I Need Your Help... Unleashed Pets

February 27, 2008

This time one of our TeamSugar members needs your help! Wakeupandora recently had a scary encounter with a pooch she's never seen before – while walking her leashed, vaccinated pup, a loose dog came after them barking and snarling! She panicked and starting yelling to scare the dog away but she wanted to know what you would do to help or prevent this situation in the future. Has it ever happened to you? Please share suggestions for us in your comments below!

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33 Comments

4 years

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4 years

If your attacked by a dog you might as well have protection for yourself and your dog. Pepper spray can protect your dogs against other dogs and protect you from criminals. It serves a dual purpose.

4 years

While I do agree that people should be keeping their dogs on a leash, I dont necessarily agree that pepper spray is the answer.. do you have any idea how many dogs are killed annually by pepper spray? Why dont we instead encourage good, responsible dog ownership instead of solving our problems with a $5 can of mace.

batchweb1 4 years

I think that what happened is terrible. People should really keep their dogs on a leash and pay attention to what is going on. Now, if it was a stray then it is what it is. In that case, like mentioned above you need to be prepared and carry some type of pepper spray or maybe a stun gun (As you can see by my avatar, I live by the stun gun). Just make sure you are prepared and ready for anything that comes your way. I have a small bull dog puppy and I don't go anywhere without having a pepper spray or stun gun with me. I don't want my little baby to get hurt, i'm prepared!

MandyJoBo 5 years

Linda, I don't know if you're liable or not, but I'm just so sorry you experienced that. What a rude man. I understand where he's coming from, but that dog attacked YOUR dog...it just didn't win. I hope it all works out.

linda lou 5 years

Hello I'm very scared and do not know what to do. Please help. I was walking my 3yr old emglish lab through a very busy park. He was a little nervous cause, our first time there and there were lots of dogs. Well, while going thru a crowd of people this UNLEASHED poodle jumps off the owners lap under a chair and in Barneys face yapping like crazy... Barney grab the poodle and held him down. A guy came running over and took the poodle from Barney's mouth. Poodle had definite cuts from the bite. The man, (not even the poodle's owner) stood there and yelled at me for not controlling my dog and yelled "YOU WILL PAY FOR ALL THE POODLES MEDICAL BILLS"!!! By then I was shaking and crying and verbally agreed. The owner has since called me, but I have not called her back. I cannot afford to pay anything. Am I liable? So completely worried. linda

CJaneTyp 5 years

My biggest peeve is when people walk around with their dogs unleashed and then say "oh my dog is nice!". Well... what if the dog it comes up to isn't nice? Or what if on that particular occasion the "nice" dog doesn't feel like being nice? Or what if I just don't want my dog interacting with that dog? I have a nice dog now but my former dog (now sadly deceased from old age) did not like other dogs at all, and going on a walk was such a nightmare that I just had to stop doing it!! One time I was out walking my current dog in my old neighborhood and my neighbor lost hold of her two nasty yapping schnauzers, who came running right over, barking. She's yelling "oh they are harmless" but why should I trust her judgment with my baby? My dog is three times the size of those schnauzers was calmly standing there but they were barking so viciously and getting closer and closer and from their attitude I just knew that biting was next, so I tried to kick at them so they would go away. The lady had the nerve to yell at me not to touch her dogs! It was NOT a pleasant experience, I never got along with her after that, and I felt stressed every time I left my house to walk my dog- I lived in a town house then and had to pass right by her house to get to the sidewalk. Thankfully now I live in a single family home with a huge yard in a nice neighborhood... buuuuuut here again, my neighbor never puts his lab on leash! sigh.

MarinerMandy 5 years

Wow, I can't believe so many people care so irresponsible! My dog is like my child and I can't imagine having a dog and not doing everything I could to keep it safe!

wakeupandora 5 years

Wow. Some of these stories are insane! I have tried the ceasar millan approach but i think that man is just extra-human to do all that he does. I am a calm assertive person with my dogs but other dogs don't seem to get it. Either way - i'm protecting my furbabies!!

