Vicious Dog Hearing

    • Puppy

    Vicious Dog Hearing

    I am looking for some advice.  I have an 8 year old female spayed GSD.  I have had her since she was 5 months old.  Took her to obedience training etc.  She grew up living in the country, had a dog door to come in and out, we had the invisible fence to contain her on our property.  She was socialized with other dogs albeit all larger dogs.  Her first encounter with a small dog (a dachsund barking at her from across the street) resulted in her running and jumping back in the car.  I have a 12 yr old son and a 5 year old daughter and my dog was raised with my cat as well.  I have never had an incident with this dog, has never growled at anyone, bitten anything.  The worst she does is bark and posture when a stranger comes to the house.  The joke is that as soon as they talk to her she wags her tail and is your buddy.  I recently moved to another state and house.  The dog stays in the house when I am not home.  When I am, she goes outside frequently but is in and out as she wants to be by my side.  My neighbor has 6 small dogs and when we first moved in the dogs got along upon meeting.  One of the small dogs began leading the "pack" and chasing my dog and she would run back into the house.  They began nipping at her ankles when she would walk and she would ignore them and try to get away.  Usually, if their dogs were out my dog would stay in and vice versa. One day it was very nice out and the neighbor kids asked if my dog could come out to play (something they did regularly) I did not know that my neighbor had later let their dogs out.  My neighbor's girl yelled for me to get my dog as it was fighting with one of their dogs. I stepped out my back door called my dog once and she came running.  I shut the door and went to go check the other dog.  the other dog (pomeranian lhapsa mix) was laying on the ground.  Although the girls mother was in the yard she was on the phone and oblivious to what was going on until she saw me walk and pick up the dog.  The dog was still breathing slightly when I picked it up so I ran to get my purse and keys to go to the vet.  The dogs owner came out of the house and I realized the dog wasn't breathing.   I walked to my neighbors crying, handed them the dog and he said your dog killed my dog, your dogs goto go. He turned on his heel and yelled he was going to get his gun. I ran to my house got my dog in the car and left. I met with the ACO the next day, she met my dog stated my dog was well behaved and taken care of and she was not familiar with my dog but was familiar with my neighbors.  When I told her that their dogs chased my dog and nips (and in particular the one that was attacked) she asked why I didn't file a complaint.  They are my neighbors and I (foolishly in hindsight) didn't want to "cause trouble".  I was told by the officer to keep the dog in the house unless it was outside on a line or leased.  I followed it to the letter and also made sure that I was right by my dog if my neighbors were home.  My neighbors filed a false complaint that my dog was running loose in their yard and growled at her children.  I received a notice of complaint the next day from the ACO.  The next morning I was outside starting my car to go to the police station, my dog came out with me and I promptly put her on a line.  The ACO pulled into my driveway, was writing something down sitting in her car, I went back into my house to get my belongings and put my dog back in the house.  I came back out and she told me she had to take my dog since she received a complaint.  I explained that I had been home all day Tuesday and my dog was not running loose EVER.  When I received a copy of the police reports, SHE stated that when she came to pickup the dog, the dog was unleashed, in addition a new "witness" has appeared 3 days later that happens to be a friend of the family, that states my dog grabbed the little dog out of the arms of one of the children and shook the dog like a dish rag.  Please help me with any sort of comments or advice you may have.  I feel like my dog and I are being railroaded.  I have a vicious dog hearing scheduled but feel like since the ACO has misstated so many things in her report AND stated my dog was unleashed I don't have a chance.  I have friends from home writing letters and a neighbor directly across the street that is willing to testify.
     
    EXTREMELY DISTRAUGHT
    • Gold Top Dog
    Go IMMEDIATELY to a Veterinarian Behaviorist, or to a PhD level behaviorist and get your dog evaluated by a professional.  This will be your only leg to stand on in a hearing that can possibly convince others that the dog is not dangerous, now that she has killed another animal.  If you have had your dog to obedience classes, photocopy the certificates and bring them with you (with a statement from your trainer as to how your dog behaved with others in class), as well as your veterinary records, and a statement by your own vet as to how the dog acts while under their care.  Get affidavits from people who know your dog and have witnessed some of these events when your neighbor's dogs were not confined and harrassed your dog.  Contact an attorney!!!!!!! (I can't stress this one enough - it may save your dog's life if you live in a jurisdiction where dogs are not highly valued.)
    Sadly, when you have dogs, it's always best NOT to let them have access to other people's kids, dogs, or property.  A GSD that tangles with a smaller dog, no matter which of them incited the fight, is always going to be blamed.  If they decide against you, ask if you can have time to A. Sell the house and move.  B. Rehome the dog.  C. Keep the dog if it is always muzzled.  D. Build a six foot double gated privacy fence that will contain your dog.  Etc.
    Sorry, but this was entirely preventable and I feel badly for your dog.