Multiple reports of biting will cause the authorities to get involved. In my experience owners who are not more proactive and responsive to the victims when their dog bites someone or another dog are shit owners who do not respond to anything other than authority involvement. I think the window probably closed already on your getting any satisfaction with respect to their paying a vet bill. For either the police or the apartment management this is a civil matter unless you want to try to make it a criminal one.

mts

if the dog is in a gated area how did your dog get attacked?

if the dog got out of this area , then you should make it a bug issue with the HOA or whoever is responsible for it.

if you let your dog close to the other by entering the area or letting him get up to the fence , then you have no arguement.

Wassermelone

I wasn't there when it happened but the other dog was out of the gated area, off leash (theres a small 'park' area adjacent to our building)

Also fortunately, she has already payed the friend of ours who was dogsitting Eisley while we were away back.

I think I'm going to follow @ceres advice, thank you.

Dark_Side

Were both dogs off leash at the time? And what are their breeds?

Wassermelone

My dog was on the leash - hes a rescue mixed breed so we don't know exactly, but the common conjecture is corgi/american eskimo

Photo:

I don't know the breed of the other dog but it looks a bit like a tan german pinscher.

Dark_Side

Aah. I asked because if both dogs were off leash, then either side can say the other started the fight and it gets messy. And if either one was a pit, the pit always gets the blame. Anyway yeah, probably should talk to the neighbors first, though most times people with aggressive dogs are in denial and get defensive, so I would be prepared to take this to your HOA. Glad your dog is at least ok though.

ceres

D'awwwwwwwww