:crazyeyes: First we woked up at 5 am to go to momma's danicng class. She wanted to take me wif since I had my vet torture yesterday. I had so much fun there but I got tired out real quick. My friend who was crying last time was there again. She held me on her lap, at the end when momma was talking, and sang me a song so I could go to sleep! Then we came home and I slept for 3 hours.
After I woke up Momma and I went on a long walk. (About a mile) Halfway through our walk I heard a loud bark and somefing running. Momma hurried and picked me up and then we saw it! Two BIIIIIIGGGG Black Labs running at us looking really mad. I hid my face under momma's arm. Then their owner came running over and yelled at them to get home. And guess what?! Those naughty dogs didn't listen. THey just stood around momma and me and gave us a stinky look!
Janda here: I was kinda frustrated with our neighbor for letting her dogs out (off the leash) just as we were walking by. THey would have attempted to attack us had she not been watching! She did apologize which I appreciated. However, I cant help but think if I would have been a person who couldn't hide my fear of them or a child!!! I did warn her that I carry pepper spray on our walks and if they ever approach me like that again and it gets to the point where I feel threatened, I will use it on them. She seemed angry that I would say this to her and asked what I would do if someone sprayed my dog. I simply told her, "I would rinse out his eyes, apologize to the person, and kick myself for letting him run loose and endanger another person." She didnt seem to believe me. I later got a nasty phone message about how rude, etc...I am. What would you have said in that situation??? I figured it was better to warn her than to just do it when the situation comes about. Sorry for the long post, just had to vent!!
Wow, what a morning is right!!!
Can you save that phone message to an outside source (like a tape) with the time and date. It might come in handy if you should ever need to use the pepper spray and she denies any knowledge of your warning and the previous canine harrasment.
Great idea Mike! I will definately have to do that. Thanks!
And people wonder why I like my dogs more than most people. GRRRRRR! That's an outrageous attitude on your neighbor's part. Who does she think she is? RIDICULOUS! :cussing:
Porky - glad you are doing much better......as to your neighbors....AGHGHGHDFLDFKERPERDM$%)#$%*&@)#%*#%*@#%)#*%$ - Mike's idea is a good one.......
Well, although it's a tough situation, I'm glad I'm not the only one who has these encounters! I have to be really careful when I take the on walks around my neighborhood because people like to let their big dogs out in their front yard without a leash. It's sooooo frustrating! I understand that they think their dogs are really good dogs who would not hurt me or my furkids. But Berman and Lucy bark their heads off at other dogs and I'm afraid if one of these big dogs feels threatened, then they are going to attack. I don't know how many times I've had this problem in the last few months. I never thought of pepper spray. I usually just pick up both dogs and try to walk as fast as I can in the opposite direction. Of course this in itself is almost impossible because they are squirming and freaking out.
I think I need to do a few things - socialize my dogs more so they don't go off on every dog they see, learn to remain calm in these situations, and carry some pepper spray.
Sorry for the venting, but it just drives me crazy!
Porky - it's good to hear your feeling better - you had us pretty worried yesterday!
Porky here: Thanks for the well wishes Jenny! I am feeling much better! I am totally back to normal now. I had a little pukies this morning but now I'm playing and sitting by the door waiting for my daddy to come home.
Jenny-You should never walk away quickly from a dog!! Most dogs who are mean tempered will attack if they see you pick up your pace or sense any fear at all. At least that's what I've seen. Definately try the pepper spray idea and socializing your dogs. The pepper spray thing sounds cruel, but it really does work when an animal won't back down. I only use it as a last resort. I have found it works best to pick up your dogs and stand your ground till the big dogs decide to walk away or they accept you. (Doesn't always work!)
Yeah - I know what I should do - it's a matter of actually doing it! I think I freak out which causes Berman and Lucy to freak out. Of course I've already figured out that I would throw myself in front of my babies if they were ever attacked. Again - not a smart thing to do, but just my instinct.
We have been charged more than once. Both times--and rememeber I am walking TWO dogs here and cannot pick up one and leave the other on the ground 'cause I love them both and would be eaten long before I made a decision--any both times I pulled in my kidz and crouched in a defensive position, stuck my hand out in a stop position and shouted NO! as loud as my lungs would allow.
Both times the owner was nearby and immediatley came out to restrain their dog. Lemme tell ya I shout LOUD. The first time, the ROTTWEILER stopped dead in his tracks, cocked his head and looked at me and I swear his face said: "Gee whiz lady I was just proclaiming my kingdom. I wuzn't gonna eat ya." The second time it was a standard poodle and the owner had to physically restrain him. (He did state that the dog likes to charge but not bite.) Both times I got apologies, BUT I can totally understand why pepper spray--and a verbal warning to the owner--would be in line. I used to carry pepper spray because of the creepy human living on my block, not the loose dogs!
