Don’t Worry, He Won’t Bite
Stuff I hate March 17th, 2008
Now that the weather is getting warmer here in Pa., my sister Marlene and I have begun walking 30-45 minutes a day after work. We weave our way through her neighborhood, happy in the knowledge that spring is right around the corner and that we’re so dedicated to our exercise routine. We’ll be hotties by May, I’m sure of it.
Our walks are always pleasant and uneventful. But last Thursday was different. As we passed a random house, I heard a dog barking nearby and glanced over to find an unleashed one running straight towards me. I prayed there was an invisible fence that would stop it in its tracks. No such luck. He ran out into the street, right up to my knees and thought to himself “Do I take a bite out of the left leg or the right?”
I screamed immediately and Marlene grabbed my hand and pulled hard. “Come over here! Hurry!” My heart was already racing from our aerobic walking, but it was beating even faster at the prospect of having to fend off this creature. Its owners called to it, but it did not respond.
Marlene yanked me along and I never looked back. And then I almost started to cry. Still shaking a block away, I lectured to no one in particular that dog owners need to leash their dogs. Yes, I know most of the time dogs are fuzzy-wuzzy puppy wuppies, but you can never really predict how they’ll act in every situation.
I’m afraid of a lot of strange things, but my fear of dogs is not without reason. When I was a kid we lived near a couple who owned a German Shepherd we’ll call Satan. Our backyards faced each other, split by a small alley. Whenever they couple would come home from somewhere, the dog would freely jump out of the car and start barking at everything. He was as nasty as they come, but its owners loved him. “Oh, he won’t bite,” they would always say.
One day while sledding down the Ice Hill of Death, I made the mistake of heading down just as they were coming home. My timing couldn’t have been worse. Their car door flew open and out came Satan.
All I remember was “Uh-oh. This isn’t good.” I was completely prone. Laying on my back and unable to stop the sled, it wasn’t long before I was met by a face full of glistening, razor-sharp teeth. I’m shaking as I write this. I never felt as defenseless before or since.
I remember screaming as Satan lined up his jaw, ready to take that first succulent bite of me. He went right for the head. Because I was shielding my face with my arm, that was all he could manage to sink his teeth into. Luckily, I was wearing a very thick coat and his teeth only got as far as the inner lining. Thank God for small miracles.
The woman yelled “Oh, it’s OK. You’re OK.” Um, no. I’m not OK. Your dog’s trying to eat my face and would you kindly get him off me? Her husband managed to break things up and I hightailed to my house, tears freezing to my face.
When I got my coat off and showed my parents my arm, we were all relieved there was no blood. He hadn’t punctured the skin, but there were rows of swollen red marks where a clamped jaw had just been. My peace-loving parents contemplated the rest of the night whether they should press charges against the owners, since it could have been much worse and I was still such a mess afterward.
They ultimately decided against it and everyone went on their merry, separate ways. Our families never spoke again, though a few evil eyes were exchanged over the years.
No, I wasn’t seriously hurt and I’m thankful for that. But some thirty years later, I still remember what that bite felt like and I’ll always be fearful of strange dogs, except ridiculously tiny ones that I can swat away like gnats. It’s the big ones that do me in every time. Thanks, Satan. Thanks a lot.
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March 17th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I wish I knew what you mean, but I don’t. Well, I kinda do (yet still don’t). You see, right now I own the most mellow dog in the history of dogs. She’s a yellow lab…close to ten years old. You couldn’t tell, though, that she’s getting old by her degree of activity. She has none. Exercise, for her, is to walk to the food dish, eat, then return to her pillow.
What’s worse, she’s afraid of our cat. We have a two year old Tonkinese named “Boo.” Not Boo, as in Halloween; Boo as in “Monsters Inc.” Boo was the clear favorite when we named her. My choice was “Joan Rivers.” My kids didn’t get the joke. My wife did, but still put a stop to my cat naming stupidity. Boo bites Nala, the Lab, at least twice a day. All you hear is a yelp and a scamper (THAT’S Nala’s real exercise). I keep telling Nala that she can bite Boo’s head off, if she likes. Here’s hoping (after all, Boo bit first)!
