Life After Dog Attack

[Anna H]

As some of you would be aware, Chelsea was suffered a sever unprovoked attack on Sunday. Now whilst it is going to be a little while before she is up and about walking the streets again, I would like to know if there is anything I should prepare myself for training wise with her?

The attack happened just as she was sitting to cross the road - she didn't get a chance to face the other dog before it attacked from behind.

I am, of course, hoping there will be no psychological effects on Chelsea - but what is the best way to handle things from this point? I am well aware that my mental attitude will need to be adjusted as at the moment, I am pretty scared of venturing out into the streets as well - I don't need my stress to pass to Chelsea.

Any tips or thoughts would be appreciated.

[Luke GSP]

I am well aware that my mental attitude will need to be adjusted as at the moment, I am pretty scared of venturing out into the streets as well - I don't need my stress to pass to Chelsea.

Spot on!

I would suggest that you spend a while walking the route yourself to rebuild your own confidence and emotional placement.

You can also try and mentally heal by visualization at home. What you need to do is think of all the memorable "good" walks you have had on that route. You could hold the lead whilst doing this if you like as this will hopefully end up as a physical trigger for the calmer "good time" mental state. You need to recall an entire walk not just snapshots. The more detail you go in to the better. fetching the lead, putting the lead on, walking to the door, the sound of the door opening, the noise of the path below your feet, the beautiful tree that you can smell the blossom of as you walk by, right through to the sound of your key in the doors lock, walking in to the house and taking the lead off. Once you feel self confident that is the time to take the dog. Remember that the attack was an anomaly it is not the norm!

As to your chelsea you probably need to see how she reacts on the first walk ie body language etc before gauging what you should do. For now I believe that you should do nothing more than you usually do. Play it exactly the same as you would have if the attack had never happened. At least that way you will then only have to deal with the dogs true emotions and feelings rather than a possible projected fear from you.

[persephone]

Luke Dixon said almost exactly what I would have said!

Go as normal...and try not to 'fuss' over Chelsea. treat everything/everyone as before.

I would also add that her first walk/s should perhaps be in another area? Suss it out first, or go somewhere she likes..but not exactly where the attack took place.

that way, she walks, is interested, and gains confidence for a few days before the normal walks begin ....maybe?

Hope everyone sllept well last night :rolleyes:

[Tassie]

Chelsea's Mom - the very fact that you're aware of an issue, and thinking and planning ahead, means you're part way there. Good advice here.

Just one more thing - which I've heard advised, but haven't actually trained .... and that is, to train the dog to accept that you being nervous and having the lead under tension is actually a good, not a scary thing. This one is based on the idea that sometimes we just can't help ourselves getting uptight, so it is a good idea to 'proof' our dogs against this - heavily reward when we hold the lead tight. I like the theory, and maybe if you visualize an attack, you could get the adrenaline flowing in you so that you can heavily reward Chelsea. Obviously, this sort of proofing is done initially at home.

Another piece of advice from an overseas trainer at a seminar, was to sing to our dogs as we walk along, if we feel ourselves getting nervous and hypervigilant, or recite nursery rhymes, or tell our dogs lovely stories of when they were puppies - anything to enable us to keep our feelings under control, and our breathing calm and regular. Seems to me that can't hurt - don't know about your dog, but mine like me telling them stories like that.

Best wishes to you all.

[chicko]

Anna when she is fit and well and up for it i am happy to have a play date with my two dogs who are very friendly if she needs some confidence built up with other dogs!

Sarah

[CP*]

I am sorry to hear about Chelsea. When my girl was attacked I went to a behaviourist and was advised:

- General rule of thumb is 10 positive dog encounters for each bad encounter and the worse the encounter the more postive the other dog encounters should be. And I was told not to put the encounters off - may be take up chiko's offer?

- Not to go back to the same area until her confidence was built up. For me that meant driving to another suburb because I live on an off lead reserve and that meant the whole area was 'out of bounds'.

- When we went back to walking in the area we started by playing a little ball game when we walked into the reserve and gradually I expanded the area we played in.

- I am always to approach other dogs and owners first - they are never allowed to come up uninvited. At first, if people or dogs tried to approach us and we didnt know them I had to walk away from them to show my girl I was taking charge of who was getting access to her (esp as she was so psyched).

I had the same problem with the other dog (a bitch) coming out of nowhere. My girl was attacked 4 months ago and is much better now but is still a bit jumpy and has only now stopped being aggressive to every bitch we come across. But she is still aggressive toward white bitches and hesitant toward larger dogs generally - dont underestimate what effect this has on them. Their survival instincts are strong and they do remember. One good thing was that before my little girl kept challenging my leadership and now she is happy to accept me as boss.

[Anna H]

Thanks all... Sarah, I will take you up on that offer all going well once Chels is all better again, I'm sure she'd love it (I hope!).

