Are Some Dogs More Likely To Be Attacked?

[dougal]

I have two cocker spaniels - last night whilst walking to the local off leash park the smaller of the two was attacked by a much larger dog. My two were on lead, the larger dog was off lead, running around the car park in an unruly manner. After the attack the owner said that her dog had recently been rescued and had some issues - they were trying to social it. For their socialisation exercise I got a trip to the vet to get the damage repaired

On another previous occasion a much smaller dog picked on the same dog when I had both of mine with me. Which has me thinking - is there something about the way she carries herself that makes her a more likely target. Is there something I can do to minimise the risk to her? When I left her at boarding kennels recently the kennel owner said that she thought some dogs just seemed to be a target.

What do you think? I am now reluctant to take her anywhere near a dog of another breed - which of course, does nothing for her socialisation. If she had been off lead in the park I understand that's the risk of off lead parkses, it is the unprovoked nature of the attack that concerns me - simply walking down the street.

[Erny]

It is possible, Dougal, but impossible to tell you what or how without seeing your dog in the presence of other dogs.

I think the critical thing here is that you concentrate on taking your dogs to places/in areas where dogs are likely to be on-lead rather than off-lead. Taking your dogs (if you don't already) to a reputable dog school (with instructors who have a good grounding knowledge of dog behaviour and communication) will serve not only as part of that purpose, but help you socialise her in a controlled environment, with other dogs. It is important that she doesn't learn that ALL dogs mean bad news. It is also important that IF your dog is mis-communicating in her body language to other dogs, that you help her learn the type of body posturing that will avoid harm rather than provoke it (IF that's what is happening).

PS. I am a little uncertain of the contents of your post : I'm not sure if you are saying that one of your dogs has been attacked twice, or whether on the second ocassion you witnessed another dog target someone else's dog but not yours??

If your dog has been the recipient of unfavourable attentions by another dog only on the one occasion chances are there is nothing wrong in your dog's general communication skills.

PSS. Silly other owner for socialising a dog with issues off-lead in the first place! Her dog needs leadership and structured and controlled exposure to other dogs - not the "go out and figure it out for yourself" type exposure it sounds like the owner is encouraging - that is only going to make it worse for her dog.

Hope your dog is ok and well healed (physically and mentally) from the ordeal.

[Kavik]

Like Erny I don't think what you've written sounds like your dog has been targeted, if the other dog wasn't well socialised.

That said I have noticed that some dogs are more likely to be attacked, often dogs which are really uncertain, and look vulnerable. But that's not really what it sounded like in your post.

[dee lee]

IMO two dogs attacking yours doesn't sound like your dog is a target. I know of dogs who get rushed nearly every time they go to a park. Its not your dog is the other owners- don't be discouraged .

My suggestion would be to monitor all dogs around yours and if something doesn't seem right, get way before the trouble starts. Don't trust any dog- or other owner. Some people will tell you that their dog is just trying to be friendly, but if it doesn't feel right trust your instincts and your dog's body language and leave or insist the owner leashes their dog.

OT, but I cannot believe someone would let their rescue dog with known "issues" loose in an offlead park!

I have one of those kinds of dogs and I have accepted that she will never be trustworthy offlead so she never is. It only took some aggressive body language and a few overly rough rumbles for me to decide this. Its unbelievable that these people took such a risk. Did they pay your vet bills?

[dougal]

Erny - thank you for the advice - to clarify she (the same dog) has been attacked on several occasions - this is the first time where she has been physcially injured, but she is quite weary now of large dogs, black ones in particular.

I have been involved in both obedience and conformation, but haven't been for a while. She was well socialised as a pup, however by nature, isn't outgoing or laid back. The sniffing/greeting seems to happen OK, then all of sudden the other dog/s rush at her. The older of my two is much more submissive and hasn't ever had a problem. The younger (smaller one) tends to stay on her feet more, whilst the older one gets as low as possible to anything (including a Chi )

DeeLee - the off leash park is fully fenced - this dog was running around outside the park off lead (in the carpark). I'm usually pretty good in the park at sensing wayward dogs and moving on. On this occasion we needed to walk past this dog and her owners to get into the fenced area. Yes, the owner was very apologetic and is going to pay the vet bill. I suggested that she take the dog to the local obedience club, which she has already followed up.