Back to the dogs. There were a pair of standard size dachhunds around the corner from my dad’s bake shop when I was a kid. They were the loudest, nastiest, dogs I have ever met. I HATED them. The never did anything to me, but they wanted to…since when I was four or five I was almost as short as them.
Now, I love dachsies. I want another one, but I can’t…if I did get one the Lab would have a coronary. We don’t want that.
March 17th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Ah unfortunately I hear this story all too often. I can understand your feelings and I am sorry about that.
I am actually amazed I am not afraid of dogs; when I was little a German Shepard jumped up on top of me and knocked me down. I don’t think it was being mean, rather trying to play… regardless, I was scared.
Come to think of it, not only am I not afraid of German Shepards, I married one (no, not the dog… my hubby is German and he used to have a sheep ranch!)
It’s the owners who are at fault for misbehaving pets; I wish your parents HAD confronted your neighbors… they needed to realize they weren’t handling their responsibility well.
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March 17th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
My suggestion would be to carry a stout walking stick when you go on walks and have something to defend yourself with if something like this happens again.
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March 18th, 2008 at 3:55 am
Nah, Pepper-Spray him ! Works on bears too !
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March 18th, 2008 at 4:22 am
Dogs should be restrained at all times either behind a fence or on a lead. It is not inhumane for a dog to be on a lead and not running off lead and out of control.
Dog owners have a huge responsibility to control their dogs and make sure that they are trained to be friendly towards people. It is not acceptable for a dog to be in any way aggressive towards someone.
I hate owners that say “Don’t worry, he won’t bite”. I can’t tell how many times I have been bitten by dogs whose owners have said those infamous words.
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March 18th, 2008 at 5:11 am
I wish the situation had been handled differently for you when you were young.
I have 2 big outside dogs that protect my 26 acres. The Ups and Fed Ex men always carry dog treats. Maybe you should put some milk bones in your pocket for the next walk…
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March 18th, 2008 at 5:40 am
BabaBooey — I love the sound of your Lab! She’s just the right speed for me. And she hasn’t a mean bone in her body, obviously. I have a very funny image in my head of the dachshunds bothering you. Poor things. They have to make up in bark what they don’t have in height.
Maureen — Thanks for the sympathy. It’s frightening when a dog is bigger than you. The problem for me is when I don’t know the dog, so I have no comfort level. My sister’s Chow is a sweetheart and I’m familiar with her behaviors. If a dog has free access to strangers, it needs to be kept safely within boundaries. Love the remark about your “German shepherd.” Funny!
Libertine — That’s a smart idea. I guess I just wouldn’t think I’d need that in a residential neighborhood. Out on a hiking trail, yes. Among houses, not so much. We see many, many other dogs on our walks. They’re in fenced yards or on leashes. My favorite is the cute Schnauzer on a leash who gets excited when we walk by. I’m totally OK with that little guy.
Jaffer — This summer, we’ll probably be doing a route we like along a river. It’s secluded, so we should have pepper spray or one of those blaring alarm thingies. Can’t be too careful.
Riayn — One thing dog owners should consider, too, is that if they let their dog run wild, it can run out in the street and get hit by a car. So the lead isn’t only for my protection, it’s for the dog’s too. In addition, here’s an example of how even a friendly dog can have an off day.I’m sure no one in the family though the dog was capable of that!
Mizmell — Hmmm, might be worth trying. Of course, I’d probably still be too afraid, but at least I could throw the dog some treats in my wake! Cuz, you know, I’d be running!
March 18th, 2008 at 6:25 am
I love dogs. But there isn’t a single one in the world I would trust.
Dan’s last blog post..Dirt
March 18th, 2008 at 7:17 am
Oh, that is a traumatic story. I feel for you–both young sledding Kathy and older walking Kathy. I don’t blame you for being so upset.
I’m a cat person, as we all know, but I have nothing against dogs–as long as they’re on a leash. I’ve had a few encounters–none as terrifying as your childhood one–but enough to make me distrust all dogs, which is unfortunate.
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March 18th, 2008 at 7:29 am
Oh my! that was a terrifying ordeal for you. We have laws here in the UK – A dog MUST be on a lead while out walking, or be tethered if in a yard close to the public.
I’m not sure what size a dog has to be for this, but they must also wear a muzzle while out walking. My sister has the most beautiful natured dog but she is always muzzled while out.
