Ps. Magnus is so cute! I'd kick anything that tried to attack him and he isn't even mine!
:-)

I was just talking to a friend and she mentioned something I wasn't aware of. She's saying that if you harm the aggressive dog before s/he actually bites, you can get sued. Anyone heard about this? I guess I can understand it if the dog is there just growling at you and hit it or something but if you see a dog sprinting towards you out of the blue and was NOT leashed, are you suppose to just assume s/he wants to "play"?!

Maryeverett1: Thanks! He's usually very friendly and he definitely knows his place in the doggie dog world. He'll try to dominate with dogs his size or smaller but in front of big dogs, he's pretty much "do as you wish~~~". LOL It's really cute.

We had a similar thing happen during a walk about 3 weeks ago. I was walking Jezebel, and coming toward us up the sidewalk was a very small woman walking a cocker spaniel and 2 huge German Shepherds. They saw us and bolted, the woman couldn't hang on to the dog's leashes. I scooped up Jezebel as fast as I could, but the 2 GSD's were on us in an instant. They were up in my face, all I could see were those 2 HUGE heads trying to get into my arms to my little one. I started screaming at the woman to get her dogs, she was finally able to get their leashes and pull them off, then they bolted and got away from her again.

I am very slow to anger, but when she got the leashes again, I went ballistic on her. :mad: I told her she had NO business taking those dogs out if she couldn't control them.

Letting dogs off leash around the neighborhood is one of my pet peeves. I'm a runner, and I have been approached and followed by many large dogs ... a great dane, a pittbull, a beagle, a collie, an airedale terrier, many mutts, and all seemed friendly.

The collie I encounter quite often, she is a sweetie that loves people and other dogs. But, the first time I ever met her she was still a pup and had her leg in a splint because she had been hit by a truck. And her owner still takes her on walks off-leash. :eek: She bolts when she sees me and Jezebel and won't listen to her owner, runs down a major street and crosses it to come see us. I'm fearful for her, it is just a matter of time before she gets hit again.

I don't know about that. A big dog CAN just be standing there growling at you, but I'm not going to wait to get bitten before I decide to take action. I think I can judge intentions well enough that if I decide to kick out, I have a reason for it. Besides, at my age, my balance isn't good enough to do such a thing lightly!

Besides, go ahead and try to prosecute ME for protecting myself and property (which is what they consider our babies) when the dog is off-leash and violating the law. I wouldn't care if it saved my pups.

Agree!

I would do the same thing, and Jackson's the same as Kaji. He's very comfortable with big dogs and he doesn't bark at them or anything so we've been very fortunate never to have an accident like this occur. But I would have done the same thing -- picked Jackson up, first and foremost (sometimes that makes the situation worse, but it's for the safety of our dogs...) and probably starting kicking out of instinct. But usually walking away from the dog makes it worse, it's sometimes better to stand your ground and go towards the dog to shoo him away. I guess it all depends on the situation and the dog.

I have to agree with Lee B.....if I get sued for protecting myself and my pup...so be it. The owners of the attacking dog are in the wrong for the dog being off leash. I will kick, hit, and do anything I needed to do to save my pup and myself. I will have to look into the pepper spray...good idea! :animal-pa

When I walk Zena I am constantly scanning the area for other dogs, leashed or no. I do carry a rather substantial pocket knife and will be looking for some canine pepper spray. I hope I never have to use either. I believe your best defense is your sense of danger however, trust your instincts! Stay alert and BE AWARE!