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sixx

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Today my pups were attacked. A huge german shepherd came charging at us and started biting my dogs, including my new baby pup. It was so traumatic! Seek peed herself. I grabbed my pups and hovered over them, I'd rather get bit. I was screaming over and over for the owner to put him on a leash. Finally the owner stunned the dog with some zapper collar and the dog laid down. We were in front of a store. The lady who owned the store opened the door real quick and had us come into safety. I was so freaked out I was crying. I examined the pups as best I could at that moment. The guy came into the store, his dog outside by itself??? :blink: :blink: :blink: He said his dog had been attacked a couple of months ago and he was trying to get him through it. :blink: I still can't believe he didn't have him on a leash. Especially since he knew his dog was aggressive, hence the stun collar. People are such idiots! Then the man proceeded to say that if his dog was really biting them, that they would be bleeding. He said his dog was just telling my dogs that he's in charge.

 

After all settled down, I took the pups to my friends work, where there is a nice dog. I didn't want Cedar to be afraid of dogs, and wanted it to end positive. Cedar was very happy to see the friendly dog and they played. She didn't seemed fazed. Seek on the other hand is getting more and more afraid of dogs. This is the 4th time she's been attacked this year. Three of them being pitbulls. She is absolutely terrified of pitbulls an tries to get away from them.

 

Then I went and bought Bear Spray. As I was leaving, I saw the man and his German Shepherd in the parking lot. The dog was still off leash!!

 

I filed a report with animal control. Hopefully no one else gets hurt.

 

Now Seek is being really submissive. Any advice on what to do? I was thinking of taking her to do agility to build up her confidence.

 

Thanks for reading, I needed to vent.

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I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you! I've gone through exactly the same thing with one of my own dogs (attacked multiple times and hurt once by accident by an overly exuberant dog).

 

I went through hell with him after he had a total breakdown. As far as he was concerned the sky was falling and the world was out to get him! It became clear very quickly he had PTSD after the last attack. To this day he is not normal, but at least he is off all meds (after being on them for 2.5 years). He no longer goes out in public, ever (1 - because he is terrified and doesn't enjoy it and 2 - I don't want him to scare other people's dogs).

 

If I could go back and do it all over again I would have immediately (the day of the attack) put him on beta blockers to reduce his stress (fight or flight) response and try to prevent PTSD from even happening. That night he was already hiding in the bathtub, shaking in terror. He refused to go outside to use the bathroom for days and even now looks up to make sure nothing is going to get him. (The second time he was attacked he was laying down next to me. The other dog came from behind, jumping on top of him so quickly he didn't have time to react. As far as he is concerned, vicious dogs rain from the sky!)

 

My advice would be to talk to a board certified behaviorist NOW. Also, line up friends with calm, quiet, respectful dogs that Seek enjoys being around. Go and visit those dogs in a safe place, like a fenced yard, as much as possible so that she only associates other dogs with good emotions. Also, every time she sees another dog, talk to her in a happy voice and feed her extra special treats. This will associate a good feeling with the sight of other dogs.

 

Do pursue the other dog owner. Make sure he understands that he has no right to put your dog in danger in order to train his own. Also give him the name of a local board certified behaviorist so that he can learn using a shock collar on a fear aggressive dog is REALLY stupid! No wonder his dog attacked yours if he was using a painful shock to supposedly train it to behave. Do you think you would like other dogs if every time you saw one you got a nasty shock?

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Do pursue the other dog owner. Make sure he understands that he has no right to put your dog in danger in order to train his own. Also give him the name of a local board certified behaviorist so that he can learn using a shock collar on a fear aggressive dog is REALLY stupid! No wonder his dog attacked yours if he was using a painful shock to supposedly train it to behave. Do you think you would like other dogs if every time you saw one you got a nasty shock?

Exactly! What a lunatic! The animal control is only giving him a slap on the wrist! Since an officer didn't witness it, he can't be fined. Even with multiple witnesses, sheesh! No wonder people never learn, no consequences :angry:

 

Thanks for your kindness. I'm sorry this has happened to you as well. Your story is a very sad one. I will re-socialize Seek with nice friendly dogs. Since I first posted this, Seek has been happily playing with Cedar. Her mood seems lifted... I sure do hope so.

 

Thanks again.

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I have a dog with fear issues, and work daily to make her confident that the world is okay. I cannot imagine what would happen to her if she went through what your dogs went through. Just wanted you to know that I am really sorry that this happened. I don't mind other dogs off leash. I expect them to be under the level of control that the owner can stop their forward progress on a dime - unfortunately many dog owners do not embrace this. Good luck with Seek and Cedar.

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Sorry this happened to you and your dogs :( This is my biggest concern with my dogs and especially Chase who tends to be fearful anyway. I am constantly scanning my environment when I am with my dogs because these type of people are everywhere. I think I am overly cautious but I feel I don't want to take any chances of anything traumatic happening to Chase. I also have been on the other end with a GSD who could be naughty when he thought he could get away with it. I was always on my toes and kept him under my thumb so to speak because I was not going to let my GSD be one who fed into the bad reputation some people have of that breed.

No excuse for that GSD to have been off lead. I just don't understand some people.

Hope all will be okay with your dogs, and you.

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If there were witnesses, I think that you could use a civil court to get the dog's owner to pay for medical and behavioral help for your dogs. If your town has a leash law, that dog was in violation. If you have witnesses, you have proof. And having to cover the bills will make more of an impression that the usual $10 fine.

 

I sure know about the "if we didn't see it we can't charge them" mentality. I was driving a VW van on a main road and was slammed in the side by a guy in a pick-up who ignored the stop sign on his side street. The town police had that same line. Luckily, his insurance company looked at the details and decided that he was totally at fault.

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If there were witnesses, I think that you could use a civil court to get the dog's owner to pay for medical and behavioral help for your dogs. If your town has a leash law, that dog was in violation. If you have witnesses, you have proof. And having to cover the bills will make more of an impression that the usual $10 fine.

 

I sure know about the "if we didn't see it we can't charge them" mentality. I was driving a VW van on a main road and was slammed in the side by a guy in a pick-up who ignored the stop sign on his side street. The town police had that same line. Luckily, his insurance company looked at the details and decided that he was totally at fault.

 

There were witnesses and a leash law. The leash law is $80 I think. I'm going to see how Seek feels the rest of the week. She has been really tired today, very traumatic for her.

I am just shocked to have seen this guy 20 minutes later with his dog still off leash. Poor dog to be treated negatively with a shock collar. The guy doesn't get it, isn't interested in a solution to the problem, just wants a quick fix. As others have said, that would just make the dog more afraid and aggressive.

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