Keep you dog on a leash!!

Ugh, I had a similar situation happen to me with my doxie not too long ago. So, they promised to keep the dog on a leash or tied to a tree when it is out? Oh, that's nice, tying a dog to a tree instead of being responsible enough to train the dog not to run into the street or socialize the dog so he/she doesn't bite other dogs. This stuff annoys the heck out of me. I just don't understand why someone would get a dog thinking it is all fun and games and not a big responsibility. I;m glad to hear your doggy is alright, and I hope everything works out ok. You should report them for not having their dog vaccinated.

Wow that is so scary O_O

I think no matter how much your dog "loves everyone" they should be on a leash outdoors, unless circumstances say otherwise (like a dog park or your backyard or something)

i always figure a dog fight with my dog is inevitable given how many incompetent owners are here in the bay area area. i wonder what its going to be like breaking up a fight between 2 dogs going at it.  do you just try to pull both dogs off each other or kick the other dog if its really not responding to being pulled off or biting back? *kick* sounds like a strong thing to say but how else would you break up a hostile ,vicious dog without risking your own life and limb?

I get loose dogs coming at me once a month, on average.  Some of them are repeat offenders.  One knocked me down.  Another grabbed my pants leg in his teeth (the owner was chasing him around me in a frenzy).  Everybody has an excuse.   I'm down to zero tolerance and will call animal control for every incident from now on.  I'm searching for palm-sized pepper spray, at the suggestion of a neighbor who has also had enough.   If there is actually a dog fight, I think it would be my only chance.

I really only had that happen to me once. There were two dogs that charged us while walking and scared the crap out of me.  They were unleashed in their front yard but no owners around and i was too scared to go on their property and knock on the door. Didnt know how the dogs would react with me going in their yard.  That being said...I usually walk Sampon off leash and also don't have him on a leash in our front yard or neighborhood.  He's a good good boy and does not run off.  I am almost to 100 pct recall with him.  I put him in a heel when we are approaching a corner that i can't see around and he obeys.  Maggie on the other hand...I know better.  I can't give her the freedom Sampson has.

Arrrgh , one of my all time peeves!  On a very rare occaision my pack makes a run for it,, ( haven't a clue what "it" dould be but "it" is  out there!  A toddler opens the door at the wrong time and the 3 puppies race out and run big joyfilled loops around me.  but I dogress, we have 4 neighbors who NEVER keep thier fluffy little cr*p trackers put up.  Of course "they love everyone" ...grrrr I hate cleaning up after them, and I dread knowing one day they'll end up hit or biting one of the feral kids that run our neighborhood from wake up to bed time.  If I can keep my 8 dogs and 5 grands in my own yard with more than reasonable success I don't see why they can't!  I don't get it obviously, boasting about how they believe kids and dogs belong outside in the fresh air, kids need dogs to grow up , then having a 5 year old care of the 4 year old OUTSIDE, unsupervised ( soaps are on ) and the dog tied to a tree ro "keep track of it"....

Bomita of Bwana

Think Roosevelt.... Speak softly and carry a big stick.  The solution in such situations is to be proactive not reactive.  I like to use stock sticks such as those used for herding and livestock handling.  I personally use a hickory pig cane, but I also have an aluminum crook, and a couple of different fiberglass stock sticks.  It is necessary to prep your dog of the use of all these tools.  Load up on the treats and take the dog out on lead.  GENTLY swing the stick in front of you with the dog behind you, then treat.  As the dog becomes more acclimated to the moving stick, increase the size of the swing.  When all that works, go back to short swings but fast, and repeat the progression.  Use something like garlic chicken or liver and the acclimation could go really fast.  Another tool for the same effect is a self opening umbrella.  REMEMBER all this preparation is done with the specific intent to get your dog really used to MOVEMENT from these tools so the dog is not frightened which will further incite the threatening dog.

 Now as you walk goes along, keep your eyes open.  Whenever possible, change directions.  If not possible for whatever reason,  get your dog behind you, step into the other dog, and use your tool.  Pop open your umbrella (it also has the benefit of breaking eye contact which can maintain the threats and aggressive behavior OR swing the heck out of your cane.  Very, very, very few dogs have the confidence to stand up to that kind of pressure.  Based on the dogs behavior you either continue on your way the direction you headed (because it ran for home)  or you backtrack until the distance away from the aggressive dog's territory becomes big enough it stands down.

