So wtg had a new experience today

10 May 2020, 10:25 AM

Piano*Dad

quote:
Originally posted by Mikhailoh:
Disingenuous. When a dog breaks his collar and runs up on you from 100 feet away you have no reason to believe they want to play, especially a breed like pits that have been bred for certain traits. The guy needs to control his dog, full stop.

WTG reacted better and more thoughtfully that I might have. I suspect I would have kicked the sh!t out of the animal with rage in my eyes and no remorse.

I have been lunged at by loose animals before. The first thing I do is reach for the nearest large rock. I would have no problems using it.

10 May 2020, 10:39 AM

wtg

I actually told the animal control officer that if I had been alone, I would have tried to kick the dog. He said that it's important to stay standing. Once you're on the ground you're in a lot more trouble.

I reacted the way I did because it was the only strategy I had at my disposal. I was holding a 55 pound dog in my arms, and there was nothing nearby I could have used as a weapon.

The dog was also a fairly fast-moving target - it was jumping up and down and there was no way I could have landed a kick. I knew the owner was on his way and I was just trying to buy us time till he could get to his dog.

10 May 2020, 10:40 AM

Mikhailoh

I've kicked more than one dog like that. If you don't control your dog you leave me little choice.

10 May 2020, 10:57 AM

Daniel

Kicking is good. Another good strategy (if you can) is shining a bright light in the dog's eyes.

10 May 2020, 11:45 AM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by Dan:
You did the right thing IMO. People can be blind about their dogs. You notified the authorities of a potential issue and now they can make a judgement on the safety (or lack thereof) of the animal.

Deep breaths. Breathe in, breathe out.

Agree on all points.

Both daughters have dogs that have some pit in them. One of the dogs likes other dogs, but doesn't understand them (apparently she wasn't socialized with other puppies, so she doesn't understand the signals other dogs give off); the other isn't a fan of other dogs.

10 May 2020, 11:48 AM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by markj:
I can't even count the times I've been told that pitbulls are just big babies and that they get a bad rep because of bad owners.

Bullsh!t! They are bred for a reason. And that reason isn't to have a sweet angel of a dog.

I know one of my daughter's pit mixes very well. She's a sweetie and likes other people that she knows, universally.

However ... she has to be introduced. My daughter had a high level of anxiety when she first took the dog to college, because it would try (leashed) to lunge at people. She stopped bringing the dog to campus until she understood how to get the dog to stop viewing passersby as potential threats.

Now, everyone loves the dog, she can take it to choir rehearsals and classes, no one has a problem with the dog. But it took some time and effort and work with the dog to get there.

10 May 2020, 12:16 PM

RealPlayer

I’ve just now read this thread, wtg. You certainly handled it as best you could, and got off pretty unscathed. I don’t understand people who don’t control their dogs, even innocuous dogs that haven’t been trained how to behave. And a good thing you contacted the police. Now they have a record for that owner.

10 May 2020, 12:24 PM

Mikhailoh

Pretty much all dogs can be trained to be properly socialized. My best friend inherited a dog from his girlfriend who inherited it from her grandmother who inherited it when the dog walked out of the woods in the mountains of North Carolina. I suspect Hilda was at least partially feral.

She was so prone to attacking other dogs that we renamed her Killda. Over time and some very tough training Hilda became an award winning obedience dog and a very good citizen.

A lot of it has to do with the dog knowing and being secure in its place in the pack. That comes largely from bonding with the owner.

The funny thing is she always liked my dog. They never fought.

10 May 2020, 12:52 PM

ShiroKuro

WTG, I am so, so sorry this happened!!!! How awful. I think you absolutely did the right thing!

How are you feeling today?

Re neighbors dogs.... When we walk through our neighborhood, there is one house that has a smaller dog (like maybe the size of a jack russell terrier?) and a bigger dog that looks to me like maybe it's a rottweiler. Whatever it is, it is very large and scary looking. Most of the time the dogs are not outside, but every now and then they are.

If the dogs are out in the front yard (no fence btw), the smaller dog is always on a chain/leash of some sort. But the larger dog is not restrained in any way. And it barks, a deep, throaty, angry bark.

The first time we encountered the dog, we were on the opposite side of the road from the house with the dog, but it scared me so bad we stopped and turned around and went back the other way. Then it wasn't out for a long time, and now its out every so often. It seems like the dog won't leave the yard. Mr. SK is convinced that it's safe for us to walk (again, on the opposite side of the road), but that dog really scares me. I bet it weighs as much as I do. I have never seen the people who live in the house.

If we had other options, I would never walk past their house, but since the quarantine, we don't have a lot of options, and the route that takes us past their house is my favorite route to walk. And again, most of the time the dogs aren't outside.... And we don't have a dog of our own, so it's just the two of us.

Sorry for the thread-jack WTG.

10 May 2020, 05:02 PM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by ShiroKuro:
WTG, I am so, so sorry this happened!!!! How awful. I think you absolutely did the right thing!

How are you feeling today?

Re neighbors dogs.... When we walk through our neighborhood, there is one house that has a smaller dog (like maybe the size of a jack russell terrier?) and a bigger dog that looks to me like maybe it's a rottweiler. Whatever it is, it is very large and scary looking. Most of the time the dogs are not outside, but every now and then they are.

If the dogs are out in the front yard (no fence btw), the smaller dog is always on a chain/leash of some sort. But the larger dog is not restrained in any way. And it barks, a deep, throaty, angry bark.

The first time we encountered the dog, we were on the opposite side of the road from the house with the dog, but it scared me so bad we stopped and turned around and went back the other way. Then it wasn't out for a long time, and now its out every so often. It seems like the dog won't leave the yard. Mr. SK is convinced that it's safe for us to walk (again, on the opposite side of the road), but that dog really scares me. I bet it weighs as much as I do. I have never seen the people who live in the house.

If we had other options, I would never walk past their house, but since the quarantine, we don't have a lot of options, and the route that takes us past their house is my favorite route to walk. And again, most of the time the dogs aren't outside.... And we don't have a dog of our own, so it's just the two of us.

Sorry for the thread-jack WTG.

They might have one of those fenceless systems, which involves a wire planted in the ground that sends a signal to the dog's collar. It alerts the dog as it gets close to the perimeter, and then shocks the dog if it gets too close.

10 May 2020, 05:10 PM

wtg

I had the same thought.

I don't like those fenceless systems. I know of a dog who saw a rabbit and blew right past the perimeter, and then was afraid to come back in. I've also heard stories of dogs getting trapped by wild animals. One friend left his little dog in the Invisible Fence zone and when he went to let the dog back in the house, he found it surrounded by large raccoons. Near disaster.

10 May 2020, 05:24 PM

Amanda

Enough to make one carry a stun-gun or at least a pepper spray!

What a scary experience.

10 May 2020, 05:40 PM

ShiroKuro

quote:
Originally posted by wtg:
I had the same thought.

I don't like those fenceless systems. I know of a dog who saw a rabbit and blew right past the perimeter, and then was afraid to come back in. I've also heard stories of dogs getting trapped by wild animals. One friend left his little dog in the Invisible Fence zone and when he went to let the dog back in the house, he found it surrounded by large raccoons. Near disaster.

I would never use an electric fence after reading this!!

Although, I doubt this big dog would be much bothered by any of the wild animals it might encounter around here!

We went for a walk today, no dogs.

Hope you are recovered from the scare, WTG!