I'm kind of lucky in that the attack happened off our 'usual' walking route - I wasn't there, only my OH & son, but I am still very shaken as I've had a few 'close calls' in the past with loose dogs so it's been a fear of mine for a while. I will be sure once I am more confident, that I do walk there again someday - probably more for me than Chelsea's sake.

The biggest thing I am concerned about is the beginnings of fear aggression, she had only just got to a point of being able to walk past other dogs in the street without lunging... she has been threatened (by a similar looking loose dog) bad enough about six months ago that this behaviour started. Now she has been attacked, I'm somewhat worried!

ETA:

One good thing was that before my little girl kept challenging my leadership and now she is happy to accept me as boss.

Now that would be a nice thing to come out of this. Chels certainly loves to test me whenever she thinks she has a chance! I have noticed that since she has been home, she is like my shadow which is unlike her. She is usually Miss Independent to the max!

Edited March 11, 2008 by ChelseasMum

[Lablover]

(1) Is Chelsea generally fearful shy anxious?

(2) Past experience?

(3) Training?

Are you an anxious owner?

[Tassie]

The biggest thing I am concerned about is the beginnings of fear aggression, she had only just got to a point of being able to walk past other dogs in the street without lunging... she has been threatened (by a similar looking loose dog) bad enough about six months ago that this behaviour started. Now she has been attacked, I'm somewhat worried!

Anna, if you can get hold of a copy of the book Control Unleashed by Leslie McDevitt you might find the game "Look at that" helpful. It is a clicker training based book, and would be more effective with clicker training, but would work without. The idea is that the dog is clicked for looking at another dog, and being clicker savvy, will then immediately refer back to the handler for a treat/reward. Thus, the presence of another dog (at a distance, at afirst) becomes a good thing, reducing stress all round.

There are other 'games' in the book which you might find helpful/fun with 'Miss Independent' , and will be stuff for you to do with her while she's recuperating.

[Anna H]

(1) Is Chelsea generally fearful shy anxious? She is a bit of an anxious dog, not shy at all, and rarely has shown fear

(2) Past experience? a few near misses, and scares. Obviously this attack is a biggie

(3) Training? Lots!

Are you an anxious owner? Yep, and not ashamed to admit it. (I have an anxiety disorder, well managed)

[haven]

Firstly I wouldn't walk her at all in an unknown area until she is fully recovered, if she doesn't feel 100% she is more likely to feel anxious in a new environment.

Secondly, if you are anxious about walking her I would recommend that you start by driving to a place that you do feel safe, like a fully encolsed oval when nobody else is around. If that isn't possible I'd consider having someone who is confident walk her at first, with you either acompanying or not depending on how you feel and how she reacts, so you don't transmit your anxiety to her. You might feel more confident walking her yourself if you enlist a few people to go along with you, like your son and OH, to walk ahead of and behind you to act as 'lookouts' for any situation that you feel you and/or Chelsea are not ready for.

Act as normal as you possibly can when you do go for walks, don't anticipate a reaction either to other dogs on or off leash or the area or situation (sitting at the curb) in which the attack occured. If it helps to keep both of you occupied instead of looking out for trouble all of the time and jumping at shadows, incorporate more training into your walks.

Try to set up some scenarios where you meet other people and dogs that you have previously preped while you are walking so you can totally control the situation before you chance meeting complete strangers and their dogs. It will all depend on how she responds as to whether you will have to start by desensitising her at a distance or if you are both comfortable to walk by or even meet the other dog. If you know someone with a dog that you trust that has a 100% recall then set up an off leash dog scenario when Chelsea is ready for it (don't start with this exercise!). If you don't know anyone with a dog that can be recalled off leash at a distance when there is another dog around then try it on a long line. Have a plan as to what you are going to do if/when you are approached by a strange off lead dog, otherwise you are far more likely to panic when the time comes. You can have her sit and look at you, recall her away, cross the road etc.

Chances are because she is an older dog with plenty of socialisation and training and many good experiences to draw upon, she won't be permenantly affected by this one attack. If you are concerned about how to deal with her should she show some anxiety or become reactive it wouldn't hurt to have a trainer you know and trust come along with you for the first few walks so they can observe and assist as required.

It wouldn't hurt also to try something like Rescue Remedy or Nervatona for both you and Chelsea before you go out for your first few walks.

[whatevah]

Josh my flatcoated retriever got attacked by 2 Rottweilers, one was pulling him at front, and one at back. He was screaming. We took him to the vet, and he didn't need to be stitched. They just said not to walk him for a week. After that I just took him for normal walks and he was fine. He had no issues. I first took him to familiar dogs, and he was fine. But he is an older dog 7. Basically a no issues, happy go lucky dog.

[haven]

Just wondering how you're getting on