 If worse comes to worse, you have a weapon to use.

I like that, mrv!  Oh yes, "think Roosevelt"...

Your dog is so sweet, glad she was pampered well and feeling happy now, good little husky girl.

Sister here-

I had Teddie with me as I came running down the stairs to see what happened.  Only to see a bloody hand and poor Mahalo bleeding.  When they went back up to the house I cleaned her up and found a few spots around her face and mouth, but couldn't think of why there was so much blood. Since they were just little nicks; I just knew this other dog was torn to shreds.  Mahalo is never aggressive unless of course she has to be.  In a situation like this I expected her to have some type of reaction. 

I think a mix of the panting from the long walk, water, and blood it made it look like there was a lot more blood than there really was. 

I'm just glad she's ok now and back to normal with the rest of the pack.  Playing etc has all returned after a good nights sleep, food, treats and a lot of love!!

 My husband is a police officer and he has had some super genius owner with their large dog who was off leash approach him. The dog was circling my husband and the owner kept going on and on about how his dog is trained off leash and would obey him even though he clearly was not obeying his owner's commands. Husband said that if he did not get his dog away from him he would shoot it. The owner was mad but city ordinance says that all dogs must be leashed for everyone's safety. What could have happened if it had been a child who made sudden movements and caused the dog to react?

About breaking up a dog fight...best avice is to have sme one help and to pull the hind legs out from under the dogs like a wheel barrow this  takes away the needed traction to engage and keeps you as far away from the teeth as possible.  Yes water can work but it had best be a strong blast to catch thier attention.

Bonita of Bwana

sorry guys I don't know how to cut and paste in this format yet.. but as to the excessive blood question..all mouth, tongue and head wounds tend to bleed a lot...and that isn't a bad thing, just the way nature  made us

Bonita of Bwana

I'm a huge fan of the Spray Shield Dog Fight Spray. It used to be called Direct Stop and it sprays citronella about 10 feet. It doesn't hurt, but it works! I have used it to break up three dog fights, two of which were locked-on attachment situations, where you can't just pull the dogs apart. I *content removed, advertising*carry it with me every time I go to the dog park or take my "dog selective" dog on a walk. There are too many off leash dogs in my neighborhood not to!

I used to walk Shadow in our town. Used to.

One of the people on my street is a deputy sherrif but he used to be a police officer in our town. He has a GSD mix. One day, his son and the dog were in the front yard alone. At the time, I was carrying a 4 foot piece of 1/2 EMT (electrical pipe) since we had a number of run-ins with loose, aggressive dogs. Anyway, we were almost 1/8 mile away and I see the dog. So, I'm prepared to walk the longer way back home to avoid a problem. No such luck. The GSD charges us, teeth bared, barking and not in a good way. I'm backing Shadow in myself in a circle while using the pipe as a barricade. The boy is hollering for the dog to come back. The dog is not listening. After about a minute or so, the dog returns to his house, as the kid's mother finally came out of the house to find out what the hollering is about. They get the dog put away and I walk us along the street toward our house.

I say to the woman that "we do have an ordinance in this town. It is called animal at large. If your dog leaves your property without your control or permission, it is at large, and you can get a ticket. This is the umpteenth time we've been charged by a loose dog and I have had enough of it. I carry this pipe to protect us. But the next time any dog comes after us, I'm going to break this pipe over it's head."

The next evening, the hubby is home and decides to step out in the street and chew me out. He said this his son said I was going to hit their dog with the pipe. Which is not what I said. But he was extremely upset. I ask him, "Exactly what did I say?" He couldn't answer, so I told him what I had said. He refuted me on the city ordinance, as well as the state law that all domestic animals will be contained. He, of course, was wrong.

Eventually, it all blew over.

And a few weeks ago, I saw his dog and kid out in the front yard, only this time, the dog was running out in the street to go after a jogger.

For a while, I carried a pooper scooper, which turned on loose Heeler in to a friend. I was using it as a barricade, it had a fresh load in it, the Heeler sniffed, and then quit charging and tried to be friends.