A dog attack|
April 22, 2011
Below is an account sent to me of a nasty incident when one of my clients was out with her dog. This experience is made even worse by the fact my client wishes to remain anonymous as she is afraid that the dog owner may be dubious enough in character to pursue her, plus the police are taking action. I look forward to hearing your comments?
I have written a summary of what happened to my dog and I a few weeks ago just to make you aware that there are dangerous dogs running about off lead and that you need to take care. I cannot mention too many details for legal reasons but I hope that it is enough for you to understand that you need to be aware.
Whist out walking my little dog with a friend and her dog we decided to go to a local nature reserve as we thought that it would be nice for the dogs to investigate somewhere new ( I do not usually go to these places on my own as I have been previously worried by dogs running around off lead with owners nowhere to be seen). We had just entered the reserve with our dogs (both on leads) along a path which opens up to a large green space with trees and a pond. As we turned the corner my friend shouted good god and as I looked up I saw three large dogs running towards us with no owner to be seen, before I knew it the big dog went straight in and bit my little dog with no warning, she then yelped so I remembered very quickly what I had been told by Avril on a course which I had done last year. I immediately kicked the dog off and managed to pick up my little dog and put her under my arm all the time I was making growling noises as I thought that this would make him stop and go away. It didn’t he came straight for me, this was a very big dog biting at my arms and with his paws on my chest I can still see his face in mine. My friend was screaming at the owner who had just appeared to put his dogs on leads. I didn’t realise until later that the other two dogs had been scratching at my legs and trying to bite (my friend told me the next day) thank god that I didn’t know. I think that it all happened so quickly that I did manage to blank bits out) I found the evidence the next day on my legs. When the owner did eventually get them on leads he walk off. By this time I noticed that my little dog was bleeding and that I needed to get her to the vet immediately. It was not that far to walk and on the way the police came to hand and helped us. When I get to the vets my vet took her to be seen straight away as he was worried about the depth of her injuries. When they sat me down and took my jacket and jumper off they found that I had also been bitten I think that you are so shocked that you switch off and don’t feel a thing. I got away with just a tetanus injection by my little dog sustained a big bite to her back for which she had to have stitches and scratches to her body thankfully she did not have internal injuries which was the main worry. The vet told me that by picking her up I saved her life as this dog could have quite easily killed her. My dog has made a remarkable recovery thank god although I think that I will take a little longer to heal as the threat of something like this happening again is scary to say the least but like all experiences in life we learn from them and I hope that by telling you my story it will make you think and ultimately keep your precious dogs safe.
Another hard day at the office!
April 11, 2011
Another hard day at the office for me!
Does anyone else have trouble losing I.D. tags? It was only this week when I again found Pie’s tag on the floor yet again, that I actually stopped and gave the problem some thought! I searched the house and found a really strong-looking “twisty thing” , (I don’t even know what to call the bit that attached the tag to the collar?) I am really hoping this one might stay on a bit longer! Anyone got any good ideas for this?
The photo is of Paddy, a 2 year old West Highland White Terrier who has been deaf from birth, with me and Fiona at one of the Thursday groups, at last we have the right weather for dog training!
Many thanks to Jan for the following link to a great dog story!
I have spoken to Sue this week, Millie’s owner, and she is working on writing up what happened to them and she will be posting soon.
I have a major accident waiting to happen not far from where I live, in the shape of 4 Border Collies, they were going ballistic at their garden fence when I came past with a horse and carriage earlier in the week. The owner was out in the garden, in the process of replacing some fencing, fortunately they saw us coming, and wedged the panel in place and prevented the dogs escaping! The 4 dogs were barking and running the fence, in the dog’s heads they are chasing and attacking, there is no question this is the pack at work! The owner said, in an embarrassed way “they only make a noise”! well a noise they sure do make, but what the owner is not seeing is that if they did escape they will do far more!
I also know for a fact, if out on a lead these dogs will be aggressive to all the things they are barking and chasing in the comfort of their own gardens. 4 dogs racing up a down a fence, with the extra sound effects of them brushing and hitting the fence and bushes, is quite something for a horse to trust enough to pass or any other animal, I am glad I don’t need to walk past with my dogs. If these were your dogs would you want someone to point out the hazard?
