Very upset - my dog accused of biting an elderly man

[emily_in_nc]

I am very upset right now about a situation that occurred over the weekend and wanted to see what the wise women of TE thought or if anyone had ever been in this position. Over the weekend, I was walking our small (16-lb) dog on leash in our apartment complex and needed to make a quick stop at the garbage area to drop off a small bag of garbage. I had her on a short leash, but an elderly man who walks with a severe stoop (and thus does not really see where he's going as he watches his feet when he walks) walked right towards us in the garbage drop-off area. I got as far away from him as I could, but due to a line of recycling bins to my left, was limited in how far I could get away. He walked close enough to us that my dog, who is extremely friendly (overly so at times), jumped up on him. It happened so fast, but I pulled the leash and got her off him immediately, apologizing profusely.

After that I gave her a beep of her training collar, and she heeled perfectly as we continued our walk. I thought nothing more of it until the man pulled up beside us in his car a bit later and showed me that his hand was bleeding. There was a tiny scratch on it. He looks to be in his mid to upper 80s, and I know the skin gets very thin at that age, making it very easy to be broken. I felt absolutely terrible. He asked for my name (which I gave him) and whether my dog was up to date on her vaccines (which of course she is). I told him that she had never bitten anyone but was very friendly and surely got him with her toenail when she jumped. I think I was very gracious and honest with him, and I did feel really bad about what happened and apologized again multiple times. Jumping up is the one bad habit she has because she's so little and friendly, and most people don't mind a bit, though I try VERY hard not to let her do it, and she's always on leash, but she can move fast.

Today, county animal control came calling. The elderly man had accused my dog of biting him, and as such, she is now under 10-day quarantine and can only go outside to do her business, and not interact with anyone, go on any walks, etc. The animal control officer verified with our vet that she is up to date on all her shots, and he also told my husband that the scratch on the man's hand did not appear to be a bite. He also could tell after talking to my husband (I was at work) that we were conscientious dog owners.

We just feel terrible -- and paranoid. We know that she did not bite the man, but since he made the report, it's our word against his.

We are now nervous that we could get evicted from our apartment or sued (or both). My DH did some research, and it appears that NC has a "one free bite" rule, but it still seems so unfair even to have one bite on her record since we know that she did not bite him.

Any words of wisdom or advice? Should we just sit tight until we see if anything is going to come of this? :confused:

Thanks... :(

[malkin]

Maybe your vet could give you some relevant local information?

Lay low, take it easy, snuggle each other. All will be well.
You are doing a good job training your dog.

[bmccasland]

The animal control officer's report also counts. Can you get a copy of his report?
I agree, it was pretty grumpy of the old gent to report the dog. Brushing up against much of anything would probably result in a scratch that would bleed.

[TrekTheKaty]

Bummer. It doesn't seem to much to ask for a pic or a Doctor's note to go with the complaint.

How come the real menace animals aren't ever reported? As an animal lover, I'd also be worried about your animal being threatened at some point in his lifetime and risking another report. Is there an appeal process?

[Koronin]

I'd be seriously tempted to fight it and since you have to prove your dog is UTD on vacs, I would want him to prove by consent of a doctor that it is a bite and prove your dog is the one that bit him. I doubt he can do that.

[PamNY]

Gosh, so sorry. Do you know any dog rescue people, or very experienced dog trainers? They sometimes are well-informed about issues like this.

I was tangentially involved with a similar situation involving a rescue dog (in another state) and several of the trainers who offered to help knew a lot about local laws.

I would do as much as possible to document that it wasn't a bite, but I don't know what that would be.

[indysteel]

I personally would lay low for the time being. If you press this man, he could escalate it further with your landlord. You don't want that. It's unlikely that your dog will bite anybody, so according to NC law, your're unlikely to be haunted by the dog's "record.". I would, however, make sure that this won't interfere with moving the dog to Belize.

If he does sue, then you can deal with that if and when it happens. There's not a whole lot you can do to prevent that, although you might see what, if anything, your renter's insurance covers. The animal control person will be your best evidence as to the nature of the man's injuries, so make sure to keep a copy of his report. Just steer clear of hthe elderly man on any future walks. If the landlord gets on you, agree to muzzle the dog while in common areas. Try not to take it personally; they have liability issues to worry about.

