Dog bites a biker - Page 1

My wife was trail hiking with my female in the mountains.  While on a narrow part of the trail a bike rider came by them.  My wife grabbed her collar, we always make them sit untill someone passes us by.  I don't know all the details, I was at work, but my female bit the guy while he road past.  She bit hard enough to draw blood.  The bike rider didn't stop he just kept on going.  My wife said it was just like a scrach not to deep.  Knowing how my wife is when anyone passes on the trail she was probably tense and worrying about it and sending that to the dog.

She isn't an aggressive dog but she is very protective.  I have never seen her just bite anyone.  I have had her bark at people she doesn't know that come up in the yard or my house, never outside my house or yard though.  I just assure her it is alright and let her smell the person.  After that they usually pet her and everything is fine. 

My question is what can I do to make sure this doesn't happen again? 

When I take her I don't even put her on a leash.  She stays within a few feet and always comes when she is called no matter what.  I can also get her to sit or platz just by using verbal commands and she will not move until I use the release word, no matter what or who passes us by.  This isn't the case with my wife.  She won't listen to me and thanks I am harsh with the dogs.  Please tell me what I can show or tell her to make her be a pack leader. This way I can print it out and show her. I feel like my dogs thank she is beneath them but she won't listen to me, maybe getting advise from those that have had tons of experience will help her understand.  I feel like she baby's them and lets them get away with a lot.  She does have them sit and platz but that is about it.  I don't feel she has control of them when she walks or runs with them and that is why this happened.  She doesn't make them heel in the correct position.  She lets them get out in front of her and pull on the lease a little.  She does correct it sometimes but isn't really consistant.  I am just in need of help getting my wife to realize what she is doing is wrong and to help her be more consistant with the dogs.

My wife thanks she did it because of the protection training for Schutzhund.  What can I tell her to ease her mind that Schutzhund doesn't make the dog bite people riding a bike or anyone that isn't a threat period? 

Thanks for all the help in advance.

If your wife can't control the dog it needs to be on a leash.

That is the problem.  She always has them on the leash.  She never takes them off.  Sorry I didn't put that.  I just need help in telling her or showing her how to control them.  She really won't listen to me and if you guys can be so kind to type up your comments on how to do so maybe she'll listen to you.

She really wants to be able to take them out but won't listen to me on what she needs to do and teach them first to be able to do so.  I am asking for advice.  This is causing a lot of marital problems and I really do need everyones help in saving that marriage.

I agree with "GET A REAL DOG" the dog needs to first be on a leash. The dog is titled (or) started in protection training? In both a strong obedience foundation is needed or you have a loaded gun that can fire randomly. Sometimes a dogs drives are strong but they do not have an on/off switch or recall. They need to understand that they can only bite when given the command. You need to train and socialize your dog more and also train your wife too.< That will be the hader part! You need to work toward the distraction and not avoid bikes... train around them in a controlled situation with qualified trainers so that the dog learns that bikes are no big deal. We train this way with cars, bikes, horses,golf carts, wheel chairs, tractors... all types of distractions. The dog needs to see that you don't get tense or tighten up on the leash when a bike approaches; but if the dog barks or pulls or breaks a command  you must have a leash and the ability to correct promptly.  Best regards and good luck!

Thanks so far for the input.  Everyone else please respond as I need all the help I can get to help my wife out.

She was on a leash when she bit the biker.  I have socialized her with different distraction, including bicycles.  This isn't the first time she has been on this trail.  She has never tried to do anything prior to this incedent.  She is started in protection and I plan on getting her SchH I next spring.  

But I will do the socialization again with my wife handling her. Both my dogs act differently when I handle them and when she handles them.  Even when I am around.  I thank I cause some of the problem too because when they don't listen to her at all when I'm around I step in and take charge.  Can this cause some issue with them listening to her?

This is more of an issue between you and your wife. If she won't listen to you, you are in a no win situation. I know from personal experience.

To me it boils down to liability. If your wife doesn't listen, goes out with your dog, and someone gets really injured (or these days even a small bite) you will be poor for the rest of your life. I like my house and want to keep it. Safe handling is safe handling. I have no patients for unsafe dog handling. To this day, no dog I ever trained or handled injured someone outside of a training accident.

IF she won't listen, she won't listen. Nothing you or anyone else can say or do will change that.

Okay, there is already much good input here. The dog saw the bike rider as a prey object and not as just a human-in my opinion. Still, this could cause serious legal issues if it happened to the correct (read wrong) person.

The dog must be kept under control, and a leash alone may not be sufficient. Example-my wife weighs about one-hundred five (105) pounds, and when she has our eighty (80) pound male on leash he is wearing a prong collar. He normally well behaved, but will tense up and rumble when he senses a threat. Good dog. But, in a condition of extreme agitation she cannot control him quickly (key word here) with a regular collar, leash, and voice command alone. Hence, while in situations where he may come into contact with an errant dog, child, or adult who is behaving strangely, the prong collar brings him to a full stop very quickly.

You MUST maintain control of this dog at all times in all places. That is it in a nutshell so to speak. This incident could have had a very serious outcome and you might be here asking if anyone knew a good personal liability attourney rather than for advice to give to your wife. You are very lucky this time-never allow a next time.

Best Regards,

Bob-O

send the wife and the dog to the trainers this will help keep you out of your wifes red zone and let the trainer give her the needed skills to handle the dog should solve the problem and keep the peace at home

As an avid mountain biker, as well as a dog lover, this situation is particularly frustrating.  Your wife got LUCKY that the biker didn't wreck after getting bit and get seriously hurt.  This is not a "Schutzhund" problem - it's a control problem.  My hubby and I bring our dogs - in Schutzhund training - out riding the trails with us when we go mountain biking and they have been taught not to chase bikers and hikers, as well as deer and other real prey animals. 

If anything, Schutzhund training has made our dogs safer on the trails because they have been taught obedience and we have been taught how to enforce discipline.  My husband is a first time handler and if he can teach his enironmentally-reactive, prey-crazy Malinois to behave on the trails then I am confident your wife can learn the same, IF she is willing to learn.

In the meanwhile, for the safety of all, please take action.  Even if the dog just lunges and snaps at a passing rider, it could easily startle them, throw them off balance, and cause a nasty wreck.

Yvette