Ddog attacked today.

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

Poor girl. I keep her on the lead because she can be reactive around unfamiliar dogs, and an off-lead boxer just went for her. It was a group of teen girls walking it and they were bloody useless, so after a few failed attempts to grab her, I managed to kick it away and it decided it wasn't feeling so brave all of a sudden.

I thought it was mostly posturing by both of them, but then when I checked her over I found a huge gash on her hind leg. I never even saw it happen - really wish I'd known now, I'd have kicked it straight away and a hell of a lot harder. Little shit.

I shouted at the kids and showed them, and one of them said, "Oh, she's not aggressive." I told them they had to tell their parents what had happened and keep it on lead at all times. I didn't even think to get their details as I was walking away by that point to get ddog to the vet. She's had stitches and will have to wear a cone for 10 days.

Just can't believe it. It made a beeline for her from a good 20 yards away.

Jane Austen meets The Handmaid's Tale. 😬

Oh bless her, she looks like a novelty lamp! ❤️
Rotten thing to happen. I expect there will be a very shamefaced teenage girl hoping that her parents don’t find out she wasn’t in control of the family dog.

Sorry, your poor pup, but that photo is wonderful. What a lovely pink bonnet.

Hope she recovers and you evade the culprit in future.

So sorry this has happened to your lovely girl. My boy was attacked on Saturday on his walk but luckily no damage done, physically at least. I could see the other dog coming for him across the field and there was nothing I could do apart from pull him in close to me and hope that would deter them but it didn't. You feel so guilty, almost like you've let it happen because you couldn't protect them better. Hope you and she recover from it without any lasting damage.

Oh poor little baby.

Don't show her this thread though, she'll be mortified you're posting photos of her looking like a lamp!

Yes-101 or you'll lose MN membership!

The owners need a rocket up their backsides.

Hope for your sake the cone can come off soon snd you can get some sleep!!!

Thanks all. Believe it or not, the bonnet is a big hit! She settled straight away and didn't cry at all in the night. Well worth sacrificing my comfiest t shirt.

I took her on her first proper walk yesterday. She's incredibly anxious whenever a strange dog approaches her, which is discouraging as we had been making such good progress. She's so much more lively today but it'll be a few days before she can have a proper gallop.

Is kicking the aggressive attacking dog away the recommended approach? Only I explained this to my Dd in the park once, and a nearby woman went absolutely ballistic at me and said it was animal abuse and I was evil, and it was animal cruelty . I am surprised then to hear this is the recommended approach from dog owners, as I had to endure this spitting frothing woman screaming at me that my advice.

Im not sure there is a recommended approach, but if a dog is attacking your dog, then the other owner had a bloody nerve telling you off for kicking it. Pay it no heed.

OP I hope your ddog continues to recover nicely

I've heard people on here advise against it, purely on the grounds that it may turn on you. I suppose there is also a risk of getting walloped by an entitled twat owner. But if you're doing it to defend your own dog (or yourself or a child, obviously), you're absolutely within your rights!

OP, is there CCTV in the park? It would be worth asking if there is, and if it's recorded thr group and the dog as the police can access this footage, although you can't.

No, no chance unfortunately! It was a footpath alongside a river.

@CustardyCreams

Is kicking the aggressive attacking dog away the recommended approach? Only I explained this to my Dd in the park once, and a nearby woman went absolutely ballistic at me and said it was animal abuse and I was evil, and it was animal cruelty . I am surprised then to hear this is the recommended approach from dog owners, as I had to endure this spitting frothing woman screaming at me that my advice.

I’ve kicked a border collie clean off the ground before. It jumped out of its garden and attacked my little spaniel. It was a frenzied attack, and I think he could well have killed my dog if I hadn’t kicked him across a driveway. I am a dog lover, and never thought I’d kick a dog. But when your instinct to protect your dog kicks in, things happen.

I too would be reporting to dog warden and police. That is a nasty wound. Poor thing :(

Kicking the other dog may be dangerous, may make the situation worse, and may not be the quickest way to achieve safety for yourself or your own dog. However

a) sometimes it is already bad

b) people are also reactive animals and it is hard not to react instinctively it situations where you fear your own is in danger

c) an owner who allows their own dog to get into a situation where it is kicked, is the one who needs to take repsonsibility. And I say that as someone whose over enthusiastic young dog once slipped a collar and got a kick in the face from a man he ran up to. It was on me that they both were allowed to get into that situation, and it was me that apologised profusely.

I am not sure I'd ever recommend it as a planned defence, though. Mainly because of the considerable risk it places the kicker at.

Bless your sweet dog, wishing her a speedy recovery.

My beautiful. friendly GSD was attacked once by a massive Weimaraner and all I could do was scream at the owners whilst DH held my boy's upper half up (we didn't want to let him go as he would've been pinned down and mauled further). I hate myself for being frozen to the spot almost.

I always take an umbrella with me now. The dog who attacked mine has a bad reputation and I live in fear that we will come across him again. Hate useless owners.

I hope your lovely dog is feeling better today

Oh poor baby.
I hope the dog warden can find out who that dog belongs to.
@Branleuse I have a relative with a reactive dog. They actually sought legal advice over this. A dog on a short lead is deemed under control. In this instance the off lead dog owner is to blame. Little comfort to this poor dog.
Hope it doesn’t increase reactivity.

She's doing great ☺ Frilly pink bonnet a big hit and we've had two nights in a row of no crying. It's healing really well and I'm looking forward to seeing her do a mad gallop again soon.

Btw this is day five and she's only just today realised she can still eat with the bonnet on. Previously she would just stare at the food. Lurchers...

Oh bless. They are a breed apart.

Your poor dog! And you. Really well done. 100% would facebook and report.