In the past two days, I’ve read about four articles on dogs being attacked and killed while out on a daily walk with their owners.
The article that upset me the most was about a Yorkie killed by a pack of dogs after they escaped from an open gate and charged the pup’s owner.
There was nothing the owner could do.
Same thing in New Jersey where a small mini-pin was attacked and killed by a coyote. (In this case, the dog was unleashed and was away from its owner, but still.)
I’m not going to lie, but this freaks me the heck out.
Many of us do everything we can to protect our dogs, but what happens when the situation is out of our control?
A few months ago, a neighbor’s large breed dog was attacked by another large-breed dog who got out from a fence and charged it. She began kicking the dog and hitting the attacking dog, but it still did a number on her dog. They almost lost the dog, but thankfully they got it to the vet in time. Still, it took weeks for the dog to recover.
Now, anyone who knows me, knows I’m a worrywart, but this is a serious issue and concern when I take Toby for a walk, especially that a little dog went after him a while back and several times since. I almost always carry dog treats with me, but bribing an attacking dog won’t exactly solve the issue.
So, what kind of measures do you, or can you, take to prevent your dog from being attacked while out on a walk?
I carry an aerosol can of citronella spray when I'm in places where I might meet off leash dogs that may not be polite greeters. It would probably work with other animals as well.
The citronella spray sounds like a good idea. I've been trying to be incredibly vigilant when out on walks with Prudence after she was almost attacked by a Doberman. Luckily for the both of us (I jumped in between the Dobie and Prudence when I saw him charge) there was an invisible fence and the dog was wearing the collar. Of course vigilance can't save Pru from everyone, but it's something.
I've seen people carry large sticks, but as for me, I just hope for the best.
Pat
http://www.critteralley.blogspot.com
We do the citronella also, and I've heard in some instances people carry mace. We spoke with our dog trainer who said the best thing to do is carry some really good smelling food (steak, sausage, etc) and just throw it at the charging dog. Though I'm not really sure how to do this on a daily basis.
A few months ago Ty was attacked by a dog that slipped out the front door of a house we were walking by when a child opened the door. The physical damage was pretty minimal – the dog bit Ty's ear – but emotionally Ty and I were both pretty upset. Since then I've gotten a big stick that I walk with often and I have a can of Pet Corrector. It's simply compressed air that makes a loud hissing sound, similar to a snake, and startles dogs giving you enough time to get the situation under control. And, I don't think you're a worry wart – this is a serious issue.