What Would You Do? (Dog Attack)

M

MLR

Novitiate
The other night after taking Herc to the playground we took the long way home and were just coming to the last stretch about a half a block from home, walking down the sidewalk, minding out own business, on a street where the houses were pretty close to the street. As we were approaching one house there was a lab mix out in the front yard that appeared to be loose and he was barking and growling at Herc. Herc had been really good so far on the walk back home and he was tired. He didn't even offer to go after this dog which turned out to be on a long tie out stake that didn't quite let him reach the sidewalk, but almost. I tightened up on Herc's leash and we kept walking. Just as I thought the situation was under control the 'resident' of this particular house opened the front door and out came two more mixed breed good sized dogs and they attacked Herc. Here I am yelling at the owners to call off their dogs and screaming that he had a bleeding disorder and they were not reacting. I finally let go of Herc's leash because he needed to protect himself. As he moved away from me and out into their yard the woman finally came out to try to get her dogs in the back yard. I called Herc and he came right back over to me and I immediately began checking him for cuts and bleeding. Fortunately he didn't sustain any injuries. But he was pretty shook up. I was very proud of him because he never once even offered to attack back, he just kept moving backwards in a circle to keep the other dogs at bay. I've always been afraid of this kind of situation occurring because he is Vwd positive, or affected. So I've never encouraged him to be aggressive. Now I'm wondering if I should start carrying a break stick like Tye does, just in case. We don't always go the same way home when we walk back from the playground but this is one of the routes we take off and on. I'm kicking myself right now because I feel like I should have immediately called the police while this was going on. The woman did finally come over and apologize after I made a production number out of feeling Herc all over to see if he was bleeding anywhere. Her excuse for the dogs coming after him was that one of them knew how to 'bump' the front door open! But I know what I saw. Her husband opened the door and let those dogs out. I'm just wondering what the rest of you would have done in a situation like this. In the entire six years I've owned Herc I have never encountered anything remotely like this.
 
call the AC or cops and carry pepper spray or a bottle with vinegar and water with you. i know i'm one of hose what jumps between my dog and the other ones, just to protect mine, risking to get bit, but they are my pack and i have to protect them. but i'm very proud of Herc, that he just backed up, with 100 lbs he could do some really bad damge too and then it probably would be yur fault, because you are the one with a dobe. but i still would call the AC, first for the tide up dog and then i would explain it to them , wat happens and that those dogs are a danger to other dogs and humans.
 
Yeah I too am one of those that would jump in the fight. And when that happens, I am out for blood. I would have had no remorse or second thought about grabbing one of the dogs ( if it had ahold of my dog ) legs and giving it a side kick and breaking it. sorry I dont mean to offend, but if its between my dog who is under control and someones dog running loose and attacking, I would not think twice. Then I would call the cops and tell them that the man intentionally set the dogs on yours and he would be going to jail for using his dogs as weapons. The dogs would be seized.

I think if I was you, from now on carry pepper spray and/or a break stick.
 
What a terrifying experience. I'm so glad you and Herc are okay. I'm with the others, call the cops or AC. Yes its the day after but its better than nothing. Just say you were so shaken up by it last night that you didn't even think to call. If nothing else they should file a report that will be available for proof of a pattern of this behavior if this happens again to you or anyone else. I would also consider getting pepper spray or a break stick but my first option would be the break stick as pepper spray could blow back into your face or Herc's. We have a similar situation in our neighborhood, when we take the long walk back from the playground we walk past a house with a dog on a tie out. He's fair sized and aggressive to excess, I'm always concerned that he might break his tie out or rip it out of where its tied and come after us. Luckily we can pass on the opposite side of the road to stay as far away as possible.
 
You did the right thing by releasing the leash of your dog. If all else fails, release the leash and let your dog do what it has to do. I would recommend anyone to have a breakstick available with them. I even have one that I carry with me because there are alot of pit bulls where I live. When using the breakstick, just insert where the back molars are and twist gently. The dog should release whatever it is holding.

