Urgent Advice Needed (dog Attacks)

[doctorjoel]

My grandmother had her dog mauled to death in front of her eyes a couple of years ago. It took her a long time to recover and she eventually adopted a rescue corgi. She no longer walks down to the oval where the attack happened but just does short walk around her street, well DID untill her new dog was attacked again just the other day, grabbed by the throat just like last time (similar type of dog too but lets not go into that)

The corgi managed to escape and run home and she managed to grab the other dog by the collar and shoo him away (very brave for an 80 yr old!)

The problem now is that after recovering from post traumatic stress from the first attack she has fallen back into it a bit and is too frightened to even walk her dog around the street!

I am going to get a thick studded collar for her dog, and was thinking something like pepper spray MIGHT give her some more confidence but i'm not sure if this works on dogs and if it did it might just make the dog angrier? Does anyone know of anything to suggest? A sonic alarm was another idea but might hurt or scare her dog too?

thanks

[poodlefan]

My grandmother had her dog mauled to death in front of her eyes a couple of years ago. It took her a long time to recover and she eventually adopted a rescue corgi. She no longer walks down to the oval where the attack happened but just does short walk around her street, well DID untill her new dog was attacked again just the other day, grabbed by the throat just like last time (similar type of dog too but lets not go into that)

The corgi managed to escape and run home and she managed to grab the other dog by the collar and shoo him away (very brave for an 80 yr old!)

The problem now is that after recovering from post traumatic stress from the first attack she has fallen back into it a bit and is too frightened to even walk her dog around the street!

I am going to get a thick studded collar for her dog, and was thinking something like pepper spray MIGHT give her some more confidence but i'm not sure if this works on dogs and if it did it might just make the dog angrier? Does anyone know of anything to suggest? A sonic alarm was another idea but might hurt or scare her dog too?

thanks

It is illegal for your average citizen to own pepper spray.

Was the corgi on lead? Avoidance and a stout stick are probably her best bet. Option B is to find another dog walker and walk together for companionship and protection. Two people are always better in situations like this.

BTW, the incident needs to be reported, if it hasn't been already.

Edited January 4, 2011 by poodlefan

[doctorjoel]

@ poodlefan Yep, she never has him off lead, she is very nervous and carefull these days. What is the spray that people are allowed to keep in their handbags? Her grandaughter is a federal police officer so she might be able to help there The stick idea might work but I am scared that she might get attacked if she tried to use violence. Unfortunately isolation is a problem for her too so finding a walking partner might not be so easy, she doesn't own a computer or anything. Thanks for the suggestions. I told her to report it too but she doesn't like to cause trouble, she thinks the dog came from some government flats at the end of her street, even when her dog was killed she didn't want to press charges or anything, strange i know but she's from another time i guess. I wasn't there so not sure if i could report it and it happened about two weeks ago.

[poodlefan]

@ poodlefan Yep, she never has him off lead, she is very nervous and carefull these days. What is the spray that people are allowed to keep in their handbags? Her grandaughter is a federal police officer so she might be able to help there :D The stick idea might work but I am scared that she might get attacked if she tried to use violence. Unfortunately isolation is a problem for her too so finding a walking partner might not be so easy, she doesn't own a computer or anything. Thanks for the suggestions. I told her to report it too but she doesn't like to cause trouble, she thinks the dog came from some government flats at the end of her street, even when her dog was killed she didn't want to press charges or anything, strange i know but she's from another time i guess. I wasn't there so not sure if i could report it and it happened about two weeks ago.

Ah, I don't think so. There isn't a spray other than hairspray you can lawfully keep in your handbag in this country.

If the attacking dog's owner isn't "encouraged" to keep the dog contained, your Grandmother is unlikely to see much change I'm afraid.

Does your Grandmother still drive?

[doctorjoel]

Hmmm wonder what hairspray would do!? She hasn't seen the dog before the attack and is not 100% sure he came from the flats so I doubt the pound would have much luck finding his owners anyway. No she doesn't drive, the daily walks were the only thing that got her out of the house everyday and kept her mentally and physically in shape, that's why i'm so desperate to find something that will make her a bit more confident. TBH i think she should move to another area, but thats another story altogether.

[Diva]

I sympathise, from what I recall from the other attack I live not too far from your grandmother's area and we have had a few run-ins with off lead aggressive dogs too.

Would there be a walking group she could join through the community center, who might let a little corgi tag along? It's all I can think of really, walking with someone else would seem to be the safest bet. Somedays I dread walking mine, and they are big enough to look after themselves against most comers.

[Loving my Oldies]

OMG!! This makes me so angry, but at what I don't know. As if your grandmother hasn't suffered enough. Anyway the unfairness of life is not under discussion here.

Poodlefan has made some good points as you've noted, doctorjoel.

Even if the attack was a little while ago and your grandmother doesn't want to report it, in your situation, I think I'd just be pushy and do it myself. She shouldn't have the little freedom she has left curtailed, but sadly, reality is somewhat different.

