Just had a fright with a loose dog...

[HeatherAda]

Very annoyed now i'm over the fright.

Taking our standard poodle to the vets (he has cataracts

) and it's a 15min walk so off we set. half way there and I spotted a stocky staff type thing across the road. So I'm immediately concerned as Billy (the poodle) takes absolutely no messing from other dogs if he's threatened.

thought we were going to sneak past on the other side of the road but it spotted us and came over. staff thing gets too close for comfort, Billy warns it to back off, cue lots of growling. (from both of them to be fair). staff thing starts snarling so my dog gets cross and then I had to rush in to a random garden and close a gate just before it was going to get nasty.

i was very frightened. then i'm stuck in a garden with the nasty little thing on the other side of the gate trying to get in. I had to phone my dad to come and rescue us.

it was really scary. after a while it lost interest and went off but then i felt stuck in the garden as i didn't know if it would come back.

if i see someone with it again i swear i'll tear a strip off them. must calm down. sorry to rant, but genuinely frightening experience. I'd have been gutted if i'd had my pup with my and she'd have had a fright too.

p.s. not blaming the breed or anything like that just annoyed that it was loose.

 

[WelshRareBit]

It could have been an accident, so please be open to a reasonable excuse from the owner!

Still very scary for you and your dog. Hope you both get over your shock!

 

[HeatherAda]

yes, i know. just the initial fright has got me angry.

 

[CAYLA]

I don't blame u one bit....when I was younger I used to do the same with my whippets to protect them.....now I have big breeds..akita, rotti....not many dogs choose to pick a fight...but if one breaks out it not a nice situation to be in or to watch your dog being attacked and injured esp by something that can cause more damage.
It is a good job u where so quick to think really.....I don't mess about esp....if I dont have my bigger dogs and my whippeys are in danger of being bitten...the dog will taste the end of my foot

 

[prose]

Very happy to hear that nothing came of it. I carry a spare leash with us when we walk, and sometimes pepper spray, in the event of a dog kicking off with Stells. There was a time when I didn't take those precautions, though...

Last year, we were walking through a small park in a slightly iffy area, when a loose Pit Bull in one of those studded harnesses sprints toward us. There was no-one around, and nowhere safe to put Stella. I panicked, yanked Stella off the floor, and put her against my chest. Luckily, the dog was a waggy softie; it licked Stella's foot, before bounding off with its teenage owner (who was somewhat late on the scene

). My heart didn't stop racing for about an hour afterwards.

 

[Blythebeck]

Oh know that one. Walking my pup past a driveway and a huge rottie came dashing down towards me barking. I instinctively acted, right or wrong, and held my arm up and shouted at it to go home. It surprised it so much, that it turned around and ran back. It could of been a lot worse.

 

[HeatherAda]

yeah we got off lightly... and Billy is a big dog. although not quite as big as a rotti of course! don't be fooled by the curly hair. he'd definitely able to put up a good fight at protecting himself and me, but thinking about it now if i'd have had a child with me and it had got nasty... what then?

all's well that ends well I suppose, but dogs that are likely to get nasty like that should be under lock and key. accidents happen I know but had either of us been hurt it wouldn't be a good enough excuse for me.