Graham McCormick appeared at an Ashburton District Council hearing last week, where he said the actions of his dalmatian springer spaniel cross, who is now 16-months-old, was "a one-off incident" in May.
Susan Sloan, 68, was going for a walk from her Ashburton home when the dog came out of its section and jumped up on her from behind.
It tugged on her top, pulling her backwards. When she had to walk past the house again on her way home, she made sure to walk on the other side of the road.
"I was almost past the house when the dog ... shot out of the gate once more and latched on to my leg," she said as she read her victim impact statement at the hearing.
"It really hurt and I went into a state of shock. Tears flowed down my face as I limped home. Once there, I discovered the dog had drawn blood and bruising was already evident."
Traumatised, she did not have the confidence to go walking again for several weeks.
She has concerns for children in the growing subdivision where the dog lives, believing they could also be attacked.
McCormick apologised to Sloan at the hearing. He had wanted to do this earlier but had been unable to find out who the victim was.
He has since built two new gates and installed a wireless fence, ensuring the dog remains on the property.
He said the family pet would play with his children and probably didn’t have clear boundaries as to where she was allowed to be.
"Which she does have now," McCormick said.
He said the pup’s behaviour that day was out of character.
It had been acting strange prior to the incident, which may have been linked to a phantom pregnancy.
"I don’t believe she’s a menacing or dangerous dog, and I have taken every measure now to stop her getting out of the property. It was my fault," McCormick said.
The fact the dog is now classified as menacing means it has to be muzzled and on a leash in public, even in a dog park.
The family likes to visit rivers and beaches and it is not only hard on their pet, but also limited their family life.
The hearing panel of district councillors was chaired by Liz McMillan. The other panel members were Carolyn Cameron and Leen Braam.
The panel deliberated following the hearing and plans to release its decision within the next week.
