O.k. I had a situation this last weekend that I just need to get off my chest. I have three dobermans, the youngest, one year old, is in SchH training, the others are just well behaved pets. My husband and I were camping at a state park on the Oregon Coast. All of our dogs were on cables within our campsite. I noticed some new campers unloading about four sites from ours and they had four dogs, two large husky type, and two lab type. I remember sitting there watching them unpack and thinking to myself, when I noticed the dogs were not on leashes <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> , how long it would take them to come to our camp site. Well about 1/2 hour later the two big husky types starting coming our way. The lady (assume owner) starts calling for them to come back, but of course, they pay her no mind and in an instant the big male husky is on my youngest (and only intact male) attacking him. Meanwhile their other husky type dog gets into the mix as well as my seven year old female. My husband tries to break it up and I tell him to get out of it as he will only get hurt (which he did get bit by their male). Meanwhile the lady comes into our site trying to retrieve her dog. At this point I am pounding my finger into my hand saying...leashes! leashes! leashes!!!!!!!! That is why they have rules!!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> Anyway, her husband (I assume) is still in his campsite and is yelling at us that he had heard enough from us and to shut up, well my husband told him to keep his damn dogs in his own site then and the guy blew up and threw his beer (yes, they were drinking) and started up to our site. Well, I ended up nose to nose with the guy and he's yelling in my face. To make a long story shorter, we managed to get through it without any fist-ta-cuffs, but my parting words were... I just don't want my puppy attacked!

Now, here is the issue...we all know that when dogs get attacked like that they are more likely to do it to other dogs is the future. Also, my dog is at a crucial stage in his development when his confidence is starting to develop. I am very concerned what this will do to his psychee in the future. What does this board think this will do to him??

I also just don't understand people who feel like they don't have to follow the rules (they were from Canada to boot), when I always try to be respondsible with my pets. With all this breed legislation going around and people acting like this, it really has me fearful of the future for our pets. With people acting like this who knows what will happen.

Anyway, I just wanted to vent a little and get some input about how concerned I should be about what this may have done to my SchH dog.

Thanks, Lela

Carry pepper spray for off leash dogs AND their owners if needed. I hate this stuff. Everytime I get in my truck and drive a few miles I see a dog off leash. Those owners don't care. We have to care more about protecting our dogs than why they are not taking care of theirs.
I would socialize the dogs around safe dogs (on leash) to see if they are freaked out or not. Whether they are traumatized or not they need to be nuetral to other dogs.
Having a dog agressive dog is a major hassle. My seven month old is like this. I need to carry a tug to help him burn off the correction otherwise he gets more and more out of control. I haven't fried him yet. He seems alittle young for the level 10 electric correction that Ed advises. I'll let Bernhard straighten his ass out next month. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

There is only one way to correct aggression either to human or another dog. Leval 12 on a 1 to 10 scale. But I prefer the regular collar. As the e-collar tends to trigger them when they start to get aggressive and you hit them with it.
There are a lot of ways to correct problems. But onlt one way for aggression, and thats to put the fear of masdter in them.
Ron

hmmm. Lela, when I camp, I want neither beast nor man uninvited in my tent and site.
I go heavy, and in the back country, I wear it out for folks to see. People are quite polite. Quite simply, if someone's stray mutt attacked anything in my site, there would be no pooch for them to collect. I think maybe the dogs know this too. Check the local regs where you are camping-and be concerned for YOUR safety if you can't go armed.
Pepper spray probably more civilized down where the townie concentration is heavy-but lots of loose dogs and beer drinking rednecks doesn't sound like a hot spot for a campsite anyhow. Go higher.
And hey-just my opinion-one dog per adult on a camp trip makes everything nicer. better yet, one dog per trip. Easier to get one dog out of harm's way than three.

Hey Alex, What kind of REDNECKS come from CANADA?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Nothing worse then having to deal with dogs with no MANNERS except dog owners without any MANNERS.

Like others have posted: do what ever it takes to protect yourself and your K-9 companions. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Well, my husband was packing, but our licenses to carry are not legal in Oregon (we live in Washington State) and my concern there was he could have just as easily hit one of our pets. I really like the pepper spray idea, as even if you do get your own dog it isn't going to be life threatening. Also, you could always use it on the owners <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> I really like that idea!

Thanks for the input and I will probably have to do something to correct my dog if he starts acting overly aggressive to other dogs from now on. How old should a dog be before you start using a corrective collar?

Thanks, Lela

Lela,
I am sorry to hear that the camping thing went so bad...I hope your dog wasn't hurt. I would carry some heat(I have a Tauras Raging Bull-41 mag revolver) if you can't carry a gun think about a Tazer, Pepper Spray or maybe a Billy Club <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> I'd like to see that A$$holes face if you run into him again and are carrying any of the above-I doubt he will be so mouthy next time.
That's just my two cents <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I'm in total agreement with spraying that dog. As for the hillbillies next door, nothing here sounds like it rises to the level of a .45 ACP day(BTW, doesn't OR have reciprocity with WA?). Even so, given the draconian state of gun laws in Canada, he may have fainted at the sight of the thing...(OK, off topic and maybe mean, but I couldn't resist :rolleyes: ).

Aside from spray, I've also found that baseball bats and shovels (both common items while camping, thus not likely to draw the suspicion of park rangers) are extraordinarily persuasive tools in arguing with aggressive dogs (and/or the occasional recalcitrant owner). Besides, if he has to carry his dog back to his campsite, his hands will be busy. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

As for your dog, hard to say what effect, if any, this will have. I guess it would depend on the nature of the attack, and any damage sustained, etc. Watch him closely for changes in behavior, and nip any dog aggression in the bud immediately, as per the articles posted by Ed in teh Q/A section.

Good luck!

A great tool for both camp work and repelling the unwanted attention of both man or beast is a genuine GI issue folding entrenching tool from the Viet Nam era. Get the wooden handles version, avoid the new tri-folding type, they're wimpy. No laws against them, easy to carry and *very* useful.
Take said E-tool to your grinder and put an edge on one side, just axe sharp, it doesn't need to be sharp as a knife blade. You can use it to cut firewood, dig holes, clear brush, and if you're in the right place at the right time, earn the Congressional Medal of Honor by killing eleven enemy soldiers with said tool- at once. ( Ola Mize, 5th SFGA- a great commander and a fine soldier. God rest his soul )

Lela, where in WA are you, I'm in Spanaway? Dee Dee it's a Taser, Not tazar, the only reason I'm pointing this out is because my dog's name is Tazar (Tay-zar), and people are always calling him taser. Sorry about what happened to you Lela, I hope your dog is ok.