We have had many cases of children being bitten, and sadly some actually killed, one little girl, by her aunty’s dog. In all cases the owner has said that they are gentle, loving dogs usually!
In all cases the dog is taken away and put down by the police.
I am a dog lover but would never feel safe around a large dog I didn’t know!
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March 18th, 2008 at 7:30 am
There aren’t many dogs I like. The ones I actually do like are ones I’ve known for a long time, and they’re nice to me. The lucky dogs to be on my favorites list are our neighbor’s down the street, Jessie. Then my friend Jesse’s two dogs Daisy and Ramsy. Oh, and Aunt Marlene’s dog Tootsie. And finally, our neighbor’s next door dogs Tigger and Grizzy.
March 18th, 2008 at 9:05 am
I’m sorry to hear about your experiences and amazed at how stupid some dog owners are. I own a number of dogs and if any of them so much as looked at a person the wrong way they wouldn’t be long for this world. Fortunately I have never had a problem as they are all friendly and playful.
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March 18th, 2008 at 9:29 am
Someone needs to invent dog repellent in an invigorating fragrance!!!!
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March 18th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Some large dogs have calm personalities — it just depends on the breed. I grew up with an Afghan hound and he was so laid back, I had to pinch him to get him to bark. If a burglar ever came into our home, he probably would have licked his face and shown him where the valuables were.
Similarly, my sister owns a Greyhound who has a similar personality to the Afghan we had.
Black Labs also tend not to be too easily excitable as well.
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March 18th, 2008 at 10:34 am
I’m not going to defend a dog owner who lets a dog run wild, but screaming and running is never a good idea. Dogs sense fear and can react to it in a negative way. You’ve got to put on your best poker face and tell your insides to do the same.
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March 18th, 2008 at 10:51 am
My son was bit by a dog one time on his paper route.
My dad’s 12 year old cat was mauled (and yes, killed) by a neighbor’s dog who used to just open his door and let him run through the neighborhood. It took everything in my brother’s power to do the noble thing and not “accidentally” poison the SOB (still not sure if he was referring to the owner or the dog). So yeah, I have issues with loose dogs too.
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March 18th, 2008 at 11:03 am
We have a very gentle lab too, but an owner really never knows what their dog will do no matter what their disposition. Who knows, my dog may dislike someone enough that he would bite. To use another animal as a good example, let me relate a small story. I had a very gentle, well behaved horse named Harley. He never kicked or bit. You could lay against his back legs. One summer we were going away and had to find a different caretaker for the horses. The guy told me that when he entered his stall, Harley took one look at him and presented his rear end, ready to kick. Obviously there was something about this guy that Harley didn’t like. I saw this myself one day because I didn’t believe the guy. I never would have believed it possible had I not seen it with my own eyes. Now back to dogs. Around here few people tie them up because it’s so rural with large properties but the dogs do tend to stay on their own properties. There are a few exceptions however and a few pit bulls that have attacked other dogs are still running loose. Some people living near these dogs carry 45’s when they go for a walk!
I have also had many incidents on horseback with dogs. Not fun!
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March 18th, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Unfortunately, I’ve found myself being the one yelling “It’s OK, she’s friendly!” when my dog got away from me. And she really is, but she is a Shepherd/Elkhound mix and I’m sure she seems very scary when she is running toward you and you don’t know her. It has only happened a couple of times, but I felt absolutely terrible afterwards and apologized profusely.
Even as a dog lover, a strange dog approaching me makes me nervous. I think some people can’t comprehend that their dog, who they know is friendly, could scare someone.
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March 18th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
You would be deathly afraid of our dog….especially if you have nightmares / phobias about tongues. He could seriously lick you to death.
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March 18th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I was attacked by my friend’s chow-chow. He was pretty much like what you described Satan to be, and of course she insisted he was harmless. One day I was just petting him, and suddenly he jumped up and bit my face, then took a bite out of my leg, literally. I was laid up for a month. She insisted I must have done something to provoke the dog (yeah, by petting him?) and refused to do anything about it besides paying my medical bills. Couple years later he had attacked his 3rd person and she finally agreed to put him down.
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March 18th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
That’s so scary, Kathy!
