Attack Dog
 

Wife and I were driving in our golf cart exploring the new construction south of Bonifay. A man had two very large dogs running loose. The two dogs started to attack our cart and us. The one dog was a large black dog the other was white with a gray spot, both very aggressive, They both tried biteing the wife amd I while in our cart. They also actually bit the tires and cart. We tried getting away but they both were faster then our cart. The both tried to bite our legs while we were seated in the cart. We finally were able to make a run for it with the light colored dog chasing us for about a mile. I am a dog loved had them for years. The Villages is not built to have large dogs. The land area we own, it's just not fair to the dogs. So please stop buying new dogs once you arrive. If this happens again I will be dialing 911 and hope the Deputie is able to take out theses dogs.

I would have called 911 already. What was the owner of these dogs doing while they were attacking you?

I'm a dog lover too and I've driven by people walking with their dogs on leashes and the dogs go crazy as the golf cart goes by them. What terrifies me is that it is usually older owners who use all of their strength to hold the dog back. There are rules about the size and number of dogs allowed in TV. Dogs are grandfathered in here and I know people love their pets, but I hold my breath and cringe every time this happens.

I'm glad you nor your wife were injured. It must have been terrifying.

I am sorry you had this experience, but I have a couple of thoughts. First, I would blame the irresponsible owner, not the dogs. They aren't trained, obviously, and the owner must not care to take the time to do that.

Second, since this was a construction area, I wonder if those dogs even come from The Villages. Perhaps they are from outside TV and the owner brings them there to run loose because it's a construction area. Which is not right.

Third, I hope you won't condemn all large dogs on the basis of this incident. I go to a dog beach all summer long, with big dogs galore, and only a couple out of a hundred are aggressive. We're on our second large dog, and they both would slime you to death before they would ever think of biting you. I like a dog big enough that I can throw my arms around to hug and not worry about stepping on and hurting. Ours is happy and well exercised, and we live in a condo half the year!

There are several dog parks around TV, enough to give a dog lots of exercise. I disagree with your reasoning that we shouldn't have large dogs in TV because we have small yards.

Just my two cents. Again, I'm very sorry you bumped up against an irresponsible dog owner and had a nasty experience. That had to be scary. Hopefully someone will learn who this man is and turn him in.

First off let me say I'm sorry for the experience you had . The fault lies with the owner not the dogs, therefor to ban large dogs or ask responsible dog owners to stop having big dogs seems rather harsh. I have a beautiful german shepherd who is well behaved.She loves riding in the golf cart and going to the dog parks .

I hate hearing things like this. There are leash laws and I can't understand why certain people feel they don't apply to them but I know it happens everywhere or anytime there are laws. I realize that being out riding you wouldn't know who the person was, but whenever anyone sees someone regularly letting their dog or dogs go loose they should call Animal Control in their county and report it. Never mind calling The Villages - call someone who will take some action.

I agree completely.We don't have a dog, but big dogs are usually just bigger versions of small ones and many larger breeds are known for their gentleness and sweet natures. It is just wrong to say that large dogs should be banned when so many large dogs are well trained and sweet natured and leashed.

Who knows where the dogs and owners came from? It is generally known that dogs must be leashed here in The Villages.

It is sad the OP had this frightening experience. If it happened to me as described I would have called 911. It is illegal to not keep dogs on a leash here in The Villages.

Attacking Dog
 

Does the "stand your ground" law apply to a dog attack? :swear:

Yo, Fig, how about a steering column holster, and lessons for close combat. Any thoughts??

Not to sure about this post.Dog chases you for a mile,Dogs where biting the tires, Where was the owner during all of this?

Hmmmmmmmm
 

I'm not sure either - the dogs chased you for a mile or more! Did they chase you through a built up area or were you on open land? What was the owner doing while the dogs were attacking you, did he just stand there, make any comment? Did he call off the dogs, do anything? To try to bite you and your wife, the dogs must have been jumping up at the cart, did the owner react at all?

Were you off The Villages property? Maybe there is a non-village resident who exercises his dogs in that area ........... very strange. DON'T GO BACK!

