Before I freak you out, I will tell you that to the best of my knowledge, Delilah is okay.
Today I’m going to rant and rave and swear and self-doubt myself, so if you’re not into it, I’m not offended if you move on to another blog.
Yesterday I camethisclose to shooting a dog with my pepper blaster and I’m good and pissed off about it. It’s these God Damn Dumb Ass Dog Owners and I’m sick and fucking tired of my dog bearing the brunt of their stupidity.
We’ve had an encounter with this dog before. You can read about that HERE.
Since that incident, I’ve only seen them walking their dog once or twice. Most of the time when we walk by their yard, the dog is outside, barking and biting at the fence. Delilah has learned to tune him out.
If he only knew he could climb that gate.
Right now our walks are short, mostly due to the heat but also due to some construction on our street. Most of our walks are just around the block.
As I mentioned there is construction on our street, so there’s a lot of sniffing to be done.
As we approached the house with the dog, I saw the dog at the gate (of course) and the owner was also at the gate. I could see he was attempting to come out of the gate and the dog was right there.
It happened so fast. There was a split second where I maybe could have turned around. I’m not sure how that would have turned out. Maybe we would have gotten away, maybe the dog would have ended up chasing us. All I know is it’s like a fucking train wreck, you KNOW it’s happening, but you either can’t react quick enough or your certain it won’t happen.
So there’s a chance I could have avoided it, but I can’t say that with certainty. So I kept walking, letting Delilah lead the way.
The town trucks were there and just as we got to the front of the truck, I saw the man open his gate, sticking his foot in front of his dog. But it was ineffective, the dog took off hell bent for destruction heading our way.
I SHOULD have turned around and run, I SHOULD have pulled out my pepper blaster and nailed that little fucker right away, but I didn’t. Instead, I said, “Heads up Delilah, there’s a dog heading your way” and I dropped her leash.
I dropped her leash so she could defend herself because the last thing I want is for her to feel helpless when she’s being attacked.
I also thought since she was much larger, a snark from her would be enough to send the Jackal back thru the gates of hell.
Apparently Jackal’s aren’t smart.
Instead what ensued was 20 to 40 seconds (it seemed like minutes) of this dog growling and snarking and my dog defending herself. A couple of times she had him pinned underneath her, and in my opinion, a smart dog would have thrown in the towel.
Not this dumb ass. No, this little idiot with the Napoleon complex continued snarking and mouthing Delilah.
To be honest, I think it was just that. A lot of mouthing and noise.
As soon as I saw the dog wasn’t giving up, I starting calling Delilah and she came back to me. And that fucking asshole dog turned around and came at her again.
At this point, the DADO was standing there trying to call his dog, so I stepped in between Delilah and the dog and said, “GET” or “GO” or something along those lines. I really can’t remember what.
The dog turned towards its owner, then back towards me again. At this point, I had my spitter out and I pushed the safety to the side and pointed it right at the dog.
“GO”
Maybe it was the pepper blaster in his dog’s face, maybe the dog decided he’d lost the fight, I’m not sure, it was so fast and such a blur. But at this point, the owner picked up the dog.
“Bad Dog Tito, Bad Dog.” Yeah, cause’ that makes it all okay. Jack wagon.
Naturally he apologized and asked if Delilah was okay. I ran my hands over her looking for blood but couldn’t find any. She was wet on her chest, but that is where the dog was pinned, so I think it was just saliva.
Like I said, I think it was just a lot of mouthing and noise, but it shook me to my very core.
I told him I thought she was and I walked away. I didn’t even ask him about his dog because quite frankly, I could give two shits.
How could I let my dog down like that? WHAT should I have done, could I have prevented it from happening? If I’d turned and run, would the dog have chased us?
How do you train or prepare for something like that? It’s happened before, but it’s been a while so it came right out of the blue.
Maybe I don’t live in the DADO capital of the world, maybe it’s me, maybe I AM the Dumb Ass Dog Owner.
I don’t think turning and running off would have done any good. If that dog had already spotted you, he/she would most likely have just charged after you. If you ran, it would just make it that much more enticing! The prey was getting away!
It sounds like there is an over-population of DADOs in your neighborhood! Sorry!
I think you’re right. I think we were stuck in that situation. Going forward I will watch that little bastard though and be prepared to defend my dog in any way I have to.
You can’t successfully run from a dog hell bent on diving into a fight. That never works out as well in real life as it does in your head. I canNOT believe the stupidity of the gate-opening DADO. Sheesh. You did the smart thing by dropping the leash and Delilah did the right thing by coming when you called her. Smart and right don’t always work, but this time they did. You’re both OK.
