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TheCowsCameHome

(40,270 posts)

114. Your son was indeed fortunate,

Sun Jun 30, 2013, 07:50 PM

Jun 2013

that bull could have done who-knows-what. $870 may have been the bargain of the month.

When we had dogs, we always leashed them unless we were sure there was no danger - desolate beach walks, for instance. I always felt better knowing I had a link to my dog.

My wife was dog-sitting a neighbors young German shepherd - a pussycat, but it had the classic black facial features and big head - very intimidating looking. She let it off the leash when we were walking in what we thought was a safe area behind their home - typically there was no one else around.

Lo and behold, the shepherd spotted a little dog and two young kids, along with their parents walking by a pond. The shepherd suddenly crouch down, then bolted like a rocket, ignoring our commands to stop. The fear in the faces of the other people was unreal, we were scared as hell of what was going to happen - consider the possibilities, since we really didn't know the dog, fortunately the shepherd did no physical harm to anything or anyone, the kids were screaming uncontrollably, I could only try to apologize to the parents. I wanted to roll up and die.

That was years ago, I relive it every time I'm in that area.

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Our 30 lb. poodle mix just survived an attack on a hiking trail [View all] pnwmom Jun 2013 OP

Happened to my dog on our own property. Our Wheaten, who had cancer, glinda Jun 2013 #1

I'm so sorry, glinda! What a horrible way to lose a dog. pnwmom Jun 2013 #2

It is good to carry a horn or a spray. glinda Jun 2013 #60

. Liberal_in_LA Jun 2013 #57

I believe in leashes. ALL the time, unless you're in deep country or a fenced-in yard. Demoiselle Jun 2013 #3

They were in pretty deep country on a backpacking trip. pnwmom Jun 2013 #5

NEVER EVER let your dog off its leash in public. cherokeeprogressive Jun 2013 #4

Our other dog has been attacked several times in an enclosed dog park. pnwmom Jun 2013 #6

I should say "possible" exception. cherokeeprogressive Jun 2013 #8

Everybody says that, MsPithy Jun 2013 #81

We are about a 5 minute walk from a dog park IDemo Jun 2013 #131

my border collie was immediately responsive to my call and very non-aggressive. hollysmom Jun 2013 #42

Border collies are known for that -- probably because they were bred for that kind of control. pnwmom Jun 2013 #48

she was part lab as well hollysmom Jun 2013 #50

Sounds like a wonderful dog. cherokeeprogressive Jun 2013 #52

I would walk her on leash to the park hollysmom Jun 2013 #61

ugh FirstLight Jun 2013 #7

Yes, that's happened when we've had dogs on leash, too. pnwmom Jun 2013 #9

I dunno FirstLight Jun 2013 #10

Amen and Amen! TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #24

I'm going to go out on a limb Aerows Jun 2013 #53

This sounds like blaming the victim. pnwmom Jun 2013 #62

Except this isn't the first round I've had with TTW Aerows Jun 2013 #68

I noticed that people didn't understand that my dog was actually safer being off leash, pnwmom Jun 2013 #71

Pretty much she was Aerows Jun 2013 #76

But, there are problems with being off leash also. MsPithy Jun 2013 #85

It's true that sometimes there are no good options. pnwmom Jun 2013 #87

Yes, I'm glad thing worked out as well as could be expected for your MsPithy Jun 2013 #107

BULLSHIT TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #109

Your confidence is misplaced HisTomness Jun 2013 #67

And your qualifications are? Aerows Jun 2013 #69

Qualifications? LOL! HisTomness Jul 2013 #154

It certainly does Aerows Jul 2013 #155

And you'll fall out of the tree TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #94

Won't be the first time I fell out of a tree Aerows Jul 2013 #156

Exactly! My german shepherd is very reactive to other dogs nadine_mn Jun 2013 #80

This happens all the time on the Sacramento River. blueamy66 Jun 2013 #88

Wow, that's scary and I hope you reported this to whatever authorities are in charge Cleita Jun 2013 #11

Unfortunately, this was in a forest where there's no easy access to people in charge. pnwmom Jun 2013 #12

You still need to report it. If you live in CA, there is a state law that dogs are not to be off Cleita Jun 2013 #13

Unfortunately, my son didn't realize right away that she'd been bitten pnwmom Jun 2013 #30

That's too bad. They are liable for your vet bills if you can catch them. n/t Cleita Jun 2013 #36

The wounded dog who was attacked was off the leash too--that'd be turning themselves in. nt MADem Jun 2013 #77

It would be and they probably would both get a lecture and maybe even Cleita Jun 2013 #84

No, they wouldn't "both" get a lecture. Only the names of one party are known, here. MADem Jun 2013 #133

Whatever. I'm happy in my county, the so-called authorities do work with both sides of Cleita Jul 2013 #141