Puppy news!
March 28, 2011
Betty dancing!
Thursday morning course of classes came to a fun end with a competition over a baby agility course! I spent most of the morning giggling as I watched my clients become competitive, obviously in the nicest possible way, but it did lead to some funny moments! We had a spare pair of hands for the older group for some action shots!
Harley and Rosie in the baby class are very much in love, sadly poor Lexie just got to look on as they didn’t seem to notice she was there! Harley played so gently with his little girlfriend!
I hope you appreciate Betty’s new trick, she dances round the kitchen now at feed time, sometimes it looks just like dancing, sometimes waving, on occasions she stays in a sit and waves her paws! I am hoping to get a command for all of those in timeJ it all started as a high five!
Marion and Sid
Georgie and Lara
Naomi and Nelly
Phil and Scruffs
Naomi and Nelly
I have sadly neglected the blog over the last 2 weeks, I have been busy at work but outside of work I have been creating a few little drama’s that have kept me really busy!! I usually keep this to dog training but I feel like sharing today:)
First I crashed my car, I know that no one hits anything in a car on purpose but I was totally stupid! I was in a car park at night, there were some boys playing football and in truth I was looking at them rather than where I was going, concerned that the ball may come my way and with it one of the children, bang I hit the lamp-post, I wasn’t going more than 10/15 miles an hour and you should have seen my poor car:( not good!
Since the holidays I have had 3 colds on the trot, yes 3 just as I was getting over one the next one started! I feel very uncomfortable in my work constantly blowing my nose, and yet that seems to be most of what has been happening since Christmas!
And just to add insult to injury when eating my tea, that I had cooked including the filleted salmon, I got a bone stuck in my throat! I have been eating fish for years and never have I had that happen before, but it was well and truly stuck! I won’t go into details but needless to say I did try to remove the bone! The next morning I was still suffering and rang the nurse, who recommended going to A and E, so off I went. 4 hours later, having had a camera down my throat, the bone was still hiding and I came home! I feel like my year so far has been a comedy of errors! Roll on February:)
In between my personal drama I noticed that spring is on the way and spring makes me smile :), there is a change in the air, the sap is rising, the birds are singing and the ducks are pairing up on the lake. I so love my home, the countryside gives me a constant source of entertainment, yesterday a Fox ran passed as I was getting dressed, a big red chap with black tips to his fur. I ran to another window but couldn’t see him, returned to dressing as he returned along his first path, hot on a scent and he spent a few minutes checking out the possibilities, giving me lots of time to watch him:)
This morning as I crossed the front paddock a Monk Jac deer shot out and ran along the fence, looking for an opening gave me precious moments to study her and to recall Pie and Betty, I was so pleased that Betty responded to me:)
It is very important to me that my dogs do not chase or harass the wild life. At this time of year coming into spring the deer could be pregnant, I would not want my dogs to cause her to abort. It is all too easy to forget that wildlife reproduce and if dogs chase them, there off spring is put in danger. I am not sure how anyone can let a dog think it is okay to chase deer and yet leave sheep alone, and I don’t recommend trying that one.
I am glad to hear some of the puppies at class are also managing to recall and not chase, keep it up!!!
And here are some of the new Puppy’s attending classes!!
Betty learns to get in the car all on her own!
January 10, 2011
Betty is fairly light so I haven’t felt the need to teach her to get in the car on her own, but I noticed this week that I was being a bit silly especially as she can jump like a stag when the fancy takes her! I think that she is the right age to learn now too, I worry about the soft joints on puppies up to about 8 months, from an agility training point 12 months is the youngest age I would start them, but for a heavier breed I would wait even longer! For jumping in the car eight months seems perfect, plus the weather on Sunday was great and I had a lovely time outside dog training for the first time in some weeks!