That's just my two cents. Others may disagree.

[Kerry1976]

I have nothing of value to add to the good advice already given, but wanted to chime in that I hope everything works out for the best for you and your doggie. This seems like a totally bum deal to me, but oftentimes these things end up working out to the advantage of the honest person and disadvantage of those who aren't (the old man).

[Biciclista]

we ought to send that old f a r t a photo of Catrin and show him what a dogbite looks like. :(

[Kerry1976]

When my 76-year-old grandmother visited at Christmas, my parents' pug jumped on her (in happy excitement - Cooper loves all people) and his little nails did the same thing - scratched the thin skin on her arms and caused her to bleed.

Difference? She felt bad asking for a bandaid and felt bad that some of her blood got on Cooper's face. She also felt bad because Cooper got scolded for scratching her. She said it wasn't his fault her skin was so thin and she was glad that he was so glad to see her. (mta: in fact, she was so happy to see him so happy that she was giggling and didn't even realize he had scratched her until I noticed she was bleeding)

Class act verses classless....

[Savra]

I can only give advice from the perspective of an owner who had a dog who bit someone. Go through the ten day quarantine - it's simply a normal thing animal control does. There isn't much more you can do. Usually, these things blow over. Not being able to see what happens - the gentleman may not have been able to see if the dog bit him or not. All he knew was that he started bleeding. My hope here is - if he intended to make a really big case about it he would have done it the instant the dog jumped on him and not a while later after he started bleeding.

[Catrin]

I....My hope here is - if he intended to make a really big case about it he would have done it the instant the dog jumped on him and not a while later after he started bleeding.

This - this remains me of my mother, one simply never has a scratch or a cold, instead one is dying of something. She is really putting herself through far more stress over MY bit leg than I am... He probably doesn't really know either way how it happened and felt he had to do this to protect himself just in case.

Just let me know, I can take pretty pictures of my leg that you can use as an example of what a dog bite looks like! I hope this blows over for you, and it has got to mean something that the animal control officer doesn't think it to be a real bite.

[emily_in_nc]

Thank you all so, so much for the kind and sweet support! I do feel better just reading your comments. Of course we'll abide by the quarantine period (although poor Paisley doesn't understand at all b/c she LIVES for walks), and hopefully that will be the end of it.

If not, you've given me some more good ideas to pursue. Fortunately, the apartment staff love Paisley, and we have many friends in the complex (including a vet) who know what a great dog she is and how very friendly.

Love you gals! This is the most supportive forum anywhere...it really is. :)

Thank you again.

Emily

[emily_in_nc]

P.S. Catrin, it's so ironic the way a situation like mine can get blown out of proportion, and your recent situation, where an actual vicious dog attacked and bit you multiple times, can't even be dealt with properly b/c the dog can't be found. [And I've kinda been on both sides of dog issues now since my fractured pelvis resulted from two dogs running right at me on the road. In this case, the home owner's insurance of the dog owners did end up paying all my non-covered expenses -- I filed an insurance claim but did not sue].

I sure hope you heal up fast -- being attacked by a dog or dogs while riding is one of my biggest fears, and was even before my accident. I love dogs, obviously, but they shouldn't be running loose on the road, ever.

[jessmarimba]

A similar situation happened with my sister's dog. We were having her wedding "reception" (party?) at her house, the food was inside so her dog was outside. My 3 year old cousin was playing with the dog, dog and child bump heads, child has small scratch, aunt & uncle throw a stink and report it, whole nine yards. The kid didn't even need a band-aid, and we're talking about a 90-pound Akita - if the dog had attacked the child, it would definitely have done some damage! Anyway, we proved shots, etc, and essentially haven't spoken to my aunt and uncle in the last few years. She didn't have to do anything special with the dog, but I believe there is a report with animal control somewhere.

Anyway, not much advice, but I sympathize - it's a terribly unecessarily stressful situation. I wish you guys the best.

[ny biker]

I guess I'm the only one who feels bad for the old man. He was just walking in his home, not bothering anyone, and suddenly he's bleeding. He probably feels pretty vulnerable anytime he goes out, because of the way he walks. And if that scratch becomes infected, it could be a serious problem for an elderly person.