As a dog owner, nothing bugs me more than people who DO NOT have their dogs on a leash. You never know what a dog will do. When I take my small one to the vet, I still say that I don’t know if she’ll bite or not when they cut her nails. I request a muzzle, because I try to responsible about it. Sorry you had two awful experiences.
Years ago my husband and I were walking our dog around the neighborhood. We were walking passed a house with a fenced in yard that had a dog tied to a tree. (not in a harmful way) Anyway, before we knew the dog hoped over the fence, but he was still tied up. I scooped up my dog, and my hubby was just about to walk up to the home, to let the owners know that there dog could’ve choked. Right before he got there, the dog jumped back over safely. But needless to say we high tailed it out of there, and haven’t walked that route since.
StephanieC’s last blog post..my online class review coming soon….
March 18th, 2008 at 3:07 pm
1) For some strange reason StephanieC’s pretzel icon made me smile.
2) I did not smile reading your ghastly account with Beelzebub.
3) Favorite Line: …Yes, I know most of the time dogs are fuzzy-wuzzy puppy wuppies
4) The photo you used looks like a bat on steroids.
5) BigNerd’s fashion tip for spring: Kevlar.
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March 18th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
dog owners should all be licensed – no better, banished to some island away from the rest of us – Any other section of society that had a familiar who pooped everywhere and randomly attacked strangers would be dealt with severly – but for some reason dog owners are above all laws.
In fact it is a sign that we do not live in a civilised society that people are allowed to keep dogs.
Though dogs do serve a useful purpose. If ever a woman is in a relationship/marriage and the bloke buys her a dog – it is a sure sign that she is not loved – which is perhaps the reason why female dog owners are totally unsel aware and men with dogs are borderline psychotics.
tfa’s last blog post..Wired
March 18th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
tfa,
Glad to know you would have blind people banished to an island. It would be a far more civilized society without all those seeing eye dogs…
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March 18th, 2008 at 4:07 pm
Bear ! Where’s that Pepper Spray !
March 18th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Dan — I’m with you. Always good to approach with caution, no matter how friendly.
JD — I’m sure I wouldn’t feel the way I do unless I was bitten. Satan ruined it for me.
Babs — Wow, muzzled! That’s being super-safe. It protects the owner as well as the children (and adults for that matter).
Regan — I’m glad you know so many friendly dogs. I saw the little Schnauzer again on our walk tonight. He’s my new bud.
Grizzly — You’re a model dog owner! Now I’m sure if you had a grizzly bear as a pet, you wouldn’t have any friends
KFJ — Smell fresh AND keep the dogs at bay. There’s a novel idea.
Libertine — But the burglars would think “big dog, big trouble” and that makes for a perfect deterrent, doesn’t it?
Mark Stoneman — I asked my sister, why did the dog come up to me? She suggested it knew I was fearful. The trouble is my brain knows I should remain calm, but my instinct is to freak out. Gotta work on that.
Jeff — That made me so sad to read. I can’t imagine the horror. I’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s cat. We have a crazy dog in our neighborhood who runs free every once in a while. Not only do I worry for other pets and children, but for the dog himself who might get hit by a car one of these days.
windyridge — Your story illustrates what I’m afraid of. That 99.9% of the time a dog will be fine, but for one reason or another, it’ll revert to instinct and lose its mind for a minute. I don’t want to be on the receiving end. Oh, my. Packing heat when walking? Hmmm, there’s an idea.
Susan — You’re a very responsible owner. Good for you. One good leash is all anyone needs.
Bruce — I’d take a slobbering, happy dog over a mean one any day. Cute. That made me smile.
Marie — That’s a sad story all around. I’m sorry you were attacked and suffered so. I know Chows can be like that, but luckily my sister’s Chow is older, doesn’t jump on me and extremely laid back. I have few worries with her.
StephanieC — Believe it or not, my now deceased cat Calvin had to be muzzled at the vet. He was a biter. I had zero problem with muzzling him. It’s not fair to the vet personnel to be subjected to an angry kitty. I never let him around my niece or my friend’s small children. I could never trust that he’d be OK with them. Scary about that dog wrapped around a tree. They’re like kids. Unpredictable and can get themselves in a heap of trouble.
BidNerd — Do you know how much I love your 5-point system? You kill me. Kevlar — can you just see that?
tfa — I’m going to assume you were being sarcastic.
