The same Chocolate lab has attacked Mack for the third time now. We checked the field at the back of the British Legion to make sure it was clear. I stayed in the car watching the entrance as you can see for ages if a dog is coming. I then beep Dan to put them back on the leads if one is coming.

No one in sight but Dan put them on the leads to head back to the car. Suddenly out of the British Legion the lab ran out hackles up and launched himself at Mack. Now Mack was on a slip lead fortunately for him and not the halti I use otherwise he would have been completely defenseless. The dog was biting his throat and chest. Mack ended up grabbing this lab around the throat and Dan dragged him off only for the lab to get Mack again.

I was frantically bibbing the horn for someone to come out and ended up running in the pub (Brit. Leg) and the owner came out (worse for wear).

He got his dog and then made a phone call. Apparently if your on the phone you become invisible!!

I have sent a message via a mutual friend to say if it happens again I will report him.

I'm annoyed because I dont want Mack being forced to defend himself and thereby attacking another dog. Also what happens if he has his halti on. If I take it off to let him protect himself he is then no longer on the lead either. If I don't he could get badly damaged.

Everytime it happens they apologise but then do nothing about it.

Mack is really sad now and not his usually playful self.

How awful for you and Mac - owner should be much more aware of the possible consequences of his inattention to his dogs behaviour. My dogs always seem to get attacked by labs and especially choclate ones! I hope Mac will be back to his usual self soon

Poor Mack!!Hope he's bouncing round again soon.

It makes me very cross:angry: when dog owners are irresponsible, it always seams to be Labs that attack Deerhounds, I would contact your local dog warden do not wait until it happens again or if the owner is not with the dog catch the dog and take it to the police station saying it was running free and attacking your dog your dog could have been a child
Whenever I am out with my Deerhounds I feel I have to be extra responsible

The thing here is dogs will be dogs, but owned by pratts like this fella could get the dog in serious trouble. You have to take his lead off and let him go back, I know it isn't nice, but he shouldn't be subjected to attack and not be able to defend. This fella could find himself in serious trouble, failing to keep an animal under control. If it were Mack, then it would be failing to keep a dangerous dog under control - if you get the point here.

Poor old Mack, none of us want to see our dogs fight and you shouldn't have to be sitting in the car watching incase this bloody lab comes out, you should be out there enjoying the walk yourself.

Perhaps a word with the Police might sort the situation, none of us like doing it, BUT, it might be a word in his ear from them that makes him keep his animal under control, failing that, is there nowhere else you can walk Mack?

I was always worried if dogs keep attacking Murphy, will it make him aggressive? luckily it hasn't, but he does have a growl under his breath at certain dogs, but then that is a male dominance thing rather than agression.

Hi Sarah, you CAN'T allow this to happen again, and as it seems the owner is incappable of doing anything about it, perhaps the only answer is to keep something up your sleeve to sort the lab out. If you look on it as the field bully, I guess he would be easily put in his place. Good luck!

Its got to be no fun for you Guys either, you must be nervous wrecks, not accptable.

I really agree thats it's totally unacceptable for Mac to be repeatably attacked by that dog. If Mac's on a lead and the other isn't then give the owner hell over it. A dog is deemed to be dangerous if it attacks other dogs as well as people, threaten to report it as a dangerous dog if they don't keep it under control.

I am very carefull with Ben and only let him off lead if I'm somewhere where I know it's safe to let him off but then again he does have a couple of acres of land at home to run on. It really infuriates me when I take pains to avoid this situation and others just let their dogs attack.

The dangerous dog thing just wouldn't work quickly enough,if at all, to deal with this situation. We are involved with a case at the moment, although the cicumstances and breed are totally different, and the wheels of justice(sic) move so slowly despite the best efforts of the people on the ground, the only course open to reasonable people, is to take the law into their own hands. After this, I suppose I can expect a knock on the door at 5am tom.

alan wrote:


Yes it would take time to get into the courts and I'm not really proposing that the dog be reported as dangerous. If the incident was reported to the police then an officer would have to visit the other dogs owner to warn them that they should keep the dog under control. Hopefully this alone would do the trick.

Thats what I was thinking, no one wants to see anything happen to the dog, but a little word in his ear and a threat or prosecution and what would happen if he doesn't control the dog in future might do the trick. Sometimes you can deal with things yourself and it get out of hand and turn nasty. All you want to do is walk your dog, in peace and safety!

It's never the dog, it's always the owner, the dog has been allowed to do what he does with no one to pull him in line.

P.S. Hi again Sarah, DH's are also their own worst enemy as they are so soft with other dogs, but if you saw them in full working mode, the are on fire and a Choc. would be a cake walk.

Oh poor Mack and poor you. Some people are just so irresponsible. The fact that he was in the pub with absolutely no concern or control on his dog. Why can't he keep him tethered if he must take his dog to the pub? I would definately be doing something, it isn't fair on Mack, you or the Lab.

Poor Mack I hope it is not happend again. Some people wouldn't have dogs at all.

Poor Mac & poor you! This is not acceptable at all I really think that you should report this to the police, so at least they have it on file, & then report it again every time it happens! Also if that idiot is not looking after his dog properly, maybe a call to the RSPCA.... surely it can't be ok to be in the club drinking and not be in control of his dog!! Surely something can be done....what's the point of having the Dangerous Dog Act

A lot of dog owners really do not understand the implications of the dog act and they are dicing with their dogs lives by letting them act in an unaccepetable way. I know I have harped on about the pet corrector but one good spray at the lab and I will guarentee that the lab would never attack mac again.

I have 2 dalmatians who we regulary meet out on walks. The owner is a right ******* and laughed each time his dogs launched themselves at mine (they were not playing!) so one day I had my pet corrector ready in my hand and aimed a good old blast at the nearest dalmation as soon as it prepared to attack - the look on it's face was priceless, it stopped dead in it's tracks then turned and ran followed by it's accomplice. The man had a right go at me but as I pointed out, if he had his dogs under control there would have ben no need for me to use it. I have never had any problems with these dogs again and funnily enough I saw them this moring and both dogs and owner took a wide berth

I ALWAYS have my pet corrector with me on every walk besides which it is useful if Murray starts to play too rough with Carys. I only have to show him the tin and he stops straight away.

Dear houndy I need to ask what is the pet corrector and where can you get it from (I can be a bit thick sometimes)

It is the worst feeling in the world seeing a dog approaching me now as Flint has been attacked by a Boxer, Rotti and a Great Dane, Flint automatically gets aggitated!He is always under control and never causes hassle but he is a dangerous dog magnet!

poor Flint,he's the biggest soft-pot I know!

suerose wrote:


A pet corrector is a can of compressed air which gives of a loud hissing noise when sprayed - dogs hate it and it can be used to stop dogs fighting, correct any unwanted behaviour and fend off any unwanted dog attention. It does not hurt the dog in any way as it is just basically air. I use it mainly when Murray starts to get too rough with Carys or as my post said, to fend off unwanted dogs.

It is made by the company of animals and is available at pets at home and most pet shops and is about six quid for a can which hopefully will last quite a long time.