# What is wrong with people?!



## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

I am so mad right now.

About a month ago we were at a campground visiting family. This campground houses year-round camp sites that are rented by different families, one which is rented by my mother in law. 

Well, the "new neighbors", who seem to be friends with my inlaw, have a white GSD named Zelda and she is 9. There are TONS of people at this camp ground of all ages, all over the place. When we were there, my husband casually bent down to the grill to turn on the gas, and Zelda bit him in the arm. She didn't draw blood, but left a nasty bruise. He owners knew what she did but really didn't make anything of it. They kept her off-leash afterwards. She came up to my sister in law, stood next to her and growled...her owners just said "oh, she's old."

Well today, I heard that Zelda bit my nephew in the back at the campground. What are these people doing bringing their dog to the campground who is obviously dangerous? I wasn't there, but apparently they thought nothing of it...If I see this dog there again Im not sure what I should say/do. I can't believe they keep blowing it off.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I would tell them that if their dog bit one more person in my family they would be hearing from a lawyer. I'd rather have mad neighbors than a hurt child.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

the dogs biting people. the owners of the dog
should keep the dog restrained.

your family should stay away from the dog.

report the owners of the dog to the camp authorities.


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## Caledon (Nov 10, 2008)

I would ask them to leash their dog and to tie him/her up on their designated lot.

Since a bite was involved I would contact the managment of the campground with a written complaint.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

ditto


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## Virginia (Oct 2, 2008)

Why don't you report them? Most dogs with just ONE bite on their record are quarantined. With multiple bites, the dog is generally deemed dangerous and put down. If the owners aren't willing to do something about their dog, then this is what they should face. Not to mention verifying rabies and other vaccination records...all that jazz that needs to be done. 9 is not that old, certainly not so old that outright aggression can't be managed or at least contained.


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## PupperLove (Apr 10, 2010)

You can bet that I will do something next time I am there. When my husband was bit, he didn't tell me until after we left, why? IDK! I called his mom and told her what happened and told her to tell someone in charge at the grounds. The next time it happened I wasn't there, and they apparently did nothing. It's just so irritating. The people who own the grounds are related to my inlaw, and I think may also be related to the "neighbors". Im thinking nobody wants to disappoint family by reporting them! It's terrible. I'm sure I'd just be better off calling the police. They are just so careless! ALL of them including my inlaw it bothers the heck out of me!!!!!!!


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Please don't call the police. At 9 years old, this dog could have a thyroid issue that is making her aggressive. I'm ruling out pain causing it because she wasn't being touched when she bit. 

Mention that, as a GSD owner yourself, you have a fear that a dog bite will mean the end of your beloved pet. Ask if she has always been aggressive? Ask if she's losing any hair or gaining any weight. Tell them that they need to keep her leashed and under control before a child gets seriously hurt. (Using the child angle usually seems to have more affect). Tell them that a dog with a bite history will almost always be euthanized if the dog is reported. If they don't want to leash her, then they need to muzzle her.

And then if they still refuse to do anything, report them to the owners of the campground, in writing as previously mentioned. As a business owner, they have a responsibility to protect their clients. If someone gets bit, the campground could be sued.


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## Miss Molly May (Feb 19, 2010)

irresponsible people like this are the ones who created a bad name for GSD's


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

Run, run, call the police, mess your family members up by telling the camp site so they either have to kennel the old girl or not go.

I find this advice troublesome for a couple of reasons. 

I like to deal with things directly. Talk to the owner of the dog and tell them about how you are feeling and see if they will do something first. 

Second, I do not know about the kid, but your husband was bruised but it did not break the skin. It is very difficult and shows a lot of restraint for a GSD to bite but not hard enough for a puncture. It sounds like she was worried about what he was going to do and gave him a warning. 

Older dogs sometimes do get crankier, whether because of pain, or low thyroid or whatever. And a bruised are does hurt, but you have to look at it from the point that if she was seriously aggressive there would be stitches and antibiotics at the party. 

Your husband chose not to make a big deal about it. If you have children, then you need to contact your relative that owns the dog and tell him that unless he sets up an x-pen at the campsight and has the dog in it while your kids are there, then you will not bring them. 