They can't work with both sides when one side has a dog that bit the other one, and they ran off. MADem Jul 2013 #142

That's just not so. It might have enraged the larger dogs enough to attack the Cleita Jul 2013 #144

Dog can't bite what he can't see. A million postmen and meter readers swear by it. MADem Jul 2013 #147

Yes, though ironically she was safer this way; and my son, too. pnwmom Jun 2013 #86

I know--its a pity your dog got hurt at all. I think you need some pepper spray in your hiking kit. MADem Jun 2013 #132

Yes, I think all this has convinced me. It might not have helped in a situation pnwmom Jun 2013 #134

"Oh, but Muffy wouldn't hurt a fly!" Warpy Jun 2013 #14

She's going to be okay, and the vet will be $870 dollars richer. n/t pnwmom Jun 2013 #19

Ouch. Warpy Jun 2013 #20

Amen n/t Aerows Jun 2013 #59

"Muffy won't hurt a fly" Aerows Jun 2013 #56

are the owners of the pit bull going to pay the vet bill? Liberal_in_LA Jun 2013 #15

Did your dog break free of her leash prior to the attack? nt bike man Jun 2013 #16

She was walking with my son off-leash. But we have had another dog attacked while pnwmom Jun 2013 #18

Smaller dogs who are friendly but without restraint (leash) can be easy prey to a large bike man Jun 2013 #22

No, she definitely wasn't running up to him, playfully or otherwise. pnwmom Jun 2013 #25

jeebus Kali Jun 2013 #31

I don't know how bad the bite is. Vets are getting more and more expensive around here, pnwmom Jun 2013 #37

I wuv you kali darkangel218 Jun 2013 #78

Turns out it was wide and deep enough to require a drain for the next few days. pnwmom Jun 2013 #79

Oh I am so sorry for your dog and you nadine_mn Jun 2013 #82

Thank you. My husband has been anxious all afternoon, waiting to get the call pnwmom Jun 2013 #83

800 is probably accurate. MsPithy Jun 2013 #89

easy solution...shoot the pit backwoodsbob Jun 2013 #17

All dangerous dogs should be euthanized. roody Jun 2013 #108

And just how would you go about identifying "the pit" to be able to shoot it? baldguy Jun 2013 #116

What the fuck? one_voice Jun 2013 #122

He has. flvegan Jun 2013 #128

You are inferring Oneka Jul 2013 #153

(facepalm) flvegan Jun 2013 #127

unleashed dogs are a fucking menace TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #21

Thanks for your concern, TTW! Unfortunately, my son didn't realize right away pnwmom Jun 2013 #28

your dog will be fine as long as you blast it TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #125

Thanks for the link. I'll check it out. pnwmom Jun 2013 #126

I'll take a Pug biting me Aerows Jun 2013 #43

Orange oil spray works better. hollysmom Jun 2013 #44

I carry Halt!, a pepper spray for dogs, on my bicycle rides. Meter readers and bike man Jun 2013 #58

But the risk is that your own dog gets a face full of that, too. pnwmom Jun 2013 #74

Halt! for dogs is not as harmful to dogs as "people" mace. But that is NOT the only option. bike man Jun 2013 #104

Why do folks walk with their dogs off-leash? TheCowsCameHome Jun 2013 #23

I will never ever ever understand this TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #27

That doesn't excuse the fact that the owners Aerows Jun 2013 #32

"pit bull...are hard-wired toward agression. You will never convince me otherwise"."like a pit bull" uppityperson Jul 2013 #139

Our other dog has been attacked at an off leash dog park, more than once. pnwmom Jun 2013 #40

People should not take dangerous dogs to the dog park. hollysmom Jun 2013 #47

that's why I stay clear of dog parks TorchTheWitch Jun 2013 #121

At the very least, you can rein in/control YOUR dog TheCowsCameHome Jun 2013 #45

Reining in our dog wouldn't have helped my son much in this situation. pnwmom Jun 2013 #90

Your son was indeed fortunate, TheCowsCameHome Jun 2013 #114

Our dogs are thirty pound fuzz balls, and no one ever seems intimidated by them. pnwmom Jun 2013 #119

So they can run and sniff around and act like dogs. pnwmom Jun 2013 #33

You did nothing wrong Aerows Jun 2013 #39

Yeah, that's how it seems to me, too. At least the pit didn't bite my son. pnwmom Jun 2013 #41

God Aerows Jun 2013 #65

I know. He wasn't alone, at least. He was with a girlfriend, who could have called for help. pnwmom Jun 2013 #100

German Shepherd Aerows Jun 2013 #26

yep backwoodsbob Jun 2013 #29

Their bloodline has been destroyed Aerows Jun 2013 #35

Absolutely! This is the heart of the matter! MsPithy Jun 2013 #91

"Their bloodline" is an interesting thing to say. flvegan Jul 2013 #140

Hope she does ok. Why was YOUR dog off leash? Don't let your dog off leash. uppityperson Jun 2013 #34

