What can we do to prevent savage attacks

[davina]

Hi everyone,

Since joining this site iv'e been mortified by the amount of people who have lost their little dogs through savage attacks from powerful dogs. My yorkie died last week as she was very old and the vet said there was nothing more he could do to treat her. Im heartbroken but I can't begin to comprehend how id feel if my dog was killed by another dog.
I have 2 other dogs who are both chihuaha x's, they are very young and friendly and when im walking them off lead they run towards other dogs. I avoid the local park as there is normally a few dogs loose, these are often staffies (pitbulls are illegal in the uk, but staffies are similar). I found a nice secluded meadow to walk my dogs but in the last week i've seen a staffie, a rottie and a bullmastiff all off leashes. So i normally put my dogs on leashes and briskly get away from these dog's with my heart pounding with fear.
I do not believe that any of these dog's are inately evil, they are normally victims of the owners that keep them and train them to be agressive. I also think it's unfair that people such as us should not be able to walk our little dogs and feel safe.
I am very interested in dog psychology and behaviour and read many books (especially any by Ceasar Milan) im am going to try and research the best way to deal with an agressive dog to prevent any more innocent little dog's getting killed. I am also in my first year of a law degree, so I am going to ask my tutor (a magistrate), what legal forms of defensive weapon i can carry on my walks, incase I am ever confronted with a dog attack.
I will keep you all posted on my findings. It wont bring any dog's back to life but hopefully it should prevent any more unecessary deaths. All our little yorkies are entitled to go for walks, why should they miss out because of iresponsible dog owners, many of who don't deserve to keep dogs.

Davina x

[davina]

Please can anyone give tips and strategies that have been sucessful in the past when confronted by an agressive dog. How have you managed to ward them off or defuse their agression. If you have any good advice please share it with the rest of us.

Thankyou x

[YorkieAZ]

Thankfully I have never run into that kind of situation. I never allow my dogs off leash. I always carry a mase canister that attaches to my key ring when we are on walks. This way I know if I need it, I have it on me. I got mine at a hardware store for $7.00.
Hope this helps.

[slk77]

Many of you have read about my tragic experience of losing my baby due to an attack by a pit. I can't never describe in words how traumatic and hurtful this is to me and the heartache I continue to feel. I can share what I learned, my dog was on a lease but that didn't;t stop any of this to happen. I believe the only way to prevent any tragic ever to happen again is to put a muzzle on the aggressive breed. I am not against anyone adopting pits or any other kind of dogs... but I am concern that these dogs are acting out of their instincts and there is no way to tell when or where it will act up. I know my baby would be still here with me if that pit had a muzzle on. Inaddition neuter the dog. I believe that would lower the aggressiveness of their behavior. Ultimately... its the owners being responsible of their dogs. These owner would never understand how it feels to watch your very loved one killed in front of your eyes. I still cry when I think of my little dior. Yesterday, I was doing my annual breast cancer walk in central park and I see many little ones walking with their mommies and daddies.... my heart broke because just last year... Dior was there walking with me.

MUZZLE is the immediate answer and a harsh punishment to the owners who are irresponsible of their dogs! The pain and heartache they caused is not something that can ever be forgotten.

Take Care, Sandy

[Peters]

carry pepper spray keep a close eye on your surroundings i jsut dont get why people dont under stand they should care for and contain their dogs no matter what size or disposition i have also seen large dogs attacked by others it horrible!

[luckylady]

I was getting ready to take two of my yorkies for a walk yesterday evening. We got about half way down my driveway when I saw a german shepard and some other large breed black dog running free on the other side of the street....no leashes, no owners, anywhere to be seen. I turned around and headed back to our back yard as fast as I could.
I'm sure glad we saw them then and not while we were actually away from the house. It bothered me for quite a while last night....the irresponsibility of the owners of those dogs. Not sure what all came from it, but I did notice the humane society van drive down our street about a half hour later. Some one must have called about them.

[Mota]

I absolutely agree with Dior's mom. My Yorkie Ty was killed in February at a PetSmart where he was mauled by a husky. Ty was on a leash and we were waiting in line when the husky just ran at Ty and grabbed him. I also believe Ty would be here if the Husky was muzzled. It is the most devasting thing I have ever experienced and I still think and cry about Ty daily.