Since there was a delay in his calling animal control, it's quite possible that it was someone else's idea, like maybe an adult child or other caretaker. Maybe they were trying to document what happened through official channels, in case it becomes more serious.

You tried to control your dog. But a person was injured. That doesn't mean he deserves to be called names by people who don't know him or his situation.

[Crankin]

It doesn't sound like he was "bleeding," you know, profusely or anything, if all he had was a scratch, not a bite. It's unfortunate this happened, but in the end, this situation is causing Emily more trouble than the man.
I know nothing about dogs or animal behavior and generally don't care that much for any animals. But, I know that Emily is a responsible owner and must be really upset.

[Dogmama]

Couple of things -

Does your dog have a CGC (Canine Good Citizen)? If not, look it up & see about getting one. A dog that passed the CGC is more likely to be looked upon kindly. I know that pit bull owners often get CGC's to protect their dogs against the county.

I would be concerned about a "dog bite" being on record. The animal control officer said, verbally, that it appeared to be a scratch but did he write that is was a bite? I'd get in touch with him/her immediately and ask him to make a statement to that effect. You said you have a one-bite forgiveness in Boston. Then what?

Obviously, being a dogmama, I do react strongly to anything that threatens my dogs - including the county laws. If there was even a remote chance that another incident could mean that my dog was quarantined at the pound or even put to death, I'd have a lawyer involved & have the animal control officer deposed. I'd also get pictures of the "bite" and have it examined by a medical professional.

My DH is a private investigator & routinely sees incidents that get blow out of proportion & end up in courts. For that reason, I would take absolutely no chances, even if people thought you were going overboard. I think erring on the side of caution is better than saying later, "If only..." I'd do it quickly - before the animal control officer forgets what he said and before the scratch heals up.

Just my $.02.

[Irulan]

I guess I'm the only one who feels bad for the old man. He was just walking in his home, not bothering anyone, and suddenly he's bleeding. He probably feels pretty vulnerable anytime he goes out, because of the way he walks. And if that scratch becomes infected, it could be a serious problem for an elderly person.

um yes, I hope th is doesn't have to me a "me too" thread. First of all I am a dog person, and I've gone through my malemute "attacking" someone and having to go to court about it. Maybe it was just a scratch, maybe the guy got terrified, maybe he was coached, maybe not....I've also had the skin broken by dogs and dog lover or not, it's scary as hell. There is some good advice here on how to follow the system and see what happens.


Jumping up is the one bad habit she has because she's so little and friendly, and most people don't mind a bit, though I try VERY hard not to let her do it, and she's always on leash, but she can move fast.

This is my issue: jumping up is a horrible scary thing, and it's a terrible habit for a dog owner to permit. I certainly mind it ... and I am dog person. I don't know where you'd get the idea that "most people don't mind a bit". They are probably embarrassed to tell you that the minimum it's annoying, at the maximum it's terrifying. Certainly if the dog has a beeper collar ( what is that anyway? a shock collar??) you can break this.

[Brandi]

I would lay low as well and not ruffle feather's. Just have all documentation in case but I am sure it will be fine. Just steer clear of this guy from now on. Some people are just looking for things to complain about too. I know when a dog is being mean and it sounds to me like your dog was just happy to see him and wanted to give him a little love. Not your fault he didn't get it. I would get that one statement in writing if you could about how it did not look like a dog bite. Good luck. This too will pass.

[Irulan]

Brandi, some people don't want a little love from any dog, no matter how cute it's owner thinks it is.

[OakLeaf]

I'd find out what constitutes the "one free bite" in your jurisdiction. If a report like this triggers your having to get special insurance, muzzle your dog at all times, put a roof on your yard, etc. - not to mention the spectre of him being taken from you and put to death if the man or someone else should decide to make a second accusation - then you need to fight it now.

If there has to be a judicially proved bite before your dog is tagged a vicious dog, then just collect documentation and sit tight, as others have said.

