Dog fight /attack

[Gingerninja4]

.My boy seems ok .me not so much

We was walking locally saw 2 dogs ahead he not like (till now they never bothered but they just resemble 2 that did as a puppy so put him straight on lead .He dropped his ball so I pushed under my mobility scooter

Man calls his dog back but it comes running over and went straight for my dog bitting at his neck and throat snarling no warming .My poor boy does not fight back is yelping trying to get away considering he outweighs out muscles other dog other is flat coated retriever mine is old fashioned stocky lab 36kg of muscle (we walk a lot ) could been worse if he retaliated .
So I dropped the lead (I am in wheelchair so not like I could get other dog out way

Guy finally runs up hits his dog with lead and his dog runs of while he gets to get hold of it .

Man apologised saying not like his dog(trying to be fair he has never gone for mine before )man reckons his dog wanted my dogs ball .Which makes no sense as was already under my scooter before his dog came over and he did not even sniff for it went straight for the attack

My boy stands there shaking like a leaf so slide of my chair to check him seems ok thank feck he has a very thick coat

Am home now and can't see any wounds but he is very quiet my poor gentle boy and I am shaking like a leaf /tearful as well as some lovely bruises
Will obviously avoid the woods now of a morning as know he walks there of morning never seen other times but can't avoid all time

But how do you get over fear and make sure dog is ok

We worked so hard as he been scared of standard poodles/Labradoodles /big brown dogs after being attacked as a young dog he barks so I always leash t him if they been around But recently had breakthrough thanks to help from fab dog walker /trainer and some trusted poodles labradoodles but think this will set him back a lot

[Fucksandflowers]

I'm sorry to say I would brace yourself for the possibility he may not recover and will want to avoid other dogs in future.

I have a dog that is very uncomfortable around other dogs, I can fortunately easily call her away so she doesn't interact with others now but if I don't call her away she won't interact 'normally' and will react aggressively.

It started after an (unprovoked) attack and unfortunately there were multiple smaller (unprovoked) incidents after.

[Gingerninja4]

Am hoping not he is such s gentle softy despite his size

luckily our fab dog walker /homeboarder is also dog trainer is going to help .Have text her already and not going near our local woods a while

It was the feeling of helplessness that has shaken me .

[adaline]

Oh I'm sorry

I'm afraid to say my dog has had bad experiences with others and as a result is reactive on the lead. He's slowly getting better but if I don't anticipate and get him away/distracted in time he will become defensive and bark and lunge.

Keep going with your behaviourist and keep working on it. Most important thing to do is try and get his confidence levels up again.

[Fucksandflowers]

Am hoping not he is such a gentle softy despite his size

So was mine unfortunately.
She used to just sit and ignore rude dogs who bounced all over her and didn't retaliate when attacked.

[Maneandfeathers]

Sometimes owning large breeds they can trigger other dogs I’ve found.

Mine are quite large and have a bit of presence and although they aren’t aggressive it does mean other dogs want to challenge them. Smaller/more nervous dogs tend to want to have a go at them when mine are walking past.

Perhaps if your dog is large and is a bit wary /aloof he gave off a bit of an aggressive vibe even if you didn’t notice? Being barked at can also be a trigger for some dogs to defend themselves.

Not saying you or your lovely dog are at fault at all, just sometimes an explanation as to why it may have happened can sometimes make you feel better

[missbattenburg]

To add a more hopeful anecdote...

Our JRT was badly attacked a few years ago. Another (off lead) dog grabbed her (on lead) and tore all her skin off her body from her neck down to her back legs, exposing all the muscle etc underneath.

It was a sustained attack that lasted several minutes before the other dog could be removed off her. She was very lucky to survive and required 10s of stiches and a full body bandage/cast for several weeks.

However, with other dogs she has remained the calm, stoic, don't suffer fools gladly but don't start trouble dog she has always been. She treats all dogs with this approach, big or small, even the same breed as attacked her. She handles barking and lunging and friendly dogs all the same.

She is not typically a confident dog. She hates noises and hoovers and the rubbish lorry etc. However, this attack did not change her.

All dogs do react differently and we obviously didn't push her but let her find her feet again in her own way. Not all dogs would have.

I just wanted to add an example of where a serious attack did not result in a lifelong behaviour change for the victim. Just in the spirit of balance and hope xx

[MarieG10]

@Gingerninja4 . Really sorry for you and the impact on your dog. Be prepared though as some of the MN community have a "my dog wouldn't hurt a fly" temperament and then are amazed when their dog attacks another dog or human but still sees it as their right to let their dog run off a lead in a public place.

The reality is that there is no dog that is 100% trustworthy. They are animals and not humans but some owners thing their dogs have humans intelligence. Let's face it, some humans don't have human intelligence so can't expect dogs to

I really hope your dog recovers but will,prob take time

[Gingerninja4]

Nope not aloof just at nearly 6 he not as playful as once was .No barking from mine at all he was having a wee

Worked so hard ever since he was tiny so make sure he never be seen as ill mannered bouncy Labrador. Furthest thing from it

If a dog bounces on him he often just looks at me to say mummm tell them .He is so soft the dog walker uses him when has puppies or dogs that are nervy /shy of other dog (with my permission should add)

I am less shaky now but it was the not able to defend him that was upsetting to

[Gingerninja4]

Msbatternburg

Think if mine been smaller that's what would of happened as other dog tried to mine was the bigger /more muscular of the 2 .If he had attacked back could been a even more nasty fight

[missbattenburg]

My step dad (who was walking her JRT at the time) felt very similar. His primary concern would be that this dog, who he adored, would feel less safe with him and so he had let her down in some way.

I thought (and still do) that he was looking at it all wrong. I could well imagine what a source of comfort it must have been to her, on the worse day of her life, to have had her most favourite person in the whole world world with her. How relieved just she have felt, in the aftermath, to find herself carried home by someone who had always been there for her when she needed him.

I suspect the same might be true of your dog too, OP. That you didn't let him down but that you were there when it happened was comforting for him.

If you take the view that the attack itself could not be stopped - and frankly, they rarely can when you have an offlead dog heading straight for you and no time to prepare or experience of what to do - then what you are left with is the fact that it is far better to have happened when the dog has a trusted friend/owner with him than someone else.

xx

p.s. the guilt and fear fade with time, ime.