Little Monkey
Little Monkey is under attack!
From time to time when you are out walking your dog, you are going to come across loose dogs. Lately, there have been more than usual roaming free in my area. People seem to be getting lax in checking that their dogs are secure before going out for the day.
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One incident occurred the other week when Little Monkey and I were enjoying a leisurely amble around the neighbourhood. It was a nice sunny day and a public holiday, so it was particularly quiet and peaceful.
We had nearly finished our walk when suddenly two large dogs came hurtling out of their property, charging straight for us. They didn’t like the fact that we were near their territory, even though we were 20 metres from them and walking away.
One dog was a German Shepherd cross, the other a large Rhodesian Ridgeback. The GSD started it by dashing up first, barking and snarling, lips back, teeth bared. It was anxious rather than aggressive, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t bite. The Ridgeback was more dominant and came running to back up its pack mate; totally prepared to fight. They both wanted to attack Little Monkey. Two dogs are worse than one!
LM did her usual freak out, leaping in the air, shaking her head and barking.
I shoved her behind me and confronted the dogs, all in one fluid movement. (I have become adept at doing this!)
Facing the dogs I bellowed BACK OFF! while stamping my foot and thrusting my arm at them.
It was enough to get them to stop. Often that is all you need; stop the attack, let them reassess and calm down a bit.
Dogs can read body language and energies very well. If you can project a calm, strong, fearless state, you’ll be more in control of the situation.
They were still very keen on attacking LM, so I took another step forwards, my hand firmly indicating they should back up and told them, “Go Home!”
Finally, the owner called his dogs and they went back to him.
LM and I carried on our walk; she soon forgetting all about it, but I was no longer nice and relaxed!
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The most recent incident involved another neighbourhood dog who had somehow been shut out of his property.
Little Monkey and I were walking back from my friend’s house and were nearly home, when suddenly a black dog came charging out of a side lane. This was also an anxious dog, but he meant business and again really wanted to attack LM.
I did the same procedure as above, which stopped him momentarily.
By this time LM knows I’m dealing with it, so unless the dog actually does get to her, she won’t react any more.
I kept myself between the two dogs as I tried to walk away. Continually telling the black dog to back off and batting my cap at it.
Luckily for me, there was a gardener on the grass verge of a house nearby, with a weedeater (strimmer). Once I’d got the dog to back off a bit the gardener revved his weedeater in the direction of the dog and the noise was enough to scare it back down the lane!
LM and I very gratefully made our get away!
The dog had come from a house down at the end of the lane and the next time I went past that way I checked to see he was there.
Yep! There he was, barking at us as we passed the end of the lane, 25 metres away from him!
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Why do the dogs charge Little Monkey?
Some dogs are just going to attack anything that is near their property. Others will go for the more anxious dogs, like LM. You get to know your own dog and learn to control the situation as much as possible.
Of course, it is easier if you have a calmer more stable dog, like Mr Spaghetti Legs was.
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Though these attacks were scary, they were not my worst encounter. That was with two extremely aggressive pit bull type dogs that charged LM in the forest, detailed in Little Monkey gets mugged – a Ten Year Anniversary post.