[withm]

If I was 80 yrs old and any dog starting jumping up on me I would be terrified. Even a small dog could cause an "elderly man," or anyone else, to lose his balance resulting in a fall and possibly a broken hip (or worse). Such a fall might cause him to hit his head on the pavement with extremely serious if not fatal consequences. Certainly the fear of breaking a hip is probably very high on any of us as we get older. Loss of mobility is the beginning of the last chapter of our lives.

As cyclists, many of us have suffered from the carelessness of other dog owners. And as cyclists we should all have a better understanding of the devestation a "little love" from an unwelcome dog can cause.

Please train your dogs not to jump on people. Ever.

[PamNY]

We need to keep in mind that this thread is about the false accusation of a dog bite and the legal ramifications thereof.

Emily made it clear that she regards jumping as undesirable behavior and she corrected it immediately.

Jumping up by a dog is indeed frightening for some people, but it is far, far, more common for people to regard jumping as cute and to interfere with the dog owner's attempts to train proper behavior.

[Irulan]

Well and so Pam, but I'm of the mind that if you post an item for discussion online, it's up for discussion, not discussion between a predetermined set of parameters. That's exactly what I meant when I made a comment about " is this a me-too" thread... comments are only allowed if they support the OP's ? The incident is certainly unfortunate but if it's posted for discussion it should be open for discussion.

I don't know ANYONE that thinks jumping is cute except for the owner of dogs who don't correct it. Why do people keep saying it's not so bad? Is is just me that thinks a jumping dog of any size is ill-mannered?

[Becky]

Jumping is ill-mannered. I don't like it when my dog or anyone else's participates in this behavior.

However, I certainly agree with Pam's statement that it's a hard thing to break when well-meaning but clueless people interact with a jumping dog. If my dog is jumping up, please don't touch him, talk to him, or even make eye contact. It reinforces the very behavior that I'm working to break.

[PamNY]

I don't know ANYONE that thinks jumping is cute except for the owner of dogs who don't correct it. Why do people keep saying it's not so bad? Is is just me that thinks a jumping dog of any size is ill-mannered?

You misread my post. I did not say that jumping up is "not so bad" and I did not say I think it is "cute." I did describe behavior that I have observed many times over a period of decades -- which is people tolerating and sometimes encouraging jumping up by a dog. This is a huge issue if you use positive reinforcement to train, as I do.

It is extremely well-documented that random reinforcement is powerful, and this is exactly what happens when people reward a dog for jumping up. Even a single instance can cause delay/failure in training the behavior you want.

The OP said: "He walked close enough to us that my dog, who is extremely friendly (overly so at times), jumped up on him. It happened so fast, but I pulled the leash and got her off him immediately, apologizing profusely." She goes on to describe using her training method of choice to immediately achieve heeling. It is not logical to deduce from these statements that the OP regards jumping up as desirable behavior.

Further, it is illogical to assume from my post that I think jumping up by a dog is desirable; if I thought that, would I be discussing in some detail training methods I use to extinguish the behavior? And would I be complaining about people who interfere with my training methods?

The main point of my post was that a bite is a serious legal issue; jumping up, while undesirable, is an entirely different matter. I did not state that discussion should not ensue; I did intend to encourage that the discussion include logic and careful attention to detail.

[smilingcat]

+1 with dogmama. Get a written statement from the animal control officer to the effect of what he said, "Looks like a scratch not a bite". Get things in order for a strong defense and sit tight with the information.

Just laying low will not cut it. Like Irulan said, some people do not like animals!! Hiding is no defense should someone decides to pursue legal recourse. That scratch can turn into serious condition for an elderly person. A scratch can turn into a long lasting oozing wound.

I'm not trying to scare you Emily, but I would err on side of caution. Getting the certification sounds like a good thing too. Geeze, I can just see.

How did you get the wound on your arm?
That vicious dog attacked me without provacation!
The VICIOUS DOG ATTACKED YOU?
Yes Sir
But there is a certification saying otherwise. Do you still wish to claim that the dog is vicious?
....

I think having the certification after the fact is still very relevant and getting ASAP would be much better than later.

