A big , really BIG, Rhodesian Ridgeback mounted Chepi and I couldn't get it off. I shouted A LOT and that had no effect so I ended up whacking it's back and that had no effect. Owner eventually arrived after I whacked it and had a go at me for "beating" her dog. When I said she should have her dog under control she said he was! And she added that humping is what dogs do. I called the police when I got home as I felt really shaken up and they said what I had done was fine (I was worried about whacking her dog). How do you stop dogs if their owners just leave them to do it?
Forgot to add that after our altercation the owner deliberately let her dog off to mount Chepi again and she just walked off. It was all really sickening and I felt helpless.
I have let my dog respond as he sees fit in situations like that BUT, we have never had a much bigger dog attempt such a thing. I don't know what else you could have done and with a breed like that, and an owner like that, you probably put yourself at some risk, but it seems there was little choice. Is Chepi ok? Stupid woman, her dog will try that with one that will fight back.
Chepi is ok. I continued our walk trying to be normal and on our way back I went through where it had happened and encouraged her to run around as normal. I have to admit to just wanting to stay at home, nice and safe. I am still quite wobbly and Chepi is being spoilt with treats.
How absolutely awful. What a stupid, stupid woman. You must be very upset and furious. I would carry a big walking stick with me in future.
Awful! I carry a 'pet corrector' spray. I have never had to use it but I would squirt it in the dog's face to scare it off.
Pet corrector spray or a big stick (or both) sounds like a good idea and some very choice words for the stupid woman and her stupid dog gggrrrrrr. Hope you both feel better soon x
What is pet corrector spray, Barbara? I was going to suggest pepper spray, which you are allowed to carry in Germany, but then I thought it might be illegal in the UK.
Pet corrector is normally just compressed air that you spray in the dog's face. They don't like the feeling or the noise. I'd never considered the thought of me actually buying it, but in this context, it might offer a safer way to deal with someone else's problem dog.
I was thinking pepper spray but I will look up pet corrector. I was trying to find something on line but coul only find a spray for bitches in heat; which isn't right for this. Just had a short visit to the park to get back on the horse again and I had to force myself not to stop Chepi being friendly with other dogs. So she's seemingly ok; it's me that's nervous now!
Oh how awful for you Jane and poor little Chepi, I despair of some dog owners I really do. I think you can buy Pet Corrector in Pets at Home. I really hope you are both OK. xxx
I think there would be a real risk of also scaring your own dog, in very close proximity to the other dog, with any kind of spray. I think grabbing hold of the other dog's collar and heaving upwards and backwards with all your strength is pretty effective (I've done this a couple of times in London). But it is quite risky to manhandle a strange dog like that - I'd rather risk it than allow Charlie to get hurt though.
I have never used it, but I tried the pet corrector (well out of the way of the dogs!) and it is loud. I would hate to have to use it as it could scare my dogs too - but it makes me feel safer as we do meet some dodgy dogs sometimes. I think the fact I have it to hand helps my air of confidence, which also causes dodgy dogs to think twice. I would not advocate using it for behaviour purposes as the advert suggests, but for dog attacks it may work and I think would be at least worth a try. http://tinyurl.com/ngmkst7
I was fearless at the time, hauling on this giant's collar - expecting to be bitten - but couldn't budge it. My last instinct was to start whacking it, fully expecting again to be bitten. It's a terrible thing when the owner doesn't step in. She could've stopped it all and then to nastily let him off the lead again to make it happen twice just makes me furious. No witnesses. Won't go back there alone for a long time. I must try to move on.
How awful for you both. I agree with Julie. Get hold of collar pull up and back. The fact the dog was mounting Chepi not attacking should mean you should be safe to do that but with a big dog it will take some effort. Unfortunately a stick or hitting won't work with big dogs particularly those types of breeds unless you really lay into them. A small water pistol that will fit in you pocket and shoot in the face may work and not likely to scare Chepi water is a good deterrent when dogs are too worked up to listen. My old lab was attacked by two bull mastiffs once. One was still on a lead the other had slipped it's collar. The owner couldn't hold them. I carried a stick when I had one dog and I'm afraid to say I did lay into the mastiff, the only dog I ever have despite murphy being very prone to being attacked, with no effect whatsoever. When the adrenalines flowing dogs just don't feel it. I bet your more shaken than Chepi. She's probably forgotten all about it whereas you had to deal with the stupid owner as well as the dog !!! I get really annoyed when owners of those types of dog breeds seem to have no idea what their dogs are capable of. It's those owners that get those breeds a bad name.
I know how you feel Jane, Hattie was attacked twice within 3 months by a Flat Coat that drew blood from her. The second time as he dragged her to the ground, I hit and kicked him and dragged him off Hattie by the collar, I yelled straight in it's face and it sat infront of me looking worried and wait for the dog walker to catch up. When I saw the owner a few weeks later I told her in no uncertain terms that if her dog attacked Hattie again I wouldn't hesitate it reporting her to the Dog Warden. I do see this owner and dog and I have always got Hattie's attention onto me using BAT and she walks confidently past this dog. Try and arrange a walk with a nice dog to help Chepi. xxx
How awful for you and Chepi, and for it to happen not once but twice! Some owners are just so ignorant and selfish. For her to say it's normal, well to my mind it's not normal for a dog to just run up to a another dog and start mounting it. Well done for speaking to the police and that they are unconcerned with your actions. Carrying a water pistol may be useful, if all else fails you can always spray it in that obnoxious woman's face
Well, close You're not supposed to spray it in their face or directly at them, it just needs to be near by. But if I need to defend against someone elses problem dog, I'd throw the rule book away! The sound is like a very loud hiss of air. At the simplest level, it works by making the dog jump out of their skin, so is a pretty effective behaviour interrupter and consequence. It's also said (though I don't know how true) that the hissing sound resonates with something in their DNA, where in nature, animals know to stay well away creatures that are hissing at them, because it can't end well ! The difficulty is, using something like that will effect Chepi too, could be a kind of collateral damage. If she associates being mounted with the scary spray, well she doesn't know your not spraying it for her. It could create a motivation for her to respond more forcefully to be being mounted in the future, because she thinks uh-oh when I get mounted something scary will happen. Obviously a big problem if she's entire or ever to be mated. I carry a pocket size bottle with me whenever we leave the house. It's a protection tool for me and Gemma if we ever come across a problem dog. And I know I'm probably in the minority here, but I did use it in some of our training - especially when she used to go zoomies on the end of the lead and I needed something to snap her out of it without resorting to physical force. If Gemma was a fearful or anxious dog then yes it could have caused us damage, but she's a cheeky-confident so-un-so and I've noted no long term negative effects at all, including sailing through fireworks.
Here is the best ever video - by Glasgow Dog Trainer - on the best way to use a pet corrector in dog training. It's a really, really great video and very entertaining with it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4kN2n5f4Sc