Grizzly and Jaffer — I can’t imagine he meant any of that. If he did, well then, yeah. We’re going to need that pepper spray.
March 18th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
I just got paranoid ! You know how it is.
By the way there is a cool untrasonic dog and cat repellant available http://www.tbotech.com/dogchaser.htm
I think it’s a lot safer and the owners would never know what got their dog !
Jaffer’s last blog post..ManiaRavings is OpenID Enabled
March 18th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Yup, I’m the crazy lady with too many dogs, and I’ve got to tell you, a dog that won’t bite is like a gun with no bullets — just nice to look at. I have three BIG ASS chow-chows and had four for over ten years. You bet they bite, and because I’m a widow and live alone, I want them to if some one gets to close to me, but I have NEVER told anyone that they won’t bite or any other dog that I’ve known or owned. Dogs bite, period. I wish you hadn’t had a bad experience with Satan, it forever changes your trust level about dogs. I’ve been “charged” a few times and that is not a good feeling either. Once I had to punch a rottie in the nose, I don’t know which one of us was more surprised, but he ran away and me too!!
March 18th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
What’s with the mean dog thing anyway? I’ve walked all over our little town many times in the 30 years we’ve lived here and never had a problem till last week when I rode my bike for the first time this year. I had an Australian shepherd come after me growling, hair raised and showing his teeth. He sure acted like he wanted a piece of my leg and wasn’t listening one bit to his owners yelling at him. I came real close to calling the law on them because I have grandchildren that have to walk by there to come to my house. Today when I was walking the same dog came snarling and barking from beside their house but hit the end of a chain before I had chance to look for a big stick.
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March 18th, 2008 at 10:06 pm
“My sister was moose bit once.”
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March 18th, 2008 at 11:37 pm
Kathy:
Isn’t interesting that every time a dog takes a big bite out of your leg, its owners always say he’s not normally like this? They always ask what you did to provoke Fido do do such a bad thing. Dog owners, I think, are in total denial. Because their dog doesn’t bite them, it doesn’t bite anyone else either. Bow wow!
Great post, and mean looking dog picture.
Have a nice day.
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March 19th, 2008 at 5:00 am
Geeze Louise! I was holding my breath through this whole story. I hate when people say, ‘oh he doesn’t bite’…I’m thinking lady, I have teeth and I bite. That’s my take on anything with teeth, it’s possible. Carry a stick for just in case, you can either hit the dog with it, or throw it and hope they’ll fetch. Glad you weren’t hurt.
Natural Woman’s last blog post..Free Stuff!
March 19th, 2008 at 5:03 am
I know it’s early but I think my comment disappeared. Anywho, glad you’re okay, scary story.
Natural Woman’s last blog post..Free Stuff!
March 19th, 2008 at 5:39 am
Jaffer — Great idea, except it’d probably hurt my ears! Remember? I have dog hearing.
Carol — Maybe what I need is my own dog to walk with! Fight dog with dog?
Moonshadow — See how it takes just one bad one to spoil the rest? It’s a shame, because I like most dogs (from a distance). It just makes me wary of them all. My bad experience is fried in my memory. Shame.
Rattln Along — Gotta watch out for Bullwinkle in certain parts, eh?
Swubird — I’m sure they genuinely believe that and many are shocked if they actually do bite a stranger. Best to be on the safe side. Even that picture scares me!
March 19th, 2008 at 9:08 am
Hey Kathy, Hang in there. The men will be chasing you in another week.
March 19th, 2008 at 10:06 am
I have to be wary of dogs (I inadvertently typed ‘dongs’ just now. Hmm.) in my ‘other life’ as an EMT…they get upset when you walk in their house with all sorts of noise and clatter and strap their owners to a cot. Usually there is another family member there to drag them into another room, but if worse comes to worse, an O2 tank to the chest takes the fight right out of them.
Shieldmaiden96’s last blog post..Celtophilia
March 19th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
If you ever cross paths with that dog again, look him/her straight in the eye and say, “do you know who I am?” The dog will run away. It works every time.
