Dog Attack

[Knipper]

You know when you sit back and tell people what to do and what not to do in a stressful situation, such as a dog attacking your dog… yeah, I've done that...
So tonight, Husband and I are walking Cricket on her flexi-leash around our community pond (across the street from the full kid's park), and these two dogs, off leash, come bounding up, then about 6 feet away, the bull mastiff's face changed. Cricket was about 2 feet away from them at that point. I started hauling her in, he attacked her. I jumped forward, seperated them, the little pug cross started to nip at Cricket, I pushed him off, then the mastiff bit down on Crick's right thigh and started dragging. I body plowed my elbow inbetween the shoulderblades of this dog, held it down, opened it's jaw released my dog, slapped the other dog as it was coming in again. It ran off, I held this mastiff down until I could safely allow Husband to get in and hold it. (PS all things you shouldn't do in a dog fight)
I checked Cricket over, I noticed a puncture wound on her right thigh, not bleeding a lot, but she was limping, and slobber all over her back end. I gave her my coat and kept her calm. She was snarling and biting at me and everyone that wanted to help.
Mean while... Husband has called our City police. Animal control is off at 8pm, and the police won't respond to that type of complaint. He asked what he was suppose to do. The Call Evaluater asked if the dog bit him. He said no, but if I let him go and he does, will that change your response? How about the park full of kids across the street? "no sir, there's nothing we can do, you'll just have to let him go"
...
excuse me?
A loose vicious dog just attacked a puppy sniffing a garbage can and you want me to let it go with a park of about 12 kids running and screaming while playing across the street?

Needless to say, tomorrow we fight with the City for a policy change.

Thankfully, Cricket was not horribly injured, so that we could wait a bit and were not in an absolute rush to get her help.
Thankfully we are responsible people that can not consciously release a vicious dog to attack again.
Thankfully the owners were reasonably responsible in that they were actually looking for their dogs.
Again, thankfully Cricket was not horribly injured, because we made the owners go back home to get their IDs before we released the dog to them. Oh yeah, and so we can give them the vet bill and report the incident to Animal Control in the morning....

We got to the emergency Vet's and I realized just how close I was to losing Cricket. No puncture wounds to her neck, but it was swollen and bruised pretty badly. The puncture in her thigh is not too deep and just needs to be flushed twice a day. She has some antibiotics and a pain killer.

She is doing good now, tired, but good.

[suzee]

wow. that is scary! i'm glad cricket is ok. prayers are with you!

[eeeefarm]

Your story illustrates the reason I never allow a loose dog anywhere near my leashed dog. If I see a loose dog coming my way, my dog is placed as close to me as I can get it, and the slack end of the leash is a weapon the oncoming dog will get full in the face if it doesn't back off when I yell at it. People are appalled that I would hit their dog "he's friendly, he won't hurt anyone". Well, I no longer believe that. And if I am walking a dog aggressive dog….....often the case with Basenjis.......why would I want to have another dog in his face to start a fight? I play it safe. Most dogs back off when I yell at them. So far, any I have had to hit have backed off, although the owners may get upset.

I should mention, I have not needed to do this very often. But I learned a long time ago that a seemingly friendly dog isn't always so, and I no longer give "benefit of the doubt". Nor would I object to someone using the same tactics, should my dog be the offender.

[Tri B.]

Similar thing happened to me a few years ago - pit bull and another medium sized mix. Luckily someone helped intervene (I suspect it was the pits' owner) after they heard the ruckus. Now I don't leave home without a can of mace. Only had to use it once and it works very well.

[Moth]

What a scary experience for Cricket and you… I am glad everyone is alright not. I hope your little Cricket heals up quickly.

Good luck with changing your cities silly policies.

[Kipawa]

I don't think we can get mace in Canada, but I think I am going to look for something that I can carry in a pocket that I could spray at a dog that might attack Kipawa. I actually started thinking about this last week when yet another (the 4th one) German Shepherd attacked Kipawa. Nothing happened, as I yelled like a banshee and the owner actually KICKED his dog, which I was happy for at the moment. Then later on in the walk I felt sad for the dog. The guy was a total jerk after it happened, told me that my dog 'looked' at his dog and provoked the fight (Kipawa was beside me off leash), even though the German Shepherd charged at Kipawa. Unstable owner = unstable dog. If this dog gets kicked for doing something wrong… well, you know what I mean.

