Don't trust the Home Sellers dog...

That seller sounds like a complete nut!  I hope they bought somebody else's house!!

I have generally been suspicious of dogs in a house. I am a dog owner but always put our dogs out or contain them when we have visitors. I would have made a call to the local animal control or police department to report the incident.

We encourage all our sellers to lock up or remove the pet from the home to avoid anything like this.

As the owner of an overfriendly dog, I have seen her get with the pack mentality & go after someone if the rest do.  The pack is a protection group & 2 are considered a pack.  They always protect the house no matter what. 

Hope your calf feels better. Can't really understand the owners mindset. Maybe a call to the police would have helped?

Great advice, watch out for other peoples dogs, I have found that most of the time even the most aggressive dogs will back down if you step towards them quickly with a bit growl.

We do require that our tenants put their cherrished pets in a cage/kennel before any of our maintenance people are allowed to enter the home.

I hope your leg is feeling better!

If the sellers' dog does try to bite a guest - can the guest use self defense against the dog?

Sorry -- If a dog lunges at me I will defend myself.  You really have to watch the little ones!  They are the most sneeky!!

I have a listing where a friendly kitty is often in the driveway or yard.  Someone at the open house started petting the cat and the cat turned and bit them.  Have now received a phone call from the potential buyer/victim  that she feels ill.  Owner doesn't know who the cat belongs to as they haven't lived in the house for a few years. I guess we need to walk the neighborhood and find the owner so we can test the kitty for whatever.  Might hand out flyers as I go!

That's a BIG BOW WOW!!

I would have asked if the dog was current on his vacinations. If not we'd be having some tests done. Every dog bite is supposed to be reported. Doesn't matter if you get stitches or not. Every dog licks their behinds. I would have let her know she was going to have to take care of it. I have 3 dogs all currently vacinnated. The neighbors dog is a chihuahua and runs all over the neighborhood. He bit the neighbor and drew blood (puncture wounds). He told the owner if he didn't get the dog and have a copy of the bill within a certain amount of time with proof of vacs that he was calling animal control. The neighbor who got bit was a diabetic and it got infected. Chico's owner had to have him quarantined, then vaccinnated and pay for the other neighbors doctor bills.  Chico has been micro-chipped and vaccinnated but still runs the neighborhood and still likes to snap. I chase him off our property. Dogs need to be kenneled or go with the owner when the house is being showed. 

Ann #23  Yep. I don't pet any animals  and if they hiss or growl I tell whoever is in charge to put them up or we will leave. As a word of caution, I would put a cautionary note into the MLs for your listing not to pet the cat in the driveway because it will bite. The sellers need to contact animal control. Cats carry rabies and cat fever which both can be very dangerous.  If the owner sets food out for the cat tell them to stop. Some areas will consider the cat yours if you tend to the cat at all. Save the owner some anxiety over liability problems and yourself and get the caution into the agent remarks section.

Eve hope your calf feels better. but if you haven't yet you need to have the doctor look at it.

Eve, I am definitely in agreement on this issue.  I have experienced way too many "friendly" dogs!

Dogs and house selling are a major challenge. Some sellers are great about it...they get the issues and take steps to make sure there are no problems. Others act as though they could care less, and are in denial about the pet's behavior and the possible risks (of getting loose, biting, etc.).

There was a big lawsuit here in the last few years where a buyer, having been granted access by the seller (given permission) to enter the home with his agent, was bitten by the seller's dog. Nothing reportedly had been done to prevent the dog from attacking the buyer. Major bucks...guess who won. Wonder if the MLS said - "friendly dog?"

Sorery to hear you had to deal with getting bitten, and a nutty dog owner. I would have gotten the bite checked out.

Hi Mike & Eve, we agree, even if all the dog does is slobber, we wish the seller would keep them in another room.

Having lived with a Veterinarian for 20 years, I have learned how to handle most dogs.  Start with knowing there is a dog in the household before you arrive for the appointment, have some dog treats (bacon flavored works great) available, stay near the front door and have the owner "introduce" the dog to you, offer treats and be welcomed by the dog.  List the home!

that story reminds me of a CLASSIC scene from a Pink Panther series movie when Peter Sellers asks if teh dog bites and the proprietor of the store says NO....and the dog bites Sellers and teh proprietor states, "It's not my dog"!!!

I have two dogs and I understand your feelings. One is 13 and has never bitten anyone no matter how much she has been harassed. My other one is 7 and is very small. She has bitten two people in her life. Both " victims " if you will, were given ample warning by me and the dog to leaver her alone. Both ignored me and the dog. She did not draw blood, but got their attention. My advice to all sellers with dogs is remove the dogs while the home is being shown. At the very least crate them.

I have been bitten twice.  Never too bad.  As an insurance adjuster many years ago I went to a Dog Bit Seminar.  The speaker asked, "What do you do if Killer bites the neighbor kid?"  Answer - "Change his name to Fluffy."

Not only did that dog bite you the owner certainly sunk her teeth into you by not suporting your claim, her roof probably doesnt leak either, "not her roof"...lol