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The doghouse

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Original poster

What would you do in a vicious dog attack? [MNHQ warning: distressing content]

115 replies

MarcoPoloCX · 19/01/2015 16:01

If your dog was savagely attacked by another, at what point would you intervene and how much force would you use?
Would you wait for the owner to recall/pull his dog away or would you go straight in with all your might?
Would you just try and pull your dog away or would you hit and kick the other dog?
I am asking because this weekend I witnessed a little terrier being ripped apart by Mastiff.
The owner was of the terrier was screaming while the other guy was recalling and trying to pull it away.
It was over in seconds.
Was the worst thing I seen happened to someone’s pet.

OP posts:
HarrietSchulenberg · 19/01/2015 21:25

My gangly great lurcher is forever getting attacked by bloody terriers whose owners then scowl at me when he growls and barks back at them. Apparently it's OK for their little dogs to run up to mine because "he/she just wants to say hello". Oh, that'll be why it's yapping like a loon and snapping my dog's ankles then.
Mine would give them bloody hello if he wasn't on his lead and escorted by a watchful me.
I will remember the back legs tip in case I ever need it, very useful to know.

Tipsykisses · 19/01/2015 21:27

The twisting of the testicles worked for my Dp , luckily dog the dog yelped & ran off .

I don't know if Dp would do it again though , he acted completely on instinct but was shaken up for the rest of the day .

Staywithme · 19/01/2015 21:30

The twisting of the testicles worked for my Dp

Poor DP. What did he do to deserve that?

Sorry. Grin

ItsAllKickingOffPru · 19/01/2015 21:31

I would get a stick if I wasn't walking with one already. Hands and feet would be no good in a serious dog attack and I wouldn't intervene in one that wasn't serious, just recall and distract.

AmantesSuntAmentes · 19/01/2015 21:44

Right but this thread is specific to wwyd in a dog attack.

If your EBT (my apologies - lovely breed), were to flip as the mastiff did, I do hope you'd get involved and prevent it from injuring or killing another dog. Wouldn't that be your responsibility as a responsible owner?

Maybe I'm comfortable with breaking up large breeds because I've owned them. It's been my responsibility to know how to handle them in all situations, not on the assumption that anything would happen but with awareness that something, one day, somehow, could.

I'd never advocate sticking hands or feet in as the safest way to end any dog fight. I do think owners (if in doubt) should research methods which are recognised as safer and more effective Smile

AmantesSuntAmentes · 19/01/2015 21:45

That was to indeed! Xpost - sorry.

Onethirdamidwife · 19/01/2015 21:55

I do not trust any kind of terrier - they were bred for ratting, catching foxes, badgers, rabbits and other small creatures. I've been bitten twice by a jr and once by a westie.
I always put my choccie lab on the lead when we see any kind of terriers he

ukipvoter · 19/01/2015 22:03

Jeez, seriously ... fuck some dog owners.

In a way this is nature taking its course. If my pet Yorkie ran out in to the road I would not run after it. If I saw a Rottweiler coming, I'd be tempted to pick said yorkie up. And if another dog attacked mine I'd probably go ape shit and kick the offending dog. Hard.

This is a good reason to learn how to be the leader of the pack. If your weeny Chihuahua walks in front of you, oncoming rottweiler will assume it is the pack leader and hence fair game.

ItsAllKickingOffPru · 19/01/2015 22:05

You are talking utter bollocks there, kippy, but I expect you know that.

hmc · 19/01/2015 22:16

I've researched previously and read pretty much what Amantes has described. I think the guidance was not just to grab the hind legs but to lift them wheelbarrow style (I am not being flippant) - because the dog cannot hold on and balance at the same time.

As another poster has said I don't walk my dogs in high traffic areas which is a preventative measure .....

And yes I would always intervene possibly at reckless risk to my own safety - because who frankly can stand by and see their cherished family pet torn to shreds.

I am sorry that you had to witness that happen to a dog OP

crapcrapcrapcarp · 19/01/2015 22:22

This is a good reason to learn how to be the leader of the pack. If your weeny Chihuahua walks in front of you, oncoming rottweiler will assume it is the pack leader and hence fair game.

^^ The most ludicrous bunkum I have read on here for AGES, hilarious!

constantlyconfused · 19/01/2015 22:23

Walking my dog is not relaxing im always on high alert due to recent dog attacks.I keep her VERY close and keep on lead unless in a very open area there i can see approachers! Grab and check they are being friendly.
A JR has attacked her twice I kicked it it yelped ran off then came back for more i booted it again ! No i shouldn't kick dogs but if my dogs in danger i would do whatever necessary i carry a spare lead to choke them with just incase I'm sane honest Blush bloody irresponsible owners ruin the experience for the rest of us!

velouria · 19/01/2015 22:25

My sister was in this situation with a rottweiler attacking her small/medium dog, she managed to throw her dog over a fence but was unfortunately bitten badly on her arm as a result.

