What Would You Do?

[Junebug]

Have you small dog owners thought about what you would do if a bigger dog attacked your Yorkie?

It's pretty unlikely that it will happen, but that's probably what the people in this article thought, too. http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1284

Anyway, I always play the scene out in my head to make sure I won't freeze in the moment should it happen to me and Otis.

I've been told to smash the big dog's nose with the palm of my hand until he lets go. Supposedly, a dog's nose is super sensitive. Does anyone else have any ideas?

[aimee]

Man, I have NO IDEA what I would do, and this is one of my biggest fears since Sandy was bitten by a large dog before we adopted her. She spent two weeks at the vet and has a little scar. I'm interested to hear what people say about this! Good post!!

[orinskye]

when i was little one of our dogs got attacked by a pit bull that lived next door....... my uncle smashed its nose and head with his fists (he was even kicking the pit bull) but it wouldnt let go..... thats when he started calling for my dad to get him his hammer.... this is when the owner finally showed up, it took a while but finally the owner got the dog to let go.... both people were very upset, but back then they didnt have the same laws as we do now..... nowadays there would probably be an inquiry about animal cruelty for my uncle and also negligence for the owner..... but beacause these laws werent really enforced back then the guy took his dog inside and actualy moved when my uncle threatened legal action

[Hercules Dad]

I dont answer to many posts, i kinda just like soaking up the info but this one i couldnt resist. My parents dog (my old furpie) was attacked by my uncles dog a while back and had to have lots of surgery and one of those lampshades around his head for weeks, needless to say i ended up being bit by the bigger dog trying to free mine. After struggling for a bit all it took was one good punch in his face and the dog was out cold, letting my little scruffy go. Anyways what would i do if Hercules got bit by another dog? Well that depends. Depends on how caught up in the moment i get i guess. If the dog wouldnt let go i would beat its face in over n over until he was dead or let go. Whichever comes first. And the sad part is that im an animal lover and i cant see myself harming other animals, i have a hard enough time killing a spider for my girlfriend, but when it comes to my baby any outcome of a protective situation is feasable.

[orinskye]

there was some story a while back in my area where a dog was attacked and the owner trying to free her dog from this huge animal actually got charged with animal cruelty because she ended killing the dog that attacked her puppy.............. ok........ everyone on here knows that we treat our furbabies like human babies.... and sometimes they seem almost human dont they?..... if a dog had attacked a human baby and the mother killed the dog..... she would get applauded..... but since the "baby" in this case was another dog it suddenly becomes animal cruelty on her part????
I am a firm believer that owners should be held acountable for their pets, sometimes people are just so stupid about the way they are with their animals (like an owner knowing that his dog is aggresive continue to walk right toward a group of other people or animals........ )....

Oh, i forgot to share this story too,..... when my golden retriever was a puppy we went for a walk..... there are no sidelwalks so we walk in the street...... this dog came out of his gate (opened gate) and waited in between two parked cars and when i walked by with the puppy, the dog attacked!!!! (good thing lani was there...lani is my moms black mixed breed we think she is a herding dog mix)...... she attacked the dog and sent him running back to his gate no one messes with her puppy even if the puppy is a pain is the butt....... I took my dog home and went back to the house and talked to the owner.... i was upset becuase my puppy had blood on her mouth (she had bit her tongue in fright!!!) the owner was sooooooooo rude, he practically slammed the door in my face! since then i have let my dog poop in his yard every time we walk by

[Gypsy Rose]

This IS a very good post and a dread of every one of us!! I've read that carrying one of these automatic opening umberellas stops many fights (maybe the THREAT of a fight) but I don't know and the umberella is in its closed position even some sort of weapon? I carry a loud whistle around my neck (If I blow it gently, my girls come running back to me when off the lead) but I wonder and HOPE that if I blew it loudly it may scare an attacking dog? I think any experience or ideas is more than welcome here!! Ana xx

[goldcupmom]

My cat was attacked once(not my devon), when on a leash. I quickly grabbed him by the harness but made the mistake of reacting and lifting him close, and he thought the dog had him and started biting me. The dog - also on a leash was quickly pulled away then. I ended up with over 50 tooth holes/punctures in one arm before he realized he was safe. He had only scratches as I was quick,, but I'm thinking even our yorkies would react the same and start biting to defend themselves. Had I just lifted him and held him away a bit it wouldn't have happened.

