Ask any small dog owner what their worst fear is and almost all will say it's being attacked while out on a walk. I know it was mine. And, unfortunately, it happened. I'd imagined it hundreds of times, running the scenario though my head, over and over so that I could formulate my response. But life has a funny way of throwing you curveballs and making even the best plans completely irrelevant. What started as a normal nightly routine quickly went off course when my neighbor's unrestrained Gator Mouth Pitbull charged at us this past Tuesday night. It happened so quickly that I didn't even have time to think. What followed was the most terrifying, horrifying 10-minute experience of my life. I'm not going to recount the details here because I've done that on social media and, honestly, I'm still fairly traumatized. But what I do want to talk about is what I thought would happen vs. what actually happened. What I thought would happen: I would yank my dogs up off the ground and get away. What actually happened: the escape-proof harness I researched and purchased slipped right off as I attempted to yank Omar up off the ground. Beezy also managed to get loose from hers at some point as well. Maybe the ability for them to move around is what saved their lives. I will never know. But if your plan is to do something similar, please rethink or readjust. What I thought would happen: I would call for help and someone would intervene. What actually happened: Not a damn thing. I yelled and screamed and pleaded for help for nearly 10 minutes and no one came. Had the owner not come out of the house when he did, I would not be writing this post today. What I thought would happen: I thought that if I couldn't get away, I would get on the ground and get my dogs underneath me and act as a shield. We'd be okay when the dog determined he could not get us. What actually happened: With Omar loose and the dog moving quickly to attack both of them, there was no way I could get one or both of them underneath me. Also, Gator Mouth Pitbulls have been bred to withstand tremendous amounts of pain and continue fighting, and to never tire. I punched, kicked, pulled, and beat this dog with all my might, but it had no effect on it at all. None. What I thought would happen: I thought I would use my pepper spray if a dangerous dog even started to approach us. What actually happened: It all unfolded so quickly and I was in such a panicked state that I completely forgot I even had pepper spray with me. And to be completely honest, I carry it in a small pouch on my back that also houses poop bags, so I don't know that I would have been able to get to it. I don't know that I could have operated a zipper or the can itself. There's a very real chance I'd have sprayed myself, making the situation even more dangerous for us. Pretty bleak, huh? Yeah, for sure. But I am determined to make sure it never happens to me or to anyone else ever again. So before we talk about what steps you can take to make sure it doesn't happen to you, I want to talk about the steps to take if it does happen. 1. Call the police. Now, use your judgement here. If a neighbor's dog comes at you and scares you but doesn't do any damage, a direct call to the dog warden in your area should suffice. But if you have endured something more intense like I did, call the police. File a police report. You absolutely want to make sure there's a paper trail for the offending animal. Chances are that it will offend again and your groundwork now will help someone in the future. 2. If you or your pet(s) have been bitten and have moderate to serious bleeding wounds, seek immediate medical treatment. If you've called the police, they will ask if you need medical attention, saving you from having the make the call yourself. Make sure you have the number for an emergency vet near you, just in case. You do NOT want to be Googling for something like that after a scary experience. Put the number on your fridge or near your phone. 3. Take photos. Document everything. 4. In addition to writing down your experience in a police statement, write down what happened in a journal. This will help keep the details fresh in your memory when you speak to the dog warden. It might also help you process the trauma and allow you to remember additional details as you force your brain to slow down a little bit. 5. If you've sustained injuries, contact a personal injury lawyer in your area that specializes in animal attacks. Now, let's talk about how to address what my plan was vs. what happened. I thought I could yank the dogs off the ground and get away, but that didn't happen. Clearly, I am not going to use those harnesses on walks ever again. But I have a couple of sturdier options here and I tested them out yesterday. I put one on each of the dogs and then practiced lifting them off the ground to make sure they wouldn't slip out. That might sound insane or mean, but you need to know that your pet is going to be safe. A two-second lift off the ground is nothing compared to seeing their necks in the jaws of a monster. Trust me. And test your harness or whatever you use every time before you go on a walk. Dogs are like people. They can gain and lose weight over time. Make sure you have a snug, slip-proof fit. I thought I could call out for help, but that didn't work. Most of you probably already do this: take your phone with you. I am terrible about that, especially if I'm just walking in my neighborhood, but you need to be able to call 9-1-1 and get help quickly. If you don't have pockets in the outfit you're wearing, change your clothes. Seriously. You need that lifeline with you. I thought I could use my body to shield the dogs, but that was impossible and probably would have led to even more serious injuries to my body. After doing some research, I've decided that I will always carry a tire thumper with me. I'm also looking at getting something like this to have with me at all times. Check to make sure that whatever you're planning to use is legal in your state. A lot of people said I should carry pepper spray. As I mentioned earlier, I did have pepper spray with me. But in this situation, I panicked. And unless something is easily accessible, you may or may not be in the right frame of mind to use it. If you want to use pepper spray, make sure it's got a belt clip or something that puts it right in your direct grasp, and make sure it's easy to use. I was extremely fortunate. My physical injuries were minor, especially considering the breed of dog and the length of the battle. Neither of my dogs sustained any physical injuries, which is still impossible for me to believe after what I saw. I'm having some lingering mental issues, though, which is understandable. I'm afraid to leave the house. I can see the owner's car from my front sidewalk. A few houses isn't going to stop his aggressive dogs if they ever get loose again. And, no, I'm not suggesting a situation where the dog would hunt me like the shark did in the later Jaws movies. I'm just saying that dogs roam. I need to be kind to myself. And, if it happens to you, you need to be kind to yourself as well. This is a traumatic situation. When I feel myself spiraling, I try to remember to repeat the following: "This was not my fault. The dog’s owner should have had him leashed and supervised. It was a frightening moment, but I can use this opportunity to empower myself. I will gradually regain my confidence." I hope it works. The dog warden is citing the owner for not having his dog under control. Ohio has a leash law and he broke it by allowing his dog to be loose and crossing the street to get to us. He will also be cited for not having a license for the dog. Chump change considering what I went through. But maybe he'll learn something from this and become a responsible dog owner. He's made me an empowered dog walker, I'll give him that. And, hopefully, you are now an empowered one as well. Until next time, WOOF! Associated song: Survivor by Destiny's Child
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