Yes, the owner was irresponsible on several fronts which is probably why the dogs are behaving the way they do. But big dogs as someone said earlier are not the problem. We have a big dog that the only time he is "uncontrollable" is when he wants to kiss someone hello. That said, an owner should always be in control of their dog. I, too, wonder what the owner was doing while this was occurring. And you should have been immediately calling 911 if you felt you were in danger. If you had, the dogs would have been picked up and the owner held accountable. What part of Bonifay was this? We live there and when walking our dog(s) do not want to run into them for obvious reasons.

Well I think the important thing here is CALL 911. I'm taking it that these 2 vicious dogs are still on the loose or could be and others now could get bit because you didn't report it!

What happened to the original poster? We all have a lot of questions and would like very much to get additional information. Do hope you are ok and the experience hasn't soured you on the "new" section.

these were not trained dogs... we had a trained dog to protect and due harm if needed.. the dog needs commands to due harm and a word to stop them in mid air and they will drop to the ground and stay until released no matter what. this guy had no control over his dogs and thats what i have a problem with... not that they were big dogs.... that there was no control on what they were doing much less not teathered

Are we permitted in new construction areas? Perhaps these dogs were there for a reason?!

as a dog owner I'm really bothered by this. My two 10 lb dogs were attacked by a large dog that escaped from someone's yard (not at TV) so I know how frightening it can be. I echo what everyone is saying in that it is the owner's that should be accountable. I think most true dog people are very responsible.

Lots of well behaved large dogs at Doggie Doo Run Run which is a private dog park at the intersection of CR101 and CR104. It's about 1 mile north off of CR101. That's north of Southern Trace Shopping Center.

There are German Shepherds, Elkhounds, Basset Hounds, a German Pointer, Greyhounds, many kinds of Retreivers, Labradors, etc. It is usually the smaller dogs that cause more trouble than the bigger dogs as the smaller ones seem to have much more of an attitude.

On walks too with my dog it is usually the smaller dogs that have been much more of a problem than the bigger ones.

Attack Dogs
 

These were my thoughts too. It might be that you were off TV property and someone around here has attack dogs to protect their privacy .......... the difficult part about this, to me, is that the dogs followed you for a mile without being called back, so they had to know the terrain to get back to the owner!

Quick remedy.....well maybe not so quick, but when you fear for your life while being attacked by a dog, and have to flee, and yet still have to fear for your life, take out the cell phone and if you can compose yourself enough, use the video feature, and then sue the pants off of this jerk.

I don't doubt the OP's post. Some time back my husband was walking the track in the polo grounds when confronted by a dog who was running loose and nipping at his heels. My husband stopped and called to the owner to put the dog on a leash (my husband was viciously attacked by a dog and is wary). The dog's owner angrily came over to my husband, stepped up to his face and asked him what he was going to do about it if he didn't put the dog on a leash. My husband is in his late 70's and this man appeared to be in his 50's. We called the Sheriff who told my husband he would ride by but that the polo grounds are private property. The dog was mirroring the owner's aggression. Sad to say it's people's irresponsible behavior that give dogs, big and small, a bad rap. :rant-rave:

I feel for you to have had this happen. I am very nervous when I am around a barking dog after having been bitten two times in the last 5 years. Dogs that behave that way do not belong around people and definitely not loose. I would have called the sheriff as soon as I was out of their range. I have seen many well behaved large dogs in the Villages and many well behaved small dogs. I have also seen many dogs large and small that are not well behaved and their owners don't seem to care. Both dog bites were at houses that I was visiting and both times I was asked to come into the house with them knowing they had an aggressive dog living there. So naturally I am very squeemish when I am approached by a barking dog. I hope you can forget about this incident and move on without any bad memories.

Golf 2140, I'm so sorry that you and your wife had such a horrible experience. It must have been very frightening, and I'm glad you're both OK. The dogs obviously have an owner who is completely irresponsible.

However I don't think it is fair to ask people "please stop buying new dogs once you arrive" in The Villages. Yes, lots are small, but dogs can easily be exercised daily at local dog parks.

I would say this is amazing at the least - to have a dog owner say to a man in his late 70's "What you going to do about it?" That is teen age behaviour. The police would certainly intervene if you have been threatened even if it is private property. Did your husband call the Sheriff when this happened or wait until getting home? Makes a difference.

I am beginning to wonder about this thread. There are three pages of people asking questions and voicing either empathy or concerns and the original poster is not responding. I hope this wasn't one of those threads to stir people up which sometimes happens.