[eeeefarm]

@Kipawa:

The guy was a total jerk after it happened, told me that my dog 'looked' at his dog and provoked the fight

That is actually quite possible, although not an excuse. A dominant stare can certainly provoke a fight. I once amused myself by inducing a growl from a Doberman whose owners stated that the dog was not aggressive. I locked eyes with the dog, used my best dominant body language, and voila! A nasty growl! The owners were shocked! (I would never have done it if the dog had been loose). People are often not aware of the signals they are giving off, and for sure many are unaware of the silent communication going on between their dog and others.

A dominant race horse may win a race by intimidating a faster animal, so that it doesn't dare pass. Known as "putting the ears on him". Any sign of disrespect can put a dominant stallion on the fight. You have to be aware of this if you ride one out in company. Dogs are at least as sensitive to disrespect or challenge as horses are.

[agilebasenji]

Knipper-
I am glad to read that everyone is okay, physically at least. Hopefully this won't have any lasting effects for Cricket, although it is common for a dog to become dog-aggressive after being attacked. She may just be aggressive with a certain type of dog. Poor baby.

As to the police not coming, that is also, sadly, very common, at least here in the states. Yes someone has to get hurt before they will respond. And it's rather ironic that they won't respond after your dog was hurt. Dogs (at least in the eyes of the law) are property and I bet they'd respond to a call about someone taking a baseball bat to your car. Sort of the same thing if you ask me.

[TuckerVA]

Similar story for me also, when I had Tucker. I girl who lives in my community has a Shiba Inu. We were at the dog park once and her dog attacked mine. I grabbed her dog and practically threw it across the park and scooped my dog up off the ground. She got mad at me and told me that it was MY dog that started the fight. I ignored her but give her regular sneers when I'm walking my dog and her dog is on her balcony and goes into a rage every time we pass by - knowing she realizes that her dog is an asshat and gets enraged by any passing dog… Here I am, walking with my B calmly and here she is, trying to pull her idiot dog away from her balcony fencing before he breaks through it trying to get at my dog...

[Patty]

Knipper, I'm so relieved that you managed to get Cricket away to safety. I hope she recovers soon. It's difficult to decide what you should or should not do when your dog is attacked. Easy enough to decide after the event!! What a terrible ordeal!!

ved that this ended up with you getting Cricket away safely. I do hope that she will recover quickly. It's extremnely difficult to think what you should and should not do when it is your dog that is in danger.

[MacPack]

Oh my goodness Knipper, I want you beside me in a fight, any time! I hate to think how badly Cricket would have been injured if you had not turned into a Ninja and wrestled the huge attacker. Hats off to you, and for keeping him till owners could be found.

Hugs to Cricket, use the pain meds to keep her comfortable. When Chipley was attacked at the park several months ago, he was very timid and stayed close to us for several weeks and shyed away from large white dogs. We tried to stay relaxed and comfort but not coddle him and eventually he started playing again but still gives white bull-type dogs a second look and avoids them if he can. Hopefully Cricket will bounce back and be her happy, normal self again soon.

And yes, unless there is a human injury, the police have more serious business I'm afraid. Animal control may think differently and give them a warning at least. And hopefully you get your vet bill paid too!

[DebraDownSouth]

You did what you did fast, decisively and kept your dog from being killed. I'd say the right thing.

I actually have a big children baseball bat that I have carried when I go walking due to a few nasty loose dogs (I don't walk my dogs here because of them). But those megahorns supposedly deter dogs better than mace or any types of spray. Regardless of what you use, carrying something is, to me, a good safety precaution against idiot owners and loose dogs.

[LindaH]

@Kipawa:

I don't think we can get mace in Canada, but I think I am going to look for something that I can carry in a pocket that I could spray at a dog that might attack Kipawa.

