Kudos to Kira! It could have been ugly..

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by Wild Wolf

You did a great job telling her to leave it and providing appropriate leadership. Whenever Hunter and I are charged by dogs, we keep moving forward and I provide obedience for Hunter to focus on. I always ask for focused heeling, and I will kick the other dog away while we move. /I/ deal with the other dog, Hunter's job is to focus on me and wait for any command. Hunter is 100% non-reactive to other dogs, so it's not hard for me... but in the end, Hunter will respond to an aggressive dog appropriately if he is attacked. It's my job to keep it from escalating to an attack. I manipulate my own dog so that he is not responding back, and focused on me, and therefore confusing the intentions of the other dog. The other dog wants to be unstable, reactive, aggressive to Hunter - Hunter is busy not reacting and focusing on me - if I can keep his focus, situation cannot escalate. Unless the dog full on charges and attacks Hunter. That is when I drop Hunter's leash, release him from heel, and we both attack the aggressor. (If Hunter was attacked/bitten/etc he would not follow my commands... that is nature, survival instinct - he will fight/defend me and himself) My job then is to grab the aggressor by the collar/neck and lift up, keeping head under control and away from Hunter until I can get my spare slip lead out and get control of the dog.

Got on the elevator with Hunter the other day, a small dog charged on and bit Hunter in the face. Hunter did not even bite back, but obeyed my SIT! LEAVE IT! commands while I kicked the dog repeatedly until the owner pulled it back.

No matter what we do... irresponsible dog owners will always be there to mess everything up.

Ever have to do this - grab a strange, aggressive dog by the neck and lift up?

Sounds like a great way to get seriously bitten in the hands, arms and maybe face!

just curious?

BTW, your dog got bit in the face and didn't even try to defend himself?

Don't think my dog would have been quite so mellow! (Nor would i want him to be of course)

[carmspack]

My job then is to grab the aggressor by the collar/neck and lift up, keeping head under control and away from Hunter until I can get my spare slip lead out and get control of the dog.


oh never -- keep the distance as best as you can -- CONTROL your own dog -- try to scare the other dog with voice and intention

and I would never drop the leash of my own dog -- then you loose control , and should it come down to charges and court for damages then you can prove that your dog was properly (legally) leashed and under your control - the fault lies with the loose dog.

the only time I would drop a leash is if the other dog does engage and I risk being seriously harmed by being in the middle . It has happened . A friend of mine , with MS by the way , got in the middle of a fight with an Akita that ran out onto the road and started a fight with her GSD . She had her calf muscle ripped and was hospitalized for a long time with lots of complications because of the MS .

[Wild Wolf]

Carmen -- I just do what works for me. Haha.

I have lifted many dogs up by the neck and thrown them backwards during a fight. I spent many years working with shelter dogs and years working in a dog boarding kennel where I supervised socialization and play between strange groups of dogs for hours on end. I broke up countless fights. I've been bitten a few times, been hurt, but I really don't care. I just use the method that works best for me.

Hunter didn't get a chance to defend himself from the dog. I kicked it away immediately, blocked Hunter in the corner of the elevator and kept the dog away while telling Hunter to leave it. It lasted less than a minute. I know my dog will be blamed and targeted if he puts his teeth on any dog, and I will do whatever it takes to prevent that. Hunter has had a lot of safe exposure to unstable dogs, on purpose, and those same exposure taught him that I will deal with it, not him.

Please lets not focus on me and what I do to break up dog fights... just sharing my experience with Anthony and what works best for me.

Everyone seems to agree that YOU need to control the situation and your dog and not panic/have anxiety. Keep moving, keep control, KEEP CALM!!...

[Wild Wolf]

Also, agree with Carmen very much and how she suggests handling it/how she explains it. That is the safest, most effective method.

When it comes to protecting my dog, I am a little blind. I'll admit that. I have always been happy to put myself in danger to protect Hunter, or even break up dog fights throughout my life. Don't be as ballsy as I am... I just do what comes naturally to me. Being bitten doesn't bother me... I have been bitten so many times. Instability, aggression, etc doesn't scare me - been exposed my whole life. I've worked with so many dogs, seen so much poor temperament. I will probably get myself badly hurt someday. I know that. I had a big bruise on my leg on my wedding day that showed in my pictures, all because my fear gets turned off during a dog fight. I just react. Not safe. I realize that every time someone calls me out on it, but I can't change it. I don't want to see dogs hurt, so I put myself in danger. It's unsafe, but it's how I roll.