Actually, that was one of my first thoughts, that it might be a Troll. But the OP has been a member for over three years with 758 posts. So I think the concerns are valid.

Or it could be someone trying to scare everyone to get them to stay out of the new construction areas.

Thanks Barefoot. I do wish they would come back however to clarify some very concerning points - first and foremost...where exactly was this?

I said this on the 11th post, sounds little hard to believe......................

First off I don't have a beef with a person having dogs as long as they are responsible, take care of them, pick up after them and keep them leashed. Most owners are responsible and care for there animals. And there animals are well behaved.

Its those few that don't that make the problems. If the dogs are aggressive and chase me, try to bite me and I am armed at the time...the dog won't survive. I will call the sheriff to pick it up. This has happened once before to me and it was a pit bull mix. (not in the villages) The owner didn't care that this dog ran loose and tried to attack people. He cared after I put it down when it came at me. You have every right to protect yourself. And the nice thing was every neighbor came out and filed a report against the owner when the sheriff did come out to take the dead animal. So he didn't have a leg to stand on. The owner can also be taken to court over costs incurred in injury and the dog removed and destroyed. Whoever the owner is needs to take notice. There are better leash laws here than where I used to live which is good.

I am glad you and your wife are okay. What time of day did this occur? The owner didn't try to retrieve them?? Sounds like he feels he has his own personal dogpark down that way.

I tell you what...call the sheriff or animal control...tell him what time of day this was...where it was exactly...description of the animals. Ten to one he'll be out there the next day at the same time and place with the dogs (unless he reads this board :) ). They might be able to pick up the animals and fine the owner before someone really gets hurt.

Hi there,

I will answer some of the questions asked above

1. As posted we were in the area south of Bonifay checking new construction, yes were in The Villages.

2. I am aware of the Doggie Park on 101 and good owners take their dogs there to run.

3. The owner of the dogs was just calling the dogs to return to him. They do not lsten well.

4. While trying to get away from them, the last thing on my mind was dialing 911 on a cell phone.

5. I will be checking this area, while in my automobile to see if I can locate the dogs again to notify the Sheriff's office.

6. No, this was not made up. Have lived in The Villages for 12 years. I have had neighbors who have had dogs and they were great.

7. I had not replyed sooner sine this is my first visit back to the site since my post.

Have a great day

I know the OP personally and lived next door to him in Polo Ridge prior to he and his wife building a new home. Believe me, you have no reason to doubt what he has to say.

Thanks for coming back. We are all pretty concerned. Especially those of us who live down there. Was this near the Bonifay Country Club? Do you have any recollection of what streets you were riding on and where you first saw the dogs? There are a lot of people who live in that area already and no one wants to run into pack mentality dogs...especially if walking with a dog. Anything you can remember would be helpful. Thanks.

Nor sure of the street. It was an area to the rear of the New Club House being built.

This is certainly unacceptable behavior for any dog living in the Villages. Did the owner (or the person calling them) look like a construction worker? One can only hope they don't live here. Sorry you and wife had to go through this. Very bad situation.

I am thinking you are referring to the new rec center - Bradenton - which is on Pinellas. Behind the rec center is Allaire Loop. And that is certainly Village property.

I think you should have called the cops right away. Didnt you have a cell phone? Those dogs could have knocked one of you down and malled you to death. I would still call the police and let them know what happened to you.

Retrievers, Golden's and Collies are large dogs but gentle giants. I agree when an owner get older they should thing before they get another companion. How strong will they (the owner) be in another ten years and will they be able to control them? Which explains the reason for so many little white fluffy dogs now. For the person who is blaming the dogs for being loose, point the blame on the owners...although there is a possibility they broke away from their owners.

It's not just big dogs, for whatever reason Yorkies seem to always go after my dogs. It's just that the big ones seem more threatening.

I love big dogs, but know that I can't have a dog that I can't pick up.

One Instance
 

I had one instance with a dog owner. Unfortunately he was probably psychotic as he allowed the dog to threaten me because I said the dog should be on a chain. The dog was as crazy as the owner. He was obviously
a pretty sick person as he brought the dog close to me as it barked and threatened. THere is no excuse or logic for what he did and I could only write it off as his being very mentally ill. I did call the sheriff's office but unfortunately by the time they got there he was far gone. I guess you have to deal with all sorts in this world. :bowdown: