My son and I were playing with Ruby off leash at the park throwing the ball around- suddenly she bolts past him and keeps on going in a dead run..she drops the ball..and is still running. All I could think was "oh @#$!" She rounded a corner toward a trail that I can't see around. I'm at least 100 feet in the rear and my son is closer trying to catch her. Suddenly I hear squealing and yelping of small dogs and my son yelling for me. I was already running but I guess I kicked in the turbo or something as I yelled over my shoulder in the general direction of our house for my husband. I didn't really think he'd hear me, but it was worth a shot. As I'm rounding the corner I see a couple with 3 chihuahuas. The woman is holding one under an arm. The husband has one dangling from a harness attached to a leash, and the a third with only 2 feet on the ground still struggling to bark and yip. My son has already got a hold of Ruby and I'm immediately putting her on leash. Of course, I'm apologizing as fast and profusely as humanly possible while asking if everyone was alright. Thank the heavens the people were VERY nice. The woman assurred me Ruby didn't hurt anyone. She said " She obviously was running up to play. It was my dogs that went after HER." You can imagine the stunned look on my face. I was talking to her but eyeballing the little dogs looking for signs of wounds or blood on them. Nothing. One of them was a senior dog and was breathing and wheezing like a tiny pig. Poor thing! But she said everyone was just fine. I lingered and told them I just wanted to make sure no one is hurt and watched them for a minute. They seemed good enough. My husband had appeared in sock feet running down the trail and took Ruby home while I talked to them. I am soooo glad no one was injured. My heart was racing!
I told them I heard the little dogs screaming and terrible visions ran through my mind. (for those of you who have seen our GS's play with stuffed toys whipping them around- you know what I mean). I asked them "what about the yelping and screaming?" She said that was her dogs going berserker mode on my dog and making like her chihuahua gang was going to tear her from limb to limb
I can tell you the husband looked SHOOK up, the wife was cool as cucumber ( I wonder if maybe he has some fear of big dogs)
So now we are inside. Ruby is looking at me like "what?" I am pacing in the house because the adrenaline is following and saying a silent prayers every minute that everyone is ok. Finally I decided to pour myself a beer so I'd stop pacing and SIT DOWN. I was making Ruby nervous too. And here I am on the board.
I keep thinking- will she think all little dogs are mean now? Will she go after them? Gone are her care free ball days? Is that little old dog gonna expire?? ARGH!
So I call her trainer just now and relay the whole thing. He says that we have to stay an hour after class and we have to now use "electronics" and "teach her to come to you no matter WHAT is going on " I cringed. This is not what I wanted. But I have to realize that Ruby didn't even break stride when I was calling her. So now what? Electronics. CRAP!! I hate the thought of it. But if it saves her life and keeps something bad from happening then I'll have to.
I feel terrible and nervous, and down. Anything you guys can throw out there is welcome.
Oh.. and my husband was practing his draw with his 45- he's part of a shooting club, so he had his pistol holstered. So now my neighbors see "crazy ruby" and my armed husband heading through the park after a commotion... I tell ya.. we are NOT going to be invited to the next block BBQ!
I told them I heard the little dogs screaming and terrible visions ran through my mind. (for those of you who have seen our GS's play with stuffed toys whipping them around- you know what I mean). I asked them "what about the yelping and screaming?" She said that was her dogs going berserker mode on my dog and making like her chihuahua gang was going to tear her from limb to limb
So now we are inside. Ruby is looking at me like "what?" I am pacing in the house because the adrenaline is following and saying a silent prayers every minute that everyone is ok. Finally I decided to pour myself a beer so I'd stop pacing and SIT DOWN. I was making Ruby nervous too. And here I am on the board.
I keep thinking- will she think all little dogs are mean now? Will she go after them? Gone are her care free ball days? Is that little old dog gonna expire?? ARGH!
So I call her trainer just now and relay the whole thing. He says that we have to stay an hour after class and we have to now use "electronics" and "teach her to come to you no matter WHAT is going on " I cringed. This is not what I wanted. But I have to realize that Ruby didn't even break stride when I was calling her. So now what? Electronics. CRAP!! I hate the thought of it. But if it saves her life and keeps something bad from happening then I'll have to.
I feel terrible and nervous, and down. Anything you guys can throw out there is welcome.
Oh.. and my husband was practing his draw with his 45- he's part of a shooting club, so he had his pistol holstered. So now my neighbors see "crazy ruby" and my armed husband heading through the park after a commotion... I tell ya.. we are NOT going to be invited to the next block BBQ!