Yeah, people do the dumbest things. Around certain people I allow my dog to be a part of the party, but if I were to leave to go to the store I would most likely take the dog with me or crate him up. Of course hindsight is always 20/20. Anyway, thanks for the story because it is a good cautionary tale for all of us since we are in the holiday season.

My dogs have always loved a party, but I never leave the dog unattended with guests. Dog is always at my side, unless there are childeren I don't know at the party, because then the dog is crated or kenneled. If I have to leave the party to go to the store, I take the dog with me, or kennel/crate him. Of course, hindsight is always 20/20!

I have a friend who enjoys wrestling, teasing and "poking at" his own dog, who of course tolerates that. My own dog is a big, strong, dominant male dog who was raised from puppy by - me, a girl. I don't wrestle, tease or poke at him. Even though he would tolerate anything from me, and he's normally very social with everyone else - he is not used to that kind of "play". My friend comes in and immediately starts this "play" which I call "teasing my dog" and my dogs get immediately put into his crate, which he's rarely in. Then I realize my mistake. The crate is in the dining room part of the house, so it's accessable to my friend. My dog is not aggressive when he's loose in the house or wherever, but in a crate or vehicle or kennel, he is aggressive. So the next time I walk by the room my brilliant friend is sitting on the floor next to my dog in his crate, looking at him. They are having a stare-off, and now I realize my mistake. Now my dog is going to come out of the crate aggressive to the - brilliant friend of mine - and he's still thinking he's "playing with my dog". I tell him to go take a hike - go play with your own dog - this is my dog and he doesnt' play that way. Now when my - brilliant friend - comes over I have to put my dog in the kennel or in a crate behind a closed door somewhere, because now he ISN'T friendly to my friend anymore - he's been teased (challenged?) while in his crate and he remembers. Stupid on my part and my friends' part.

molly

So now does the OP's dog get labled as a biter? Does the ER have to report the bite? Seems like the dog, doing his job, should be in the clear but animal control is another group of people that often "don't get it".
Lorri

I live onbase, and just about every security type on the base knows Luke, in this way he is one lucky dog, and I have no more of a headache about this than neccesary. He is always in the back of the truck, and he enjoys meeting them (away from the house, and away from my 7 year old) The son went to the base hospital, the security folks come over to the ER, look at him, ask him some questions, ask what happened, then the shift commander shows up, sees my wife, knows her, and asks if it was Luke that bit him, was it inside the home, the wife says yes, and the shift commander says that "I guess that we are done talking about it because as far as I can see he had it coming, I've known that dog for over 2 years and he just didn't up and bite him for no reason".
About 3 hours later he comes by the house, Luke and I are in a field playing fetch, he comes out there and gets happily greeted by Luke who sees him as someone new to throw the ball.
I check the blotter last week, and nothing at all about it.

CASE CLOSED.

Oh, and one other point. AWAY from the home he was a perfect gentleman on Holloween night, he took the kids out with me, and he had a blast meeting kids in latex masks all night, never a problem. But, when we got hom I did not let him answer the door for tricker treaters.

If it was my dog, I would have taken the dog with me to the store. No doubt.