protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

[keesha]

While walking Alexander last nite on his leash, A huge dog came out of no where so fast and was all over him. There was not a freaken thing I could do. Could not even reach to pick him up. The owner was right there watching. I kept screaming at him to get his dog. He just stood there and slowly walked over and grabbed his dog by the collar. Alex was not hurt but a nasty slobbery wet mess. Again wondering if any one has had this problem and what might be a good way to make sure I can protect my dog if it happens again. It was very scary and that dog could of done some serious damage if he had had a mind too... Thanks for any suggestions

[Tulip]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

Keesha, aside from the dog park where all the dogs are off the leash, I have only had it happen one time. A pit bull came charging towards Butterfly from across the field. I was almost in shock but knew there was no place we could run in time. I changed my demeanor and acted like I was happy to see him coming and petted him when he got there. "What a good boy you are!" Turned out to be a girl

When the owner finally ran over, I chewed him up one side and went down the other for not having his dog on a leash.

I don't know what you're supposed to do, but I found being a diversion effective.

[Rivers]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

troubling when u say the owner
was just watching until u started
screaming at him to get his dog off
seemed like the owner was just
nonchalant about the whole thing
walk with your pepper spray
when u pull it out see how fast
the owners react. if u/dog being
attacked use it

[Nanook]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

When we were growing up in town there used to be a neighbor lady who always walked her dog with a big stick. We were just little kids, so didn't fully understand her behavior and we called her "crazy". Oh the shame.

I fully get it now. I know how fast these things can happen and it is scary to think about!

The element is surprise is very powerful. I have used it & and you would be surprised at how you can stop a charging animal in it's tracks with a movement and scream of your own. I guess if I was walking dogs in town with this threat I would want to use pepper spray, though first it would be wise to find out of they are legal to have where you live. In some places you could end up charged with carrying a concealed weapon. Me, I might still carry it if it would protect my dog.

I guess a big stick wasn't such a crazy thing to see, in hindsight.

Keesha. I am glad Alex is OK, what a fright!

[keesha]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

Just wanted to thank you all for your comments and help. I called the police dept here in calif and it is legal to carry pepper spray. So I am out to buy some. Would not feel happy about hurting someone elses dog but a situation like last nite I will not hesitate to use it for a moment...

[jamaica_dreamin]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: keesha</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Just wanted to thank you all for your comments and help. I called the police dept here in calif and it is legal to carry pepper spray. So I am out to buy some. Would not feel happy about hurting someone elses dog but a situation like last nite I will not hesitate to use it for a moment... </div></div>


I would not like to hurt someone elses dog either. But you gotta do what you gotta do..

Years ago I had a male Rotti try to kill my female American bulldog. She wound up with 2 drains in her neck. He never paid me a penny of the vet bill.

ETA my dog was leashed. His was not.

[SandiF]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

It's not the dogs, it is the owners who are out of control.

I'm an every day evening runner. We have a 12 miles long running/walking/bicycling/roller blading/baby stroller/walking the dog trail that is used heavily during the summer months and into early fall. I cannot tell you how many evenings I have to yell &quot;keep your dog on a leash!&quot; at a bloody owner who just seem to be absolutely clueless.

Just last Tuesday, a woman walking two big...mi not even know what type of breed dogs but they were on leashes that were probably 30ft long and totally out of control. She could not rope the dogs in, she kept speaking to them in a whiney baby noise... I had to jump into the ditch along the side (the other side was a downhill slope) else the dogs would've been all over me. On the way back, she had the leash dragging on the ground. Oh my goodness. Mi bawl out &quot;keep your freaking dogs on the leash!&quot; Frightened her to no dickens and still I had to jump into the weeds and tripped over in the rocky dugout. I was angry.

But, I know the feel. Mi nuh partial anymore, I make note of things (owner, dogs, etc) and make an official report to the local police and demand they keep patrol to give the owners a citation.

[Rivers]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

actually, I was thinking
about spraying both the
owners and the dogs
your safety comes first.
of the

[Tulip]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Rivers</div><div class="ubbcode-body">actually, I was thinking
about spraying both the
owners and the dogs...</div></div>



I guess we have been fortunate to not often run upon hostile dogs on or off leash, but this comment did really crack me up.

I forgot, but I did have one small hostile one that lived across the hall from me many moons ago. Krystal and I were coming up the back steps one day and he charged her. Before he could get to her, I had his head pinned up against the wall with my foot. His doggy mommie was saying &quot;I have him. I have him&quot; but obviously she didn't

I later participated with some lessons from a home trainer where I had to walk in their apt while he was crated. He never did get right though at least before I moved. He should never have been off the leash except in the safety of her apt.

[keesha]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

Yes the owner of that dog needed a good spraying or worse. His disinterest in the well being of both dogs makes me sick. It was a lesson very well learned and am so glad it was not at Alexanders expense. I never realized how fast something like this could happen and how unprepared I was...

[Nanook]

Re: protecting your leashed dogs when walking them

Sandi I remember when we discussed your experience here after it happened. I cannot stand the flexi leads, as few dogs on the end of one can behave enough to wear one.

I was at a state park on Monday wandering atop waterfalls taking pics when I heard a sudden commotion. Turned around to see an akita/shepard looking thing on the end of a flexi going after a guy on top of the falls. I got out of there before I ended up in trouble with my big mouth.



There was a woman at a dog show in Canada a few years ago. Someone was walking a German Shepard on flexi lead and it ran around another woman's legs a few times. This woman was wearing a skirt so her legs got cut badly, tendons and everything and it took her months and months to recover. They should ban those things.