Dog been attacked :(

[Dizzydancer]

My 7month old lab has been attacked tonight by 2 dogs, she has a few puncture wounds which just need to be monitored as 2 are around her elbow joint. (She has been to vets for check up and given anti biotics etc). She ran for home but thankfully my husband got to her just before the road (only a quiet cul de sac thankfully) but now I'm worried she will run off if she meets other dogs again and the road worries me- we will go in twos initially and one will say at field entrance so she can't get to road.

Just worried now she will be scared of other dogs, she is fine with my other lab but obv that's in the garden. She is lame currently so can't walk at mo which I worry is just going to make it worse as she won't get to meet other dogs for a few days and may feed into her anxiety (if she has any)
Any tips from anyone about what to do to help her and try and stop her being scared?
Should I get some friendly dogs round to our house and not let them play but atleast see others and sniff etc? Will the fact she can't go out make it worse or am I over humanising things?

 

[Moobli]

Sorry to hear your poor dog was attacked. Did the owner(s) of the other dogs give their details? They should be paying for your dog's vet treatment (assuming it was an unprovoked attack).

I would allow your own dog time to recover from her injuries initially and then try meeting friends who have friendly (but not overly bouncy) dogs to meet you for walks, keep dogs on leads unless in a secure area so no chance of yours running home and don't force them to interact, but just walk together. If your dog was friendly to other dogs before she was attacked it is likely that one bad encounter will not colour her view of all other dogs, but it is wise to make sure her next few encounters at least are non-confrontational and relaxed.

It is infuriating when something like this happens. My dog is social to other dogs but I always pop him on a lead or ask him to heel when we pass strange dogs and even more so if the other dog is on lead.

I do hope your poor girl bounces back from this incident.

 

[Dizzydancer]

Thanks- Yes unprovoked they were all just running about in large field coming up two seperate paths that meet in a corner- mine is naturally very submissive and stops a distance away and crouches/rolls over til the other dog comes up to her.
We have met these dogs before a couple of times but only with our other lab but he is anti social (not nasty but doesn't socialise lol) and gives all dogs a wide birth so never had an issue. The owner was very apologetic and even came and found our house after putting her dogs back in her garden and yes she will be paying the vet bill.

That's a good idea I have a few friends lined up with friendly dogs so will defo do that and just put her on long line so she can choose what to do and will take her to dog trainers place with secure field to let them off first time once she is better.

Thanks for your advice! Never had to deal with this before thankfully!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I bloody hate owners who let their dogs run loose knowing they're likely to attack. Mines a git for other dogs and I'm so flipping careful being attacked turned him aggressive, I'm sure.

My suggestion is get her walking with other dogs and as many as you can so she doesn't become fearful. Walk on a lead, try to have her loose with nice dogs too. With luck, she won't become fear aggressive like mine! Two of mine are fine, even the littermate to my naughty one. Some dogs can take an attack and not hold a grudge forever more.

 

[deb_l222]

As GSD had said, try not to over think it too much. Your dog will move on from the incident quicker than you think but your future reactions to other dogs need to be the same as they've always been, basically as if nothing has happened.

It's an awful thing to witness, especially as she's got hurt and it's a shame you can't get out and about again straight away so the idea of a friendly doggy garden party sounds ideal.

Only time one of mine was seriously attacked by another dog (bloomin Akita), it didn't change his attitude to other dogs in the slightest. He still adored doggy company. Hated people but that's another story for another time ha ha.

Hope she recovers quickly and the memory fades from your head soon - it's not nice is it.

 

[Dizzydancer]

Thanks guys.
No it isn't nice, CT that is my worry about the fear aggression! She is a big softy so I'm hoping nothing changes but if anything she may just be more wary and not greet dogs so eagerly but not be aggressive- only time will tell.
It was 2 Staffies which attacked her- I am not in the slightest against Staffies but obv they have such a powerful bite I'm still worried she may have more damage to structures than is obvious currently so she will be back to vets at the first sign of any change.

 

[AmyMay]

My little Daisy has been attacked twice. Thankfully there have been absolutely no lasting affects on her at all.

I did as GSD has suggested and met uthe next day with a friend and her dogs, which Daisy already new and all was fine.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

My last dog was attacked-I got him out and about asap with known friendly dogs and he was mostly fine but a little wary of very large dogs afterwards (he was an Irish setter so not small himself-he was attacked by an enormous GSD).

 

[Clodagh]

I hope she is OK today, poor little mite and it must have terrifying for you both too.

 

[splashgirl45]

my collie cross was attacked and bitten quite badly by a choc lab. my 2 were on the lead as we had just crossed the road and the lab ran up to us , owner said she isnt good with other dogs and the bloomin dog then attacked mine. the owner just stood there and i kicked it off mine and i was so angry i did swear at the owner.. she did pay the vet bill and my dog was a bit wary of larger dogs for a while but i just carried on walking her in my normal places off lead so she could interact with other dogs...i must admit i found it quite scary as i was worried she would react badly but she has been fine....

 

[Dizzydancer]

Well she is thankfully much better today, elbow quite swollen but she is now walking properly.