I figure that by shouting and commanding, I am putting myself in the Alpha position, and the dog that continues to charge may or may not actually attack. IT should be understood that any dog that attacks unprovoked is the dog that will charge ya and try to kill ya and not stop until they are dead. Read Ceasar Milan's new book. He addresses this. In my opinion, being attacked by an unprovoked dog should be considered license--and I hate to say this--to defend yourself by any means.
Anyhoo. Glad you are safe. The woman is a nut job, so it's good that you have established that so you have that knowledge in yer brain.
Also, it's always a good idea to stay alert and look around and LISTEN for woofs, growls and dog tags jingling. Sometimes you can't avoid it, but I hear a dog barking in the direction I am going, and if I can't SEE it to determine if it is behind a fence or chained, I just go the other way.
Good ideas Leslie! I like that you yell and put out your hand towards the dog to protect your little ones! I tried that, but it didnt work on these dogs.
Also I agree it is very important to be alert. Howeverm in this case we had no warning because #1. she let them out just as we were passing their house. #2. Because neither one of the dogs had a collar or anything to make noise. #3 The lady has shrubs all the way around her yard so she can see out, but no one can see in.
I plan on avoiding that part of our street from now on. I will just change our walk and walk the other direction. I love Ceasar Milan! I haven't yet read his new book, but will definately try. BTW-I carry the spray for the scary humans too.
One more tip, especially for the ladies. Don't shriek. Drop your voice as low as you can when yelling. It presents a stronger presence to the offending animal. You may need to practice this (recommended inside in the closet where no one thinks you are nuts!!!). One of the tips I teach music students when preparing for a performance helps: imagine yourself in the situation and let the adrenaline rush happen and then practice the desired behavior. Once it becomes a natural response, you're more likely to do it when necessary.
BTW, when Clifford was a pup, he was rolled on 2 separate occasions by black lab type dogs running loose. Unfortunately, he was tied up in the front yard and couldn't run away. Luckly the first dog just sniffed and ran. I was right out the door when I saw the 2nd dog come into the yard, grabbed it away from Clifford and had it over my head to throw it against the oak tree (that adrenaline rush makes ya able to leap tall buildings...) when the owner came running up yelling "don't do that, don't do that!!". I told him in no uncertain terms that I would kill it if it EVER entered my yard and menaced my dog again. He appologized profusely and I never saw it running loose again.
Does your town have a leash law? If it does then police are required to respond to citizen complaints about violations. Police do not take kindly to these violations as it takes them away from whatever they deem more important. (donut shops?) So they are likely to put fear into the violater. At least that's how it works in my town. We have two vicioius springer spaniels across the street. They charged across the street to attack my sister-in-law and charged our dogs on an evening walk. I told the owner the next time I was calling the cops. Of course what I got was a lot of abusive language. I then started carrying an ax handle on our walks to fend off these dogs. So next time it happened I caught one of them in the ribs and the owner is running after them yelling "don't you hit my dogs!" She got control of them pretty quick once she saw I wasn't pulling my swings. She was spewing invective the whole time.
I then called the police and when they came out I described the situation and why I had started protectiing myself, my dogs and my wife with an ax handle. The officer replied that we would be within our rights if we armed ourselves with something more lethal and that he would tell the owners the same thing.
This happened 2 years ago and I rarely see the springers now and when I do they are always on leashes. YMMV depending on how your police department views leash laws, but I would certainly give it a try.
Rich- There are leash laws for all the surronding towns. However, we dont live in town. We live out at a lake on a private drive. So..I am unsure that the police could do much about it. Our road is closed to anyone except people who live on this road or visitors who have been invited out.
I'm not really sure who i should call in regards to the police. Should I contact the state police, the sherrifs office, or the game warden? My guess would be the sherriff. We have just moved here so I'm not quite sure about all that stuff yet. We do have a retired police officer that lives next door to us and he witnessed the whole incident yesterday. He told me that I would have every right to take a shotgun to the dogs if they ever enter my property out here, or defend myself in any way if they approach me like that again. He gave me some tips on how to document the warnings I had given her and instructed me to show the sherriff or state troopers before any incidents happen, so they have it on file and I'm covered legally.
Mike-Great Advice!!!
Quote from: doxielady5569128 on July 28, 2006, 10:17:43 AM
I'm not really sure who i should call in regards to the police. Should I contact the state police, the sherrifs office, or the game warden?
I'd start with the local police and let them tell you if they are your support. If not, they should know who responds to calls for your area.