So mad! irresponsible boxer owners

[darwinsmom]

Took both of my dogs for a walk this evening. I usually prefer to walk them separately but things have been so good with both dogs lately I stupidly took both. We were almost home when an unleashed young intact boxer approaches. Both of my dogs go on alert. This is a strange dog to them and unfortunately I know in this situation my dogs will not just sit and stay. I can restrain both my dogs but with the other dog uncontrolled I am in a pickle. I try to let the dogs approach and sniff each other and everything is alright for about 10 seconds and then the fight begins between my boy and the loose dog. Because I do not want to choke Darwin, I grab and hold him about the chest, end up on the ground with him between bouts of growling and lunging, all the while trying to keep hold of Olive's leash. Meanwhile a car drives up - the roommate of the dog's owner but she can't do anything but stand there because she is disabled and only has use of one arm (which she is using to smoke her cigarette). She has some shock collar device in her hand - I guess part of an e-fence set up. Anyway, I ask her if she can hold my girl's leash (which she reluctantly does) while I escort Darwin home with "Max" following the whole way. To top it all off, I think I broke my middle finger. No damage apparent to the dogs. Argggggghhhhh!

This is one of the reasons I hate electronic confinement.

After this I will no longer attempt to walk the dogs together by myself. But is there anything I can do better to prevent this outcome? I have been working with both dogs on ignoring other dogs on our walks but we have never come across a loose dog before. Didn't help that it was dark and I didn't see the dog until he was about 20 feet away.

 

[Gatorblu]

I feel for you and hate coming up to an unleashed, unattended dog. I won't walk after dark anymore because of this. As for the invisible electronic fences, they are crap. Not only do I disagree with shocking a dog, but the signal only goes to about 3 ft off the ground, and as almost every boxer owner knows a 3ft fence is useless.

I'm sorry you were hurt, but I'm glad your pups escaped injury.

 

[MKAD]

I am sorry to read this happened to you.
When Sally was a puppy we were chased by two loose pits that were not friendly- the owners were teenage boys who laughed at the situation. I do not walk in that area anymore and do not walk with Sal & Sam at night anymore. It isn't worth the chance of something happening.
I hope your finger heals fast.
Take care-
Mary

 

[Cami]

I am glad the dogs are ok but sorry to hear about your finger!
In these situations I personally think that how our dogs react really has a lot to do with you WE react.
Take out of the equation that the approaching dog was a Boxer (I would not have been on "high alert" with a Boxer....unfortunately.... and need to relearn that!).

When I am walking any of my clients dogs and encounter a strange dog I try to get in between the dog I am with and the loose one. I stop and make a loud noise--or noises, whatever it may be. In an attempt to get the other dogs attention focused on ME and not on the dog I am walking. No screaming or yelling just loud quick phrases....STOP, HEY, GO HOME, etc....I stomp my foot as well. Anything to get them to stop their forward movement towards us.

This allows the dog I am with (hopefully) to realize that I am in control of the situation hence they remain more relaxed and less of a threat to the approaching dog. Hopefully I appear as the "threatening" one.

I also despise those electric fences. You never know if a dog hanging out in a front yard is being contained by one OR if it will even work. They are almost like TV/video games being used as babysitters for children. Slap a collar on your dog and put them outside to fend for themselves!

 

[Althea]

I second Cami's approach. Used to be a walker, and that's the same thing I would do when a stray dog would come racing over. You'd be amazed how well it works in most situations.

 

[darwinsmom]

Thanks for the tips. I try to give off a calm vibe to my dogs but when I get surprised it can be difficult. I also thought that because this dog was a boxer and did not appear aggressive that maybe we would be okay. I actually think that Darwin was the "aggressive" one but that he was protecting me, Olive, or himself. He would seem under control but then the dog would repeatedly approach and the lunging and growling would ensue. The other dog just wasn't getting the message to stay away. I've read that leashed dogs can exhibit fear aggression when encountering other dogs as they are restrained and can't escape but there was no way I wanted to give up what control of Darwin I had. Darwin has been in a fight before (with his boxer buddy, go figure) and this one was pretty mild by comparison but you never know how things will evolve. He is not normally aggressive towards other dogs. I usually have more of a problem with my adopted girl (2 years) who unfortunately has begun fence fighting with our neighbor/friend's boston terrier.

