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#77770 - 11/22/06 01:31 PM Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
ChristinaRodriguez Offline
Enthusiast

Registered: 02/24/03
Posts: 324
Loc: Rhode Island
I have a situation related to the "Dog Attack" thread, and I'd appreciate some insight.

I live in a condo in a small city. On more than one occasion I've been out in our "front yard" (a laughable patch of grass owned by everyone in the building) so my 10-lbs. terrier mix can relieve himself, and a larger, unleashed dog has come running up to us from around the corner too quickly for me to determine motive. In these situations I've always picked up my dog, holding him out of harms way, while I shout firmly to the other dog, "No, go away! Go home!" I've always shifted my weight to be ready to kick if necessary, though I'd probably hate myself afterwards for hurting a dog even in defense of another dog. I do not own a gun but have my knife on me, and would probably be happier to use it on the idiot owner than on the dog.

In every instance, luckily, the offending mutt has been friendly, he just was excited to see my little dog and wanted to smell his rear. But my dog is very territorial and will growl at anyone he isn't familiar with, so my main concern is that his territorial barking and growling and refusal to submit to any dog will result in him getting chomped. This has nearly come to pass when we've taken him on (always leashed) walks. He is also extremely protective of me and of course not as intelligent as a human child, so it's not like I can just tell him to run inside the garage and actually have him listen - he's gonna want to be in the fray even if he can't do much.

In a situation like this, what more is there for me to do? Admittedly, the "Hold Up Your Pup" technique isn't perfect, as my dad took a few bites to save my childhood dog back in the day. Animal Control, I've found, is pretty much useless, and the owners just don't seem to get it. One guy apologized only when he saw I was defending my smaller dog, to hell with the fact he was "walking his dog" unleashed on a public city sidewalk and onto private property, and that he wasn't even in sight of the dog at the time. He was with his kids, so rather than explosively berating the man in front of his son and daughter about the city's leash laws and the fact that I would have been within my rights to use lethal force on his dog while on my property if things got ugly, he got The Glare. I was so mad I couldn't trust myself not to lose it.

***FYI We adopted my dog a year ago, he's about 5 years old and altered. There is evidence he was hammered on by some previous owner and probably never had any positive exposure to other dogs before we got him. He is a constant "Work in Progress" for us, so we weren't the one's who neglected his training.
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#77771 - 11/22/06 02:09 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
norad45 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/01/04
Posts: 1506
I'm pretty sure that picking up your dog is a mistake, and in many cases will result in a bite either to him or you. (It would probably be my first reaction as well though! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />) Doing so reduces your mobility as well as negating any chance of using your arms to defend yourself. Perhaps, if legal, take a stout walking stick and/or some pepper spray along when you walk him. Much better than a knife, which should be a last ditch weapon at best. Oh, and buy two pepper sprays and practice with one!

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#77772 - 11/22/06 02:16 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
KTOA Offline
Journeyman

Registered: 02/08/04
Posts: 86
Loc: SoCal
Take a look at the Dog Whisperer on the National Geographic Channel. I thought I had good dogs before watching -- now I have great dogs. Watch several of his shows to understand his training ideas. It will partially help your current issue and will really help the day to day interaction with your dog.

Attitude and confidence goes a long with dogs.

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#77773 - 11/22/06 06:34 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
NAro Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/15/01
Posts: 517
I've trained and worked with a variety of dogs, including protection-trained dogs, but everyone has their own opinion. IMHO -

1) If your goal is to protect your dog, picking him up was in fact the correct thing to do. He's 10#. You probably didn't get off-balance, etc. You also disrupt the "body language" messages he gave or is likely to give that would increase the liklihood of an attack. Don't worry about him barking and snarling: an attacking dog is WATCHING the body language, not listening!

2)If legal..pepper spray. Better yet, Bear Spray. For several reasons: you can use it one-handed and still hold your dog; it is non-lethal so you WILL use it (as opposed to a club or knife... with which you will hesitate); and if the other dog's owner is a jerk, you don't have to stop with spraying the dog.

