Dog Community

Scary Situation, Quick Decision, Poor Shippo!

Posted : 10/11/2006 11:17:31 PM

I just thought I'd share my scare I had today...

I came home from work for lunch, and decided to take Shippo for a little walk around the block for some training and a little exercise and stimulation... He was doing really good, and we were having a nice time. We were halfway around the block, when...

These two dogs burst out of a garage and came charging toward us! They were followed by a lady screaming "NOOOO! NOOOO!" Not to say that the charging dogs weren't unnerving, but the yelling scared me. It made me think, "What if these are AGGRESSIVE dogs?!" I didn't want Shippo possibly being attacked. Vet bills and rehabbing whirled around in my head! I did the only thing I could think of doing to keep him away from them...

I pulled him quickly off the ground by the leash and grabbed him, holding him above the ground. It was like a yo-yo... I felt bad for doing it, but at the moment, I was picturing him being torn to shreds by two dogs, so it was sortof an instinctual thing. >X.x;<

The lady ran up and apologised profusely, saying she had just gotten back from a training class and she had let the dogs out of the car thinking she had control of them, but was wrong. They turned out not being aggressive, so I was able to put Shippo down, pet him, give him treats, tell him I was sorry for yo-yoing him, and let him sniff the other dogs.

I don't know how else I should have handled the situation... perhaps I should buy some Direct Stop!

Shippo was unfazed, thank goodness, and I said bye to the lady and continued on around the block. So it turned out okay.

Anyway, I just wanted to share my adrenaline rush for the day... >O_O;<

Jennifer

Posted : 10/11/2006 11:27:35 PM

That sounds scary!

I cannot tell you how many times I have encountered many dogs, when I walked Lacey or Misty. The best you can do is stay calm & usually if you stare down at the other dog, it usually works. Or if you walk, & not turn your ahead, keep your dog at your side all times. When you see that the dogs are gone, you can now take a deep breath & breath :-)

If a dog seems like it's gonna attack, (screaming doesn't help) you can either step in the middle take control etc Hope someone else like the owner help.

I'm happy, that everyone is safe at sound! I can't stand stupid people with dogs. They should known better & know their own dogs etc

astaracheetah

Posted : 10/11/2006 11:33:54 PM

See, now if the dogs hadn't been careening toward us at a very high speed, I probably could've done something like that lol. But they reached us in, I'd say, less than 3 seconds. Didn't have much time to think, much less stare down a dog lol... Had I been walking Eevee, I wouldn't have been so worried. Eevee is 55 lbs and not easily hurt. She knows how to defend herself. Shippo is a pretty small dog, and a puppy, and these were fairly large dogs hurtling toward us. >o.o;<

mrv

Posted : 10/12/2006 6:25:01 AM

problem is (sorry to beat you up when you are already doing it yourself) you make him more prey like. Another issue, dogs jump, you may not be able to get him high enough anyway.

One option, shove him behind you and get between your dog swinging a walking stick or cane. I particularly like the hickory canes you get at livestock farm supply places to show pigs.

When you swing the cane you have to stay more upright which makes you appear visually bigger. Dog's eyes are set up to catch movement so the swinging cane could be the first thing they see. The back and forth motion doing quickly and with a fairly wide swing (elbow height to elbow height) is very intimidating. A dog charging sheep will almost always yield to that visual. And if you have to,,,,, hickory hurts.

Scout in Canada

Posted : 10/12/2006 7:17:30 AM

Poor Shippo!

I'm sure with a dog his size, I would have done the same thing.

Firestorm

Posted : 10/12/2006 8:47:58 AM

Glad you and Shippo are ok. The whole thing of people not keeping dogs on leashes irks me. There are certain situations that no leash is ok and if your dog can be called back.

astaracheetah

Posted : 10/12/2006 9:19:15 AM

At that point, I had nothing at my disposal... heck, I usually keep a throw chain in my pocket (and I've had to use it before with stray dogs), but I left it at home. I didn't have much of a choice but to possibly make him "prey-ish." The dogs could have jumped up on me trying to get him, but I am tall, and could have lifted him over my head if I needed to. My main objective at that point, since I had nothing to deter them, and no place to escape to, was to get Shippo off the ground by any means necessary. >X.x;<

I dunno how I'd do with a cane... it's just something else I'd have to have in my hands all the time... Does Direct Stop not work well? What are everyone's opinions on it?

rwbeagles

Posted : 10/12/2006 9:23:28 AM

Only thing I see with direct stop is that...if you spray a dog with it when their owners around, you could end up with not a problem dog but a problem owner who will slap you down for spraying their dog with some "toxic substance"...or lawsuit could result if the dog requires treatment to recover as well.

It may seem convoluted but people sue for anything....and just because they don't have a case because THEY were in the wrong doesnt stop them from making YOU take the time to appear in court and tell the judge so!

