So I am taking my GSD out for out nightly 25 minute walk when about half way through our walk there is a house on the opposite side of the street getting pizza delivered when I see this little white bundle of fur running across the grass, sidewalk, out from behind a parked car across the street charging us barking onto the opposite side walk where we are currently walking.

My GSD is not dog aggressive but does have dominant issues, mind you, we walk by barking dogs all the time, some behind electric fences only about 10 feet from us as we are walking on the side walk and she won’t so much as look at them unless she get’s a strong correction with a prong.

I have been in this situation before with bigger dogs that have gotten out or approached and I just stop stand my ground and say “no, go home”! This didn’t work as the dog was running towards us and got to us the little dog kept advancing and persisted on coming to my GSD and face to face barking.

At this point I suppose my female bitch realized I didn’t have control of the situation and snapped and barked aggressively at this dog, the dog backed up then advanced towards again, just before this point I was holding my GSD with one arm correcting her with a prong on, almost had to hang her with the prong to stop her and kicked the little white dog away with my foot with sandals on, mind you. I feel as though I would have been better with a dominant dog collar on then the prong because I don’t feel bad hanging her with the dominant dog collar but I had to do it with the prong.

Luckily I am a 215lb fit guy and I can control my GSD with one arm. So this all happened within 40 seconds by the time I looked up to see where the owner was of the other dog, or if they were around, she came near us and picked her dog up. I was pissed at this point and told her “You need to take care of that, if I didn’t have control of my dog your dog would have gotten bit” she goes “I am sorry it’s the first time my dog has ever gotten out” Thinking to myself, could have been the last between getting bit or getting hit by a car.

At any rate, replaying the situation in my head I was more pissed that my GSD felt the need to try and take control of the situation and I didn’t have her under complete control.

Trying to figure out what I could have done differently, I stood my ground and when the dog got rite up to us and was not minding my voice I had to result to using my foot and this is when I believe my GSD got set off because she saw me having to use force.

I don’t want strange dogs within a biting distance of my dog, this is why I used used my left foot and held my GSD with my right arm.

Kind of needing some people’s comment suggestions?

hi there
You pretty much summed up why I dislike taking my dogs for walks in neighborhoods. Stupid owners. That little dog is very fortunate to have met up with you and not another dog/human pair, and to not be hit by a car. It is hard to say what you should have done- hindsight is 20/20. One thing you may do, is try and work this scenario with other dogs you know- friendly, but overly boisterous. Walk your dog, and if the dog comes haulin' butt over to you teach your dog to "stand". Not down, not sit, but stand. Teach it to stay that way while you handle the little ankle biter, or bigger dog. If your dog is conditioned to you handling this problem, she will not need to assert herself. Fwiw, I believe you have a normal dog there, with a protective instinct. Recently, I was walking my two at a preserve, and we had been doing the Cesar Milan walk style, which is- no dogs get in front of me. It was real work with one of my dogs, but finally, they both "got it". Well, this big lab rushing up with it's owner in tow, and both my dogs were calm as cucumbers. I have never seen them behave like this. It was GREAT. We walked on by with nary a snark from either.
Julie

It sounds to me like you handled this pretty well. The only thing I would have done differently (just a slight difference) is put your dog behind you before she has a chance to react and then yell/warn followed by kicking the crap out of the dog when it came close. Any little dog that runs up to me on a walk looking to try and bite my dog will become a soccer ball, and I mean they WILL catch air on the way back.

I can't think of anything besides positioning yourself in between the dogs as someone already mentioned. I also agree that the other owner is lucky it was you two. Without at least one responsible person, this situation probably would have been a full out scuffle....

However, I think you should still look at it for what it is worth. Even though your dog got up when things were just too much to bear, at least you still avoided a dog brawl. And no one was bitten!

Joe, you pretty much nailed it the only thing i would have done different also would be what John said. its not the little nicks your dog might get from the small dog its what that dog transfers over that you don't know.

I would also sudjest getting some pepper spray but i am not sure if this would be considered cruelty to animals where you life so i would stop by your local police office and ask about that first.

 Quote: julie a williams

Recently, I was walking my two at a preserve, and we had been doing the Cesar Milan walk style, which is- no dogs get in front of me. It was real work with one of my dogs, but finally, they both "got it". Well, this big lab rushing up with it's owner in tow, and both my dogs were calm as cucumbers. I have never seen them behave like this. It was GREAT. We walked on by with nary a snark from either.
Julie

This is a good point, Joe. If your dog is walking next to you in a heel (instead of in front), the dynamic shifts in a dog's mind, and they will be more likely to look to you to make decisions...even when confronted by a loose dog looking to act tough. It sends a message to your dog AND the dog who's loose.

