When you have a little dog that takes anti-anxiety medication and has a fear of many large dogs, you tend to be careful about where and how you walk him. At least I am. Last week we had a very scary incident that could have led to dog aggression just as we were finishing a relaxing, leisurely walk along a beautiful, rolling residential street. We were maybe 500 feet or so from my car when we passed a home with two large dogs behind the fence in their yard. I was feeling really good as I looked down to see Dawson having a relaxed body, no tension on the leash, as we moved toward my car. Suddenly, those two dogs were upon us. They had jumped their fence. This story could very well have ended much, much worse than it did had I responded differently. I want to share this with you in hopes that it may be helpful to you, if, on a walk, you encounter large, off-leash dogs whose arousal is raising as they are laser focused on your reacting dog.
Time stood still in those brief seconds when I tried to keep the situation under control. I took deep breaths. I saw kids playing in a driveway near my car. As I was taught by international dog aggression expert Michael Shikashio, CDBC, with AggressiveDog.com, I put my body between Dawson and the two loose dogs (one of which wore a collar and one that did not). I always carry high value treats in my waist pouch and that morning I had pieces of cooked chicken. I grabbed a handful to throw at the dogs but they paid no attention.
Their sole focus was on my little white buddy and their eyes were locked on him. Their bodies became more tense. Their heads lowered. “Calm Lisa, stay calm,” I kept telling myself.
Then, in a split second, Dawson erupted into a snarl and lunge.
That second could very well have been an end to my little friend. Or it could have meant some very serious, life changing injuries and trauma. The large dogs now clearly meant business. Stalking over, they were going to go for their target. There was no more time for calm, deep breaths. My heart was racing.
I screamed, “Get your dogs!”
If you have ever been in a situation like this, you know, you are incapable of thinking clearly. You are in survival mode. This is why you need to prepare in advance. This is why I ask lots of questions, why I take classes.
In that moment, a mother and daughter came running from the dogs’ house. They were yelling at their dogs. The tension had skyrocketed. Their dogs evaded their attempts to grab them (remember one dog did not have a collar).
I looked around the environment. Mike taught me to look for a barrier where you can put your small dog, a place of safety. Behind me was about 5 feet tall garden fencing circled around a sapling tree. I grabbed Dawson and dropped him over the top. He landed. No longer did he have a need to snarl and lunge. He began sniffing the grass. He was safe.
Immediately the tension dropped. The large dogs were still stiff, their heart rates still not back to normal but their razor focus on Dawson was gone. The mother was able to get a hold of the collared dog and the daughter laid on top of the other dog to hold it down until her mom could go inside and bring out a collar and leash.
After both dogs were inside, the mother lifted her daughter into the penned area to get Dawson out. He and I were still very much shaken but thankfully there were no physical injuries from the incident. I gave Dawson a little extra meds when we got home and kept him inside the rest of the day (except potty breaks).
I shudder to think what could have happened if that sapling was not behind us.
Someone questioned me about why I did not pick Dawson up. Mike taught me that move could have put Dawson AND me in much greater danger. I remember in my online mentorship program with Mike, his showing us a news clip of an incident when a mother responded to two large dogs running to her infant. She picked up her infant and the dogs’ arousal and focus intensified. From what I remember, the dogs seriously maimed her and her infant. The news story was about a ‘dog attack’.
As I began writing this, I reached out to Mike to talk with him about what happened on my walk. I asked him to share why he teaches that the instinct of picking up a little dog (or human infant) is not a good idea. “Picking up a small dog in an attempt to shield it away from large dogs can quickly become dangerous as the small dog can suddenly become much more interesting to the large dogs. Much like we might entice a dog to jump up and grab a toy, tug, or flirt pole by “adding movement” to those objects, picking up a small dog can produce the same effect.
In some cases, the large dogs will bite at the arms of the person holding the small dog which can result in severe injuries, and that person eventually dropping their dog,” he told me.
My car was a distance away. I was considering, if it had been closer, if it would have been a good idea to put Dawson on the roof. “Yes, putting Dawson on the roof of your car can be a great way to keep him safe, provided the large dogs aren’t good at ‘climbing.’
There is of course unfortunately no way to determine if a dog can climb a car, though it is still a better option than picking up and holding a small dog. (If one is near their own car, it might be worth trying to open a door and quickly putting the small dog in the car.),” Mike said.
So, in my case, there really was no other good option for a safe haven to place Dawson.
I used to carry Spray Shield (citronella spray) on my belt when I was in my neighborhood with Dawson but I’ve gotten lax. It is still in my car but I had not worn it on my belt in a very long time. It is now back on my belt any time I take Dawson onto my street or out and about. (NOTE: If you carry it, practice using it in advance. The spray will be unpleasant on you and your dog too!)
I also have a small air horn that could be used if necessary although that would really scare Dawson too.
“Another technique for emergency scenarios is to use the leash as a “windmill” by removing the small dog’s leash. This is where you would swing the dog’s leash around in fast circles to potentially ward off the large dogs (contact may need to be made). It is also one technique where picking up a small dog underneath one arm and swinging the leash with the other arm as you slowly back away can work,” said Mike.
I want to mention that every situation is different. There is no guarantee that any of these strategies will prevent an off leash dog attack but the more options you have, there better chance you and your dog have of walking away safely.
If you are the owner of a dog you allow off leash in your neighborhood, I ask that you reconsider. There are so many dogs like my Dawson who, when approached, can respond in a way to cause your dog to heighten his arousal too into danger. Or it could be that your dog already has a tendency to chase or hunt little animals, or react by growling or worse. And the damage done to the little dog can potentially be irreparable emotionally and physically.
