Darcy and the Boxer

[Darcy's Mom]

On Friday, after an unusually hectic day at work I went home, leashed Darcy (thinking we would take a leisurely relaxing walk around the block) and off we go. We got about 8 houses down to a house that a family moved into last summer and I had already met them, their children and their puppy (at the time last summer). We had just rounded the bend when Darcy started barking like crazy and pulling at her leash. I turned around and was suddenly confronted by the neighbors' "grown up" boxer/pitt bull mix). He must have weighed at least 80 lbs. I weigh only 75. Anyway, he was real gentle, only interested in Darcy cuz she's a female, and he hadn't seen her since he was just a tiny little pup. They usually keep him in his backyard. Well, we all know that terriers don't know they are little dogs. Darcy must have thought she was a Great Dane because she was snarling, yipping and didn't want anything to do with him. I had already picked her up when he wouldn's leave her alone but all that did was cause him to lunge at us. The neighbor lady and her two daughters (small) came running over and tried to grab him by his collar which they succeeded in doing and dragged him back across the street, only for him to get away from them 4 times and come running back over to us. Dad was sitting in a lawn chair not lifting a finger to come and get the dog. This was a real big boxer size dog. Lucky for me and Darcy, he was very gentle, only wanted to check out the new chick. We finally made it down the block and she is still looking back and barking when we encountered my other neighbors ang their leashed Golden Retriever (also gentle but curious). I picked Darcy up again and she lunged at us so I just kept walking and finally made it home. I realized then the Darcy wasn't socialized with any dog but Molly (our Scottie/JR mix) and I kinda scolded her and told her did she want those dogs that were 14 times her size to eat her and spit her out?

Needless to say, that walk wasn't very relaxing.

[Eliz222]

Sounds like that was a scary walk for you! Finch will sometimes try to become the "big dog" when she meets very large dogs too. She would pull so hard that she would start to choke herself. I purchased a Sporn harness and now she walks like a dream. She is still curious when she meets other dogs, but I have more control over her actions so we QUICKLY walk away from the other dog.

[Darcy's Mom]

The problem was, this big boxer/pitt was off leash with only a collar on and everytime I would pick Darcy up and start t walk away, he would lunge at us and Darcy would growl and snap. Had he been leashed, I could have just walked away. Yeah I was getting a little nervous when even the mom kids couldn't hold onto him. The Dad didin't even try to come to their aid either. Sorta made me mad.

[tena]

That is a scary, scary thing to have happen and I would of been really upset myself.

I am pretty serious with Sophie about her "attitude" with other dogs. She's not thrilled with being made to walk away from dogs she'd like to meet. It's really hard when the other dog is unleashed, they keep following you. Picking her up is the last resort since is seems to trigger a stronger response in the offending dog.

I also can't imagine having a dog that I could not control. That to me, is plain wrong.

I'm sorry you had such a rotten walk...

Tena

[tlwtheq]

The problem was, this big boxer/pitt was off leash with only a collar on and everytime I would pick Darcy up and start t walk away, he would lunge at us and Darcy would growl and snap.  Had he been leashed, I could have just walked away.  Yeah  I was getting a little nervous when even the mom kids couldn't hold onto him.  The Dad didin't even try to come to their aid either.  Sorta made me mad.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know exactly how you feel. Both Olie and Teddy think they're big dogs and people with large dogs don't realize that. Those folks in this instance sound really careless;I'm glad Darcy was OK.

It sort of reminds me of a time around 10 years ago when I was walking Shadow. A new "family" was renting down the block. There were a lot of adults and a lot of coming and going...and they had a large pit bull which they left in the back yard. The dog jumped the fence on a regular basis. He came at us so fast one day I didn't have time to scoop Shadow up. He had Shadow by the neck. I flew into high gear, literally kicking and screaming. I lost all fear for my own safety. With the kicking, screaming and growling I startled the animal long enough to get him to let go. I picked up Shadow and we went into our house. That was very frightening. So I really understand where you're coming from. Thankfully, that bunch didn't last 6 months in our neighborhood.

Again, I'm just glad Darcy's OK.

Tara, Olie and Teddy's Mom

[kcsdogs]

Unfortunately this happens to me a lot and the dogs we tend to encounter are less than friendly or curious. In a two week period of time a friend of mine and I were run down by loose pit bulls and My friend was attacked by a pit bull when it jumped out of the passenger side of a moving vehichle and the driver did not even stop! I am to the point now where I don't even want to take my little dogs out for walks much. I started carrying pepper spray and I always make sure I have my cell phone with me. You just never know how a dog is going to be and it seems like people are less and less responsible about their dogs anymore. It is sooo frusterating and scary! I am glad your dog was alright and the other dogs were friendly. I think the terriers get into more trouble because they talk big a lot!

[Pepandfriend's mom]

My solution sounds pretty extreme, but my Cairn is pretty mouthy too, like most of the Cairns in this thread. Also I take two little dogs for a walk at once, the Cairn and the Westie, which is also probably pretty common on this forum.