Anthony, be safe. Take everyone's advice here on how to deal with it.

Hunter has been SAFELY exposed to many, many dogs. A combination of genetics and my effort and socialization result in him not reacting to reactive dogs. I literally worked him in obedience every time a dog reacted to him, calm praise for focus on me, etc. Calm praise for being calm in the face of instability. Hunter is calm and clear headed in the face of a threat, he knows he doesn't have to react because I am the unstable one with low threshold and I will protect him at all costs. He has never had bad experiences. That little dog was the first time he got bitten by another dog, ever, and I am proud of his reaction.

I got lucky, Hunter is an easy dog. No reactivity, solid nerves, etc.

I have great respect for those who TRY and WORK HARD to work with dogs that aren't so easy. That is what matters, Anthony. You are TRYING and your dog isn't easy. So, big respect to you. Big respect to you for coming on here, sharing your experiences as ugly as they could be, and taking advice. Even if things aren't perfect (NO DOG IS PERFECT, PERFECTION DOESN'T EXIST)... you are giving it your best.

Sorry for ranting.. uhg. I try not too but can't stop sharing my thoughts. LOL.

EDIT:

Carmen -- you are very right about the leash issue for legal matters... I won't drop leash if it ever comes to that. Thanks for bringing that up!

and I would never drop the leash of my own dog -- then you loose control , and should it come down to charges and court for damages then you can prove that your dog was properly (legally) leashed and under your control - the fault lies with the loose dog.

[llombardo]

I had an dog aggressive dog go for my Gsd at agility...I seen the dog coming and swung mine around and blocked her. Luckily the owner got her in time, my dog didn't even know what just happened. All I know is that dog was not getting my dog.

[Jag]

Originally Posted by JeanKBBMMMAAN

I am not sure dogs who can't breathe, are orthopedically deformed, and whose eyes can pop from the socket are going to be the most tenacious aggressors either.

Having a Pug, I find this accurate and hysterical!! Grim can only grab her by the cheek, tail, and legs. Her back is too wide and her neck is too. If any dog was going to rush Kira, this is a good one to do it! The training you've done with her is impressive!! I agree totally on carrying a stick, too!

[codmaster]

Originally Posted by llombardo

I had an dog aggressive dog go for my Gsd at agility...I seen the dog coming and swung mine around and blocked her. Luckily the owner got her in time, my dog didn't even know what just happened. All I know is that dog was not getting my dog.

Lucky and good move!


I can not concieve of an instance with my dog with me and me noticing a dog (or person) coming at us aggressively and him not seeing it and reacting as soon or before I could.

Just the nature and personality of the breed (or individual dog, perhaps!).

[Kayos and Havoc]

Originally Posted by carmspack

My job then is to grab the aggressor by the collar/neck and lift up, keeping head under control and away from Hunter until I can get my spare slip lead out and get control of the dog.


oh never -- keep the distance as best as you can -- CONTROL your own dog -- try to scare the other dog with voice and intention

and I would never drop the leash of my own dog -- then you loose control , and should it come down to charges and court for damages then you can prove that your dog was properly (legally) leashed and under your control - the fault lies with the loose dog.

the only time I would drop a leash is if the other dog does engage and I risk being seriously harmed by being in the middle . It has happened . A friend of mine , with MS by the way , got in the middle of a fight with an Akita that ran out onto the road and started a fight with her GSD . She had her calf muscle ripped and was hospitalized for a long time with lots of complications because of the MS .

Yes this! The one time I ever dropped a leash on my dog was when I had 2 GSD's and got stuck in the middle of them and 2 other dogs coming at us. They had jumped a fence and charged across the street. I had intended to continue walking after I told mine to leave it (which they did) but the dogs kept coming and the attack on my dogs was imminent. I got mine behind me and was going to fcae the dogs but got tangled in 2 leashes. I downed my dogs to keep them from tangling further.

Thankfully a neighbor saw all of this and came out with shovel anf helped me thwart the other dogs.

Generally, I try to act like 'no big deal'. Tell mine to leave it and continue to maove forward or retreat if I need to, but keep moving so they do not fixate.

[katdog5911]

Kudos to Kira but kudos to you too!

Lately we have been charged at by numerous dogs....I am sick of it. I have been working so hard to get Stella's reactivity under control and these stupid encounters set us back. I use the leave it command too. It works until another dog gets too close. We were almost at the point of being able to just walk by another dog.....and then thank you very much for the loose charging dogs....ugh...