[withm]

... I had her on a short leash, but an elderly man who walks with a severe stoop (and thus does not really see where he's going as he watches his feet when he walks) walked right towards us in the garbage drop-off area. I got as far away from him as I could, but due to a line of recycling bins to my left, was limited in how far I could get away. He walked close enough to us that my dog, who is extremely friendly (overly so at times), jumped up on him.


I don't understand why when you saw the elderly man approaching, and you admittedly took steps to move away, why did you not tighten up on your leash so your friendly dog could not get access to him? Really, put yourself in the position of that "elderly man who walks with a severe stoop (and thus does not really see where he's going as he watches his feet when he walks)." Clearly he is unsteady without canine intervention; how can he possibly react any other way but to cry "foul" when a strange dog comes out of nowhere and starts jumping on him?

He is very lucky not to have been seriously injured.

Consider this a lesson learned and count your blessings that he is not in the hospital as a result.

[PamNY]

Clearly he is unsteady without canine intervention; how can he possibly react any other way but to cry "foul" when a strange dog comes out of nowhere and starts jumping on him?

Crying "foul" is not the same thing as making a false report. That is the issue here.

Perhaps he does have a legitimate basis for complaint, or thinks he does; in that case, a letter to building management would be the proper course (if I understand the situation correctly).

We had a very serious dog problem in my building (much worse than this one), and I took immediate steps to handle it. I would not have even considered lying, however.

[Irulan]

You misread my post. I did not say that jumping up is "not so bad" and I did not say I think it is "cute." I did describe behavior that I have observed many times over a period of decades -- which is people tolerating and sometimes encouraging jumping up by a dog. This is a huge issue if you use positive reinforcement to train, as I do.



Maybe I'm not being articulate today. In no way was I suggesting that you were tolerating jumping - you brought up and underscored that some people think it's cute, acceptable, whatever; then added to that comment with how people underminine training efforts, and then I just went on to ask why the heck do people think it's cute or acceptable in general. Whether it's a 8 pound mini-dog jumping at your ankles, or a 125 pound newfie... it's never cute.

Back in ancient times when we were doing obedience work, we were taught to knee a dog in the chest or face to discourage jumping. Not as the dog handler, but as someone being approached by a jumper. What's the thinking nowadays when you see it coming?

[Dogmama]

Back in ancient times when we were doing obedience work, we were taught to knee a dog in the chest or face to discourage jumping. Not as the dog handler, but as someone being approached by a jumper. What's the thinking nowadays when you see it coming?

The handler/owner tells the dog to sit.

Obviously, I wasn't there and I'm not making excuses for anybody BUT - if the man had a stoop, it's possible the dog misinterpreted it as a gesture to interact. We've all seen how people interact with a small dog - they stoop over.

[Dogmama]

I think having the certification after the fact is still very relevant and getting ASAP would be much better than later.

In our city, and possibly elsewhere, if somebody sticks their hand in my yard and my dog bites it, I am responsible. Having a "Beware of dog" sign can be misinterpreted as knowing that you have a problem & warning others to stay away.

The law is NOT on the side of the dog owner. I'm sure Emily feels terrible - I would too. But, my point is that she needs to gather evidence NOW in case this should escalate. I feel it is my responsibility as a dog owner to protect my dog.

[withm]

I feel it is my responsibility as a dog owner to protect my dog.

Are you saying that the dog's welfare is more important than the person he injured?

[PamNY]

Maybe I'm not being articulate today. In no way was I suggesting that you were tolerating jumping - you brought up and underscored that some people think it's cute, acceptable, whatever; then added to that comment with how people underminine training efforts, and then I just went on to ask why the heck do people think it's cute or acceptable in general. Whether it's a 8 pound mini-dog jumping at your ankles, or a 125 pound newfie... it's never cute.

Back in ancient times when we were doing obedience work, we were taught to knee a dog in the chest or face to discourage jumping. Not as the dog handler, but as someone being approached by a jumper. What's the thinking nowadays when you see it coming?

Sorry, I misunderstood.

In general, I've found some people think you are being "mean" to the dog if you expect him to behave. Or they find the misbehavior to be funny. Everyone wants to be an indulgent grandparent.

One person I'm forced to put up with right now actually insists on feeding the dog treats when guests are here. She thinks it is funny and laughs at me when leave the room. Not a question of brains -- she has a PhD.

