[ZachAttackandWilbur]

Alright this is somewhat of a rant so be warned. But first happier news. Wilbur has lost 7 lbs! I got really busy with school, and as you can see haven't been around for awhile, but I realized he was getting chubby, and slowly but surely is doing much better now, which doesn't put as much pressure on his hip! So yay!

Anyways, since I have been spending more time with him to keep my buddy trim, nightly walk time. Now I do edc (every day carry# with a knife 80 percent of the time. Night time walks is one of those. American made kershaw....so we are coming up on about halfway, and this idiot owner with his dumb wheaten terrier #nothing against the breed, just the dog# are taking a walk. This guy is too f###### cool for a leash so he sits on his phone and lets his dog walk around with less than average recall skills. THe guy is on the phone, and that little dog starts running at Wilbur like usual. Now Wilbur, doesn't seem to have a mean bone in his body, and just stays there no matter what dog is coming after him, knowing I will kick it to high hell if it touches Wilbur. Dog aggression against my dog is not tolerated. The stupid guy got off his phone and picked his pooch up before he got to us. Whew situation averted.

So me and Wilbur continue on our walk, and are about to come home, just about 20 yards away, when our neighbor, who is a LEO #law enforcement officer# and his "attack dog" I don't really know what Jack is officially #the dog# I think he does narcotics, and physical stuff. But he is huge, large malinois. Run like a horse, which is totally cool to me, if it wasn't dog aggressive and they play with him in the front freaking yard!!!

Jack runs across the street at Wilbur, with a deep throaty growl, teeth barred, I let Wilbur leash go, as he may not be able to beat Jack in a full out race, but Wilbur can cut like nobodys buisness, so he will be ok. I pull my Kershaw assisted opening knife things are about to get bad, and the 4th or 5th time the guys command works and Jack runs back into the house. No apology, nothing they just go inside, their whole family. WTF?

I am so tired of this, really, I almost ripped to dogs a new one today, to protect my buddy. And I did not care at all that is was a police officer dog, I pulled because he came at MY dog. I love Wilbur, and will do that for him. But what is with other people, I mean technically they are putting THEIR dogs in danger, with da and no recall skills. Its not me putting their dogs in danger, yet they act like it, although Wilbur just runs away any time some stupid dog does something. And the wheaten terrier and beagle #another neighborhood dog# are both smaller in comparison to Wilbur, but like I said, no mean bone in his body. I've been thinking of getting another cardigan, probably a merle and naming her Charlotte #get it Wilbur and Charlotte# but Idk, I mean, rottweiler, german shepard, both are breeds Ive loved since I was a kid. I love cardigans to, but I might change things up again in the future. And thats not the only reason, not a reason to get a dog at all, but its something to think about.

And one last thing, I'm sure its been on here, but in Florida we had a mild winter, and fleas are horrible, Wilbur was holding out and doing good, but unfortunately they got to him, and we changed his preventive, along with baths...so just a warning to be careful this year. Anyways thanks for reading this whole story if you did, and I should be more active around here now, maybe considering a new dog.
Zach and Wilbur

 

[sscott87]

I understand your frustration. While I've yet to come across a truly aggressive/dangerous situation (have only had Jax since the first of the year), I definitely know the part about people not controlling their dog and then acting as if there's nothing wrong with it. Particularly, there's a house a half mile from me that I know this smaller, chunky dog of some sort to live. I believe his owners simply tend to leave their door cracked open to allow him to come and go. Typically, on our runs or walks, if he comes out he will hardly leave the driveway. Comes racing out of the house barking, and may step a few feet out into the road but we just keep on going and usually the owner starts calling and he'll stay put or turn back. Yesterday, he didn't check up. And then turns out there's a bulldog of some sort coming with him. While I have not only Jax this time but also a friend's Golden I'm watching for the weekend. I ended up stopping this time rather than trying to drag 2 dogs along, and so here I am standing in the road with 4 dogs, 150 yards or so from the owner's home. She hardly left the door. Attempted calling them several times before going silent. Then here comes an older gentleman walking my way, heading her direction, and seemingly knowing the dogs by name so I figure it's her husband and I'll be polite and walk back towards the house to lead the loose dogs. No, it's a man from down the road who mentioned that the woman's dog often comes over to his place. I get within earshot of the woman when I turn back around and continue on my way. No words spoken from her to me, no thank you or anything, for standing in the road like a moron so that her dogs don't continue to follow me, or for me turning back and walking towards her home so that her and the neighbor can get them lured in.

And it's us, the responsible dog owners, that are some how the crazy ones, right??!

 

[ZachAttackandWilbur]

Yep....hey hows Jax doing? Last time I was on here he was still young. Im currently in Jax, although I have some family in Fort Hood.