Thank you. I wonder if he just didn’t see us. I’d like to think at the very least that it was a mistake.
Well, I’m stupid, so I would have put myself in front of my dog to protect him, taken the pepper spray out, screamed to its owner to control its dog or I’d spray. In this case I probably would have let the little bastard dog bite me so I could teach the owner a lesson, cuz he’s gonna get sued. I know Delilah would have devoured that little Scooby snack, but my little man IS a Scooby snack, and I’d protect him at ALL costs! If that was Sampson, I (me) be personally banging on his door to give him what little of my mind was left after loosing most of it if he had come at Sampson!
I can’t imagine what would have happened if it was Sampson.
I don’t really know if there was any decent option in that situation. If the dog was hell bent enough on coming at you he would have probably done it even if you’d turned away. These stories do make me wonder if you live in the DADO capital of the world. I’ve had a few bad encounters, but not many, and luckily they’re not usually in my own neighborhood.
Truthfully, it boggles my mind. How in the hell did I land myself here? I’ve never seen so many clueless people in my entire life. I’m thinking maybe I need to buy a shit ton of training books and put them in everyone’s mailbox. 🙂
You are not the DADO and I would’ve been tempted to use the pepper spray on the dog owner. None of this is your fault. And I can’t think of anything different you could have done. I think you showed remarkable self control. I’d have had a total freak out – on the dog owner. I won’t get into it (long story) but will say that one of our neighbors is STILL afraid of me over an incident that happened years ago. In this case it involved horses, so a DAHO. And… I’m glad they’re afraid. They now keep their stallion under control and inside their fence. I am so glad that Delilah and you are physically okay and just hate the psychological impact on both of you.
I have a tendency to react to the wrong situations. Like the time I threw a three-year-old tantrum in the street when a dog ran out to us, all the dog did was bark and Delilah did nothing. Yet, when a dog charges her, I stay calm. I guess I’m just backwards.
First of all, NO you are NOT the DADO! Don’t be so hard on yourself. These things happen so fast that there really is no way to “prepare” for them. That jackass obviously knew his little jackal from hell would have tried his damnedest to sneak out around him and should have put the dog in the house before going out the gate himself. Or, clipped the leash to the dog’s collar. All that said, we should all be able to walk our dogs in our own neighborhoods without having to worry about being attacked by a DADO neighbor’s dog in the process. But some people just don’t have any common sense. I probably would have been tempted to pepper blast the DADO as well as his dog. And then told him he’ll get it again any time the encounter is repeated.
I’m glad D-Dog is okay. She’s a smart girl – she knows how to protect herself (and you if need be).
Thanks Sue, I don’t want her to feel like she has to protect me though. I agree with you about leashing his dog up too. He should have a leash nearby, or at the very least, put the dog inside.
Jodi, you did everything right. The DADO is fully to blame. Torrey was attacked by two big German Shepherds 2 weeks ago. I wish I had thought to drop her leash, but I don’t think it would have made a difference. She was out weighed, and out numbered. And completely freaked out. Of course the DADO in this case is yelling that “that dog” Is the one to worry about. The one without a collar, the one I had my arm on it’s chest to keep it away from Torrey. Yes, I thought I was going to get chomped. I hate DADO’s with a passion that burns.
God Mary that’s awful. Are you and Torrey okay? I will never understand why someone with an aggressive dog doesn’t have a management plan in place.
Oh my gosh how scary! I’ve been in that spot where I just don’t react well, or thinking about it later on – wish I’d reacted differently. Once, right before Sam passed, a pit bull slammed into us and I had to let go of Monty to get Sam up and out of harm’s way. Monty defended us, but it’s haunted me since that I let him go. I’ve also maced dogs too, sometimes right in front of their owners if they didn’t move their butts to get their dogs. It’s a horrible situation and I wish it just wouldn’t happen as often as it does.
Monty, Harlow and Ramble
I always think about what I should have done AFTER the fact, why is that?
I hate that people still don’t take responsibility for their pets in this day and age.
I bet Monty’s not mad at you either. 🙂
Those kinds of encounters are completely unpredictable and happen lightening fast, and don’t see how you could have done anything different, short of clocking that little turd with your spray as soon as he came within striking distance. Hell I’m surprised you restrained yourself from spraying the DADO! Jeez, WTH is wrong with people? Kudos for having the presence of mind to have the spray ready. I had a similar encounter with my 2 sheepdogs but without protection and ended up being knocked to the ground in the middle of a 3 dog scrum eventually getting scrapped up and having a full poop bag smeared all over my hands, arms and shirt (oh yeah, talk about being a real stinker while screaming my head off-naturally I was pixed beyond comprehensible words). So glad the D-girl (and you) weren’t hurt. That’s the bottom line.