Of course, this might be the caffeine headache talking…
kev’s last blog post..Quitting Coffee Cold Turkey
March 19th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
my husband bob worked for the farm loan admin and he made visits to farms. One day he was out with a co-worker and made a first visit to a farm — there were two st. bernards. His partner got out before he did and the dogs attacked him viciously. bob honked the horn, and the owner came out but not before the dogs did some major damage, requiring a trip to the emergency room. since then he is very, very cautious about dogs of any kind.
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March 19th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Are stun guns legal in your area? That would take care of the problem.
I’ve owned a number of dogs over the years and only had one bite someone. He was a small little Norfolk Terrier (search my site for pics). Our landlady at the time came into our house uninvited and was being a b___ to my wife so he felt it was his duty to defend his territory. Dogs will pick up on attitudes of people around them. Fortunately he didn’t break the skin though.
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March 19th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Bernie — Yeah, to stop giving their dogs the evil eye!
Shieldmaiden96 — Like it’s not bad enough dealing with stressed out people. Oh, the stuff you must see in a day! Honestly, thank God for people like you.
kev — Perfect! Cuz you know, I am somebody. Oh, and I’m sorry about your caffeine withdrawal. I wish you luck. I thought at first someone hijacked your blog. I couldn’t believe what I was reading was written by you.
Stacey — Really sorry to hear that. Just proves my point. You can never, ever be sure how an animal will behave.
Frank C — It seems crazy to me that the dog might have sensed my fear, but maybe it’s true. He didn’t go after my sister, but she’s a dog person. Hey, once someone’s in your house, though, all bets are off.
March 19th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
Earlier today, this post reminded me of “fun” educational worksheets we get in school sometimes. You knolw, when the teacher says they’re giving out a fun worksheet that’s educational, I roll my eyes in my head. You know, these things are NEVER fun.
March 19th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
I have only been bitten by large dogs a couple of times, and it was usually my fault. I have always loved dogs and have a bad habit of reaching out to them even when meeting for the first time. Not a good idea.
It’s the little ankle biters that I hate with a passion. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been nipped by those little yappy-dogs. And they always move too fast to drop kick down the street.
Fear of dogs is not an easy thing to get over and you have my sympathy. It’s easier said than done, but showing superiority instead of fear is the safer approach to strange dogs. If you face them head on and act like you’re the owner of the world they will often back down and go away. But, like I said, easier said than done.
March 19th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Thanks for the little gift you left me today, Kathy. Looks like you get packages all day long! LOL!
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March 20th, 2008 at 4:31 am
Natural Woman — I’m sorry, for some reason you wound up in my spam tank. I’m thinking lady, I have teeth and I bite. Funny! Yeah, the stick sounds like a good idea, but my tendency is to shield myself first!
Regan — Tests and biting dogs are equally UNfun.
Lee — I appreciate your sympathy. If it weren’t for that bite when I was young, things might be different. I might even be calling myself a dog person. Someone suggested I put my arms straight out and yell “HALT!” but afraid that’ll only work if the dog’s been trained to know that means “Please don’t rip my face off.”
Heather Hare — Some days, fewer than others. I still don’t have an idea for a post! I thought one would magically come to me overnight…sigh.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:08 am
OMG Kathy that’s horrible! I’m so sad for you and sorry that you’ve never been able to get past it. Although I certainly don’t blame you. HUGS sweetie
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:42 am
When I was growing up, my Grandma’s neighbors had a German Shepherd that ATE their other dog. It wasn’t an itty bitty thing either, it was a Boxer. And, they KEPT the German Shepherd! Can you imagine? Let’s just say, we never climbed over the fence to get stray balls.
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March 20th, 2008 at 11:55 am
You’ve probably already heard this, but:
You’re encouraging the dog.
Screaming and running is the LAST thing you should do. At that point, you’re encouraging the dogs hunting instinct, because that’s what prey does.
If a dog comes running at you, stand your ground, point, and in a firm, stern voice, say GO HOME. You’re showing it who is the boss, that you are a higher up in the pack, that you have more authority.
If the dog bites you after that, it’s a one in a million dog that’s truly nuts. If a dog bites you after running away from it, well, you did encourage it. Remember that if you ever get bit after screaming and running.
March 20th, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I was scared of pitballs and stafforshire bull terriors for years. I must have been about 8 when I ran off to school one cold morning. I petted the dog that I petted every morning (a fine looking staff) and carried on running, all of a sudden the dog was clamped onto my hand. I wildly swung it about and my mum was about 20 meters away. She came running and through some franticness the dog released.