LesleyP825 5 years

I used to have a neighbor that had 3 labs that were, believe it or not, very vicious. The guy was a weirdo anyway and for whatever reason used to ride his bike around at 3:00 AM. Well, the first night we were living in our house it was hot out and we had the windows open. He rode his bike past our house at 3:00 AM and of course my Stanley jumped in the window and barked at him. The next day I was outside with Stanley and he drove by in his truck. He stopped and rolled down his window. I thought he was going to welcome me to the neighborhood but he points at me and says, "Was that the dog that was barking at me the other night?" When I replied yes he said to me, "You better never have that dog out because my dogs will kill it." BTW....Stanley is a 7 lb Chihuahua. I had numerous problems with his dogs after that. They would barge into my yard and come right up to the glass sliding door and start barking at me. I had to call the dog officer several times on him. Also, he let the dogs mess EVERYWHERE. He moved out of the neighborhood about a year later and thank God that he did. A few months after the dog officer came to my house and asked if I knew where the guy had moved. I said I had no idea and he showed me some photos of a person that was practically mauled and said, "Look at what his dogs did to this person." Very scary! Thank God I never let Stanley out or my Gretchen after I got her.

mgc14 5 years

I have a greyhound who is small dog and cat safe. However many greyhounds have too strong of a predatory drive to get used to being around smaller animals, especially white ones. My neighbor has a white chihuahua mix who is never on a leash. The first encounter with this dog was when I was coming back from a walk with my leashed hound and I was preoccupied with looking through my mail. I heard my neighbor call her dog's name but by the time I looked up her dog was already running between my legs. My greyhound wasn't paying much attention either but he did not react. If any dog is startled it can react unexpectedly and in my case, could have killed her dog. She still doesn't put her dog on a leash but she does look to see if I am out with my hound before she lets her dog out.

CaterpillarGirl 5 years

I dont have a dog, but there are pet owners in my complex that just let thier dogs run wild, they let them out to go to the bathroom and these dogs run into the streets, up to other dogs, or come after people. I had one such dog, a mix breed, come after me growling, teeth bared, so i kicked the da*mn thing in the face and it ran back off, the owner then proceeded to come out yelling at me (she saw it from across the parking lot) and i told her that if it comes out again like that it will get kicked again. People are just lazy sometimes and think "my pet is harmless!" when they arent. They are animals first, pets second and instinct is to attack and protect.

Zero_Cool 5 years

My boyfriend and I were once walking our two year old boxer, Zero, on a leash when out of no where, this little dog (like a chihuahua mix) came running up to us. As we are yelling at this dog to go away, this child (probably around 5-6) runs out into the middle of the street (there were no sidewalks) and a passing car has to swerve to miss hitting her. So I went and gave Zero's leash to my boyfriend and went to the house where the girl and dog lived. I knock on the door and this old man (the girls grandfather) answers. I'm like your dog is terrorizing us and your granddaughter just about got hit by a car. Then I tell him off for leaving both of them outside unattended (they didn't have a fenced in yard) and he starts yelling at me to mind my own business and starts calling me horrible names. So I go home (I lived like 4 houses down) and called the cops. The cops came and gave him a ticket for not have a leash on the dog, and told him to watch his grandchild. By the way, my dog is a little leash aggressive with other dogs, especially little ones, which just goes to show that you don't know the other dog so you should make sure the dog is ok with other dogs before you let your dog come up and sniff other dogs. That's happened to us numerous times with owners thinking that all dogs get along. And then when my dog starts growling at their dog, they get mad at me. It's ridiculous!

JessNess 5 years

If you know where the dog lives then talk to the owner and let them know that their dog is being aggressive and the dog needs to be kept on a leash and supervised at all times. If it happens again then call Animal Control and/or the police because an aggressive unleashed dog should not be tolerated. Also in the future as a measure of protection you can always carry Pepper Spray for dogs with you. I once had a neighbor that carried a bat with them when they walked their dogs because they had been attacked before but I think the pepper spray is a better alternative.