As a U.S. citizen, I know that mace or pepper spray can't be taken INTO Canada, although I don't know about purchasing it there. However, bear spray CAN be taken across the border, so you might look for that. As far as I know, bear spray is pretty much the same thing…and if it can stop a bear, it can stop a dog!

[Shaye's Mom]

@Kipawa:

I don't think we can get mace in Canada, but I think I am going to look for something that I can carry in a pocket that I could spray at a dog that might attack Kipawa. I actually started thinking about this last week when yet another (the 4th one) German Shepherd attacked Kipawa. Nothing happened, as I yelled like a banshee and the owner actually KICKED his dog, which I was happy for at the moment. Then later on in the walk I felt sad for the dog. The guy was a total jerk after it happened, told me that my dog 'looked' at his dog and provoked the fight (Kipawa was beside me off leash), even though the German Shepherd charged at Kipawa. Unstable owner = unstable dog. If this dog gets kicked for doing something wrong… well, you know what I mean.

Pepper spray is something you might be able to get if Mace isn't available.

[krunzer]

We can buy bear spray. I have a couple cans that we take when we go hiking or when we are staying at a campsite. They are a litte more cumbersome than a can of mace and I think a little more potent!!

[Lysh]

i am glad Cricket is ok. how is she today?

i have had a dog try and attack Hope just a few months ago. they were both off leash (at a park) i had Hope beside me and the other dog lunged for her so i grabbed Hope before she could react and moved her to the other side of me, well the blasted nasty dog kept coming for her so as it crossed infront of me i gave it a boot to keep it away from Hope and swung her again. i repeated this several times (the boot and move Hope to the other side of me) whilst the owner was just sitting on the hill watching and didnt get up to get his dog until another local jumped in to pull the dog away. i scooped Hope into my arms as soon as the dog was restrained (she was ready to rumble with this dog by this time) and grabbed Ebby and left. i apologised to the owner of the other dog as i left for kicking it (there was no way i was letting it close enough to get a bite in on Hope) even though his dog iniated the attack. ive never seen hackles sit so high. i do not go to teh park anymore (previous week before that someone let Ebony out the gate. i nearly died after i finally got her back… yes i dont know how but i did).. i have slowly begun adventuring to another park but Hope is a bit weary of new dogs that come in, so i have to watch her closely. we barely go anymore. sad really cos ive put so much work into making sure shes socialised well. really do hate the ignorance of some owners.

[Knipper]

She is good, the only peronality change is that she struts. Husband says it's her telling the big dogs that her Mommy can kick their @ss, so don't mess with her…
I am so happy that she is not fearful and aggressive with other dogs now. She even seems braver with the neighbourhood kids.
The owners have agreed to pay our vet bill, we were suppose to go over there tonight, but Husband had a meeting.

And the City policy change is being addressed. I gave two suggestions that they are implementing for recovering aggressive dogs.
Kind of sad that it took this to think of that... Glad it wasn't worse.

[curlytails]

Very scary story… I hear stories like this more often than I care to admit, but seldom hear about a follow-up. Kudos to you for being so active about getting the city policies changed. And here's hoping that Cricket feels better soon.

[Kipawa]

@Lysh:

i have slowly begun adventuring to another park but Hope is a bit weary of new dogs that come in, so i have to watch her closely. we barely go anymore. sad really cos ive put so much work into making sure shes socialised well. really do hate the ignorance of some owners.

There are a lot of dumb owners out there. I'm appalled that the guy just watched all of this happen. But you want to be able to keep Hope well socialized. Perhaps there are times at some of the parks where there is a better 'blend' of dogs and more responsible owners? I have stopped taking Kipawa to dog parks on the weekends. Many of the dogs on the weekends have been holed up in the house all week and are just not acting very stable. Then add to it owners who have no time to interact with their dogs for a week. It's a bad combination.

I really hope that you can find a safe place for all of you to go to and feel safe. Are there any places that do doggie daycare where you are at? You could possibly bring Hope there and let her ease back into socializing to build her confidence back up.

[MacPack]

I agree with Fran about choosing another time to go to the park! Our parks change character completely at different times of day.

And so glad Cricket is strutting, telling everyone "My Mommy can kick butt"!