A dog walking out in front can often have a cocky body posture that will antagonize a strange dog, especially if that dog thinks he needs to defend its "territory." A dog walking next to you in a heel, is usually "working" in some form and is usually not sending off signals that aggravate other dogs. Additionally, that loose dog is going to have to decide to run up on TWO potential fights (you and your dog) as opposed to ONE (your dog). Dogs can be more intimidated by a pack than by a single.

Also, your dog is then very aware that he's under your control and is less likely to make his own decisions.

Of course, this won't always prevent nutty dogs from coming after you and your dog, but I do believe it helps a lot. So I don't know if you walk your dog in a heel or not, but if not, you might want to consider it. It's a good thing to do anyway, if your dog shows signs of dominance.

Othewise, I agree with the others who say to put the dog behind you (also easier to do if the dog's walking beside you instead of in front of you).

Look at the bright side, although I'm sure you would have preferred to do things differently, you communicated to your dog that, in situations like this, it's unacceptable to take over! She might be a little more willing to let you run things the next time something like this happens.

It could have been a lot worse, and I think you handled it better than a lot of people would have.

Sometimes dogs get loose even though the owner takes all precautions. Especially little dogs that can go through a cracked open door. I don't know that kicking the crap out of a little dog, which could mean its death, is the only way to go.

Don't get me wrong, it's annoying as hell to have little dogs run up to your big GSD and start barking its head off nonstop. Been there numerous times with the Chihuahuas around this neighborhood. Yelling has never done any good, kicking in their direction doesn't seem to do it either. It just excites my GSD to get in the "fight" and he starts barking. Both dogs barking, me yelling, owner (if around) looking on with a stupified look on their face and doing nothing, total chaos and of no effect whatsoever in my experiences.

So the last 2 times it happened, I took a different approach (both times it was a Chihuahua, not a big dog, just to clarify - wouldn't do this with a bigger dog). My GSD was obeying my "leave it" command in both instances. I started calmly walking him slowly toward the little dogs, as if to pass by them. Both little dogs backed off. One hid under a car, the other took off, tail between its legs. We then turned around and walked the other way.

It was a much less chaotic scenario, and both dogs avoided being kicked or bit. Disclaimer here, I'm not ADVOCATING THIS! Use your common sense and your knowledge of your dog and the posturing of the little dog. Not all barking means an outright attack.

**Another important note: if your dog is a puppy, I wouldn't approach even a little barking annoying dog.

Another note: because of the calmness of the situation and the slowness of the walk, I didn't feel as if I was encouraging my GSD to become aggressive with the dogs. If anyone thinks aggression might become a result of what I did, I'd like to hear your input. I haven't seen any display of dog aggression in my GSD after doing this and it worked, but if anyone has other insights, please share.

Sandy, since Lear was acting calm and following your directions and not just making decisions on his own, I'm sure he'll be fine as a result of this.

The only problem I see with this is that what you were doing was forcing the little dogs to decide between fight and flight. In this case, they chose flight. But even little dogs can decide to fight and if they had decided to have a go at Lear, there might have been some bloodshed: Those little dogs are QUICK!

Good point about the fight or flight, Amber. I'll keep that in mind. I figure the slow pace of the walk is what made them retreat, as there was no rushing toward the little dogs. But like you say, they are very quick. Some could be brave enough to actually jump in for a bite.

I hate turning my back and my dog's back to a yappy critter as they're probably more likely to come in from behind and nip Lear's legs. That partly why I turned us both to face them and walk toward them. Working as a team . It was rather cool how it worked.

Adding that although Lear was calm, he was intent looking and alert. He was looking at them as we walked, not looking away.

Edited by Sandy Moore (07/18/2007 10:56 AM)
Edit reason: addition

Depending on where I am, our pup may be walking in HEEL or just somewhere on leash. BUT I am always looking around to see, who's ahead of us, who's behind us, who's approaching us.

If Buddy and I are walking in HEEL, then I just keep him there in HEEL if there are distractions approaching. If we are just on a leisurely exploring stroll, then I will call him back to me and put him into a sit, if there are distractions approaching.

I agree that the Body Language and Message are different when the dog is walking in HEEL with you. There is a "all business tone" to it, the dog is already near you, and so much easier to control. In fact, when in HEEL, most people just smile & nod, and don't try to approach or ask to pet our PUP. If I call him to me and put him into a SIT, typically the same response. However, if I let him continue on a longer leash (literally and figuritively), that is when people will approach him.

I can see the same scenerio with other dogs, being true as well.

The only LOOSE Dog I have encountered was out in the OUTSKIRTS of my city ... and I suppose that I should have expected that, since many people in the more rural areas, let their dogs run.

In the city, I have not seen or encountered a LOOSE Dog, Thank Goodness. Skunks, yes! Dogs, no! Luckily, Buddy just looked at the Skunk, and we let him mosey on his way.

Cheers!