Just another vote for making a police report. If you feel silly about it, think of it this way: next time, it could be a child. A history of aggression is needed to establish that the dog needs to be controlled. A few police reports on cats being attacked and adults harrassed could save a child. And if the dog is so territorial that it will come into your yard and attack a leashed animal (and make sure the police know the cat was leashed!) then it may be a danger to children, too. (even if you don't think so--are you willing to risk it?) Call the cops, vet bills in hand.

If you have seen or heard of raptors in your new area, then I would heed the caution mentioned by previous posts and be careful. As a small animal veterinarian, I see the results of raptor attacks occasionally. The worst seem to occur at night, likely from Great Horned Owls. I say likely, because most owners do not see the attack, even though they may be nearby when it occurs. The owl swoops in, tries to take down the small dog, and then is either successful or not. The resulting talon injuries can be significant, but in a dog the size of yours, are usually not fatal. I have heard of fatal attacks of very tiny dogs by Bald Eagles, either from attack or from being carried off. We, too, see many serious attacks by coyotes and wolves, which sound like they would be less of a risk in your new neighborhood. Best advice is to stay with your pets when outside at night, and consider a good yard light to help discourage sneak attacks.

The golden had some puncture wounds on her head and, I think, neck, but was expected to recover well and without much trouble. Also, there's another story of a boy attacked by a cougar in northern B.C. while sledding in his school-yard ... and when his Mom heard the boy screaming, she ran to fight the cat ... beat him on the head with a towel, then the cat looked her in the eye and, deciding that there was too much hassle, I guess, ran off. S/he'd had the boy's head in its mouth and he has 22 stitches on the head, plus wounded arm and scratched back. That cougar was tracked and also shot. Sometimes leaving nature unmolested ... causes molestation the other way - but this's just cougars being cougars - seeking dinner. In a way, however, to which we human interlopers/recent comers on the planet find displeasing. Not having warm dens in which to live, as humans do ... predators in northern climes need more fuel to counteract the cold. ole joyful

I think that this post may help so many people, and the fact that the boy was almost 12 is also meaningful. Had he been 5 or so, he would have been down with the dog. Since he is 11, he must have reached down to the dog for the dog to have gotten his face. (Just guessing here) Isn't it true that fingers look like claws to dogs? In our dog training school we are taught to go up to one another's dogs using the back of our hands or even our fists. We go under the chin, not to the top of the head. After so many years, I had never been taught that most dogs don't want their heads petted (by strangers). Frankly I like the content of what so many people here say, but I wish they would be more respectful. When someone tells me that the Forum has spoken, and why don't I listen, I think I am communicating with a child. Truth does not come from the loudest screamer. When someone is so arrogant as to tell me that if I don't listen to him, I should take my dog to the pound, he negates all of the words that he wrote that could have been very informative. When we ask for advice, we get it. I am very interested in this forum, but we don't know each other, and to presume that we could be in another's shoes is not helpful. To me my dogs are almost human. I know that is a ridiculous thing to say, but it is true. I was shocked when my almost perfect puppy grabbed a bird, and wouldn't let it go. Yuck!! But he is a dog, and it is helpful for us to never forget that dogs are dogs. That is why experts who train Goldens (the only dog I am really familiar with) recommend that they not be left alone with young children. They are dogs and cannot be trusted. Also even though they can be trained perhaps better and faster than any other breed, we cannot trust them off lead - outside. It is helpful for us to hear about what has happened to others. We can spread this information, and help so many people. Don't we all think that dog information and education is lagging behind the year 2008? We don't have good publicity. We are concerned with backyard breeders and stray dogs, but we really have no type of education for the normal family that would like to have a puppy around. We have so much to learn from each other, but nice is a way to go on the forum if we want to learn from each other. I know that this is just my opinion, but I am accustomed to a forum where we do meet with each other from time to time, and we know each other's names. This forum is pretty anonymous, but we can pretend that we are friends. Sammy