This is ridiculous, I?m a blubbering wreck. I set off for a walk this afternoon, all positive following some recent recall failures. I had a new recall strategy which I was keen to try. This is with my 18 mo rescue dog that I?ve had 5.5 weeks. I?d only been on the walk 3 minutes, my dog was still on the lead when he was approached by a boxer and a Labrador both off the lead, both bigger than my dog. They didn?t rush towards him but within moments they were on top of him and it was a full scale, three-way fight. The two owners were screaming but neither of their dogs took any notice. The boxer eventually pinned mine down on his side and the boxer?s owner finally grabbed him and pulled him away. The lab followed and we were able to escape. This all took really a long time, it seemed to go on for ever and I was beginning to panic. I felt completely helpless, scared and unable to protect my dog.
Once it was over I couldn?t get away quick enough. One of the owners did ask if I was alright but I just disappeared as fast as I could. I was shaking like a leaf. Got round the corner and another Labrador, also off lead, made a beeline for my dog. Owner calling her off, dog took no notice. I was a bit hysterical by now and started pleading with him to get the dog away. She just wouldn?t leave us alone, though there was no fighting. Owner got hold of her, apologising profusely and saying she was only a puppy who wanted to play. I then completely embarrassed myself. Stood in the middle of this field I just burst into tears and couldn?t stop. Give him his due, the man was great, he made a big fuss of my dog and insisted on walking with me, apologising all the time. Bless him. He was in his early 20s and I?m 47!
My dog was not injured, just a lot of saliva but I am still ludicrously tearful. Something similar happened last week as well (another pair of off lead dogs) and in a week I seem to have gone from excited new dog owner to someone who can?t let her dog off the lead (recall issues) and dreads meeting other dogs. Particularly other pairs of dogs! Please tell me this will get better, I feel a complete failure at the moment.
Is this just par for the course with dog ownership and I just need to toughen up? I appreciate the off-lead dog owners were probably in the wrong, but equally could my dog have 'said' something really awful to their dogs?! I'm pretty sure it was my dog that snapped first
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Should I be this upset that my dog was attacked?
10 replies
gymmummy64 · 25/10/2012 19:28
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