The old dog will not try to go over a four foot x-pen. If they hook it to the RV, it can actully be a pretty large space and the dog will be perfectly happy knowing that no little brat is going to jump on her or fall on her or step on her inadvertantly. 

It is simple good manners to give an old lady some space. Kids cannot always be expected to remember that, so make the pen nice and clear. Everyone should feel perfectly happy and the dog will be right there with you all. 

With all the informing and notifying going on, I wonder that I am not in some facist dictatorship.


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## Betty (Aug 11, 2002)

Personally I would approach the people directly first and see what they say, what they do.


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## justgill (May 28, 2010)

We all have a responsibility as gsd owners and one of those is to ensure that our dogs behave in an acceptable manner and we have to teach them those ways. However if for whatever reason the dog does not conform then we have a duty to protect that dog and the people around the dog. 'Getting old' is no excuse I feel that the owners are shirking their responsibilities. you should confront them directly and tell them this, suggesting ways in which to prevent any more biting by the dog, muzzle or lead when out in public places.


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## selzer (May 7, 2005)

I disagree with some of this. I think that dogs that are seriously old, and that can happen at nine or at twelve, it depends on what might be going wrong, may become intolerant because they may recognize that they are stiff, sore, frail, etc. 

If the kid looks like he is going to jump on you, and you KNOW it will hurt you bad, then training and socialization is going to prevent you from snapping at them? 

I think some of us have been spoiled by our dogs, and some of us are so good at protecting our older dogs and teaching youngsters to respect them that we haven't come across this response. But any dog can bite out of pain or fear and it is up to the dogs owner to ensure that the older dog be given the extra space she needs now. 

I remember, even as a toddler, people would say, "He's old, leave him be." And we would. Old dogs were given a little leeway. Instinct tells critters not to limp or cry out when they are in pain, sometimes aggression is the first sign that all is not right in the world. 

I would not muzzle an older dog because it is afraid of being jumped on or stepped on or bumped etc. 

I would approach it positively as possible. "Why not bring an x-pen for the old girl, that will keep the kids off of her so that she is not constantly worried about being crushed. And she can still be in the center of everything." You can put it in a shadey spot, and put a cot in there and a bucket of water. 

Then if the kids get bit, it is their or their parents' fault for not respecting the dog's space.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Selzer...the dog does not belong to a relative of the OP's. The people MAY be a relative of the campground owner.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> Please don't call the police. At 9 years old, this dog could have a thyroid issue that is making her aggressive. I'm ruling out pain causing it because she wasn't being touched when she bit.


Exactly. My boxer started to get "aggressive" a few weeks before she suddenly died. When I walked by her she started to growl at me. I had an autopsy done on her, turned out she had a tumor on her spleen. She knew I couldn't walk by her without giving her a big hug...


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I like the idea of an x-pen like Selzer recommended.

I really don't see any reason against the muzzle if it is introduced properly. It can't just be thrown on her suddenly. That would cause her anxiety.


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## mazza (Jun 11, 2010)

Can you ask them to muzzel the dog when she is at the camp site?


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## codmaster (Aug 5, 2009)

"OLD" can be an excuse for the dog, BUT not for the owners carelessness and indiference! I would, as others have already said, talk to the owners and "suggest" either a muzzle or behind bars! 

If not, then a call to AC is certainly in order. Someone, probably a child, is going to get hurt!


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## ba1614 (Feb 17, 2010)

Jax08 said:


> I like the idea of an x-pen like Selzer recommended.
> 
> I really don't see any reason against the muzzle if it is introduced properly. It can't just be thrown on her suddenly. That would cause her anxiety.


 I agree with much of what Selzer is saying, but it's the owner of this old dog that I'm concerned about because they seem so nonchalant about it.
Visitors can have all the good intentions in the world, but if this (imo) irresponsible owner keeps just saying "she's old" while doing nothing about it, then someone WILL get seriously injured, eventually.

I would speak with the owner, and if nothing got done, I would keep my kids away from that situation.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

The owners are exactly the problem. They are putting their dog and the people around them in danger. The next person she bruises might not be so nice about the situation.


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