First, I want to apologize for the length of this post. It has been a heck of a night!
Cafall and I were at the pet store tonight picking up a few items. We were second in the check-out line with Cafall sitting at my feet when a woman and her chihuahua walked up in line behind us. Immediately the chihuahua starts barking and jumping at Cafall. Cafall stood and turned to face/watch the chihuahua but looked at me for direction.
I moved as far forward as possible to get away from the angry lil beast and put Cafall back into a sit. Well the lady just moved forward too and as soon as it gained some ground her chihuahua went full nuclear. Ears back, snarling, jumping forward barking. I looked at the lady and she just laughed, "He thinks he so big."
I told her, "He's actually being kinda aggressive." Before she could even say her dog wasn't aggressive it leaped forward, attacked and bit my shoe. While it didn't pierce my shoe, it startled me. I jumped back, dropped one of the bags of treats I was holding and nearly tripped over Cafall.
Cafall went on alert and not in a friendly way. The hair on his back stood up, twitching lip curls, he was staring down the chihuahua, and wouldn't budge from being between me and the little dog. During this time the person ahead of us finished checking out and left. I moved forward with Cafall while the lady pulled the chihuahua behind her and started talking to it. "That mean lady with her big dog call you a bad name?"
I turned back, stepped around Cafall, and reached for the bag of treats I had dropped. The chihuahua bolted around the lady's legs and launched at my face. It bit through my lower lip, scratched my left cheek and chin. The next minute was just blurred chaos.
I reeled back clutching at my mouth. Cafall lunged forward on the offensive. The lady tried to yank the chihuahua's leash back. The fur flew. When we each got our dogs pulled back Cafall had bites and scratches on his nose and lips and the chihuahua was limping and whining.
The cashier called a manager over and started handing me kleenex for my bleeding lip and cheek. The chihuahua's owner was screaming at me that my dangerous dog that almost killed hers. Cafall stood braced by my side ready for the next round.
The last hour and half has been spent retelling this story over and over. First to the store manager, then to the cops (apparently the chihuahua owner called them), and finally writing it all down in a written report. Thankfully the cashier has totally backed up my claim that Cafall and I are not the instigators and that Cafall did nothing but attempt to protect me. To be honest, the officers seemed way more interested in how old Cafall is, what breeder I got him from, even complimented his sable coat. It was actually one of them that had the manager fetch some disinfectant cream to put on Cafall's nose. Clearly they know a lil something about how awesome GSDs are.
Initially, the chihuahua lady wanted me to pay for whatever vet bills her dog is going to have. Via police proxy I suggested she could then pay for any human medical bills I was going to incur. Long story short we both agreed to leave without pressing charges and each take care of our own medical expenses. I don't want to see the dog euthanized, but it could def use a solid round or two of training. Or at the very least better management.
I will be fine and don't need any stitches. All the bloody kleenexes though certainly made her think twice about forcing the payment issue. Cafall has been checked over by an off duty vet tech friend who gave me some advice about things to watch for. Otherwise he seems to feel fine. I'm actually more worried it might have set back the progress Cafall and I have made in regards to him not reacting to other dogs. We have made so much headway since he was bitten by an Akita this past fall and I'd hate to see one mean little out of control chihuahua mess it all up.
We're home now. My husky has been licking Cafall's ears and generally playing nursemaid to both of us. I've got nothing planned but lots of cuddles for the rest of the evening. Talk about a crazy Saturday night.
Cafall and I were at the pet store tonight picking up a few items. We were second in the check-out line with Cafall sitting at my feet when a woman and her chihuahua walked up in line behind us. Immediately the chihuahua starts barking and jumping at Cafall. Cafall stood and turned to face/watch the chihuahua but looked at me for direction.
I moved as far forward as possible to get away from the angry lil beast and put Cafall back into a sit. Well the lady just moved forward too and as soon as it gained some ground her chihuahua went full nuclear. Ears back, snarling, jumping forward barking. I looked at the lady and she just laughed, "He thinks he so big."
I told her, "He's actually being kinda aggressive." Before she could even say her dog wasn't aggressive it leaped forward, attacked and bit my shoe. While it didn't pierce my shoe, it startled me. I jumped back, dropped one of the bags of treats I was holding and nearly tripped over Cafall.
Cafall went on alert and not in a friendly way. The hair on his back stood up, twitching lip curls, he was staring down the chihuahua, and wouldn't budge from being between me and the little dog. During this time the person ahead of us finished checking out and left. I moved forward with Cafall while the lady pulled the chihuahua behind her and started talking to it. "That mean lady with her big dog call you a bad name?"
I turned back, stepped around Cafall, and reached for the bag of treats I had dropped. The chihuahua bolted around the lady's legs and launched at my face. It bit through my lower lip, scratched my left cheek and chin. The next minute was just blurred chaos.
I reeled back clutching at my mouth. Cafall lunged forward on the offensive. The lady tried to yank the chihuahua's leash back. The fur flew. When we each got our dogs pulled back Cafall had bites and scratches on his nose and lips and the chihuahua was limping and whining.
The cashier called a manager over and started handing me kleenex for my bleeding lip and cheek. The chihuahua's owner was screaming at me that my dangerous dog that almost killed hers. Cafall stood braced by my side ready for the next round.
The last hour and half has been spent retelling this story over and over. First to the store manager, then to the cops (apparently the chihuahua owner called them), and finally writing it all down in a written report. Thankfully the cashier has totally backed up my claim that Cafall and I are not the instigators and that Cafall did nothing but attempt to protect me. To be honest, the officers seemed way more interested in how old Cafall is, what breeder I got him from, even complimented his sable coat. It was actually one of them that had the manager fetch some disinfectant cream to put on Cafall's nose. Clearly they know a lil something about how awesome GSDs are.
Initially, the chihuahua lady wanted me to pay for whatever vet bills her dog is going to have. Via police proxy I suggested she could then pay for any human medical bills I was going to incur. Long story short we both agreed to leave without pressing charges and each take care of our own medical expenses. I don't want to see the dog euthanized, but it could def use a solid round or two of training. Or at the very least better management.
I will be fine and don't need any stitches. All the bloody kleenexes though certainly made her think twice about forcing the payment issue. Cafall has been checked over by an off duty vet tech friend who gave me some advice about things to watch for. Otherwise he seems to feel fine. I'm actually more worried it might have set back the progress Cafall and I have made in regards to him not reacting to other dogs. We have made so much headway since he was bitten by an Akita this past fall and I'd hate to see one mean little out of control chihuahua mess it all up.
We're home now. My husky has been licking Cafall's ears and generally playing nursemaid to both of us. I've got nothing planned but lots of cuddles for the rest of the evening. Talk about a crazy Saturday night.