DreaAST 5 years

I get so scared of some dogs. They should be on leashes!

POPSUGAR Pets 5 years

Wow! I never would have guessed so many of you have had this problem! I agree that encountering strange, unleashed dogs happens more often in smaller towns where pets are allowed to roam freely. Luckily North has only encountered an offleash dog once. His owners were apparently about to load him into the car across the street but he spotted us and dashed over. I just picked North up and held him above my head as he gets very protective of me on leash. A very dangerous situation (for that dog) at night at a corner with only a two way stop! Oh, and the picture is just the only stock photo I could find – it is no means meant to discriminate against Dobermans... wait 'til you hear about North's dobie BFF, Maximus!

Jillz1128 5 years

There is a man down the street who does not put his dog on a leash for walks and we are in downtown Chicago, which is just plain crazy!!! So much could happen in the blink of an eye here. It seems to be a lab mix and is very friendly, but I just feel that is so irresponsible.

BShax 5 years

ashcwebb, we have a rottie too, and he's always on leash and he's a doll. unfortunately other people suck and they have their small unleashed aggressive dogs off leash in our park. Harry, our Rottie, could kill one of those dogs, but when he gets into an altercation when he is on leash, guess who gets blamed? The big scary black dog. If your dog is small, you aren't less responsible for good behavior. A small aggressive dog is still an aggressive dog and needs to be on-leash. Standing still has never worked for us, and in fact makes it more possible for my dog to engage with the aggressive dog. In my experience the best way to deal with any incoming dogs is to move forward, keeping your dog on a short but not tense leash. Do not react or engage the other dog unless the other dog is so close that it is "engage or be engaged" at which time a loud NO sometimes works. For those of you who yell out "he's really friendly" that is complete BS. I'm sure you think your dog is really friendly but unless you have complete vocal recall (meaning when you say come, your dog does it, that second) an offleash dog around leashed dogs is a recipe for disaster. Dogs on leash are naturally more insecure when confronting an unleashed dog -- they are missing their primary defense tactic, running away. Dogs don't want to engage, by and large. Also, consider a water gun with a little lemon juice+water in it. A quick spray is harmless and smells funky and stops a lot of dogs. We got our UPS guy to replace his horrible pepper spray with a water gun for some of the more unsavory dogs in the hood!

ufshutterbabe 5 years

According to Cesar Milan, you need to remain calm & assertive. Mentally stand your ground and claim your space with your body language and energy. Stand tall, put your hands on your hips and make yourself look as big as possible (using a walking/hiking stick also helps). Don't let the unleashed dog circle or get behind you, that is a classic "just about to attack" sign. Milan says not to yell at the strange dog, because you are returning their aggressive barks with more "aggressive barking" and thus escalating the energy. I have found, however, that a loud, stern (but calm assertive) "NO!" will usually stop the unleashed dog from approaching. Remember to stick with a simple word that most dogs know - like "NO". Some dogs are not familiar with "Stop" or "Go Home," etc. And remember to keep control over your dog during this interaction as well, keep the leash short and don't allow them to instigate any further action from the unleashed dog.

fuzzles 5 years

I think wackdoodle has given some excellent advice. And let me clarify that I am a huge animal lover before I say what I am about to say! I would check with your local police department about the possibility/legality of carrying a small can of pepper spray with you on your walks for use ONLY if a strange dog is in full on attack mode and your options to get yourself and your dog to safety are restricted. I would also look into any risk of liability on your behalf if this is a legally kosher last resort option. If it is legal, and you feel comfortable in carrying the spray, also realize that you will need to muster the composure to evaluate the wind direction and adjust your position accordingly so that you don't spray yourself or your dog. Far from an ideal solution, but if it was this option or the life or well-being of my baby, I wouldn't hesitate to use it.