[Babbie]

Once i was walking my Mojo and Byron when a neighbor's chow chow got loose and came running straight towards us. My little tough guys were surprised when that big dog came pushing them...he kinda grabed Mojo with his mouth and Byron just started biting his ear and he let go...i kicked him like crazy and put my dogs in my arms when, finally the dogs owner showed up. I was so upset, and i told him straight out that the only reason i wouldn't call the cops this time was because my dogs were not hurt, but to take it as a warning, because IF there would be a next time, he would be very very sorry And i mean every word...people don;t understand, animals will do anything to protect their territory so it is up to us owners to make sure they live "peacifully".

As per breaking up a fight, that is what i learned so far: Pull both dogs by the collar, hitting it will only make it mad and most likely he will take on the dog he is fighting with. Also, in some breeds, like pitbull, their jaws actually LOCK when they are atacking, so, even if u hit him to let go it won;t help....i heard from a lot of breeders that they use either a big wood spon or shapened broom stick to force the jaws to open.

Anyways...i always look well before putting my little guys on the floor, even if the cops come ans i can sue the negligente owner...what good will it be if my poor baby is seriously hurt or even dead?

Sorry for the long post...but i just wish that people were more "racional" about this...

[mmyorkies]

This is exactly the reason that when I walk my yorkies they are always on a harness and collar. I have had the occasion to have my dogs out when 2 large mixed breeds had broken away from their owner and started right at my yorkies. Having a harness on I was able to just swing them up and grab them in the air without harming them and kept them away from the large dogs. Never, ever have them walking on a collar and leash, if for some reason you had to jerk your dog with a collar on you could really harm them, either by breakijng their neck, or causing a problem with their trachea from the pressure.

[Dolce's Mom]

Ok everyone I had to post....a few years ago I was the owner of a beautiful, lovable, and sweet-hearted pit bull. He was so gentlewith everyone. Well, my mother was out walking him one day and this chow chow came barreling out of his yard and tried to start attacking my dog. Of course, my dog was on a leash, so hes trying to defend himself and my mother and in the meantime wrapping himself around my mothers legs. The poor thing couldnt defend himself from this crazy dog who was NOT on a leash. A man had to come out of his house with a bat and hit the chow to get him to stop. (Thank God that man was there or the outcome Im sure would have been alot worse) My dog suffered puncture holes in his rear, which turned out fine. I was soooooo upset because my mother had fallen to the ground from tripping on the leash and hurt herself. The police were called and the owner, moron that he is, comes out like nothing happened. (Mind you this guy is a notorious drug dealer in my old neighborhood) With neighbors, cops and me and my family there, this idiot starts laughing at my dog and my mother being attacked!! I swear I wanted to kill him right there. We eventually went to court and were awarded a substantial amount of money, however, since he was a drug dealer, nothing was in his name and therefore there was no way we could collect on it. I literally wanted to go to his house and kill him. Its amazing what some people get away with but if that happened now, I would find someway to get my money and let the owner know i meant business.

I usually dont walk Dolce too far from my house, and I am always scanning the street for any stray dogs or animals, but if she happened to be attacked....after of course almost dying of fright and shock....I would probably try my hardest to beat the hell outta the other dog....and of course scream for help!! I hope i never have to be in that situation, and I hope none of you guys are either!! But its always good to have a plan isnt it??? I agree...GOOD POST!!!

[fasteddie]

Really good informative subject Junebug! I'm always looking out like a hawk when we take Yoda anywhere for any potential weirdos on scooters, people that walk really fast and clumsily, and dogs when we go to the park. It's really good to know that smacking a fierce dog in the face is the way to go if such a situation arises as I'd never thought about it before at all. I know our family would do anything to protect Yoda, and we'd just about do anything to save him in such case.

And yes, we always walk Yoda with a harness and leash. We let Yoda walk everywhere we can, even downtown Seattle (he loves it), but when there is a massive crowd of people with a chance he could get stepped on, we carry him as we don't want to take any chances at all.

The best thing is basically to always be aware of where your Yorkie is, and should danger come about, be prepared to scoop them up in your arms before any psycho bicyclist or angry dog comes for them.