Can she put a notice for a companion walker in the local newsagent or some place and have you vet all calls received?

I used to walk at night when I worked as it was the only time I could walk the dogs and often wondered about taking a can of hairspray. I think if a dog or a person got a good shot of it in their eyes, the would be stymied for a while, but I don't think it is reasonable to expect an 80 year old to be able to manage that as well as try to protect her dog and herself. I think the only answer is a younger and fitter companion.

Edited January 4, 2011 by Mother Moocher

[Nekhbet]

you cannot use pepper/capsicum spray in Australia as a citizen walking on the street. That and there is always the chance of spraying her own dog. Sometimes things like deoderant/hairspray sprayed into the offening animals eyes and face can make them back off. A big thick collar wont do anything as an offending dog can grab the collar or somewhere else on the poor dog.

She has to report the dog to the council they may already have a history of the thing.

She can use a cane, but if a dog runs at yours effective will only be spraying deoderant in the face or get in front of it with a stick and confront it with your own dog behind you.

[alpha bet]

Perhaps for your gran a more effective stick than just a plain walking stick might be the kind of walking stick that has the four piece stand at the base. She could walk with this stick sideways in her hand as she is moving along normally and might find it useful even to stablise herself on uneven ground or climbing stairs.

These are lightweight and have a larger base to use to block a dog coming at her she can use it to hold a dog back or push a dog away. This would be easier than a single prong which would be difficult to use as a defence and really only useful for hitting which is not necessarily effective and could cause the aggressor dog to turn on her.

The other thing that would be useful is to find out if there are any trainers in the area who run social classes. We run these classes here and often have people who have been thru this sort of problem. A good trainer can help her and her dog would learn to be confident around other dogs and she could learn some effective methods of blocking oncoming dogs.

Best wishes.

[mita]

If there's some on-going problem with uncontrolled dogs in the area surrounding my home, I wouldn't take my small dogs, alone, for a walk in those streets at all.

And I wouldn't be requiring an elderly lady to try to fight off an attacking dog, whatever she has in her hand. The elderly are in the 2nd most common group for being bitten & attacked by dogs. There's also the risk of falling.

I'm so sorry your gran's had those truly awful experiences. Thanks to irresponsible people not controlling their dogs.

[Lady Flying Furball]

I would report it myself if I was you to the council. Often older people need others to do such things for them.

At your grandmother's age, she should be able to go for a gentle walk with her dog unchallenged, so if she can move to a safer neighbourhood, why not, if possible.

Maybe you could arrange to walk with her and look for someone else to do it some days too ie. another retired neighbour etc.

Good luck and keep us posted.

My mother had her little silky killed by a dog in the same way and she was so devastated. I think you have to look for finding a way to make your grandmother feel safe AND be able to walk.

[ruffpup]

Everything I can think of might be hard for an elderly person to manage to do, whilst holding a dog at the same time - sticks, spray etc. Not just their physical capability, I know from my mother and her peers, a lot of them can panic and freeze. imo, a companion is the best answer.

As Diva suggested, what about getting in touch with those community centres, some at least seem to have stuff for "senior citizens" and maybe they could locate someone else who'd like to walk with a dog. Those I've been into have all sorts of services and seem helpful.

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

What about asking for volunteers through the local dog obedience club to walk with your Grandmother.

I second the thought, even though it's been two weeks, still report it - that way it's not a "new thing" if another / same dog does it again (to someone else). Ie grandmother might be less worried about causing trouble if she thinks what that dog might do someone else's dog or maybe a child.

a couple of drops of cussons detergent in a squirty bottle stings like hell if it goes in the eyes / face. But you'd have to explain why you're carrying it. Maybe a couple of drops of tee tree oil or lavendar oil - in water might be explainable as "my dog likes to roll in stinky things". But a spray bottle and a dog lead is too much.

Definitely needs a walking partner (with or without a dog).

[Burkes]

RSPCA ACT run that that Paws Project for people who can no longer walk their dogs. They may have a volunteer in the area that could walk with her. I know someone who uses this and they have found it great. The volunteers are fantastic and really good with the dogs and owners.

[austen]

If there's some on-going problem with uncontrolled dogs in the area surrounding my home, I wouldn't take my small dogs, alone, for a walk in those streets at all.

And I wouldn't be requiring an elderly lady to try to fight off an attacking dog, whatever she has in her hand. The elderly are in the 2nd most common group for being bitten & attacked by dogs. There's also the risk of falling.

I'm so sorry your gran's had those truly awful experiences. Thanks to irresponsible people not controlling their dogs.

Yes - I agree.

We have two small dogs who have TWICE been attacked by large offlead dogs not controlled by their owners. My kids are now petrified ( and I am not too keen either) to take the dogs walking around our area as there are so many offlead dogs.It's a sad state of affairs when you can't walk dogs in your local area because you are scared they are going to get attacked by other dogs.