NBR: I'm so upset

emma+karen · November 2015

I don't have anywhere to vent about this other than here...

Our dog bit a neighbor this morning. He was walking by our yard and I guess he stopped to look at her (she only has one eye, and he noticed that, and I guess stopped to take a closer look or something), and she ran up and bit him. She's on an invisible fence but the signal is low...so I guess she crossed the barrier. Anyway, he was very nice and understanding about the whole thing, especially after I got him a copy of her rabies certificate, but since he went to work and got first aid there, he had to report it to animal control. Now she has to be quarantined for 14 days...even though her rabies vaccine is up to date, even though it was in our yard (technically, they told me, since he was standing on the sidewalk--two inches from our yard--she can't be quarantined at home). I'm a mess thinking of her locked up all alone for two weeks. I know it could all be way worse--and I'm sure my hormones are making me way more emotional--but I've been crying on and off all morning. I feel bad--and totally shocked--that she bit someone, terrible that she has to be quarantined, and sad knowing my son is going to spend two weeks asking where Maya is every day. He loves her to pieces.

Sorry, ladies, I just needed to vent.

mrstmoose · November 2015

I completely understand, I would be the exact same way if that happened to either of my fur-babies. You know it could be a lot worse so try to see the light that it's 2 weeks and then you get her back.

businessmama · November 2015

I am so so so sorry. I would just see if you can provide anything while she is quarantined - toys or beds or anything and plan something special for when she gets out.

This is the Worst

kbrands7 · November 2015

I'm so sorry. I'm not sure how quarantine works-- can you visit at all if only just to do a visual check-in?

Story-time: In my experience, invisible fences can be great-- and not so great. We had our dog trained on ours, had it turned up to 5 because he has a bit of a hunting dog frenzy streak and it worked really well for almost two years. Then, when our son was 3 weeks old, our dog chased a squirrel through the fence and was hit by a car. He thankfully survived, but spent a week and a half at the vet hospital. I say all of this for two reasons 1) Your dog will likely be just fine, though probably confused at first, and will be SO excited to see you at the end of two weeks. Send your pup with a shirt or blanket that has your scent to ease the transition a bit and 2) If you haven't done so, consider turning up the the warning and/or shock and possibly moving the boundary back toward the house a little and retraining. We actually got him the stubborn dog collar which has a wider warning zone and higher shock levels and moved the wire back to give us more time to call him back or call him to sit if he happened to still run through it. He has only run through it only once since and cried and laid down to wait for us to pick him up. I did feel bad that it made him cry out, but I'd rather that than see him get hit again. I've also known people to use both an invisible fence and a physical fence.

Side note: Who gets that close to an unfamiliar dog like that?!?

kp90 · November 2015

Shame on him really for standing around and not keeping about his business. Your dog was probably just protecting her territory like most dogs would do. See if you can provide items from home that will keep your dog content. In the meantime be thankful it's just two weeks and nothing worse came of this. Maybe in the future you may have to think about something other than the invisible fence. It may require an actual fence to keep this from happening again and I only say that for your own peace of mind and for the protection of your dog. As someone who has 3 dogs myself that I love very much I can't imagine how hard this would be but like I said... It could be much worse. Your pup will return home and it will be ok. Just think of other alternatives in the meantime. Hugs.

amscape · November 2015

I'm so sorry, that's awful. My dog has twice bitten (not badly) other dogs when overexcited at the park & I felt beyond terrible about it so I feel you on that count. As pp asked, can you visit and/or bring her items from home? Hang in there!

Pascal86 · November 2015

That's terrible!

And a good reminder for me, because reading all of your comments like, "who would get that close to a strange dog?" Umm... me. I would. I do. Regularly. I am a huge idiot around dogs, I just want to pet and hug and play with all of them! Got bit in the face by a giant german shepherd when I was four years old and it taught me zero lessons. When I studied abroad in a third world country, my host family had to yell at me every day to not try to pet the feral dogs.

So thanks for your story, so sad to be without your puppy for two weeks, but in your honor I'll try to be more sensible around dogs I don't know!

LadySamLady · November 2015

This story is a big bummer! I'd be devastated if I were in your shoes, and I'm not being hyperbolic. I am obsessed with my dogs. I hate it if we have to leave them alone for more than 5 hours, the idea of them in quarantine for two weeks is a nightmare. I so feel for you!

Can you turn this obstacle into an opportunity for teaching and togetherness with your son? You can talk about animal safety and animal rights awareness. You can do some art projects together in anticipation of her homecoming, make a banner and some signs to say "Welcome Home Maya." Find some recipes for home made dog biscuits and bake them together. When he feels sad and misses her, you could write letters to her together and either save them for when she's home or pop them in the mail. And perhaps Maya will send him something special to tell him she misses him while she's away. Anything to create some happy memories to associate with the two weeks when your beloved family pet had to take a time out.

Poor you. Poor doggie.

Jesse835235 · November 2015

So sorry! I'm obsessed with my dog as well and I would devastated like you are. She's very protective as well. Hang in there and try look at the bright side that it's just two weeks.

Sunshinebins · November 2015

I'm so sorry you're going through this! My heart is breaking thinking of your poor dog there, and I don't even know her!

We actually had a similar situation (a guy saw our dog on the sidewalk in front of our house not realizing we were right there, ran up behind her and grabbed her so she bit him). Thankfully we were able to do the home quarantine after she spent several hours at the animal control office. It was awful.

I would definitely ask about being able to visit her! If not, send her with a shirt or blanket from home.

Here's to a quick 2 weeks!

doozer1345 · November 2015

Big HUGS!!! I'm so sorry. I hope the time flies by for you.

GoatSnakeMouse · November 2015

I'm so sorry. Fortunately (?) my dogs only bite each other.

AdorkablePixie · November 2015

I agree with some of the other posters. It's terrible that your dog bit the guy, but why the heck did he think it was okay to be all up in her business?!

I have a cocker spaniel who just recently went blind. Someone in our apartment complex was outside with their little girl and she was running up to both my dogs. The blind one was closest and she was just going to run up and pet them without even asking or approaching with caution. I quickly said, "Don't touch her, she is blind and you will scare her!" I probably sounded mean, but I am afraid if someone startled her good enough, she'd snap at them. They don't really know any better.. for all she knows it could have been someone trying to hard her or me.
Some people have no common sense when it comes to other people's dogs!

camillaandcarson · November 2015

What happens to your dog if she bites a person standing on the sidewalk again?
What happens if that person happens to be a child standing on the sidewalk looking at her next time?

emma+karen · November 2015

Thanks, everyone, for the good thoughts. Yes, we've agreed the guy was pretty stupid to stop--she barks at people walking or running by all the time and has never done anything other than run around and bark, as long as they keep moving. There are other dogs on our street who also bark in their yards, and when we're out walking, we always give them a wide berth, even with invisible fence signs up. It's just common sense if you know anything about dogs.

My wife suspects the actually stepped onto the driveway and just isn't admitting it. Our vet and even the Animal Control Officer (after she met the dog) were in shock that she would bite. Our vet knows Maya well and said, "He had to have done something." And the ACO met her when we took her to the pound and even said, "This does not seem like an aggressive dog." We didn't see it, but I'm sure she felt threatened by whatever it was he did.

We are allowed to visit her, but I wasn't allowed to leave her bed because they worry dogs will shred or pee on them. But I'm taking my son to visit her after I pick him up from daycare today.

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