UGH, you win. That would freak me out. I might scream at the guy if I was covered in shit. Barf. LOL
Oh, my heart was pounding as I was reading! I’m so glad Delilah is OK. I don’t see where you could have done anything different, and I think letting Delilah go was the best thing. I also don’t think running would have helped, I think that might have wound up that little dog even more.
It is NOT you…that guy is a complete idiot letting his dog go like that! Oh, and calling his dog? Yeah, like that was going to work. He should have been on his dog in a split second pulling him away. Geez, he’s lucky his dog didn’t get hurt and he wouldn’t have been able to say one thing if it had.
Things like this happen so fast, I don’t know how anyone could think clearly and have the perfect reaction (and I’m not even sure what that is). It really sucks that that happened to you, and again, I’m just so relieved Delilah is OK.
Thank you Jan, I appreciate it. I knew people might be worried, which is why I wanted to let everyone know she was okay right from the get. Only time will tell if she slides back to her snarkiness.
You definitely live in the DADO capital of the world. I have only been attacked by one cat in all my years of walking dogs. You did everything right except I would have pepper sprayed the little fucker and probably the owner too. But I have criminal tendencies.
I also will admit that your opening promised one of those great Jodi stories we have grown to love as long as you assure us that D and S came out of it OK
LOL I wish I’d peppered the little fucker! So you were actually attacked by a cat? Those are the next treacherous things in this neighborhood it’s like they have more balls than brains.
And thank you for the compliment, I’m glad your enjoy my stories.
Urgh, not again! I would of blasted the owner and then maybe he wouldn’t let his dog get out.
I should have. I don’t know why I didn’t. Honestly, I was quite rude without being an outright asshole. 🙂
In May I was attacked by a mean loose dog in the neighborhood. The stupid little kid just let go of the leash and the big fat lab, at least twice my size, that never is allowed to leave the house, has to poop and pee on the deck, came after me. Mom was screaming up a storm, no one came to help. We were helpless. Luckily, I’m a tough girl and I gave back everything he gave me until finally the dog left. It scared the crap out of my mom. The stupid owners said nothing, neither did the dumb neighbors who stood and watched. Unbelievable! Just glad you and Delilah are alright too.
God! I’m sorry Emma. We live in a world where people don’t take responsibility for themselves. I’m glad you were okay.
Use that spray girl!!
Keep it handy, safety off, and spray the heck out of a dog that charges you. IF you’re going to use it though you’ll want to keep a hold of your pups on their leashes so that they stand a better chance of avoiding the spray.
And don’t ever run if you’ve got a dog on your tail, it only increases the likelyhood of being chased. 🙁 Sorry you had to go through this! We’ve certainly had our fair share of DADO’s too, and I have definitely used my spray before. It works great!
Thank you! I’m going to take your advice and go for that first! And yes, I will do my best to keep my guys out of that spray!
You’re definitely not the DADO! Honestly, in that situation and with a large dog, I think the only thing you could’ve done is what happened. You can’t yank a big dog up and out of the way like you can a small dog, running would’ve doubtless turned the snarking into a full out fight, and beyond that, there’s not many options.
Perhaps carrying a walking stick? I remember my grandma having to do that in her old neighborhood when there was a nasty dog (a jack russell, actually) that wanted to kill hers.
Thank you. After thinking about it, I think you and everyone else is right, there wasn’t much I could have done.
I am also considering the walking stick and shit kicker boots. 😉
my thoughts feelings have been pretty much expressed by others here so I’m sending you hugs and nose smooches to your pups.
How scary. I never hesitate to take action against a charging dog. Usually I walk with a big stick. I am not putting my dog in danger. But normally I would sit my dog and require them to exercise their obedience so hopefully the situation would not escalate. I would not drop a leash unless absolutely necessary.
Did you report a vicious dog? I would.
I’m so sorry that you had to experience this. I carry SprayShield with me on Every. Single. Walk. It’s easier to use that on a dog than pepper spray since it’s just citronella and water. I don’t have to use it often at home, but I use it on almost every single walk when I visit my parents’ house because dogs just roam their neighborhood and for some reason they think Barley wants them to walk along with us. Every dog I’ve ever used it on has stopped in its tracks and turned around, so if you’re reluctant to use the pepper spray on a dog, you might look into SprayShield. Don’t beat yourself up, though! I don’t think there’s really anything that you can do to really prepare for that. In my experience, turning and running (or walking really fast) just makes the other dog chase if they’re as determined as this little jerk sounds like he was. Hope that you and Delilah have recovered and are back to enjoying your walks.