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Originally Posted by gracielove  I have to say that Yorkietalkjilly's idea about the umbrella is genius. I was hesitant to take Gracie to our favorite park because people there started to let their dogs off lead on occasion. The umbrella has given me the courage to let Gracie enjoy walking the shaded trails and water falls that are just a couple of blocks from where we live. It's a beautiful ideal setting that we both enjoy but I was very concerned about encountering larger dogs. So far we have had no issues but I am prepared if there is even the slightest threat!  |
Oh, it was hardly original with me. But it really has worked for me & my Jilly & Tibbe. Glad it helps you. It's funny how one never thinks before taking a walk with the dog in the neighborhood that you will need a deterrent of some kind but the reality is that you could.
And I had walked Jilly so many times with no walking stick or anything like that & then my BIL had an incident with a large dog a few days before & had to use a limb he found on the ground to keep it from attacking him. It stalked up to him, head low, tail up, ears flat & started growling & circling him. He was a longtime doglover but said that dog scared him! Thank goodness he saw & could slowly get that big limb. He brandished it & the dog ran away but kept stopping & standing staring back at him. It scared me so that on the way out that day for Jilly's walk, I grabbed one of the decorative walking sticks in the umbrella stand by the front door. Thank goodness I did. I'm sure it saved her life. But thereafter, it was the automatic umbrella that went with Jilly & me and now Tibbe.
I also learned to walk my dog watching bushes, cars & other things a dog can appear from behind suddenly. When walking through certain areas, I will just open my umbrella out of an abundance of caution. Probably look like a nut to anyone watching me on a sunny day but it keeps me feeling safe that in case a big dog should dart out from behind a big hedge, I'm prepared as I know how to be.