wackdoodle 5 years

Aww..why'd you have to use a picture of a dobie? Dobermans are sweethearts and intelligent. My Brother-in-law had a Dobie and his sister raises Dobermans for show and for companion dogs for the disabled. They bare theie teeth and bark when their afraid hoping to frighten people away. But Dobie's also bare their teeth and wiggle when they are extremely happy. The difference is watching the ears and fur and tail. Anyway, I was briefly a mail carrier and ALWAYS came upon unleashed dogs who were on their home territory. The mail must get through - and newbie mail carriers are fired if they get bitten by a dog before probabtion ends. So you have to learn to deal with unleased dogs. Since I grew up with multiple dogs in our household and on a street where every neighbor had a dog - I knew to stop moving first. Never turn my back to the dog. Look the dog in the eye but protect my neck. Then either let the dog approach me (so long as s/he was not showing signs of being in attack mode -hair on the back raised, ear flat against the head, tail tucked between their legs). I'd let my arms dangle by my sides but be prepared to whomp the dog on the muzzle should it try to attack. I let the dog smell me without moving and without speaking. Once the dog had had a smell I would watch for the dog to relax and I would either back away or speak to the dog in an even but firm tone. And I'd always say "Good boy or Good girl" after the contact. I have never been attacked or bit by a strange dog (only crazy family animals have bit me). I was rammed by a hyper over excited Rott and by my S-I-L's pitbull but both were harmless. They didn't know their own strength and I don't think they meant to knock me down, but once I was down I was then covered head to toe in dog slobber. So hmm...maybe the Rott and the Pit meant to knock me down so they could lick me to death.

Bettyesque 5 years

You know its funny because I just got a puppy and I almost scared to walk him around here because it seems like everyone around here lets their dogs loose. A real farm community and most folks keep there dogs outdoors regularly and they get out from time to time. Most of them are large breeds.. rotts, pits, mastiffs etc. I am not sure what I would I do, but in reading the above I now have some tips. I would probably just pick up Brody and run lol which is probably the worst thing you could do.. but he's a baby :)

Phasekitty 5 years

This happened to us as well! My boyfriend and I were walking our leashed, vaccinated pup of about 7 months. It was around 8PM and dark outside and I saw the owner and dog walking down the other side of the sidewalk. The dog was so close to it's owner and because it was dark, it looked to be leashed, but it bounded over and started sniffing. I started to gently tug Brando away to leave, but the dog snarled and attacked. Brando was scared to death and got all tangled up in his leash and was unable to get away. My boyfriend kicked the dog away and started screaming at the owner who was calmly ambling up behind his leashless dog. He completely ignored us and moved on while poor Brando was crying. I quickly checked him out and he was fine, just scared. My boyfriend tried to chase after the guy and dog, but I just wanted to get Brando home. We found out a lot of the neighbors have had the same problem and there's clearly something wrong with the owner who won't listen to anyone and continues to walk his dog offleash.

MandyJoBo 5 years

Wow, people are so irresponsible. Besides the obvious liability not leashing a dog proposes, it's as much for its own safety as other dogs' safety. Don't people care? I don't have a dog, though, so I'm not sure of the whole dynamic. A neighborhood outside/stray kitty was on my roof once, peering down into my atrium which I often let my cats out in when the weather permits. In a split second, I imagined my cats coming out and that cat coming to hurt them, or trying to get in while we were gone (which would have been a futile attempt, but would scare my cats nonetheless). In my fiercest, mean mommy voice, I said: if you ever come down here I'll kill you. I squinted in its eyes and it ran off. I love cats, and all animals and I'm not sure what came over me!! I never saw that kitty on my roof again, though. My point is that I would do whatever it took to save my dog from any attacker.

colormesticky 5 years

This happened to me once. I pushed the dog so hard it went into the middle of the street (right in front of its irresponsible owner) and picked my dog up as fast as I could. Luckily my dog was fine, but that damn golden retriever bit the crap out of my finger. I'm actually glad my hand was between its teeth and my dog's neck though. If Auggie had been bitten I might've bitten the owner.

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