[hugz4all4]

My family and I were at an apple farm last year purchasing apples and I had my little toy poodle in my hands and she had a leash on when the owners giant chocolate lab came up to us, I pulled Lexee back away from the dog as a precaution and as the owner was telling us how friendly he was and that he loved other dogs he jumped up and snapped Lexee on the head . Thank goodness he didnt bite her but I still cant help to think what would of happened if she was on the ground.
I always have Lexee on a leash or she is carried in my arms and I never take her off her leash anywhere we are in even my own yard and I live out in the middle of nowhere surronded by pine trees. You just never know and things can happen so quickly.

[Patti]

I have pepper spray my husband got me to protect the girls if I take them out, but I have gotten to the point where I will rarely walk them for fear of meeting up with bigger dogs and there is no way I can take all 4 safely. Even walking 2 would be difficult to handle should a dog decide to attack. I try and give them exercise in the house or in the small fenced area in my yard.

[davina]

From now on i'm going to carry a steak knife and pepper spray. I will have to deal with the cosequences if the police arrest me. Our little dogs are so precious to take any risks. I hope nobody else has to go through this tragedy like some of you have. My heart goes out to you all x

[Ladymom]

Everyone should carry Muzzle (mace for dogs) with them when they take their small dogs out. You can buy it online or get it in a gun shop if your state allows them.

Mace Muzzle Dog Repellent

[davina]

I found a website How to Handle a Dog Attack - wikiHow. It contains some useful advice on preventing dog attacks

[Potter]

I never never off leash my yorkie when we walk to the park each day no matter how empty the park is or how tempting it is to see him have a free run each day because you just never know when a dog will show up when your not paying attention or a loud noise goes off and your dog gets frightened and runs off. Sometimes, you can't really control what other people do but we can always control our own dogs to ensure they are safe.

I bring a walking stick with me and I will protect my dog shall a dog attack us. One of my neighbour, a gentle old lady has also started carrying a hammer around because some offleash dog attacked her so that gave me the idea to start carrying my own protection weapon too. A lot of irresponsible owners here who owns Rotties, German Sheppards, Alaskan Malamute offleash their dogs at the park when the park actually have signs that says all dogs has to be leashed. The Rottie have even tried to charge at kids playing by the street and I no longer see the owner bring him out. I think too many people complained and I am happy to not see it anymore coz he was really mean and pulls so hard on the collar so hard that I thought the collar will break and the owner didn't even muzzle him!!!

I also scan the horizon as if I am driving and when I see a dog far away, I just walk across the street to avoid confrontation. It is also easier to control your dog across the street when he is excited rather than head on to the other dog.

The last thing I do is to control the excitement of my own dog when he sees other dogs and although I walk him every day, he gets excited when he sees another dog. I find that when he is more calm the other dogs, big or small, calm or fierce tend to mellow down and not pull on their owner's leash.

[leipshen]

I completely agree with the idea of pepper spray. You can actually get something similiar and just as powerful at the local pharmacy. It is legal in most states to my knowledge. I would NEVER take my dogs out for a walk without it, however, because I have read so many tragic stories of dog attacks, I do not take mine walking anymore. I know how fast and out of nowhere these big dogs appear. They are focused and so aggressive that the chance to even spray them before they get ahold of a little one, is enough for me to decide on other means of exercise and outings.

My furbabies have a stroller. I take them out in the stroller to get fresh air and sunshine. They love it. If a big dog is loose I can zip mine up and if the dog approached I could spray it before it could ever get to mine. I take them for rides in the car whenever I am going somewhere that permits dogs. I never take them to Petsmart after reading the heartbreaking story by one of our members. People seem so clueless about their big dogs. They often don't realize that though their big dog may be friendly to them, or even other large dogs, the tiny dogs somehow represent prey and they become aggressive. At least in many cases.

It is imperative to NEVER allow you dogs off leash! When this is done, you lose the chance of ever saving your baby , should a bigger agressive dog appear. I am always shocked at how little control the owners of big dogs have, even with a leash. Never assume that the other dog's owner can maintain control.

[alisonJ]

My strategy is avoiding big dogs completely. I know this is overkill--most big dogs are friendly. But I am not willing to take any chances with dogs that I do not know. I am haunted by little Dior's story, and so many others that I have read on YT. It is a sad thing to have to do, but that has been my choice.

I like the idea of strollers, which provide protection, but I have not gone that route.

I do walk Edie daily--about one mile. I am on constant alert for big dogs, and I often take detours to avoid dogs that I see coming our way.