Please help: dogs keep attacking my passive cocker

[buffywoods127]

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Any help anyone can give me would be amazing

I have recently been having continuous run ins with aggressive dogs; the two below are the most serious, but almost weekly a dog will suddenly turn on my dog at the local park and it all gets very vicious. My dog is relatively small, but she just does nothing; they attack her and she doesn't seem to understand what is going on, trying to get away but doing nothing to protect herself.

She was first seriously attacked around December by a friend's dog who I had never met before - the dog suddenly moved and ripped my dog's ear. There was a lot of blood and I was terrified because I was alone. She's fine now but the situation stayed with me and scared me to death; what if the dog hadn't been on a lead , what would i have done, could I have saved her etc.

A couple of days ago, I was out walking her on a lead and a staffy jumped out of a car to go into a house. However, it saw my dog and ran full pelt at us. As the family were screaming and hysterical, i knew this dog could have the potential to seriously harm my dog. It was honestly the worst thing that has ever happened to me, I was terrified and the only thing I could think to do was to pull my dog away from the staffy as it was REALLY going at her but that sent her flying UP in the air as I had to pull very hard and the staffy just WOULDN'T STOP and it was so awful and I feel so guilty. I then did what all the forums tell you not to; I got on the floor and covered her with my body. I don't really remember much of how it all happened but I remember looking at the staffy as I covered my Cocker with my body and just being glad my dog was protected.

It's probably prudent to mention that I'm only 18 - I usually walk my dog alone but this recent encounter has made me so on edge. My dog will not protect herself, so I need to find a way to protect her and feel secure again, but I'm so scared I will only take her out where I know I won't meet anyone.

My Mum suggested I carry a rape alarm and pull the pin out if a dog starts to attack - would this work? I also know pepper spray etc is illegal here, but there must be some way I can protect my dog. I know I shouldn't use my body to protect her because I could be bitten, but she is so precious to me and my family I would rather a dog bit me where I'm likely to survive than bite my dog when she's not - but evidently, if there's a better way, I will do it. It was a last resort.

 

[eingana]

Wow, that sounds like such a terrifying thing to face by yourself! I can well understand your wish to take whatever potential damage yourself rather than let your dog get hurt, but by lowering the vital bits of you enough that a dog could get hold of them that puts you very much at risk of serious injury and finding another way to protect your dog is likely to be much more helpful.

A rape alarm may work, but it may not, and if it doesn't then you've lost valuable time in defending your dog. It is possible that as well as not working on the attacking dog it could terrify your own, making her hard to control or settle afterwards.

My thoughts:

1) Have you thought about walking with a walking pole? I walk with a walking stick because of mobility difficulties, but the stick is really helpful for guiding, blocking and otherwise directing dogs (and in extreme emergencies I'm sure you could do other things with it too). A walking pole or a staff of some sort would be helpful in both defending your dog against attackers and also potentially for defending you against muggers, should you ever meet some (crossing fingers that never happens etc).

2) Big boots with toe caps. Protected feet put in a place to protect your dog will put you at a lot less risk than lowering your face, neck and body. Rigger safety boots or similar should do the trick.

3) Do you carry really nice treats in your pocket when you walk? What happens when you offer those to the incoming dogs? It would take nerves of steel to be offering a treat instead of reacting, but statistically it would completely diffuse quite a few of the potentially scary interactions. A ball thrown to the incoming dog could do similar.

4) Pepper spray is illegal, but lots of other things aren't. Pepper, blown into a dog's face and eyes would be really nasty. A spray bottle of water on the face would be less unpleasant but would probably stop quite a lot of dogs, as would a can with a few stones in it shaken as an aversive (in a really authoritative and sharp way, accompanied by very strong body language and a sharp 'NO' from you) or some of those discs used for the same purpose.

5) What's YOUR body language like? You say that your dog doesn't defend herself (and she's a cocker spaniel anyway, who isn't likely to have any great defence against a staffy) but what do you do? Do you use really positive blocking body language or are you the sort to be alarmed and frightened and not effectively block the other dog? I'm sure you could learn how to be more positive in your defence of your dog that doesn't include making any sort of contact with the other dog at all. Most dogs are really quite used to taking orders from humans and one human very authoritatively telling them to sit is much like another.

I would also think about not walking your dog in a very busy dog park, if that is possible in your area. Better a road walk on a lead which doesn't include being bugged by a scary dog than repeatedly ending up in a confrontation that she doesn't need or want. Socialising must be very scary for her if so many of the other dogs are aggressive towards her. Do you have any countryside where there is a lower density of dogs for her to have a run around in?

 

[lurcherman]

Ivehad one attack and forcefully defend my dog with steel toecap boots, strong industrial washing up liquid in a squeeze bottle into the eyes of the attacking dogs... I wish u the very best of luck..

 

[gypsysmum]

What you have gone through may never happen again. I know it is awful at the time and you are, understandably, upset but you must not pass this on to your dog.

Your dog needs you to be strong and not show signs of anxiety around other dogs. If you are anxious then your dog will be too. This sets up a circle of problems.

Could you build your confidence by going to dog training classes or joining a walking group where dogs are included?

If it comforts you a little most dog fights are all bluster. This is especially so if one dog does not fight back.