3)With a walking stick or a knife (which I would consider a last resort for your situation) you need to drop your dog and really (really, really, really) attack the other dog. No bluff. Once you engage to THAT degree, you're at greater risk if you are ineffective. Really, Christina.. a last resort.

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#77774 - 11/22/06 06:54 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
norad45 Offline
Veteran

Registered: 07/01/04
Posts: 1506
Quote:
If your goal is to protect your dog, picking him up was in fact the correct thing to do.


But be aware that this may provoke an attack upon you. I know because it happened to me when I was about 10 years old. I was bitten on the back. It hurt but my dog lived. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

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#77775 - 11/23/06 02:00 AM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
NAro Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/15/01
Posts: 517
I agree, it may provoke an attack on you. But if the goal is to first try to protect my little dog or cat.. I'd personally still pick it up.

An element to consider is the distance to..the stance of.. and the body language of the approaching dog. Too complex to convey simply in a thread here, but my personal rule of thumb is as follows (and I've done this with a darn large dog, too. Not just a little one): If I have time/space to interdict an attack by changing the "aspect" of my dog, that's what I'll try first. Turning, picking up, etc. My last German Shepherd would drop to a down-stay and hold it while I dealt with the oncoming dog. That is.. my dog would break off eye contact and "attitude" towards the other dog. But that takes work and training in the specific situation. That's beyond the initial question in the thread. Certainly this doesn't always work. Certainly one might still get bitten by the oncoming dog. But that's what I'd try first FWIW

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#77776 - 11/23/06 02:01 AM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
NAro Offline
Addict

Registered: 03/15/01
Posts: 517
I agree, it may provoke an attack on you. But if the goal is to first try to protect my little dog or cat.. I'd personally still pick it up.

An element to consider is the distance to..the stance of.. and the body language of the approaching dog. Too complex to convey simply in a thread here, but my personal rule of thumb is as follows (and I've done this with a darn large dog, too. Not just a little one): If I have time/space to interdict an attack by changing the "aspect" of my dog, that's what I'll try first. Turning, picking up, etc.

My last German Shepherd would drop to a down-stay and hold it while I dealt with the oncoming dog. That is.. my dog would break off eye contact and "attitude" towards the other dog. But that takes work and training in the specific situation. That's beyond the initial question in the thread. Certainly this doesn't always work. Certainly one might still get bitten by the oncoming dog. But that's what I'd try first FWIW

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#77777 - 11/23/06 03:21 AM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
benjammin Offline
Rapscallion
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/06/04
Posts: 4020
Loc: Anchorage AK
I concur with KTOA.

In fact, go to the Dog Whisperer website and you can order a video(s) that will greatly help you deal with such situations.

In the meantime, if it were me, I'd have reported the dog to the police and say he attacked me. It is a lie, but it is the only way I know of to legally get the owner to abide by the rules. IMHO, the owner of the unleashed dog obviously hates his dog, or he wouldn't allow it to be out uncontrolled.

_________________________
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
-- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

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#77778 - 11/23/06 07:34 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
CJK Offline
Addict

Registered: 08/14/05
Posts: 601
Loc: FL, USA
My only disagreement with Benjammin's post is that you sholud definitely NOT tell them it attacked you if it didn't. A lot of localities consider those somplaints as sworn statements and if push came to shove...could mean a purjury charge.

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#77779 - 11/23/06 11:03 PM Re: Protecting a Small Dog from Dog Attacks
OldBaldGuy Offline
Geezer

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 5695
Loc: Former AFB in CA, recouping fr...
Wouldn't be purgery, since not under oath, but many jurisdictions have a "giving false information to a peace officer" section, then there would be filing a false report. The thing to remember in todays world, that it seems like everyone has a camcorder going all the time, so it would really be a bummer to lie to the officers, then have someone hand them a tape of what really happened...

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OBG

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