The cane is probably a lot less likely to incite actual issue with the owner since it might work without even needing to touch the dogs.

Margaret Tyler

Posted : 10/12/2006 9:42:41 AM

Yo Yooing! LOL That's a good way to put it. I've done that several times before. Joey's little though, so usually I do it to lift him into my arms. I feel bad everytime I do it too. It's impulse. I just want to lift him out of the situation.

When Joey was attacked in a parking lot by 2 dogs walking their kids, I hung poor Joey from his leash. I couldn't walk away because the leash of the dog that was trying to attack Joey was wrapped around my legs. Wierd long situation. But I really don't want to walk into a pet store with a cane.

Guess I know better now than to intise another dogs prey drive by hanging my small dog up in the air.

Scary situation, but atleast nothing horrible happened

sallya

Posted : 10/12/2006 11:09:51 AM

You have to pick up a dog unless you want it killed by shaking or shredding. Our worst attack was a Rott. that took my poodle in his teeth and shook her. I had her so that is the only reason she survived. She was in shock and internally bleeding and had a long surgery, but it saved her. The Rott. wanted to kill her and almost did. I was doing all I could do to save my dog's life.

I carry a golf umbrella. Otherwise, there is nothing really to do but hope you will not see any dogs. Two or more attacking dogs are so much worse. If it would've been two dogs attacking us, the story would be much diff. now. She would be dead and me too I am sure.

cakana

Posted : 10/12/2006 11:34:08 AM

Does Direct Stop not work well? What are everyone's opinions on it?

Just my opinion, but I wouldn't waste my money on it. We bought 2 cans at $10 each because of the fighting between our 2 dogs. I emptied the entire can in about 10 seconds and it did absolutely nothing to stop the fight. I think it might be effective IF you can spray the dog just as it's approaching and IF the dog isn't super aggressive. I just wouldn't advise anyone to rely on it entirely. I know Gina's right about the suing thing, but I can tell you the stuff smells just like lemony Pledge and had about that much affect on my dogs.

I think MRVs suggestion is great, but if I didn't have a cane or walking stick, I'd probably have done the same thing. Unfortunately, I really do see the danger in this though. My one lab, Sassy, has super high prey drive and would probably jump up. She's likely to knock you over in the process too. I don't think she'd be vicious (geesh, I sure hope not) but it'd still be a mess.

astaracheetah

Posted : 10/12/2006 4:03:55 PM

I also realize there was danger in it, but in my situation, I couldn't have done anything else.

There is another product called "Halt." Does that work any better? I have a can of pepper spray but that's kinda dangerous and I probably WOULD get a lawsuit for something like that. I highly doubt an angry owner would be able to win a lawsuit over a can of citronella spray that is meant to not harm a dog lol... And besides, those dogs were not on leashes and mine was. There is a leash law here.

jennie_c_d

Posted : 10/12/2006 4:12:23 PM

In the one situation where my dogs were attacked, I picked them up, b/c I didn't have anything with me. A throw chain is a good idea. I bet I have an old choke chain, lying around, somewhere.

I would carry mace or pepper spray, but that could get all over me and my dogs. A big stick or umbrella seems to be the best deterrant. If I see loose dogs, I carry Teenie (who yaps), and ask Emma to heel (so she blends better, I guess, LOL). It works pretty well, so far.

ron2

Posted : 10/12/2006 5:57:31 PM

Welcome to my world. There have been times where a loose dog came after us and it wasn't to be friends. I've had us backing in a circle, suspend Shadow's front half off of the ground with one arm while trying to ward of the attacking dog. I mentioned that here and was told how wrong I was. Sort of like your receiving in this thread. All those suggestions sound great. And they don't work when the other dog is aggressive and trying to fight and doesn't politely stay in one spot so that you can place your self in between but is circling and trying to find a way in, and doesn't care whether or not you say "sit", which every dog knows, and doesn't care if you "stare it down." That dog aims to have at it with your dog. And he doesn't care about treats, if the owner even bothers to try to contain the dog, which many where I live dont do.

I think you did what you had to do and shouldn't be ashamed. The owner who did not have control of her dogs, off-leash or on, is the one who should be ashamed. I also think recrimination of your tactics is unnecessary.

mrv

Posted : 10/12/2006 6:10:19 PM

Respectfully, there are situations in which your dog may be better off if you do not lift them off the ground. When they are on the ground, both the flight and fight options are still open to them. Granted there are instances in which that wont work. But thinking about options after the fact for the original poster and for those reading who have not experienced such an attack can help you devise a method to increase the chances both of you will walk away unscathed.

There was no ill intent in my post, rather an attempt at pointing out a strategy that could be as (or more) potentially dangerous as not picking up the dog; from the view point of increasing the prey drive reaction of the charging dogs.

I do apologize for what has been interpretted as damning a person's actions.