Because she's a dog and the only place she gets to act like one is on a trail in the woods. pnwmom Jun 2013 #46

and what about bears.....am sad when glinda Jun 2013 #63

Yes, that would be a danger. But our dogs stick close to us. My husband trained them well pnwmom Jun 2013 #75

Yet you and others continue to write don't have dogs off leash. Even you. Even your dog. Not just uppityperson Jun 2013 #73

The thing is, under these circumstances both she and my son were better off pnwmom Jun 2013 #96

Not everybody lives in the city or suburbs. Boudica the Lyoness Jun 2013 #49

Some dogs are great off leash, Quantess Jun 2013 #55

oh no! a la izquierda Jun 2013 #38

aw I hope your dog is OK pnwmom Skittles Jun 2013 #51

We're waiting to hear from the vet that she's out of "surgery" pnwmom Jun 2013 #72

I'm glad you are okay. LWolf Jun 2013 #54

I think having three large dogs running loose together was a mistake. pnwmom Jun 2013 #66

Sorry for your dog's injury, but I just have to say ... brett_jv Jun 2013 #64

Ironically, if she had been on-leash, the pit bull would have had continued access to her pnwmom Jun 2013 #70

Would it be too much to ask Shankapotomus Jun 2013 #92

I don't know where exactly my son was. pnwmom Jun 2013 #93

I wonder if a can of pepper spay Shankapotomus Jun 2013 #97

I'm thinking about that now. The disadvantage, of course, is that it would be hard pnwmom Jun 2013 #99

I would think if it incapacitated Shankapotomus Jun 2013 #101

Halt! is carried by meter readers, mail carriers, and me on my bicycle. It is not as harmful bike man Jun 2013 #111

Thanks for the tip Shankapotomus Jun 2013 #115

Bicycle shops often carry it. Or online from various places, Amazon bike man Jun 2013 #118

In my opinion, dogs should NEVER be off leash. alarimer Jun 2013 #95

Well, in this case, my dog probably would have been bitten again if she had been on leash. pnwmom Jun 2013 #98

This is my concern when I go on trails now days DeschutesRiver Jun 2013 #102

Thanks, DR. Yes, I'm sure my son had quite an adrenaline rush from the experience pnwmom Jun 2013 #105

One thing I forgot is that there is a pepper gel spray that I am looking at DeschutesRiver Jun 2013 #110

Thanks for the info! pnwmom Jun 2013 #112

I'm so sorry that happened! Texasgal Jun 2013 #103

I've seen a couple horrendous youtube videos of attacks on small, leashed dogs pnwmom Jun 2013 #106

My dogs are small too. Texasgal Jun 2013 #123

Thank you! The wound looks terrible now -- four or five inches long, with drains pnwmom Jun 2013 #124

In the city, dogs and cats are vermin aristocles Jun 2013 #113

And humans are vermin in the city, country, and 'burbs then. Arugula Latte Jul 2013 #145

i've lived in cities all my life, and thats just true. nt La Lioness Priyanka Jul 2013 #158

Sorry about your dog. NaturalHigh Jun 2013 #117

Dogs are stoic. My son knew to get her to the vet pnwmom Jun 2013 #120

pnwmom, I'm sorry this happened flvegan Jun 2013 #129

Thank you, fivegan! n/t pnwmom Jun 2013 #130

What a nightmare. I'm really sorry you guys had to got hrough this. Rowdyboy Jun 2013 #135

Thank you, Rowdyboy. My son is distressed that he couldn't stop the attack pnwmom Jun 2013 #136

I have a 13 lb Jack Russell mix who at 13 has never met a challenge she was afraid of.... Rowdyboy Jul 2013 #138

I am happy that she'll be able to come home, I'm sure life long demo Jun 2013 #137

Glad it ended as well as it did, pnwmom. I know Cha Jul 2013 #143

Thank you, Cha. pnwmom Jul 2013 #146

poor dog Liberal_in_LA Jul 2013 #148

That bite will hurt your dog like hell. I've had a dog bite before. Honeycombe8 Jul 2013 #149

My son was too busy chasing after our dog, and the one that was still chasing her. pnwmom Jul 2013 #150

One thing about poodle's and poodle mixes MuseRider Jul 2013 #151

I didn't know that about poodles. But I know she's a little gazelle. pnwmom Jul 2013 #152

I'm so sorry! Solly Mack Jul 2013 #157

She's doing better. As long as it doesn't get infected, she'll be okay.n/t pnwmom Jul 2013 #159

Good thoughts coming your way! Solly Mack Jul 2013 #160

Thanks, Solly Mack! n/t pnwmom Jul 2013 #161