So I go around the lake in our park, or around the block, with my two leashed pups and a golf club (I think it is a 9-iron!). We do have unleashed large dogs run up to us sometimes and I scream my head off at the dog or dogs and wave my golf club. It even sounds paranoid to ME, and the dog owner may run up and say that I shouldn't need to scream at his/her nice (fill in the blank "Rottie, pitbull, etc.). The whole thing does scare me silly when it happens but I feel a little safer carrying that darn club. I would probably hit myself or my dogs in the eye with Mace.

Pam

[Lisad]

So glad to hear Darcy is safe!! I too understand that feeling when the adrenaline level shoots through the roof. I walk a lot in the woods and most people who walk the trails and who allow their dog to go off leash have very friendly dogs. But, you never know. I always, always carry pepper spray with me. I keep it for peace of mind. God forbid I should ever come face to face with an aggressive dog or a rabid animal. I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I felt my pup and I were cornered.

Sorry about your bad experience.

[OzGirl]

Oh that was not a relaxing walk! It's so scary when confronted by a big dog. You must have been really annoyed with the dad, he probably thought it was entertaining

I'm glad you and Darcy got home in one piece.

[Milopup]

Bosco and I were attacked in front of our own house last summer by the Rott mix from two doors down (unleashed, gate unlocked, thus escaped) - Bosco didnt bark, the dog just ran to us and jumped us! Needless to say everytime Bosco passes his house (which unfortunately is several times a day, due to where his house is it is unavoidable to pass his house!) my pup barks and barks - who says pups have short memories?

And now that my mom walks Bosco the most (since I am not home) I am constantly worried about them. :(

[Darcy's Mom]

Thanks everyone for your kind words. I guess I will take my husband's advice and start carrying a baseball bat (he keeps a small one in his truck), just in case. I don't know what I would have done had the boxer/pitt been aggressive and mean. Darcy would have been his supper I guess cause no way could I have pulled him off her. Makes me stop and think all kinds of horrific scenarios. Haven't seen him out anymore so maybe it got the owners' attention too. All we wanted to do was take a walk around the block. Shouldn't have to put up with that sort of stuff from careless people whose dogs aren't kept up. Okay, off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.

[Cairnmania]

Thanks everyone for your kind words.  I guess I will take my husband's advice and start carrying a baseball bat (he keeps a small one in his truck), just in case.  I don't know what I would have done had the boxer/pitt been aggressive and mean. Darcy would have been his supper I guess cause no way could I have pulled him off her.  Makes me stop and think all kinds of horrific scenarios.  Haven't seen him out anymore so maybe it got the owners' attention too.  All we wanted to do was take a walk around the block.  Shouldn't have to put up with that sort of stuff from careless people whose dogs aren't kept up.  Okay, off my soapbox. Thanks for listening.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Darcy's mom,

Little dogs bark and growl at big dogs because they are frightened. Not surprisingly, this aggravates the big dog and it ends up in a potentially dangerous situation.

In the long run it would be easier and more relaxing for you to train Darcy not to bark and growl. You can do that by distracting her when you are approaching a big dog (take her favorite toy or treat) and rewarding her when she does not bark or growl (with the treat or a "good girl" - whatever turns her on).

Further, a lot of big dogs react badly when they see small dogs because they've come to expect an aggressive response from little dogs. Not great for either size.

If you get frightened and clobber a big dog before it actually inflicts harm on your dog you may well end up in a major legal battle. You could also cause more harm to you or your dog - because now the bigger dog really has a reason to attack. Further, to get one dog off another after an attack has started you are practically going to need to clobber one of the two to near death.

If you really, really feel you need a "weapon" then I'd suggest something like a pepper spray or something similar.

Stacey

[Darcy's Mom]

I agree that a dog who is struck even out of fear for life will probably become more aggressive and I certainly didn't mean to imply that I would ever hit a dog with the bat. I guess I should have said I would carry it as a precaution but then how could I manage to swing the bat, hold onto Darcy and proceed on up the block? Pepper spray sounds like a good idea. I will look into getting some so that way I will at least feel a little safer. Now the part about training Darcy. Ha, Ha, Ha! She goes into Cairn mode in overdrive when she ifeels threatened or meets up with a strange dog. I know, I know, I should have trained her when she was a pup. My fault entirely. I'll just have to be more careful when we walk from now on.

My point to this whole thing is...I keep my dogs fenced or on leash, why can't others be as accommodating and "do the right thing" with their dogs? There is another neighbor that lets her dog have free roam late at night and I can't tell you the times I've had to clean up after him in my yard. It just makes me wonder what if a car comes by and these dogs don't know what a car is and boom. another dead pet. So senseless.

[Milopup]

We have tried training, treats, etc., but our pup still barks when he nears the house of the dog who bit him, and also barks outside another house (where there is a large dog who is always barking). I dont know what else to try, so we just carry our pup and walk quickly past these houses.

[Darcy's Mom]

Milopup, that's probably the wisest thing to do. Obviously, a cairn's or any dog for that matter, memory is better than we thought. Aren't they something? I can't remember what I did yesterday, but yet your dog remembers being attacked at a certain spot.