Maya Got Attacked!!
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I am very sorry about what happened to you. Unfortunately, it is an all too common experience for me. Other than L'Ox who is only 11 weeks old, I don't have a dog that hasn't been attacked by another dog while out on a walk.
When I have only one dog, I pick them up and put them on my shoulders immediately since in my experience, "my dog is friendly" really means, "my dog is a rude, bully" and that though that may be okay with other dogs it isn't going to fly with the basenjis.
Every time we have been attacked, the owner acts as if it is an utter surprise and tries to make it no big deal. Again, IME, it is a big deal even if the physical injuries are not great. My dogs have nightmares after the attacks, increase the amount of space they need to feel comfortable around other dogs, and just act traumatized.
So remember to carry some yummy treats for the next couple weeks and give Maya lots of positive reinforcement when she sees other dogs. With mine it is off leash dogs that make them tense so I work alot with rewarding them for spotting them and then focusing on me.
I think you make a good point there! Some owners just dont understand the difference between friendly and rude.
I tend to walk Maya with Riley (lab) and Delilah (pug) so it was not very nice for her today as usually she has the others for back up! Riley is very protective of his girls and certainly would have put an end to the attack today. He is about the size of a bullmastiff and weighs 7 stone, so there's not many dogs that would mess with him ;) Maya very much looks up to him as well, he's like her big brother. So i will make sure to take him along next time i walk her, for moral support for Maya if nothing else! I think she is fine, we continued our walk for another half an hour or so after the vicious dog left and she was running around exploring so im hoping its forgotten and wont be a problem. She certainly didnt act traumatised when i picked her up when the dog was attacking her :D I think she was pissed off at him attacking her, then REALLY pissed off cos he was jumping up at her mum (me!) and she probably thought, attacking me, even though he was trying to get Maya. She was squealing at him and having a real tantrum, she's so fiesty!
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I should also add, the vocalizations are quite shocking and loud but can effectively back an attacking dog up off them even if only for a second. Nicky very effectively employs his voice to startle the attacking dog. It usually creates a pause in the attacker. Nicky can scream like bloody murder, he also has a sound that is close to a large cat's roar that he used when attacked by a herding dog that slipped under his garage door. That one really backed the dog off, I think it must have thought it attacked something other than a dog and was now in big trouble.
Their yelps are quite ear-piercing I've discovered.
Kananga got in the way of me opening a door once (they love to be the first one in/out of a room :rolleyes: ) and his front paw got caught under the door, he let out a yelp and it was quite startling. Of course an accident, and he knew this right away, but he did not attempt that again going forward and I have been much more careful of watching him before I open a door.
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Sorry to hear about Maya being attacked Jess, i'm glad she is ok.
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I am very sorry about what happened to you. Unfortunately, it is an all too common experience for me. Other than L'Ox who is only 11 weeks old, I don't have a dog that hasn't been attacked by another dog while out on a walk.
When I have only one dog, I pick them up and put them on my shoulders immediately since in my experience, "my dog is friendly" really means, "my dog is a rude, bully" and that though that may be okay with other dogs it isn't going to fly with the basenjis.
Every time we have been attacked, the owner acts as if it is an utter surprise and tries to make it no big deal. Again, IME, it is a big deal even if the physical injuries are not great. My dogs have nightmares after the attacks, increase the amount of space they need to feel comfortable around other dogs, and just act traumatized.
So remember to carry some yummy treats for the next couple weeks and give Maya lots of positive reinforcement when she sees other dogs. With mine it is off leash dogs that make them tense so I work alot with rewarding them for spotting them and then focusing on me.
Yes and sometimes they just call or grab the dog without saying anything and walk away. One time I was hiking with my previous 2 Basenjis and this lady had 2 large aggressive dogs and they got away from her because she could not hold them back. I yelled really loud at them and they stopped luckily. She didn't even say a word. Scares the cr.p out of you!
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We have stopped going to one of the dog parks in our area because of large, unruly and uncontrolled dogs. Last time we went, Shaye stuck right close, and Gemma went over to the fence next to the little dog park and would not move. There were two very large black dogs running wild, barking and "play attacking" all the other dogs there. The owner just sat on the picnic table talking and was totally unconcerned. It took a lot for me not to go tell him what I thought of him. Better to just steer clear.
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Jess, I'm sorry to hear about the attack on Maya. These owners are so irresponsible. From what you say Maya has coped with it very well and isn't traumatised. Once again Ivoss has come up with some good advice.
Its a good job that Maya is used to a big dog which must have helped with her reactions. Many of mine have been 'brought up' by an Anatolian Karabash so they too look at big dogs with equanimity.
On encountering a small dog when out for exercise, Koyu used to get right down to the ground to prove that she was no threat. She wasn't trained to do this - it was just a part of her kind nature.
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I'm sorry to read about this attack. Hopefully there won't be any lasting damage done. I've heard about many dogs who, after an incident, have problems that show up a day or even a few weeks later. The more positive interactions she's had before the attack, the less probable the attack will have long lasting effects. Just be aware that dogs can have, for lack of a better word, post tramatic stress type issues.
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I think most owners are either lazy or unaware. I have had reactive dogs, I know they are bad..they are most ALWAYS on a leash, and I tell owners of unleashed dogs, my dogs will BITE you dog, if they come over…the owners laugh and say, "oh, my dog is ok, it will teach them a lesson". I don't want my dogs to BITE..but the owners are just not going to put their dogs on a leash.
So, we walk at off times, or in areas where other dogs aren't.
Of course, dog parks are out of the question. -
Abbey got attacked a couple of years ago in the park and had to have stitches to close the wounds on her belly. The lady with the unleashed dog that attacked us just calmly walked off and got into her car and left. Never said a word except "Come here Dakota" while I was screaming at her to get her dog off us. Talking on her cell phone while her beast was tearing my baby up. I can't say out loud what I wanted to do to her and her dog. Some people are beyond stupid.
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I am so sorry that Maya was attacked. I am fed up with people who let their dogs off the lead when they obviously shouldn't be. I avoid places where I am likely to encounter other dogs, you would not believe the goings on re-dogs at the country park it almost makes you feel ashamed to be a dog owner.
You are lucky Maya coped so well. Fiji was bitten by a Rhodesian Ridgeback when she was a puppy and she is now terrified of bigger dogs.