As for me, the finger is not broken but both joints are sprained and it will be 4-6 weeks to heal.

 

[Althea]

Glad the fingers aren't broken...But God knows, it hurts just as much if not more so when they are sprained. :(

Darwin sounds like one tough dude...but good for him for protecting his pack. Hopefully the other boxer owners will get on the ball with their pet. The one and only time my Cairo escaped (the brand NEW extend-a-lease snapped -- those things are crap) she jumped on a two year old boy and proceeded to bath him with plenty of saliva while wiggling the whole time. I had the cops called on me, threats of law suits, and sudden accusations that she'd viciously mauled both the 2 year old boy and the 10 year old daughter. THANKFULLY the neighbor saw the whole thing (I was at work, and my roommate had let her out the front door on the leash -- but she was in her jammies, so didn't follow immediately after Cairo) and knew my dog. She told the cops it was ridiculous, and the children were obviously unharmed. Cairo wouldn't have hurt a fly ever in her life. But let me tell you...never have I been so afraid. They euthanize dogs in this state if charges of biting are filed. Hopefully these folks will use this as their warning and take better care of their boy.

 

[darwinsmom]

One would hope but I don't have a lot of faith given their choice in training methods. I have actually seen this dog loose once before a couple months ago. It was a friendly encounter in my neighbors driveway but in that case too, the owner was not around but a roommate came down the street a few minutes later. Where is the owner??? My neighbor told me this boxer has gotten lose before. I hope they intend to neuter him eventually, would maybe cut down on his desire to wander. I'd guess he is probably 7-12 months old.

There are a few other e-fence systems in the neigborhood but in two cases the dogs are impeccably trained. They just sit quietly in their front yard and my dogs are not bothered at all. In the other there are two labradoodles and the male likes to chase and bark but Darwin and Olive are used to it and I we just take a wide path when they are out.

Darwin loves to lick the kiddies too. Our nieces and nephews adore him (they have two small dogs so a big playful guy is a lot of fun for them). But as pet owners we also need to be careful and make sure interactions between our guys and people/other dogs are welcomed and in an appropriate setting. No one wants to see someone hurt by a dog or a dog punished for its owner's negligence.

 

[dbetz]

Oh my goodness - you just lived through one of my worst nightmares. I am glad you came out alright. I get so ANGRY at people who let their dogs off leash. I was walking my wild child Rudy when an off leash little bit of a chihuahua came running full speed at her. The whole time I am yelling to "come get your dog" and I see a family of 4 standing 50ft away with their hands over their mouths and NOT MOVING. Same as you, this little stupid dog is hopping all around Rudy - so I also had to hold her up by her chest until someone finally came and got the dog.

Leash laws are for a reason. Unbelievable and it always seems that they look at us like we caused the problem...

Oh, and I really love when they yell out "Don't worry, my dog is harmless" and then I yell back that she should worry because mine is not and because hers is off leash any harm done would be completely her fault.

 

[NateBazooka]

I was walking my wild child Rudy when an off leash little bit of a chihuahua came running full speed at her.

Well, duh. Little dogs don't need leashes, cause they're little. You also don't have to pick up after them, either, because they're eentsy beetsy little dog turds are cute and everybody loves them.

[/sarcasm]

I guess I should consider myself lucky, but I *always* encounter this with the little chihuahuas/yorkies/schnitzaporkydoodles or whatever. Luckily, my dog is very dog friendly (although I'm worried that this will change as he matures), so I usually don't have a problem, but it's just unbelievable. Last night I was walking Kevin, and this yorkie ran out and started running circles around us and barking, and it was over a minute before anybody came to get their dog. I didn't know what to do. Or one time, I was putting Kevin in the car and out of nowhere, I feel paws on my back leg. I was shocked! Luckily it was only a chihuahua and he seemed friendly, but man it startled me and *man* it could've ended badly if my dog had dog aggression issues.

The worst is, several times with the little dogs, I've had them run up and interrupt our walk, and then when the owners have to run over and scoop them up, acting all scared that they're (aggressive neurotic untrained unbalanced) cute little dog was almost eaten by this big mean looking (completely friendly in a play stance wiggling his tail and *ON A STINKIN LEASH*) almost pit bull looking dog, they roll their eyes at me like I'm the one that's making a problem!