Get That Dog

We’ve been taking Conor and Patches on walks around our neighborhood between dinner and bedtime to help Conor calm down and get to sleep.  Yesterday, we had a bit of an incident on this walk.

We had just turned the corner onto the main street in our neighborhood.  We saw a young woman standing on the leash of her very large dog, which may have been a bull mastiff.  We stopped walking and stared at her because even from a block away, we could tell the dog had on a spiked choke collar digging into its neck.  And both of us thought it was odd that she was standing on his leash right beside him so that his leash and collar were tight on his neck.  We realized as we approached that she was trying to make him Down by using the weight of her body on the leash.  He wasn’t budging  (My first thought was that she was doing it wrong and that she should lead him down with a treat, not by force)

“Is that dog OK?” Dave asked.

“Yes, we’re training,” she replied.  OK, fine.  I thought.  We’ve trained Patches on this same street. 

We started walking past them with Dave and Patches in front of Conor and me.  The dog started growling at Patches.  Within seconds, the dog lunged at Patches, knocking his owner off balance.  I saw Patches run to other side of the sidewalk while the mean dog flew through the air at Patches, teeth bared ready to bite Patches.  My only thought besides “He’s going to eat Patches” was “If he can’t get Patches, he’s going to go after Conor.” 

“GET THAT DOG!  GET THAT DOG!!!”  I shouted.  She struggled but finally gained control of him and dragged him back to the side of the street. 

“That dog needs training!” my own teeth bared at her and her dog.  

“Yes, that’s what I’m doing” she replied, her eyes wide.  “We’re in a training program.”

“NO!!!!  That dog should NOT be on the street.  You need to get that dog off the street!” 

Now, let me pause here and explain a few things.  First, when I said “GET THAT DOG!” I was loud.  Really, really loud.  No, actually louder than that.  I was louder than the aggressive dog’s barking.  Other people walking up the street stopped; a wise decision, I think especially for the couple with their tiny beagle.  I was so loud that as soon as we passed them and Dave and I could talk, the first thing he said was, “I think you scared the dog.” 

I think he was right.  I saw the dog’s ear twitch towards me when I shouted.  I really did.  And I’m not proud of scaring an attacking, aggressive bull mastiff.  I’m more than just embarrassed.  It's not an attractive feminine characteristic.  And again, when I say I was loud when I shouted, I meant I was loud and low.  I can understand how that dog heard my shouts as very aggressive barks back at him.  I was louder and lower than that big dog’s bark. 

Second, when I said No! to that woman, I meant No on so many more ways than I could explain to her while I was standing there shaking.  No, you don’t train a dog with a spiked choke collar.  No, your trainer is not worth what you’re paying him or her.  No, YOU have to dominate that dog; YOU have to become alpha.  You need to feed that dog every meal out of your hands for two weeks and if his teeth even touch your skin, he doesn’t get to eat. You need to lie on your dog to show your dominance.  You need to keep that dog off of all your furniture.  He needs to know YOU are in charge.  And you need to keep that dog off a busy, public street until he is better trained.  Because if he had hurt my dog or my baby, you really don't want to know what would have happened.  (I think she probably got that last part)

This morning, I woke up and continued to be embarrassed.  I wanted to find her and explain all that to her.  I wanted to give her out trainer Teresa’s number so that she could have a very knowledgeable alpha helping her train her very aggressive dog.  I wanted to apologize for shouting at her.  I’ve always thought it funny to think of myself as an alpha bitch, but to be so on a busy street was embarrassing.

Oddly, the walk didn’t help Conor go to sleep early last night.  I wonder why. 

12:08:41 PM