Took her upto the field it happened in this morning with a friend and her two dogs and she seems ok, a little bit clingy compared to normal but not scared as such, she also met a couple of other dogs out walking which she didn't go upto as I told her not to but she just trotted past happy enough so hopefully no lasting psychological effects

 

[wren123]

Glad she is feeling better today.

Our old labrador was subject to quite an extended attack and it didn't put her off other dogs. Did me though!

 

[Jingleballs]

My lurcher was attacked by another dog in May - she had surgery to stitch the muscle back together - it was just above her shoulder.

She has always been a reactive dog - not agressive just reactive and is actually fine with other dogs but in the days following the attack she was nervous and even more reactive - she chased off some dogs which she usually plays well with and was quite subdued during her first few group dog walks (she's walked with a group 3 times a week).

I'd say within a month at most she is back to normal - still likes to bark and lunge at some other dogs when on the lead but will happily run about with other dogs and isn't immediately defensive and will play with other dogs.

I'm sure your dog will be the same - hope she heals quickly!

 

[Copperpot]

My youngest terrier was attacked a few weeks ago. Large Lurcher picked him up and threw him. Then ran over and pinned him and started biting him. We got the big dog off and no actual damage done. However since then he's been a little git with other dogs. Getting in there first. He's ok with dogs he has met previously but strange dogs he's got funny with. I'm upset as he was such a friendly little boy, mixed well with all dogs 😞

 

[Dizzydancer]

Oh no copper pot that's horrible hopefully he will settle again and be friendly.
Mine seems to be ok physically now wounds and swelling looking good. Trying to get her seeing dogs out and about she met 2 lots today (first ones in same field as attack and dogs she knows) she was ok just ignored them really and stayed close to me not sniffing or interacting, the 2nd she just froze in the field until he came right up to her -( it was a dog she had only met once before a long while back up at the stables) and then rolled over crying even tho he hadn't touched her.

Going to arrange a few 'role play' walks with super friendly dogs to try and get her over it in next week or so in lots of different places

 

[Clodagh]

Remember DD to be completely relaxed yourself. Don't encourage her to interact, just ignore her and chat to the other dog owners.

 

[Brownmare]

I'm shocked at the number of people who are saying their dogs have been attacked, it seems much more common than I thought! I am lucky in that it is only when we go to the beach that we meet other dogs out walking and even then we have had no problems. Do people not socialise their pups any more or is it that the dogs are picking up on the owners insecurities / nerves / whatever and trying to protect them?

OP I hope your dog is back to normal soon with no lasting ill effects x

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I'm shocked at the number of people who are saying their dogs have been attacked, it seems much more common than I thought! I am lucky in that it is only when we go to the beach that we meet other dogs out walking and even then we have had no problems. Do people not socialise their pups any more or is it that the dogs are picking up on the owners insecurities / nerves / whatever and trying to protect them?

In my case a known aggressive dog slipped its halti to come after mine while I was walking outside work with my very well socialised setter on a lead. glad to say the bloody thing was PTS some time later and not before time. The security guards that helped me kick the dog away still talk about it and it was about 8 years ago.

I hope OP's dog goes back to her normal self. Mine was just slightly less ebullient with strange large dogs after and didn't like dogs head butting his belly in play-he would just remove himself from the situation though and wasn't reactive.

I have to say that I've recently been socialising my pup at a local park and we've met everything from malamute to chi's in dresses and everything has been well behaved or on a lead if owner in doubt-all the other owners I've met have been great too.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

This seems to be getting a problem at the moment, my MIL'S dog was bitten by a staffy whilst both were on leads. She ended up having to be put under anaesthetic to be stitched and £200 vet bill. The owner of the staffy walked off. It worries me that there are dogs like this, I know one of mine could be aggressive towards some other dogs especially huskies for some reason so I am really careful with her. Why owners are not aware of their own dogs personalities and treat them properly is beyond me. Hope your dog will be ok OP, best now to socialise with lots of friendly, playful dogs to gain the confidence back.

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Maybe it's because I'm frequently off and tend to go to popular places, but mine have all been attacked. There was a hugely aggressive lab that always went for Jake, I wasn't sorry to hear he'd died recently. Then a nasty springer also went for Jake, who was ridiculously submissive. Three different staffs attacked mine within one week. A weimerarmer attacked all three of mine in turn while I screamed at the owner and tried to hold onto Zak who would have killed it.

I haven't had anything recently, unfortunately Zak went for a massive lab that approached him but got as good as he gave, served him right.

I think it's very common. A staff attacked and caused £2000's worth of damage to a chi in our local park, a greyhound killed a small dog, a mastiff type killed a greyhound here a couple of years ago. A bloke up the road had his staff and mastiff removed. It's a very urban area.

 

[Crugeran Celt]

Cinnamontoast that is mad, only once I have had one of mine attacked it was many years ago when a dalmatian attacked my black lab who completely lost the plot and had the dalmatian running back to its screaming owner with it's tail between it's legs. My dog came straight back the moment I called him, his recall was always excellent. I now have a springer x collie who has a real issue with huskies, greyhounds and old English sheepdogs but I am fully aware of how she is and she is very well behaved so the moment I see another dog she is called back and walks to heel. She is never on a lead but she has never attacked another dog. I just don't understand why anyone has a dog they cannot control, mad.