If I'm jumped on, I try saying "Sit." A lot of dogs know sit. Since I'm in a city with mostly leashed dogs, I have the option of backing away.

I can also be quite firm with the owner when needed.

[PamNY]

Obviously, I wasn't there and I'm not making excuses for anybody BUT - if the man had a stoop, it's possible the dog misinterpreted it as a gesture to interact. We've all seen how people interact with a small dog - they stoop over.

That's a very good observation. As you said, not to make excuses, but to better understand how our dogs view the world.

One of my rescues was afraid of drunk people, and he was very alarmed by elderly people with a shuffling gait. At first I when I saw that reaction I though "What now?" On reflection, it made a lot of sense. Drunks walk funny, and there is a similarity with alcohol-impaired gait.

[tulip]

Emily, I'm sorry to hear about this situation. I feel for you and the gentleman; whatever the dog did or did not do, it was perceived as aggressive and that's really all that matters.

As a dog owner, I'm very nervous about something like this happening. I am training my dog for the Canine Good Citizen certification. It's difficult with him because he's a rescue from an abusive situation and there's alot of doggie baggage to get through. He dislikes most children because he was abused by them, but if he ever went after a kid, that would be the end of him regardless of the reasons, history, or even if it wasn't really aggressive. It's all about perception.

When a dog jumps, the best thing to do is simply turn away and walk away. Eventually the dog will figure out that jumping is not going to result in attention. This is what you should do for training. Especially with small dogs, people tend to encourage jumping without realizing it because they bend down and talk in baby-dog talk (I can't stand that, but it happens). When you get home, don't reward the jumping by bending down and petting and talking to the dog. Turn away and ignore the dog until he stops jumping and calms down. Then approach the dog and praise him, but only if he remains unjumpy.

Best wishes for getting this sorted out, Emily!

[badger]

yikes! that's horrible, I would be anxious and worried, too. Hopefully this will resolve with nothing more than just the "quarantine", though that doesn't sound all that fair, either.

I once was fostering a little dog; when I took him to the store and had him tied up outside, someone came into the store yelling "who's dog is that out there?" He had his hand up, which was quite bloody, and he said it was his fault for trying to pet him but just wanted to know that the dog was up to date on his shots. I felt bad, but glad he didn't press the issue further.

I always found it ludicrous that if a burglar came into my home and my dog attacked him, *I*'m responsible and can subsequently be sued. You'd think I should be suing HIM for breaking into my home and stealing my belongings.

[Crankin]

Pam, I laughed when you said "people think you are mean when you expect a dog to behave."
Yeah, and they think the same thing with kids. Not being an animal person, I am betting it's the same phenomenon. People have difficulty being consistent when teaching skills.
I once removed the hand of a very close friend's daughter from something she was touching and told her "no," when she was about 2 and half or three. She started screaming and crying that I was "mean." I didn't hit her or even yell. But this kid had never been told no... she was an absolute monster because she had never been told no, and she ended up really messed up as an adult.
I would think that's what's going on when people think it's cute when their dogs jump.

[Irulan]

Sorry, I misunderstood.

In general, I've found some people think you are being "mean" to the dog if you expect him to behave. Or they find the misbehavior to be funny. Everyone wants to be an indulgent grandparent.

One person I'm forced to put up with right now actually insists on feeding the dog treats when guests are here. She thinks it is funny and laughs at me when leave the room. Not a question of brains -- she has a PhD.

If I'm jumped on, I try saying "Sit." A lot of dogs know sit. Since I'm in a city with mostly leashed dogs, I have the option of backing away.

I can also be quite firm with the owner when needed.

lol now this is morphing into another thread. Don't get me going on retracto-leashes and dogs taking their owners for a walk....

[TsPoet]

I've seen CGC mentioned a couple of times in this thread. I am a CGC instructor for our local club. One of the things we work with with ALL of the dogs is not jumping up. I'm always amused by this - yes it's important, but geez I would love a dog that was friendly enough to jump up!
I would take the most common advice on here, try and relax, give you pup a hug, be nice polite and reasonable, protect your dog.
I would also sign up for a CGC class. You may find you enjoy it and it does hold weight - both that you are willing to do it after the fact and if anything ever happens again. Honestly, it's a silly little piece of paper and a way for AKC to make money, but it does look good, and you and your dog do learn things.
Many of the handlers in my current CGC class are planning on starting obedience classes - why, because they and their dogs are loving the time together.

