I will never let our dogs near other dogs for any reason. Some may "tsk tsk" at this, but I really don't care - they're our dogs. They "socialize" with each other and with lots of humans, but I will not tolerate any dog (large or small) coming anywhere near our furbutts.
The following is very graphic:
When I was 8 years old my grandfather was working on a pond in our backyard on 4th of July weekend. He brought his dog over (we'll call her Sissy for safety since I use her real name for things). She had the appearance of a Sheltie but the size of a Yorkie (she was a mix of some sort, we don't know what as she was a shelter pup). I took her for a walk around our block..on a leash. The end house had elderly people living in it, who had their son visiting for the holiday. There was a larged sized dog on the sidewalk, on a rope. I'd never seen one before but 30+ years later, I know it was a German Shepherd. I'm assuming he wasn't supposed to reach the sidewalk but he did. Their son was outside trimming their hedges. I asked the man if his dog was a meanie dog or a nice dog (I was only 8) and he said "oh go ahead - he wouldn't hurt a fly"...so I kept walking with "Sissy". Next thing I know the dog lunged at her, picked her up with his mouth and placed 2 holes in her chest and 2 in the back of her neck. She was literally pouring blood out of all 4, and the dog shook her like a ragdoll. I screamed as loud as I could, and the man came running over. He told the dog to "drop it" and he just shook her harder. He yelled again and he wouldn't drop her, so my little 8 year old body kicked the dog in the ribs as hard as I could, and while he yelped in pain, he open his mouth enough to drop "Sissy". I screamed again, though it wasn't really needed because my grandfather who was working in our yard 4 houses down heard his little girl's cries of pain and came racing around the corner (didn't know my grandpa could run that fast). Mom got the car and we all took her to the vet. She was pouring blood the entire time.
The vet saved her but it took almost a year before "Sissy" was healed and she was never the same dog. It has haunted me ever since and I will never, ever let my dogs around other peoples' dogs regardless of their size or what their owners say about them. Our dogs can "socialize" with each other and with humans and that's it.
Trust your gut & if people get offended that you step away from their dogs? Let em be offended. |