Here is some information on breaksticks:
http://www.pbrc.net/breaksticks.html

---------- Post added at 01:55 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:15 PM ----------

I would like to stress that if you are using a breakstick on another breed, other than bulldogs, please be careful. Bulldogs grab and hold, while other breeds bite and release, bite and release, like a scissor. I believe this is common with Dobies and German Shepards. That bite and release might cause the dog to do damage to itself if you don't know how to use a breakstick properly.
 
Gosh Mary Lou so sorry you and Herc had that type of encounter!! Glad you are BOTH alright and very proud of the way Herc handled it!! I really think the advise of reporting this incident even now is good for showing a pattern if it should happen again and carrying something like a breakstick or pepper spray or even a bottle of vinegar and water would be a good idea!!
 
I agree. If someones dog is the aggressor and full out attacking mine, I just have no remorse for anything I do to protect my dog. And when it comes to the law, even if your dog is in your yard and another dog comes into your yard, if YOUR dog starts the fight....you are liable and can be fined for having a vicious dog. And even if the owner of the other dog is close by and he/she killed your dog in your yard, you are at fault for having an aggressive dog.

We all have a right to protect our property, which includes our pets. No matter where they are at. About the only thing you would get into trouble for ( if you had a license to carry for example ) is discharging a fire arm in town.

Not that I would support shooting in town . Just too many possiblities of that bullet bouncing around, I was just throwing out a example .
 
I would suggest that you get a can of pepper spray, it works very well and stops the dog in its tracks, you can get the ones that shoot out a stream rather than a mist and this works well to stop the attacking dog, I would simply put myself between the charging dogs and mine and would open up to the face with the spray. My wife now carries a bottle of that with her when she takes the dogs for a walk just in case something like this happens. I have been fortunate in being a dog trainer, when we have had loose dogs running up to jump our dogs, I have simpley assumed the aggressive alpha roll and stepped in front of mine and stomped my foot and yelled at the oncoming dog while moving toward it. this has so far always caused them to stop in their tracks or turn and head the other way. But as a woman such as my wife, I have her use pepper spray if needed so she or the dogs dont get hurt.
 
I thought I carried everything I needed when out on walks because this has never happened before. Most people keep their dogs that are in their yards under control. I am looking into some kind of break stick or maybe a plain billy club with a leather loop to keep on the fanny pack I wear with all of the other dog necessities (treats & scooping bags) when out walking. I don't like how this all came down and I agree I wish now I had called the police right at the time of the incident. Here where I live it won't do any good calling after the fact. But I'm thinking if we come home that way again I'll have my phone ready to use just in case. I was really proud of the way Herc handled it once I let go of his leash. He didn't back down, but he didn't try to take the two of them on either. They rushed up so fast when it first began and they were almost as big as Herc, that I didn't have time to think to do anything except yell at them to get away and for the owners to call off their dogs. The wife acted like she was afraid of her own dogs, too, because she took her time approaching them and getting them into their back yard. I also like the idea of carrying vinegar, or maybe even ammonia, in a small spray bottle; ugh, more gear. I just know if it happens again I'm not going to be so nice to those dogs or their owner like I was last night.
 
I would have tried yelling at the other dog first.

If that does not work, Would have placed my foot in its ass...

If the yelling and foot in the ass of offending dog did not work or if the other dog seemed aggressive to the point that it might harm ME or my foot, I would not use pepper spray to stop that dog...

YOU have the right to protect yourself and your property from harm...
 
