I'm just on a forum catch up,so sorry to read this and for all of you that have had such awful experiences,It's sad reading about you seeing a change in your dogs ......bless them.Luckily they live with such conscientious caring owners who have their best interests at heart and can help them work through their issues. Take care xxx
Our first Lab, Ginger, was attacked by a neighbor's GSD, and after that always took umbrage at all GSDs. She seemed fine with all other dogs though. Ginger was a rescue, apparently from a good situation, and always a very confident dog.
@sdegg don't forget to be kind to your self as well. You've just gone through a very nasty experience and any uneasiness or reluctance to go out for walks will transmit to poor Rory as well. Take it easy and if necessary have short walks and gradually build back up as you re-build confidence.
yep know what you mean I'm avoiding the area all together and the police have told me to ring them if they approach or come near my home. changed my walk times and routes and been doing diiferent walk and shorter ones. If see a dog I know to be aggressive on its lead I go the other way. I'm also getting an officer to come round and assess my home sercurity.
Oh heavens! That's dreadful. I wonder what causes dogs to behave like that. I don't know anything about Ridgebacks, but would, off the cuff, reckon them to be more aggressive characters... but that may be total rubbish! Poor Poppy, and poor you. How very frightening for you both. Were there repercussions? My last labrador cross spaniel, Smudge, was attacked years ago one snowy afternoon by a 13 month old Mastiff being walked by a couple of teenaged girls. Smudge was 14, very arthritic and blind, and had already fallen off a high wall earlier that day when she pulled on her lead and I slipped on ice, letting her go... so a visit to the vet by taxi. She was thankfully ok. However, we were waiting outside the vet's surgery for our return taxi when the Mastiff broke away and bounded over to Smudge. (I can still see it in slow motion.) At that stage I wonder whether there was actual intent to attack or whether it was just curiosity. Smudge reacted badly, as she couldn't see the other dog, so snapped and the Mastiff reacted swiftly by taking her by the throat and shaking her. It was awful. I yelled for help, but no-one was keen to get involved, so I physically straddled the Mastiff and pulled it off Smudge. To this day I'm not sure how I managed it (and could hardly walk or use my arms the day after!), but perhaps, because it was young and because it wasn't expecting to be straddled by a hysterical woman, it released Smudge. It was lucky that we were outside the vet's surgery... he heard the commotion and came out and carried Smudge back in. She was, amazingly, ok. Years later, knowing a little more about dog behaviour, I'm assuming that the Mastiff saw a weak, sick dog and reacted to being snapped at. Maybe that's too simplistic. It's very scary though. Smudge died soon afterwards (unrelated), so I never knew what effect it had on her. So I feel for you girls and your lovely gentle dogs which have been badly attacked.
Poor Smudge, and poor you. With us, it was a horrible experience too. The owners of the dogs totally denied that their dogs had bitten Poppy, and didn't apologize either. But I found out the owner of the Ridgebacks is a breeder locally, and she paid the vet bill at least (but insisted it was the Weimaraner who had actually bitten).
@sdegg How are you feeling? How's Rory doing now? Hope walks are becoming a little easier for you all x
Gish, just catching up on this! What a horrible experience you had! Simba has been attacked a couple times, thankfully no physical harm done but I do think he is less likely to play with other dogs now. I suppose that could be because of maturity as well, it's hard to say. Are you afraid these rotten men might come to your home? Ugh...I do hope not! It's not fair you have to feel a prisoner in your own home! I hope you and Rory start to feel better soon.
he's doing much better and is less super alert and is not reacting he is still unsure of men new men and old when they raise their voices and wave thir arms but it is all working slowly thanks for your ideas x
@sdegg, just catching up with forum posts and I'm am so sorry to hear about what happened, but glad to see that things are slowly improving.
He's relaxing and i've had 2 days of really brilliant fun walks with him. Got caught in a huge thunderstorm and he was great totally un moved as we hid in a bus shelter. In the evenings I'm doing some training but fun things like leg weaves and spins he thinks its fun and its easy and improves his confidance. He is so adorable and I'm feeling positive about the way he seems to be feeling. He even did a recall from one of his girlfrends who the own thinks may come into season soon. He responed straight away. The silly man had brough her out and didn't mention it as he though Rory was castrated. I pointed out his big pink plums and the man side oh I though they had vasectomies like men????????? had to explain to him he was shocked? but he said his girl would never do that any way???? We had quiet a long talk I think he will be a bit more careful now so funny poor bloke he's lovely really but just totally uninformed
On this topic, what do others do to protect their own pup? Would any of you consider carrying a tazer?
I think where you are, I would consider Bear Spray.. One fellow who walks several Dachshunds through our neighborhood carries a cane, but I'm not sure if it is for defense or to control his own dogs. Last summer I was walking both of our labs in a little town in Missouri when a big Lab barked at us and jumped a 3 or 4 ft fence to meet us. Fortunately he was just being a curious Lab and wanted to greet us. I think he would have gone on a walk with us, but his owner called him back.
I'm lucky that I don't feel the need to carry anything for defence. I feel sad that anyone would even consider it necessary
The Dog Warden has been to see dumb and dumber and they have had a bit ot a chat. The dog warden thinks they are thick lying scum too. They were more polite to him but he saw them for what they were. He went 3 times and he knew they were in but they would not answer their door. He has left them in no doubt what they should be doing and also asked why they have a 3 year old docked boxer and where is his micro chip? Why are you allowing you dog to roam when this is a busy road with access to the local park? I think perhaps the idea of oh we've done wrong will never start to sink in but that they are being watched and I'm not the girly who goes boo hoo and goes home but the kind that won't be bullied and abused will. Just waiting for the police to get back to me now