Yes, I was pretty livid at the time - couldn't believe that a dog with known issues was offlead. Having talked to the owner today, she is very keen to get some assistance (she has been seeing a behaviourist) and is going to keep the dog onlead in future.

[dogdude]

Off lead parks are full of twits like these people. Thats why you should avoid them like the plague. There are very few people with common sense or regard for others out there.

You would get better odds trying to pick up the soap in a prison shower block.

[dee lee]

DeeLee - the off leash park is fully fenced - this dog was running around outside the park off lead (in the carpark). I'm usually pretty good in the park at sensing wayward dogs and moving on. On this occasion we needed to walk past this dog and her owners to get into the fenced area. Yes, the owner was very apologetic and is going to pay the vet bill. I suggested that she take the dog to the local obedience club, which she has already followed up.

Yes, I was pretty livid at the time - couldn't believe that a dog with known issues was offlead. Having talked to the owner today, she is very keen to get some assistance (she has been seeing a behaviourist) and is going to keep the dog onlead in future.

Dougal, sounds like its just bad luck.. i hope your dog recovers from the experience.

I'm glad they are paying the bill- if nothing else you have been part of waking them up to keeping their dog on leash.

Its a bugger having a dog aggressive dog, you really have to be super vigilant- even ON leash. I hope their behaviourist teaches them well.

You would get better odds trying to pick up the soap in a prison shower block.

:nahnah:

[Sonic]

I have always walked 2 entire males and have had dogs go past one male (the older dog with the submissive body language) to get to the younger dog. The younger dog carries himself very upright - head up, tail up and he has a certain strut that obviously catches the attention of other dogs.

I do believe it is his "presence" that causes this unwanted attention.

[arawnhaus]

Off lead parks are full of twits like these people. Thats why you should avoid them like the plague. There are very few people with common sense or regard for others out there.

You would get better odds trying to pick up the soap in a prison shower block.

My thoughts exactly.

Though I hate it when I read things and then a picture comes in mind..........

[dougal]

Sonic - that's really interesting. We've always thought she thinks she pretty special (and is a bit of dog snob) - whereas the submissive one knows she's a dog and likes it that way.

[lilyandjazz]

I agree stay away from the off leash dog parks....i have learnt my lesson also, just because you have a well trained dog doesn't mean that the majority of the park do.

Often the dogs you find at the off leash park are the ones that the owner can't walk on the lead.

May be try and get some friends with quiet dogs to ease her back in, good luck.

[piper]

Without reading all of the replies...

My answer is yes some dogs do seem to be targetted, and I put it down to the signals that they give out.

My first border collie boy got badly attacked at about 12 months of age - another dog got him from behind while he was sitting at heel, looking at me. This dog charged over and picked him up from behind over the hip area and shaking him. Following this we had another few small incidents which caused hom to become quite wary of approaching dogs. This seemed to create a vicious circle - he was nervous and giving off these signals and became a target, I could have him and my other boy out together and it was always Ricky they would go for. The first attack was the only incident where he was injured, the rest to me were like school yard bullying behaviour - picking on him as he was an easy target and they could.

We did lots of work on building his confidence, pulled him out of group classes as he had started shutting down in class (literally lay down flat on the ground and not move if another dog was behind him), I was doing formal obedience raining so we moved to ring work where he was on with high reinforcement. Stopped having him hanging about the verandah area where lots of dogs congregated and instead waited off to the side where I could frequently reinforce him for remaining calm without everyone too near and gradually moved him back into those group situations. I think I started agility about 12 months later and it was then that his confidence seemed to come back gradually. By the time he was 3 or 4 he was fine running with other dogs again and being back in group situations. For the rest of his life though he was the first dog to take off running at the hint of aggression - he lost the ability to stay for a few months after a dog broke to have a go at the dog next to him and took off out of the ring at an early agility trial due to an incident outside of the ring.

So yes they can be targetted, but with time and work to build their social skills it can improve.