Remind Me, What To Do If An Aggressive Dog Rushes Me

[JulesP]

Mine was a GSD. Had 3 nasty incidents with the breed now. Freaked out on Monday when I was out walking and a large black was loose in a on lead area. Got closer and the owner was chatting on the phone, freaked out a bit more until I saw the dog laying in a drop stay. He wagged his tail (the dog) at me as I walked past and didn't look like moving. Impressive. The owner had his back to the dog too.

[Dame Aussie]

If only they were all like that!

[Little Gifts]

This has only happened to me once and I went on instinct. We were at a Vet's Open Day. It was wet and yucky and my sister and I had three dogs with me of different ages. A very aggressive cattle dog escaped it's piddly collar and the owner was not exactly agile enough to catch it. It came straight for us and I immediately shielded my three dogs behind me and took a don't you effing dare stance. Staring hard at the dog and arms down by my sides to push it back if it got too close (I wanted my legs to block access to my dogs so kept them firmly on the ground). I was low growling at it too. It avoided me and switched around the side and behind to my old sbt girl. I was livid and with brute strength grabbed it by the back and flung it away before it connected. Staff were then close enough to catch it and the old man puffed in and put the collar and leash back on. The staff were very good and bundled us inside the clinic to check us all over (no one hurt) and sent him on his way with the dog. The dog is known to them and he came for a freaking free hydrobath! I was so angry! My poor old girl was blind by then so got a shock when this agro dog was in her face and she pooed and peed herself on the spot. I doubt I did the right thing but it was all instinctual and it happened so fast - I just became the angry, protective mum of my brood. The other problem too is that I knew that dog was coming for us whether I liked it or not - no one else was close enough to stop him and he was solely focussed on us. I felt I had to stand my ground.

[skip]

Thanks for the advice.

Kavik... I did LAT earlier on when she was younger. I also found that getting her to target or show me something gave her something to do if she was worried about a dog. She still keeps showing me paws on a pole if she finds a pole ,or something like a pole when she is excited.

I walk Jade by herself in places she might meet dogs like the beach. Makes me calmer and confident as just one dog is OK. I am lucky in that our streets do not have loose dogs at all really. And she can pass most dogs happily now which is handy if she is running off my bike.

I'm just stressing as someone has begun walking some seriously scary dogs off lead in the local park and it scares the shit outa me! (I walk there a lot)

I will investigate if a behaviourist might help me.

Off to herding tomorrow and an agility trial on Saturday! Enough doggy weekends and I'll get over it.

Edited April 24, 2014 by skip

[Loving my Oldies]

My OH got bitten on the arse by a Weimeraner, he's still funny around the breed :laugh:

Do you mean the Weimeraner or the OH