I used have a lurcher and he was randomly attacked by a passing staffy on a walk who was off lead, they did circles around me with me screaming my head off, thankfully owners managed to get staffy on lead without any injury. In hindsight I should have let go of lead, ain't no staffy on earth that could have caught my whippy boy Grin.

ineedsomeinspiration · 19/01/2015 22:30

I've had a look at what Amantes recommends and I can see how it would work but it does also seem to suggest you need to have one person per dog involved. Maybe not in the case the poor op described but if it were two big dogs where both were aggressors and you only pulled one away you would surely run just as much risk of getting attacked as if you were to get in between them.

My dog is 22 kg so I could lift his back end no problem but I still not sure I could manage a 90 kg mastiff.

I think as someone said up thread prevention is better than cure and I'm pretty sure the attacks that just come out of nowhere are pretty rare. A better understanding of dog body language and observation would prevent a lot.

People should be made more responsible for their dogs behaviour. The Mastiffs owners in the op know what their dogs are like they just don't care.

QueenBean · 19/01/2015 22:41

.

AmantesSuntAmentes · 19/01/2015 22:50

hmc, yes, pick up by the back legs Smile

I've had a look at what Amantes recommends and I can see how it would work but it does also seem to suggest you need to have one person per dog involved.

I explained the same in my first post, indeed. If one dog is lifted, the other ideally needs to be restrained or may well re-engage in the fight.

SistersOfPercy · 19/01/2015 23:09

Dh booted some large crossbreed across a beach in Anglesey once for attacking our on lead westie.
At the time we had a Scottie and a westie. Both happy, social little dogs who were always on lead. This particular day the off lead dog came at us and attacked the westie. I screamed, i was trying desperately to pick both boys up and finally dh kicked it and it ran off yelping. It's owner had the audacity to complain about my on lead dog.

The westie had a few cuts but was fine, unfortunately for the Scottie the damage was much more psychological. After that whenever both dogs were walked together he'd instinctively protect the westie by barking and generally not tolerating any approaching dog. Walked on his own he was fine.
We spent many years trying to get through it but he protected his best friend until the day he died.

CurlyWurlyCake · 19/01/2015 23:14

This is a good reason to learn how to be the leader of the pack. If your weeny Chihuahua walks in front of you, oncoming rottweiler will assume it is the pack leader and hence fair game.

^^ The most ludicrous bunkum I have read on here for AGES, hilarious!

The oncoming Rottweiler in this house would continue sniffing lamp posts and empty crisp packets without the weeny chihuahua registering on her radar.
We don't have leaders of packs either Hmm

VeryStressedMum · 19/01/2015 23:48

Just wondering what might happen once you let go of the attacking dog that you're holding up by the back legs...would it turn round and attack me?
My dog wouldn't run away from me so I wouldn't be able to let go because it might attack my dog again as she'd be standing there next to it Hmm.
I'm going to carry a big golf umbrella with me from now on.

Tipsykisses · 20/01/2015 03:19

Staywithme I've just re read my post Grin
Dp's testicles are fine I promise !!

Original poster
MarcoPoloCX · 20/01/2015 06:32

The case had been assigned to an officer and we both have been asked to come in the police station to give a full statement. The other lady told me that a warrant will be applied for to seize her remaining dogs and have them assessed.

OP posts:
TookALittleLongWayRound · 20/01/2015 07:58

I had a dog once who attacked another dog and once who was attacked. I intervened both times. Probably not my smartest move considering both other breeds were far larger than mine but I physically couldn't have stood there and watched. Not intervening wasn't an option for me.

cathpip · 20/01/2015 08:10

Have split up a dog fight, neither owners fault it just happened and it was nasty. We both ran over shouting at our respective dogs which didn't work, they were pretty much intent on killing each other. I ended up charging them shouting like a banshee and hitting them with a lot of force with a rope dog lead. Luckily the dogs are trained and both backed down within about 15 seconds of being belted with a lead, both dogs had puncture wounds but nothing to serious. We are at a loss as to why they attacked each other that day as we still see each other fairly regularly and there has been no aggression since....

hmc · 20/01/2015 08:30

Verystressedmum - it does rather depend upon the owner approaching their dog whilst you have it's legs and leashing it.

ender · 20/01/2015 08:45

Perhaps stating the obvious but if your on-lead dog is attacked, let go of the lead so it has a chance to defend itself or run away.