I had to get a shot from the hospital and we talked to the owners.
It turned out that the owners gave the dog gloves to play with, and I was wearing gloves. I was angry but insisted the dog was not put down.
I never saw the dog outside again.
These days I am not scared. I have met enough good staffs and pitbulls to know that their nasty rep is more to do with the owner rather than the dog.
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March 20th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Lori — Thanks. I basically live my life avoiding big dogs. This one caught me off guard.
Momo Fali — I thought I’ve heard everything! Good grief!!!
Mike — See, but I’m scared to take a chance that I won’t look mean or bossy enough. And then I’m still standing there. I will seriously give this a try and hope against that one in a million nut dog. Thanks for the advice.
Forest Parks — You just never know, do you? How scary for you. It’s funny (not funny ha-ha) that there can be a series of events that cause a dog to switch gears like that. I suppose people can do the same, right? Glad you’re OK with the dogs now.
March 21st, 2008 at 2:06 am
Wow. How traumatizing! I can’t believe those horrible people!! Dogs SHOULD be on leashes. It’s called responsible pet ownership.
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March 21st, 2008 at 4:36 am
Corrina — One thing’s for sure. It’s made me hyper-aware of loose dogs. I just have to remember now what to do if it happens again. I got such good advice here. I think I’ll be better prepared.
March 21st, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Hi Kathy,
There’s nothing wrong with being startled by large, vicuous dogs. I can write a lot of blog posts about eeeire, weird, and ultimately bizarre dog stories from my days in the NYPD. One day, remind me to tell you the one about the English Mastiff attempting to mate with the dead pitpull, which was killed with a single gunshot wound to the back of the head, and our attempts to subdue and “dart” the Mastiff which snarled, growled, and lunged at anyone who attmpted interrupt his…ahem…”act” on the dead pit bull. That was about the strangest it got for me. As for the German Shepard rushing you and scaring you nearly to death, I feel for you. If you ever come face to face with a vicous dog coming at you like that again, remain perfectly calm, show no fear, and blow it away with a .357 Magnum. -Mike.
P.S. “I remember screaming as Satan lined up his jaw, ready to take that first succulent bite of me.” Very funny…scary, but funny.
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March 21st, 2008 at 10:20 pm
Never let them smell the fear! I’ve been bitten twice, once as a kid, once when I was working as a dog walker a few years ago. Neither were serious, just needed a bandaid. Anyway, just let them know you’re in charge. You’re the boss. Unless they’re insane they’ll back down. I guess it’s the insane ones ya gotta run from, LOL. It’s the same with humans ya know!
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March 22nd, 2008 at 5:20 am
Mr. Grudge — Honestly, I can’t imagine the stuff you saw on the job. I don’t want to know. Now that bizarre dog picture you’ve painted for me is burned in my head. How do you even begin to cope with something like that?
I promise if I encounter an unleashed dog again, I’ll show him who’s boss and he’ll run away with his tail between his legs. Nobody messes with Kathy!
DrowseyMonkey — And that’s the problem. I can’t tell the insane ones from the semi-normal ones. (Yeah, people too).
June 19th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
once I was walking my dog Jake down Glen Cannon and my dog is so good if he off his leash he never runs off but this time he was on his leash and he started pulling me and he pulled me right up to someones drive way and there was no car in the drive way so we went up to the fence where there was a pit bull and they were face to face. they started digging their paws at eachother so i started pulling jake away. lukily the owner came out and called their dog max. Luckily they didn’t get into a full fight but i was defintely freaked out.
June 20th, 2008 at 9:52 am
Grizzly or Dog? I am not sure ^^.
Really good Guard Dog, i think or maybe a honey scarecrow
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June 25th, 2008 at 3:41 am
yeah I got bitten by a dog once, just like the one on the picture there !! german sheperd or something … and I also got bitten by a donkey once … that hurt much more then the dog.
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June 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pm
abbi — Thank God for the fence! It’s hard to know what a strange dog might do to anyone, two legs or four. Glad it turned out ok!
Tommy — Looks like a cross between them, actually. A big scary bear dog I have no interest in coming face to face with, that’s for sure.
allan — I also was bitten by a German Shepherd, but not badly, thankfully. OK, I want more details on the donkey bite.
