"However as soon as I opened the door my neighbors' middle school son
went right in front of my open door and startled both me and my dog and
my dog grazed his leg"

Unless the child came into your home, of course you are responsible. (And possibly even if you allowed the kid into your home.)

Judge Judy would rule in three minutes. If there were medical expenses, man up and accept responsibility for your failure to adequately control your dog.

Not the dog's fault, your fault!

(Let's see how long this thread can go. lol )

I did "man up". We decided to have a muzzle on him when he walks outside from now on. That way they're will never be a repeat of this incident.

Paying any bills and putting a muzzle on your dog is very responsible. I hope you can keep your dog.

Thank you. As soon as we told the landlord that we'd move since we would never give up the dog made him change is mind immediately. I do feel bad for the kid and don't blame him but I don't blame my dog either. However a muzzle makes sure a thing like this never happens.

Sounds like you are addressing the issue. The kid was being a kid, the dog was being a dog, sounds like you were right where you were supposed to be too. No one had bad intentions. They are not incorrect in wanting the problem to be addressed, I'd be nervous around a dog that bit too- even if it was just a startle reaction. I would always wonder if I would startle them by accident. Like you said, a muzzle will take care of the issue.

I agree with jesshs. That's nice of the landlord to let you keep him there. The landlord could face significant liability if your dog bites again after this incident. Glad you've come up with a good solution!

Ah, this is sad all around. Not your fault, you didn't know the dog would bite. Not the dogs fault for being startled. Not the kid's fault for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I'm glad the dog's ok and the kid is ok and you're ok. I had a bad dog experience as a kid and it made me scared of dogs for a long time. I still don't feel comfortable around big dogs and that's too bad because so many big dogs are sweet. Maybe a screen door would make amends.

A common theme here is that it was not the owner's fault. The owner must keep their dog under control at all times. Failure to do so is negligence, pure and simple. The notion that the fact the dog had never bitten anyone before is a defense is simply wrong. First bites can be serious.

This doesn't suggest the owner nor the dog is a bad creature - just that the owner was negligent and doesn't want to hear it. (Who does? lol)

I think the owner hears just fine. He's doing the right thing and sounds like everyone is moving on.

And that helps.

Salti is correct that it comes down to the owner's control of the dog. I wonder if Britney's dog was out in front of her when she went out the door (a basic obedience no-no) or was she just standing around when the boy ran by?

I have a 25 lb dog that has nipped 2 relatives so I learned the hard way that I have to always watch for signs of anxiety in him and keep him under control around others.

It happened, Salti. There's no undoing it. Lectures and pontification as well as blaming and snarking doesn't help going forward.

I would like to offer to the OP that if he's not undergone professional, positive reinforcement training, to do so. You learn a lot about your dog and especially learn how you and your dog can be happy, positive and safe.

Good luck!

Yea my dog is usually in front when he's ready to go outside. To be honest I didn't know having him in front is a basic no no so that's good to know and thank you very much. I always want to learn. He's about 30 pounds but small. I don't blame either my dog or the kid. It was just honestly an accident. It won't happen again thanks to the muzzle. It happened and it's just moving on. I've been bitten in the face by a dog before and I know it can shake a person up but not every dog is the same and I knew I was at fault for getting close to his face. I appreciate everyone's view on the matter and if there's any tips for walking or dog handling please let me know

I highly recommend signing up for an obedience class that has outdoor, group lessons. You may have to make a few phone calls to find an obedience trainer, but having group lessons helps you and your dog become more comfortable around other dogs and their owners. Plus, being outdoors adds a whole new dimension to the experience.

Another way to find a trainer is to attend an agility event and ask some of the dog owners for referrals.

Yea that's what I need because when I take him to dog parks he's very anti social. He sticks to me only and doesn't want anyone near me. Do you know roughly how much it costs?

Cost will vary, but you can first try calling your local Community events center and see if anyone uses the local parks for training. Also do a Google search for 'dog obedience training + towns name. Last class I took was held in a local park and I think I paid around $50 for 6 weeks. It's money well spent!

This site has more info.

mimipadv,

You seem very comfortable repeatedly criticizing me and my posts. I don't know how to automatically "ignore" someone, but you might give that a try.

I simply pointed out that failing to control one's dog makes the determination of responsibility quite straight forward

The OP repeatedly maintains it was not the dog's fault nor the child's fault and the solution is a muzzle. The OP should understand that there was someone at "fault" and the muzzle, if consistently and properly used, will help to mitigate future risk.

The OP has received lots of good info here and sounds as if she intends to follow it.

FWIW, I know that in some places there are laws decreeing that dogs who bite more than once may be destroyed - IOW a very serious matter...

I'm echoing the training suggestions.. A muzzle is a band-aid solution as it appears there are other issues that need to be addressed by a professional trainer. It's well worth the investment as it will allow you to keep your dog and others (animals and humans) safe.