Man Suffers Serious Injuries After Attack by Neighbor's Dog

Case Overview

This case involves a man who was severely injured during an attack by his neighbor’s dog. On the day of the incident in question, the man had taken his dog – a small Pomeranian – for a walk and was returning home. Suddenly, the man and his dog were rushed by his neighbor’s dog, a large Doberman pincher, which began to bite and shake the smaller pomeranian. In an attempt to save his dog, the man tried to pry the doberman’s jaws off of the pomeranian, suffering a number of serious bites in the process. The man was rushed to the hospital following the attack, where he was treated for blood loss, lacerations, and a broken hand. The doberman was not on a leash or supervised in any way at the time of the accident.

Questions to the Law Enforcement expert and their responses

Please briefly describe your experience in dog handling and owner/dog interactions.

I am a certified trainer with two national organizations, with certificates in dog bite investigations, amongst others.

Can you speak to the reasonableness of protecting one's dog from being attacked in a dog fight scenario?

I am more than adequately trained to discuss the reasonableness of protecting one's dog from being attacked in a dog fight. It is a natural response to attempt to intervene in this kind of scenario, and most people do not think about the potential consequences of doing so in the moment. Unless you're a dog professional and know how to break up a dog fight, it is very dangerous to do so. The average person just steps in and tends to get injured, much like what happened in this particular case. This is not an unusual occurrence, whether it be while out walking or at dog parks. Regardless, dog owners are responsible for the supervision and control of their dogs, and leaving a dog unattended can lead to attacks such as the one described above.

About the expert

This highly qualified expert has decades of experience as a certified dog trainer. Her training programs include obedience, protection, agility, scent discrimination and conformation along with repairing abnormal behavior. She has extensive involvement in the field of canine care, especially with Rottweilers and Bully breeds (American Pit Bull Terrier and relatives). She is an active board member of the American Temperament Test Society and the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen program. As the founder of an independent canine consulting firm, she is available for consultation, reviews, depositions and trial testimonies.

E-011422

Specialties:

Law Enforcement

Man Suffers Serious Injuries After Attack by Neighbor’s Dog