Dog keeps getting attacked by other dogs

[brownbear201]

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone has any advice for this because it's driving me up the wall. My dog was seriously attacked in August, he was lucky to survive and needed a lot of vet treatment.

Since then he seems to have become a bit of a target for bully (behaviour not breed) dogs. Twice now, since August, he's had dogs go for him unprovoked. The first was just a few weeks after his attack, a Labrador on a forest path was stalking towards us with its hackles raised. Owner tells me its friendly. I moved away but the dog rushes us and jumps on him snarling. I yell at the dog very loudly and run at it and it backs off and the owner put it on a lead.

Today something very similar happened. Walking him at the nature reserve, which is his favourite walk. Lady with a poodle cross had it on the lead but for some unknown reason, unclips the lead as we got closer. Dog rushes him whilst snarling and launches at him. Again, I split it up quickly (whilst the owner stood still several hundred metres away...) and the dog returned to its owner.

They are 'just' scraps with no injuries sustained but its still very unpleasant and I feel awful for my poor dog who doesn't fight back. My theory is that the dogs can sense his lack of confidence. I have no idea what to do. He's 11 years old. I do my best to avoid other dogs, but they're impossible to avoid completely and if one rushes us I have no idea how to get rid of it. I've tried grabbing the dogs collars and returning them to owners- that wouldn't have been possible today as the dog rushed us too fast but when I have tried that the owners have refused to put them on a lead so when I've let go of the dog its come back. And when we get rushed by someone walking multiple dogs it's impossible. I've tried carrying a walking pole and using it to block other dogs. When I tried this on one dog the owner verbally abused and threatened me. I've tried various sprays, but again, you get abuse from the owner and I've not found them very effective.

I'm at a loss. I don't think it's fair to restrict him to road walking. He causes no bother to anybody, he's on a lead around other dogs and never approaches them. And with dogs loose in front gardens with low fences he could be attacked on road walks too.

Any ideas for deterring these dogs? Their owners are normally at best, useless, and at worst, aggressive and abusive, so asking them to put their dogs on leads does not work.

I’m sorry this has happened to your dear dog and to you. Can’t offer any advice but I hope someone else can, and hope your dog can be safe again.

That's horrible.

Is your dog neutered?

I look after my friend’s dog often. He’s very very submissive and a lot of dogs really do not like it. I have no idea what to do about it though, we walk in areas where pretty much all dogs are on leads.

I would echo the question re neutering? A lot of dogs (especially neutered ones) don’t like un-neutered dogs and can get aggressive. Even if the un-neutered dog is submissive and/or minding its own business.

No, he's not. I did think it may be because he is intact? He had scraps during his adolescent period with other males, which is to be somewhat expected. But he's 11 now and hadn't had a scrap for years until after he got attacked in August. The dog that attacked him in August was female too.

I will neuter him if it'll stop the attacks, but I'm hesitant because of his age and his lack of confidence.

Thank you. I'd love to have more green areas that are on lead only. Sadly, any green space here has off lead dogs!

It will be because he's entire. My old boy who is 9/10 (rescue) gets set upon and he's entire.

Does he have an injury or anything? My dog is very well mannered usually but makes a beeline to (dominance) hump anything with a limp.*

*Obviously I don’t allow this. He’s put on lead and prevented from causing any harm or distress.

It will be because he's not neutered but the last thing I would do is neuter him if he suffers with low confidence. It may solve one problem but it will create a whole myriad of others.

We have similar with our entire dog. I’ve never actually had to intervene but I’ve read that if a dog is charging your dog stand your ground and hold your hand up and say ‘stop’ loudly and forcefully . Maybe walk with a stick to make you more confident?

I don't think so. He's a very fit 11 year old, still runs canicross and competes in agility.

To be fair it's not all dog owners, just a small irresponsible group. I came across plenty of people today who did not allow their dogs to approach, it just takes one person to spoil it!

I will try that, thank you. I did used to take a stick but the abuse I got off one man for pointing the stick at his dog (I didn't hit the dog) was so awful I'm very hesitant to bring one again. I know that sounds daft! I probably will start taking it again.

My girl is spayed and still gets attacked but we have worked out its females that attack her , she will put any overfriendly males in their place with a growl but females don't stop.

You need to get him spayed.
Which breed is he, out of interest?

My boy (10) was set on by another dog and was horrifically injured. He's entire as was the other dog. He's since been targetted by several other dogs, and it's made him a little reactive too so he's kept on a retractable lead unless we're walking somewhere where I feel really confident.

It's utterly shit. I'm sick and bloody tired of other people not controlling their dogs - and the idiots whose dog attacked mine have a magistrate order on their dog to keep it muzzled and on a lead but seem to think that it's still an option I 've reported it 3 times to the Police.

Don't get him neutered. He'll be even more lacking in confidence then, the poor love. And why should the OP have to put her dog through surgery at his age because other idiots can't control their dogs? Are there any secure fields that you can hire a couple of times a week? At least he'll be able to enjoy his walks in peace then.

Oh and if I were in your position I would 100% be carrying that stick to help keep other dogs at bay.

The last thing you should do with an unconfident male dog is get them neutered.

They need testosterone for confidence.

Very likely because he isn’t neutered and you’ve been unlucky enough to meet dogs who react to that. I had it with my boy before he was neutered. There were a number of dogs we’d meet out on our walks who would definitely try to attack had they not been on leads ( thankfully we’ve not had any off lead clashes), one particular dog who really didn’t like mine, used to go wild on the lead, met him post neutering and he loved my dog, was like a completely different dog. I’d def take the stick.

Neutering will calm him.
Maybe he's being set upon by females?

Again... which breed is he?

Cairn Terrier.

To be fair, the female dog that seriously attacked him was aggressive to all dogs, not just him, he was just unlucky enough to encounter her off lead. I do think the other dogs scrapping with him are male.

Thank you. I could do, but he's not a huge fan of secure fields. He's the kind of dog that likes to walk and sniff and after he's done a lap of a secure field he's bored 😄He's not really into fetch and such. I don't drive and the only ones we have within walking/public transport distance are just plain fields.

Get him neutered. Review after a few months then maybe seek advice of a behaviourist.

Being entire is very 'attractive' to other dogs, male or female.

You have a dog owner problem. Your poor boy is fine.
This drives me mad I have a very anxious, noisy terrier who is very reactive to any dogs who approach him. He is neutered but is noisy and nervous due to one bad interaction with a bigger dog.
We work really hard with his training and he is so much better but it only takes one irresponsible owner allowing their dog to approach to ruin it.
I am probably known locally as the mad terrier owner with the big stick who shouts like a looney at your dog off lead. But I don't care. I use the stick and a very loud 'back up!' to any dog who approaches and am very rude to the owners.
On our regular walking route, We meet lovely owners who put there dogs on the lead as they see us and shout a well done over their shoulder when my pup has managed not to lose his mind as we pass each other. And other owners who call me names under their breath as I wave my stick at their dogs.
Bottom line is my dog may be reactive but I have him under control. Your off lead dog is out of control if you can't recall them, or stop them approaching other dogs on walks

I've no good advice except invest in one of those tennis ball launchers, the ones that are long and plastic, then use it to beat off any dog that attacks your ddog, any owner of an off the lead dog that is not under control can have a whack also.
Bloody irritates me, my ddog is not friendly / nervous and the number of times we've been accosted by dogs off the lead while the gormless owners look on.

Neutering will take away all his confidence and could lead to even more problems - namely fear aggression and reactivity.

You shouldn't be advising a permanent operation to a dog you've never met.