On our evening walk Harv and I were approached by a woman with two dogs, a border collie and a small terrier of some sort. As we got closer I saw that the collie was not on a lead. Within a couple of seconds of spotting this the collie moved forward rapidly, low to the ground, with his eyes fixed on Harv. Meanwhile the terrier started lunging frantically on its lead. The woman seemed to take no action at all. With the limited room available (footpath with a narrow grass verge and then the road) I tried to put some distance between us but to no avail, the collie simply changed direction to intercept us. There was the briefest of sniffs between the dogs and then he lunged at Harv, growling and snarling. Harv backed away, as he always does (he's a bit of a softy), but the collie simply followed him and started trying to bite his neck. Still no reaction from the woman and I'd had enough at this point. "OI! GET OUT OF IT!" I yelled with enough volume for people to hear three streets away. The collie barely flinched and was still going for Harv so I'm afraid the boot of my right foot persuaded him to move away. Not a vicious kick intended to do any damage, but a very firm shove with the sole of my boot that sent him tumbling. Now the woman finally appears, gives a very timid "Sorry", and grabs the collie by the scruff of its neck (still no lead in sight!). I was about to give her a lecture about keeping control of her dog in public places but she was shaking and looked absolutely terrified. So here I am, feeling guilty about my actions, which have clearly scared/upset this woman, when it was me and Harvey that were attacked by her off-lead dog. :
Re: Feeling guilty Stop feeling guilty right now. I have done, and will do again, the same. Your first duty is to your own dog, and protecting him comes first. Positively training other people's dogs doesn't even appear in your list of duties.... The last time was when a big heavy dog had chased Charlie, caught him, and was heavily and agressively humping him - to Charlie's misery. I'm afraid I was none to gentle in the thump I gave it to get him off Charlie. The only thing I'd say is that a slightly better technique (coming from a person who walks a dog in London, and meets a wide range of aggressive dogs) is throw the dog off your dog, and then shout at it with your back to your own dog (even better is to insert yourself between your own dog and the approaching dog with boot/stick/"BACK OFF" at the ready...). That to me seems to minimise any suggestion that it's the action of your own dog that has caused you to be mad. But you are to be congratulated in not shouting at the owner. To my shame, I have sounded like a mad fish wife on occasion, berating the owners of out of control dogs - and that bit I have felt guilty about and resolved not to do again. :
Re: Feeling guilty You have to protect your dog. And I also think it's important that your dog sees that you're willing to defend her. A shove isn't a kick. We had a similar experience on Saturday. We were in an off lead area, and two big Huskies ran over to Obi and started looming over him and grabbing his neck - most definitely not in play. Obi was very intimidated. I ran towards them. As I approached one of the Huskies bit Obi on the side, who yelped and tried to get away and was immediately bitten again. By this time I arrived and grabbed Obi's harness and started fending off the circling Huskies with shouts and menacing stamping and lunging. I was mad. The useless owners turned up (dogs had no recall) and between them managed to grab the dogs. I told them their dog had bitten my dog. No apology from them of course. They put the dogs on lead and hit them. Idiots. These people know what their dogs are like and still them run off lead, unmuzzled. Irresponsible, antisocial idiots. It's terrible to see to your dog set upon. I have no hesitation in wading in and yelling my head off to save my dog.
Re: Feeling guilty Yup about a year ago riley was bitten and I think we met the same pair of very large black labs yesterday. They looked tense the moment we came into view. The owner said they were friendly but had hold of one of them by its collar at least. The other dog started snarling and barking so I did as julie described and moved towards him looming over him, shouted at him very loudly and put myself between the dogs as he backed off. The owner didn't say anything but then he was wrestling 30kgs of young male lab who wanted to get involved. I'm sure they're lovely pets but they're ridiculously anti social and not at all under control :-\ You do what you have to and my boot would have been involved if needed!
Re: Feeling guilty I would have done exactly the same as you and in fact have done so in the past and no doubt will do so again. My boot has been used to "scrape" dogs off Tarka before and I do exactly the same as Julie with Charlie - get in between the attacker and mine with my back to mine and bawl at the attacker. Often the language could be described as "ripe" as well.....
Re: Feeling guilty Don't feel guilty at all ...I stopped walking in flip flops 1. Walks got longer and so trainers were more comfy and 2. A little dog flew at Dex and bit his nose,my foot went straight in....just instinct, it made me realise if the same thing happened with a bigger dog and it was more of a proper fight I'd get really hurt in flip flops! Horrible thing to happen on a walk for you ,none of us go round 'kicking' or purposely hurting any animal we are only doing it to protect our own and I'm glad neither you or Harvey was hurt x
Re: Feeling guilty Don't feel guilty at all! I have had to kick some dogs to get them off Harley before and the owners just stood there saying 'they're just playing'. I wouldn't hesitate to do the same again if she was being bit or hurt.
Re: Feeling guilty Please do not feel guilty about putting your foot out to stop another dog attacking Harv. I had a similar experience with Juno, who was only around 5 months old at the time, with a dog off lead going for her while she was walking nicely on lead with my husband and I. I admit I lashed out with my foot to stop the dog and it's owners batted not an eye! I would not hesitate to do the same again if my gentle girl is threatened in a similar way - my first responsibility is her. Needless to say I expressed myself rather plainly, but the owners understood not a word of my English. The dog's owner is the one that should be ashamed for allowing a dog off lead in a public place and allowing it to attack another dog and for having another dog on lead which was also out of control. You had every right to find out where she lives and make a complaint about her out of control dogs. I dread to think what could have happened if you hadn't protected Harv
Re: Feeling guilty You shouldn't feel guilty. When my last dog was attacked in the Vet's car park I kicked it, hit it with the hard case of the retractable lead I was using and used some language that even I didn't know I knew. I should that as I am just over 5 feet tall I was unable to inflict much damage
Re: Feeling guilty Agree, you certainly shouldn't feel guilty - I too would have done the same. I do feel very lucky however reading all the replies, as the dogs we meet all seem to be well-socialised and I've evidently been very fortunate in that Molly has never met an aggressive dog. There is a big Husky population locally, who are almost all only walked on lead, but they've always greeted us in a perfectly friendly way even so.
Re: Feeling guilty Thanks all. Thankfully this type of incident is pretty rare for us (only the second time its happened).
Re: Feeling guilty You were in the right, and hopefully the other owner was shamed into taking her responsibilities more seriously
Re: Feeling guilty I once read advice to the effect: if an aggressive dog is approaching you, hold your dog on the leash close behind you and assume the stance of a policeman, legs apart, body upright, and with one armed outstretched and your hand in a STOP position, and yell "Get away" (or whatever words you prefer to use). This firm stance gives you such a feeling of assertion that the other dog will feel intimidated. I've had to use it several times, and every time it has worked (thankfully!). There is one dog, a boxer, that won't move away and does try to inch past me -- although he does appear very wary of me. I have to wait for the useless owner to eventually arrive and take him away. That boxer has attacked other dogs so I will not take a chance with it and make sure I have my dog behind me all the time until the owner deigns to arrive. Afterwards I always think, how crazy, I could've been bitten. But that thought never crosses my mind in the moment, perhaps cos I think the dog wants to bite my dog, not me.