As for the kneeing idea - some instructors still do it, some don't. I will do it with owners I know are gentle, it's a gentle reminder, not a punishment. I would not have a stranger do it because I wouldn't know how they would do it - not a punishment! Getting people to ignore you dog works the best - when your dog jumps up on someone and they pet it, the dog has just been taught to jump up. Many dogs figure out in a hurry that it doesn't get them anywhere and stop.

BTW - the CGC exam consists of 10 tasks. You can take the exam without taking a class, we charge $10 to take the exam, but recommend the class just for the experience. this is an abbreviated version of the 10 tasks:
1. The dog will be expected to sit and stand calmly while you stop and speak to a stranger.
2. The dog must demonstrate it can remain calm while being walked in a crowd.
3. The dog should be able to allow a stranger to walk it on leash while the owner is not present.
4. The dog will need to walk with the owner on a loose leash. Be prepared to also demonstrate the dog’s ability to turn left, right and coming to a stop.
5. The dog must sit while a stranger pets it.
6. The dog should demonstrate focus when confronted with common, unexpected events such as loud noises or a passing person walking nearby.
7. The dog must allow a stranger to groom it with a brush and examine its feet and ears.
8. The dog will be required to meet another dog without overreacting and should show only a casual interest.
9. The dog must be able to stay on command while the owner walks away.
10. The dog must come on command.

[OakLeaf]

Don't get me going on retracto-leashes ....

hahahaha ... a perfect example of it IS the owner.

I guarantee you that you, I or anyone can reel a dog in on a retractable lead quicker and safer than they can with a non-retractable leather or woven lead. The fact that some people choose not to reel their dogs in has nothing to do with the equipment they're using.

Unless you think that people should permanently walk their dogs only on 18" show leads ... anyone can have that retractable from 10'+ down to 18" in less than two seconds.

[tulip]

I do not like retractable leashes. The point is not the speed of retraction, the point is that the leash is constantly taut and the dog is constantly taut. Plus you cannot see them, as we can all attest to on MUPs as cyclists. A loose dog on a loose leash is infinitely more relaxed than one on the end of a tight rope.

Dog opinions can get heated, so that's all I'll say about it. Back to bikes.

[ny biker]

hahahaha ... a perfect example of it IS the owner.

I guarantee you that you, I or anyone can reel a dog in on a retractable lead quicker and safer than they can with a non-retractable leather or woven lead. The fact that some people choose not to reel their dogs in has nothing to do with the equipment they're using.

Unless you think that people should permanently walk their dogs only on 18" show leads ... anyone can have that retractable from 10'+ down to 18" in less than two seconds.

But doesn't that mean either you or the dog has to move from 10' apart to 18" apart in less than two seconds, too?

[Biciclista]

But doesn't that mean either you or the dog has to move from 10' apart to 18" apart in less than two seconds, too?

yeah just a couple weeks ago, I was heading down a mup and two women and 3 dogs had 30 feet of trail and lawn completely blocked. They were happily chatting away and the dogs were in all different directions. They couldn't understand why i was not amused.

TsPoet, any dog that tries to jump on me is going to get kneed. I don't want to get scratched, licked or soiled by any dog...

[Dogmama]

hahahaha ... a perfect example of it IS the owner.

I guarantee you that you, I or anyone can reel a dog in on a retractable lead quicker and safer than they can with a non-retractable leather or woven lead. The fact that some people choose not to reel their dogs in has nothing to do with the equipment they're using.

Unless you think that people should permanently walk their dogs only on 18" show leads ... anyone can have that retractable from 10'+ down to 18" in less than two seconds.

Here, the law says the dog should be on a 6 foot leash. By definition, retractable leashes could be considered unlawful.

[Dogmama]

Are you saying that the dog's welfare is more important than the person he injured?

Oh fercryinoutloud - did I say that? Go back & read my posts.