 

[sarah.oxford]

My SBT was attacked a few years ago, more than once. Different dog/s, locations and situations (only once was he off lead)
He is absolutely not aggressive whether on the lead or off it, but predictably, due to bad media coverage, I suspect, as well as the breed having rather a lot of owners of the 'non-responsible' variety, my dog was to blame on EVERY occasion (according to the owners of the dogs that bit him).
The first occasion really scared me, as I was walking alone (these days I almost always walk with a friend). I had only just set off in a local country park/ancient woodland, and Mason was on the lead as we were near the car park and just as I was going to release him I saw a family approaching with a couple of little kids and 2 yorkie types, and I thought I'd keep hold of mine till they had gone as Mason adores kids, but not all kids want 'staffie kisses' - he can be a bit enthusiastic in this department, and also I know that some people with tiny dogs panic when a SBT is off lead, so we let them all past and walked on a bit, and I was just about to unclip the lead when whoosh, out of nowhere, it seemed at the time, came a black male labrador, hackles up and teeth bared, followed by two obese boxer boys, that were owned by a two men and a woman who were coming towards me at a snails pace.
The lab leapt onto Mason, the boxers piled in on top, I pulled Mason out from underneath, this was repeated several times before the lab owner finally got hold of his dog at which point the boxers wandered off. The lab was desperately trying to get back to Mason, even though I had turned him away from it to avoid any eye-balling.
Although my dog hadn't been bitten, it was not a nice experience for either of us, and it was made worse when the owner of the labrador told me it was my fault for having my dog on a lead, as his dog wouldn't have done anything if my dog had been off lead (apparently!!!). He really didn't see a problem, as there was no injuries and he had the sort of arrogant calmness about him that I now know was because he had been in the situation several times before.
My concern was exactly the same as the OP - that my friendly, tolerant dog would become aggressive through fear as a result of this experience. As I said before, he was uninjured but extremely wet from slobber as well as being a bit stunned by it all, but I was able to try to undo any psychological damage straight away. I contacted a dog walker friend who always seems to have labs with her, and I arranged to meet her for a walk the following morning. We repeated this as often as possible for quite a while, and I was aware that this was as much for my benefit as it was for Mason's benefit, but my tactic was to literally surround him with friendly labradors so he didn't develop breed associated negative feelings.
Whether it was as a result of my efforts or because Mason had enough good experiences beforehand and a calm balanced sensible head on him, that meant he was able to 'move on' and not develop issues, I have no idea, I suspect the latter but it sure as hell made me feel better, as I was doing everything I could think of.
Mason is nearly 11 now, and has had dogs attack him since, but he has never retaliated, even when he has been bitten and his temperament is as good as it's always been. I am aware that most dogs would not be as bombproof as he is, after one or more aggressive encounters with other dogs (whatever their breed), and I am very lucky.
The way I saw it at the time was that there are rather a lot of labradors around, and if I had to avoid them all, life was going to be tricky.. I also have a lot of people who own dogs that lunge towards mine, or growl at mine, that the reason for the behaviour is that their dog was attacked by a staffie (therefore they are implying that it is ok for their dog to snap in my dog's face). It is understandable for a dog to behave this way, but in my mind the owners should manage the behaviour better, so it doesn't keep happening. I didn't want to turn into one of these owners, and think it fairly likely that if my SBT HAD started being aggressive towards labradors, even on the lead, and I said that he'd been frightened by a lab, that it would probably not be accepted quite as well, lol !
Someone else on this thread mentioned keeping yourself calm and not tensing up yourself when another dog approaches is very important and I think it REALLY does matter, as our dogs pick up on how we feel far quicker than we sometimes realise. We need to all be aware and notice the body language of our own dogs and other dogs in order to prevent negative events, and prioritise this over feelings about breeds. Easier said than done I know, and sometimes things happen too quickly to allow us to react appropriately and avoid undesired events but it is what I aim to achieve, probably erring very much on the side of caution these days. I like to walk where I can see people dogs approaching from further away now, after the 5 puncture wounds Mason got from the GSD, but that's another story and I have said far too much already.
OP, I hope your dog has no long term issues, I'm sure that you will make sure the positive dog socialisation events will far outweigh any of the less enjoyable kind, and you will be able to pass on your calmness to your dog by not allowing this to get to you too much.

 

[Copperpot]

I tend to walk out of the way places now as get a bit sick of it tbh. I have a large staffy X who isn't great with all dogs but loves small dogs and all females. If I see another dog,he goes on the lead. The amount of people who let their dogs run up and jump on him, try to dominate him etc. We have a lady with a parsons russell in our cul de sac. That always attacks our dogs. Luckily they see it off but it's annoying and has bitten me when I was intervening. She blames me as I had my dogs on a lead. I don't mind a little scuffle, hand bags type stuff but I don't want my dogs to think fighting on a walk is the norm.