 

[Inga]

I totally understand your frustration as I have run into this many times myself. While I wouldn't carry a knife as I wouldn't wish to kill any other dog, a cattle prod is very effective and won't kill or even seriously injure the other dog. It wil however teach them a lesson they will not soon forget. If it wasn't illegal I would nail the owners with it as well as I feel it is really them that need the lesson. Either way, glad your dog is safe and that you are back to spend some time with us here at dogforum

Did I mention your dog is absolutely adorable? I am sure my boy Carsten would have a blast playing with him. They have the matching, cool eyebrows I love so much. ha ha

 

[hanksimon]

Not sure about your local ordinances, but where I am in Texas, NO dog is allowed to be off-leash, unless in an enclosed area. Although it is not enforced, this also means that a dog cannot be in your front yard without a leash. In addition, if a dog runs at you... and leaves his yard, crossing the street, that sounds like an attack... with a police dog is that assault And, I think the officer knew that he was in the wrong, and wanted to slip away, hoping you wouldn't take it further. ... My philosophy is no harm, no foul.

One time deal, it's not an issue. If it is repeated, I would go talk to the guy in a friendly, deferential way, telling him that your dog is scared of any growling dog, and it upsets you. Then, you could ask if you can introduce the dogs. If he says the dog is not dog friendly, ask him to keep the dog on leash. No Threats.

But, after the second growling assault, it's your choice whether you call the police department head, animal control, or the Mayor.

 

[ZachAttackandWilbur]

Thanks, I'm not really the type to call authority, but if he cant control Jack I don't know what to do. Not only do they keep him kenneled 24/7 his "defense" or aggression, maybe fear is so bad, If I'm in my backyard, 20-30 feet away from him, I can hear him start going crazy, loud barking etc. I have a 5 foot fence so cant see him, but can hear. He has jumped their fence before, and ran after some poor kid. These are NOT first times for either of these dogs. Thats one of the reasons I carry in my own neighborhood, which is ridiculous to me, but whatever.

And that picture is after he decided to go get the ducks in the lake, I leave him off leash in the yard, he knows his boundaries, but something about ducks just make him go crazy. He chased them to the middle of our lake. And how is Carsten doing?

 

[RCloud]

I can totally understand you're frustration, except it's the other way around for us. One of our dogs is very aggressive with strange dogs, and is always leashed in public places, but I'm finding myself getting more and more anal about people that don't obey leash laws and allow their dogs off leash within city limits. Friendly, aggressive, whatever, a strange dog charging her is a disaster waiting to happen. On the same token, however, I also don't tolerate aggression towards her, be it by other dogs OR people. I take precautions to ensure nothing happens, but if something should, I carry a break stick and either bear mace or a tazer. The break stick is for breaking up dogs. The mace and the tazer are both non-lethal and are used to defend her from large aggressive dogs AND from PEOPLE who try to hurt her as the result of their own dogs getting hurt. I don't care what the situation or the circumstances are, I won't tolerate ANYONE hurting my dogs.

 

[Willowy]

If your neighbor's dog is actually a K9 officer, you should call the police station and talk to someone in charge. I'm pretty sure that K9 officers aren't supposed to be loose. But if he's kenneled 24/7 I guess he's not an officer. . .they actually have to go to work.

But really, carrying a knife for protection against dogs is ridiculous. If you're close enough to a dog fight to use a knife, you're either going to get injured or you can break it up using non-lethal means. And if you're not specially trained in knife work, the chances that you'll get a fatal/incapacitating stab on the first try is almost nonexistent, and an aggressive stabbed dog is going to escalate badly and it's not likely you'd be able to stop him at that point. AND, if the wrong someone sees you pull a knife on his dog, you could get a lot more trouble than you bargained for. Knives are really only useful for self-defense in a hand-to-hand combat situation, and if you get into that with a dog I don't think you'll come out uninjured. I recommend pepper spray or a cattle prod. Something that doesn't require close physical contact and isn't lethal.

Plus, when you carry a weapon, everything looks like a target. The temptation to use it when not really necessary can be overwhelming for some people.

 

[RCloud]

AND, if the wrong someone sees you pull a knife on his dog, you could get a lot more trouble than you bargained for.

Exactly this. I'm a really non-confrontational, non-violent person in reality, but will easily turn into one when my dogs are involved, regardless of circumstances. I'd never just go after someone's pet with a knife or the intent to kill as a first resort. I expect the same from others, and if they can't be rational about it, then expect the same response.

 

[LoMD13]

I worry so much about off-leash dogs. It's only happened twice and neither dog looked to cause any harm but each time I just picked my dog up and walked calmly in the opposite direction.