[PamNY]

Here, the law says the dog should be on a 6 foot leash. By definition, retractable leashes could be considered unlawful.

That's true here too, though I've never heard of the law being enforced. Retractable leashes can be used responsibly, but often aren't.

[emily_in_nc]

We need to keep in mind that this thread is about the false accusation of a dog bite and the legal ramifications thereof.

Emily made it clear that she regards jumping as undesirable behavior and she corrected it immediately.

Jumping up by a dog is indeed frightening for some people, but it is far, far, more common for people to regard jumping as cute and to interfere with the dog owner's attempts to train proper behavior.

Thank you Pam; this is so very true. I consider myself a responsible dog owner and of course I know that jumping up is undesirable behavior. However, whenever Paisley does this to our friends or family members (for instance, off leash in our apartment when they are visiting), and I apologize and call her off; they always say "oh, I don't mind", "oh, it's ok", "oh, she's so cute", and so forth. A lot of them encourage it by bending down to visit with her then. She just wants to see them and kiss their face. She's so little (16 lbs) that she wants to get close to people's faces. She has never even come close to knocking anyone over, and no one has ever shown any fear whatsoever of her.

In this particular case, she was on a leash (not a flexi), I had it wrapped around my hand to keep it tight, and pulled her off the man immediately. He had walked almost right into us, which is the only reason she was even close enough to him to be able to jump up. I was boxed in by a row of recycling bins and could not get out of his way in time. Whenever we are around children or any other vulnerable person, we keep her on a tight leash and never let her close enough to jump. He did not seem scared or even come close to stumbling or falling. He seemed annoyed, not frightened. And yes, it is annoying, and I take full blame for that. I felt bad, apologizing profusely at the time she jumped and later, when he showed me the scratch.

Thanks to those who have offered advice and support. And for those who feel for the man, I feel for him too. But I also think he knew he was not bitten at the time, and if he now thinks he was, he may have had this suggested to him by a relative or friend.

[emily_in_nc]

Yesterday I wrote an email to our apartment community manager to explain my side of the situation as I knew the man had gotten my apartment number from the office, so had most likely told them his side of the story. Since I'd re-read our lease and realized that one offense could get Paisley kicked out of the complex, I really wanted to know if I should prepare for that.

I got a phone call from the manager today, and the first words out of her mouth were "We love Paisley." She went on to say that situations like these are considered tenant disputes, and she does not normally get involved. But she did say that as soon is Paisley is off quarantine, she hopes we'll bring her back to the clubhouse (we have a dog-friendly clubhouse here, which is very cool -- dog treats inside and water on the porch!) So, they obviously don't intend to give her the boot. :) My step-father had already said that he and my mom would take her until our move date if she did get "evicted", but that would have been a lot of work for them, so I am glad we won't have to take them up on that option. We've also had offers from a couple of friends here who know Paisley well to serve as "character witnesses", should the need arise. So, the support has been great.

We still don't know if the man intends to press charges, but from our reading of the NC laws, he would have a very weak case based on no past history, no viciousness, Paisley being on leash at the time of the interaction, and several other factors. So, we are feeling more optimistic that this will end up being just a wake-up call, and once we can walk Paisley again, we will redouble our training efforts.

I read the requirements for the canine good citizen test and feel that Paisley could pass most of them, with the most difficult ones for her being "walking through a crowd" (similar to this situation where she was, in the AKC's words "overexuberant") and "reaction to another dog" (she gets very interested/excited). We've actually been working on all of these behaviors informally since moving to the community, since Paisley spent the first 2 years of her life in a rural area on a large acreage, and although we made many attempts to socialize her (as a puppy, we even took her to the polls when we voted, to our marina, and many other places), there weren't nearly as many daily opportunities for encounters with others as there are here in an apartment community. That probably has a lot to do with how excited she can get when she meets a new person or dog. She's a very enthusiastic girl!

Thanks to everyone who PM'd me in addition to those who posted on this thread. Your comments have been educational and helpful. I haven't taken the advice of some who suggested a more proactive approach (getting documentation of the man's injury and so forth) as I felt that could make the situation worse. If it turns out that I am wrong about that, I'll certainly be humble enough to admit it. :o