September 11th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I have a theory. Those dogs who seem to be very smart, such as the german shepards (who rank 3rd on intelligence) are the ones who need VERY responsible owners. The breed alone is overly protective. So are terriers. My father too was attacked by a German Shepard when he was little, and it was a case where the dog felt the need to be overly protective of his owner.
What I am saying is that these dogs are smarter than most dogs, and not that the move they made was smart, but they are capable of protecting very well when trained properly.
If the owners do not correct the behavior all it does is re-enforce the dog that that behavior is okay and good.
Shame on them for even owning a dog they can’t control.
September 11th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
Pete — Thanks for the comment. You’re absolutely right. Dogs take their cues from the owners. This couple adored their dog as if it were their child and I think that’s why I was attacked. The dog was protecting its owners from me (the “outsider”) and they weren’t prepared to reign him back in.
September 16th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
lol .. thats a scary picture !! yea those types of dogs are really nasty. I don’t know why people want them !
I really like labrador and golden retriever dogs …. they get so attached to their owners, they die if their owner dies too !
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September 17th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Allan — I don’t get it either. They hardly look like the kind of dog you can cuddle up with by a fire. Most of my “dog friends” have labs or retrievers because they’re such a perfect fit for most people. Lovable and loyal. I’m a cat person, but if I got a dog, I’d like a retriever.
November 13th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
I suffered a dog bite a couple of months ago and had the dog’s owners not been a client, I would have sued. On my first to their home they kept the dog outside because “the dog bites”. On my second visit they let the dog in after about a half hour because “it had calmed down”. It ran straight through the door and nailed me. They were very apologetic and signed the contract immediately. Point is, if you own a dog that bites people and you don’t keep it restrained, your stupidity entitles you to a lawsuit.
November 15th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Mark R — Oh, sorry to hear about your bite! See, that’s the thing. Owners too often think they can magically predict how their dogs will behave. They should have never assumed it was calmed down, especially knowing it had a habit of biting already. Geez. Hope the bite wasn’t too bad!
December 10th, 2008 at 2:56 am
I am always wary of dogs…I have been bitten once before by a neighbor’s dog and as the saying goes…once bitten twice shy…..
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December 10th, 2008 at 8:58 am
michaelH — Or “Once bitten, terrified of dogs forever.” Be safe!
January 10th, 2009 at 6:35 am
LOL @ “When I was a kid we lived near a couple who owned a German Shepherd we’ll call Satan.”
It is amazing how childhood experiences can linger with you throughout your life. Actually, experiences at any time in your life.
Found your blog while searching for Australian Shepards… so just passing through. Good luck to ya!
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January 12th, 2009 at 6:41 am
Australian Shepard Lover — Absolutely. I know a woman who’s deathly afraid of spiders because one crawled into her food as a child. Never been the same since.
February 22nd, 2009 at 1:33 pm
We just got a brand new dog the other day. I have been searching the internet for aggressive dog behavior tips all day. I stumbled upon your site. Great information.
February 23rd, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Terry — Congratulations on the new addition to your family. That’s a great site you linked. If only all dog owners would pay mind.
July 11th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Sorry to hear about your experience as a child. I am a dog lover, but I hate it when bad dog owners give the rest of us a bad name. A year ago I was renting a house and there were often cats sunbathing in the garden. The lady next door rescued them and was a lovely lady. One day two large dogs ran down the road together, with no owner in sight and before we could do anything attacked an elderly cat, sunbathing in the front garden. The poor cat was killed. Why can’t pet owners be responsible? Some of us are.
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August 27th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
that dogg its so scaryyyyyyyy!!!!
September 7th, 2009 at 3:48 am
I am so sorry for the incidents happened with you. I can understand what you must have gone through. Even I am afraid of the big dogs like German Shepherd, dobber man or Bull dog.
The owners should take care that their dogs don’t come out like what happened with you. There has to be some law for this kind of incidents.
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October 23rd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
i love doggs but not those kinds. there really scary
January 27th, 2010 at 7:03 am
ARGHH… dogs are my number one fear. I was mauled when I was a kid, now I can’t even see a little terrier without wanting to scream – just reading this post put me into a cold sweat.
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