Teaching a dog to get in the car is no different to any other training exercise, correct help, food and repetition makes perfect! I had Betty on the lead and a pocketful of titbits. I began by showing Betty the food and threw a titbit into the boot of the car, she put her front feet up to look, but made no attempt to jump in, I put my hand under her bottom and gave her the minimal help, obviously once in she could eat the titbit, I praised her and asked her to get out again. I repeated this several times, still she made no attempt to lift herself, she needed a bit more of a clue! I moved away from the car and ran at the boot, as we arrived I gave a lift on her collar and she jumped in! We repeated this until I did not have to use the lead at all, each time I praised her and gave her a treat. I took her out in the car to train away from home, when we were ready to return she jumped in the car herself! Job done, as long as I put her in the car daily for a week or so to ensure she remembers!
While talking about cars, Betty travels in a crate, a soft one that is secured in the car, so that in the event of an emergency stop or worse, neither Betty or crate will hit me in the back of the head. Pie always wears a dog harness secured in the back to make him safe also. Please make sure your dog is secure in the car, I do not want to hear that one of them has caused anyone an injury nor been injured because they were travelling loose!
Betty is growing up! And a local dog walking warning!
November 27, 2010
It never ceases to amaze me watching a puppy grow, this week Betty had a day of going off her food, not just her food but treats as well! I know Annie (her breeder) won’t believe me:) she has been such a greedy puppy! The only tummy upset Betty has had is from over eating, which she has always been willing to do! She seems to have a cast iron stomach, never suffering from upsets from the rubbish all puppies eat. It has only lasted one day, Betty is back to normal now! But the day seem to mark a change in her, I wonder if her hormones have started to kick in, as she also seems since to show signs of more grown up behaviour. Last night she sat on my lap for more than an hour having cuddles, the longest she has done that since she would fall asleep on my lap as a baby! I think her first season cannot be too far away now, I am keeping her entire so that I can have some babies one day!
I would add that Betty would have eaten my food on that day, just not dog food, she wasn’t ill! Plus Betty at 7 months has done most of her growing now, which her dip in appetite confirms. In response I have reduced her meals slightly to fit her new appetite. I have seen clients who at this point in their puppies development, believing the puppy has gone off the food being fed, change the diet. Not a good plan as this can lead to the puppy starting to pick and choose what they eat, controlling their owner in this way is a signal that will have a negative affect on the relationship! A puppies appetite reflects how much they need, if fed a well-balanced food, low in salt and additives.
The same day she was off her food was also a bit traumatic for her:) Betty came out to help at the Thursday morning puppy class. We were discussing what to do if your puppy is approached by a scary dog, and I had Betty out to demonstrate how I would protect her, by getting her behind me and stamping my foot and shouting “no” and shooing the dog away. Betty had not seen me do this before and thought I was a bit scary! As we progressed with the class I moved a pole on the ground, as I lobbed it Betty ran under it so that the pole bounced off her head! I hastened to add it was light weight and did not injure her, but she did jump! A few minutes later I managed to tread on her! Poor Betty, what a bad morning! Betty was almost afraid to move for a while, and laid down every time I looked at her! Watching the class doing more fun things soon cheered her up though, I am pleased to say!
The reason we had been talking about unfriendly dogs is that a friend of mine had a very nasty experience with her dog. There is a Staffie that lives in Dunmow that has hospitalised 4 dogs that we know of (in Felstead), and last week her dear boy ended up with 2 wounds one of which is a foot long, and he was on lead! The attack would have killed a smaller dog. The owner jogs in Felstead on a Tuesday and Friday morning, and seems to have the dog off lead and not muzzled to date, despite the dogs history! He goes out early between 6.30 and 7.30am, I would imagine he goes out in Dunmow other mornings possibly. It is a brown Staffie called, Holly and wears a flashing collar . If you see them watch out! He must be reported until he, the owner, gets the message! Dogs that do this should not be allowed to live on and continue to terrorise us! It is not the dogs fault that she has got like this, but it is too late to change now! If you have any more information on this dog, please let me know?
I was conflicted about telling you about this Staffie, my heart goes out to the really responsible Staffie owners out there, especially my clients, who I know would be mortified if their dog even growled at another dog!
Avril Munson's Blog 