Question for those of you that walk your dogs?

[Canis-Lupess]

I just stand still and keep a firm hold on the leashes of my dogs and remain quiet. Yes, thats happened to me loads of times and our Jess and Mist did give the others dogs more than they bargained for but they were on leashes and, generally, when the other dog realised they had bitten off more than they could chew, they'd walk off in a huff with no damage caused to either party.
I wouldn't worry about the owners of the other dogs because it's theirs that are out of control in a public place and so would be them that got into trouble if it came to it.

Our Jess and Mist were both capable of standing their ground and even winning with most other dogs so I didn't need to protect them myself...they tended to get rid of the other dog themselves....lol.
I would never have started shouting at the other dog because that would just rile our Jess and Mist up even more and that was the last thing they needed. I had to remain calm and quiet in these situations so as not to send the wrong message across to them. They were already mistrustful and aggressive with other dogs as it was, especially our Jess. I'd only have to stamp my foot at another dog and she'd go barmy wanting to shred it to bits.

[K9karen]

This thread gave me the willies. Given what happened to me, I haven't walked Logan in ages (although we're fenced, there's nuthin' like a good, long walkie!) I daren't venture out without John. The day I got Logan, I took her for a nice long walk. We encountered a girl with her black lab. After they passed us on the other side of the street, I heard a blood curdling scream. The lab pulled so hard, his leash unhitched. The girl screamed like a lunatic that her dog hates other dogs. (that would have been the old me), I wasn't sure what Logan would do, so I stood still, as did she (yay). As calmly as I could, I told the lab to "SIT" as the owner came racing over in tears. Nothing happened, but I was petrified. I learned my lesson with Cody (1st time owner) and no longer run..like, duh, I can barely walk.

Thanks for the idea of an umbrella! Good idea. I also agree that I would do whatever it takes to defend Logan like I did the puppy.

[bckrazy]

In a situation where the other dog is aggressive... I would stand still, with my dog behind me, and tell the dog to go home.

Now that I really think about it, I've never actually been faced with an aggressive, loose dog. There are several rude Golden Retrievers & Labs in my neighborhood who are always out in their yards, but they aren't aggressive, just rude. I will tell them to go home, Gonzo will tell them off, and they're pretty much on their way.

I feel bad for anyone who has aggressive dogs loose in their neighborhood. It has to be scary. But, I think, most importantly, DON'T RUN! That will just provoke a dog to give chase.

[Pam]

I have never had this happen and it scares me to death to think of it as I am reading your stories. Long ago my dad was walking my childhood dog, and an off leash dog came up and attacked my dog. My dad was so shaken he nearly had a heart attack. When he got home he and mom raced Laddie to the vet and he was OK in time.

The worst thing I have faced on my walks is dogs snarling/growing at us from out of windows or in a fenced yard (cyclone) where they can see us but not get to us. Bella's tail goes way down and she is clearly afraid. Ripley acts like "bring it on." I like the idea of bringing an umbrella or some sort of device for protection, but honestly just the thought of this terrifies me.

[cyber-sibes]

I hate when this happens. I try to get between my dogs & the strange dog, & do something menacing - yell, wave arms, stamp foot forward. doesn't always work because Star thinks she should be the one out front protecting us! She did get bit by a loose golden I was trying to fend off. I couldn't believe the owner stood there watching saying how dogs will be dogs. I hope she took it more seriously when the Animal Control officer visited her after I called & he came out. I called them to go check if that dog had a current rabies vaccination, since it bit Star.

[jackie]

That happened to me once, I threw my dogs leashed on the grown and ran at the dog shouting. Probably not the smartest thing to do, but it worked, but the dogs looked at me like I was crazy after that.

[Glacier]

Omg, what happens when another dog jumps in the middle of your team? I cant even imagine that.

Generally my dogs will ignore a dog on the side of the trail and follow the ON-BY commands. If the other dog gets in their way though, it gets ugly fast. I often wonder what the other dogs are thinking when they decided to take on 6 to 8 dogs at once!

I carry an axe handle with no cutting head on it and I will use it to get a dog out of my team. Sometimes, usually if Paxil is leading, we just keep running and the other dog gets run over or bounced out of the way. I've never hit a loose dog with the sled. The dogs get them out of the way before that.

Franklin was injured once by a loose Belgian that jumped him. I didn't get off the sled and up to him fast enough. That's part of why I let Daisy come with us all the time. She always lets me know when something is coming.

I often let Mac run loose with us too. I never really meant to train him to do this, but Mac's job has become to chase loose dogs off! He just does it instinctively and I encourage it now. I used to feel guilty about that too. Now I figure if your dog doesn't come when you call it, it shouldn't be off leash in the first place.

[4MuttsFurever]

one time I was walking my three and a chihuahua i had never seen before came and started yapping and attacking Kona...i freaked out and took at stick and just used it to push the dog away. If its a huge dog that was snarling viciously I would stay calm (dogs can sense if you are scared or not you know) and...well, I don't really know. Ive never really thought about it!

[Twisterdog]

I have small dogs. The largest is 30 pounds, and the smallest 8 pounds. They are very friendly dogs. I don't worry about them. I worry about the other dogs. If my dogs are on a leash in a public place, I consider myself and my dogs to have the absolute right-of-way over a loose dog.

I just pick up the little ones. But that doesn't guarantee your dog's safety, or yours, if a large dog wants to get your little dog.

I carry Mace with me. I would not hesitate for one second to Mace an aggressive dog. I've never had to do it, but I would, in a heartbeat.

[ramanth]

It's probably not the smart thing to do, but it's happened twice to Kia and I and both times I put myself between the approaching dog and Kia.

The first time was at a state campground and it was a small dog that came tearing out from behind a camper. Kia turned tail and tried to run so I let go of her leash. I turned placing myself between the snarling tiny terror, made myself look big, and yelled, "Go Away!". The dog stopped it's approach but continued to bark and growl at me. The owners came out, grabbed their dog and mumbled an apology. I was livid. I told them if I caught their dog off leash/tie out again, I'd report them to the rangers.

The second time was far more scary.

I was riding my bike with one of those dog walker attachments. A golden retriever came tearing out of it's yard (with it's owners yelling in the back yard), teeth bared, snarling, the whole 9 yards. It's eyes were locked on Kia and she had no where to go. I knew we couldn't bike away fast enough, so I laid the bike down and aimed a kick at the dog's head just as it was lunging at Kia.

I'm not sure if that action startled it or if it decided I wasn't worth tangling with, but it balked and missed Kia (and my leg thankfully), and backed off (was nearly hit by a car since he lingered in the roadway) before the owners caught up to the dog and grabbed him.

No apology, they just ushered him off.

It was such a rush of adrenaline. I didn't want to hurt the dog but protecting my dogs comes first. I guess it's just a maternal instinct that takes over.

I'm sorry that had to happen to you. It's not a fun situation to be in at all.

[lute]

Living in what I think is *the stray dog capitol of the world*.....I see this all the time. As dorky as it is I stand my ground. Hold the dogs behind me, hold my hand out and say "NO!" Stomp my foot at them. Anything to let them know These are MY dogs and I don't want you here! I would never run from a dog. Makes the dog think I fear him and could make him actually attack me. If I do what I normally do it makes the dog think twice.