Pitts said:
I have simpley assumed the aggressive alpha roll and stepped in front of mine and stomped my foot and yelled at the oncoming dog while moving toward it.
Click to expand...
This is what I've done too. Momma Bear ain't gonna be nice when you are messing with my dog! :mad:

But you were taken a bit by surprised too, ML. You did fine and if I ever was in that kind of situation where it was getting outta control, I would release my dog too! Trying to protect him while they are pouncing sometimes just gives the other dogs the advantage because we are pulling on the leash, bringing his head towards us and not letting him fight them off, but giving his body to his attackers. But if I had time beforehand, assuming the Alpha role like Pitts said and moving forward like you mean it, will spook them off....most of the time! Mace works too. :)
 
See, that's the thing. I counted it good when the first single dog on the tie out stake didn't make Herc lurch and try to go for him. I was holding onto him on a short leash and keeping him walking past him. I really thought the worst was over as we got halfway past these people's house. Then all He** broke loose when the front door opened and out came cujo and his brother. Then I did pretty much what DG said and started yelling at them and lost my cool. MB and Michelle are right, if I had continued to hold Herc at that point he would have gotten bit for sure. And those two were real close to biting me when I was still holding Herc's leash. The minute I let go their attention shifted solely over to him. I continued to yell at the other dogs and I was yelling for their owners to come and get their dogs under control. But it really did happen fast. Now that I know the potential exists at that particular house I hope I'll be a bit more prepared the next time we decide to come home that way. This is one situation I'm for sure not going to avoid because those owners need a lesson. I think Herc stood his ground pretty good and I won't be so worried if those dogs get loose again. I don't want him fighting any other dogs but I don't want him thinking he needs me to take care of his business either. Does that make sense? I think it should be the other way around; him protecting me from the thug dogs. And I don't want those owners thinking they can get away with that if it was intentional.
 
It does make sense. Your dog handled it like he should, ready to protect you if need be, not good for him to fight the dogs and leave you unprotected, but he would take them on if he had too. Just like we would protect and fight for our dogs if we had too, I believe they know that too. heehee, does this make any sense?
This breed is a thinking breed and great problem solvers, given the chance.
 
I'm sorry you and Herc had to go through that and I hope Herc isn't upset anymore.

Like a few people said, I wouldn't have a problem hurting another person's dog if they were attacking mine. I mean, I like all dogs but I know and love mine. A week or so ago my boyfriend and I were walking Nola and we weren't that far away from our house and we were walking across a grassy area which is not enclosed or anything when this Staffy came belting up from nowhere with no owner in sight - now, I don't have anything against Staffys as they can be great dogs, but unfortunately, in the UK they are really popular with not the greatest sorts of people, who keep them as a status symbol as they're seen as a tough dog. So this dog kind of leaps at Nola and luckily as she's still small my boyfriend just picked her up in his arms... but believe me, if she had been too big to pick up, that dog would have not escaped untouched.
 
I'm glad nobody got hurt and even more glad Herc isn't hurt.

One thing I'd like to mention that Michele did, but wanted to agree with her is that, I wouldn't recommend a break stick for non-bulldog breeds. It's not just that you could hurt them but the fact that if you try to stick your hand down there to break them, it won't do any good because they'll constantly already be biting and releasing. You will be putting your hand into a dangerous area and non-bulldog breeds will redirect onto you. It still couldn't hurt to carry one in case you come across a bulldog breed, hopefully you won't ever have to use it.

Maybe carry some mace for the other breeds of dogs that are coming at you. It would have helped if the owner grabbed a leash for each of her dogs and pulled them off of Herc...I'm sorry you had to deal with ignorant dog owners.:no2:
 
Thanks Rits. I was wondering about the break stick and dogs other than Pit Bulls. I'm asking my mail carrier the next time I see her where they get their pepper spray. One of the carriers just gave me a can of it but that was a long time ago. As time goes by from this incident I'm getting more angry at the owners. I will not hesitate to call 911 if this happens again. You know we spend so much time projecting a calm demeanor for our dobes so they will be good breed ambassadors and with law enforcement around here gun happy with pits or any other breed they perceive to be dangerous, it just makes you hesitant to call them for help or to report this kind of incident. But their dogs were loose and Herc was on a leash and behaving when this all went down. Maybe I'll talk with one or two of them that I know who are patrolling this district ahead of time in case they get the call so they'll be familiar with the situation.
 
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