Ours is small, should I hit the other dog? Pick mine up? We were walking in our woods today and a chap stopped to warn us that one of the other locals has been letting his dog off the lead and it’s been attacking other dogs. It’s been reported to the police but it’s made me worried that I wouldn’t really know what to do? Any ideas?

Pick it up, and carry a walking stick, ideally with a cattle prod taped to the end.

Mine was attacked by a dog without collar or apparent owner last year. Reckon it had escaped from its garden or something.
I ended up grabbing it by the scruff, flipping it on it’s back and growling/ baring my teeth at it. Must have looked mental, had my dogs blood all over my arms, had tried kicking and shouting but it kept going for mine. Once I’d ‘dominated’ it it backed down and I was able to get mine out of the way and back to the car.
Was really scary and upsetting tbh. Has affected my dog to this day too, he’s much more timid around other dogs than he used to be.

Yes,pick yours up and don’t let the other dog see it. Better to avoid a dog confrontation than deal with the aftermath. But ask the other owner to keep his under control if it goes for yours though.

Big stick FTW!
Don’t put any part of your body anywhere near…

Alternatively (this being STW) tell yours to DTFU! 😀

Whatever you do don’t put yourself in the way, your likely to get bitten.

I hate it when people pick their dogs up its pathetic. You can usually tell if a dog’s gonna bite out. Take a steel walking stick with you if it’s that much of a problem. Most dogs that snap out are usually just telling the other dog to **** off and don’t actually make any contact.
If this dog was attacking (grabbing and shaking) the police would have him by now. I’ve rarely seen any truly aggressive dogs when out walking. Plenty of girly men hugging their bichons when you walk past though. If you are acting scared of dogs so will your dog.

I tend to kick the offending canine as hard as I can, once launching a patricularly terrier to the next county.
If the owner says anything I do the same.
EDIT: don’t pick yours up as the attacking dog has won. Then your dog will always be a scardycat.

Sometimes a dog will approach another on a lead to do the usual sniffy arse thing .. the dog on lead will get nervous if owner starts flapping about, and their dog will then growl or snap at other dog. This often leads to the other dog attacking.

Do not pick it up.
It will put you off balance if the other dog continues to try and get at your dog. Both of you could end up on floor with a sharp set of teeth snapping at you.

Shout at the dog as it approaches. Kick at it if its close enough.

A good kick in the face. Can be a bit embarrasing if the owner is watching.

Just don’t put your fingers anywhere near the biting end of either dog.

Most dogs that snap out are usually just telling the other dog to **** off and don’t actually make any contact.

Yes just like most adults who throw a punch dont actually mean to hurt you 🙄

Just noticed op is a girl. Don’t kick at dogs ever, my dog would probably catch it and take it home, he’s not aggressive but I’m sure a boot would tip him over the edge.
Shout OI very loudly usually works. Do not pull your dog back or walk backward as you are fleeing and he’s in preditor mode.
There’s a pain in the arius dog a street over from me, staff, always out with no owner and will try to attack all dogs walking past. I’ll have to record it and show you how to deal with it.

Dogs aren’t human.

We were once at a pub having a quiet pint in the beer garden with our Boxer. Couple just sat over the way had a dog that started snarling at ours. The owner then let the dog go. It attacked ours and put a puncture wound straight in her snought.

I kicked the dog off, at which point the owner started squaring up to me. I threatens to call the Police and they got in their car and drove off. I did ring the Police as our dog had quite a wound. They took it very seriously and visited the owner.

Whatever you do don’t put yourself in the way, your likely to get bitten.

This.

Ok so no kicking and don’t pick up. My dad said he’s just shouted and lurched forward and that’s been enough to put a dog of charging but to be honest he’s twice my size and a fair bit scarier sounding because he’s so loud. Mines only a pup and to date I’ve not shown any fear of other dogs, I just let them sniff and they soon start just playing but the fact someone stopped to warn me about a dog has spooked me, I don’t want mine to have a negative incident and then get aggressive himself

I just move in, no shouting, grab my dog and separate them. Talk firm but don’t get agitated and aggravate the situation. Firm, quick and decisive action normally sorts it out.

Sorry dont get the “don’t get in the way” bit or the assault another dog or it’s owner.

Emma, I assume you have a lead to hand. If you see another dog that may be trouble, recall your dog, put it on the lead, comfort it so that he/she doesn’t feel the need to protect you and then simply move away.

Stick your finger up it’s bottom.

Any dog tries to attack my lurcher
is fine as long as its a good open space. I just let her off the lead if she’s on it and enjoy the show of sprinting prowess! If thats not an option you have to asses if the dog will actually attack, very very few will especially as mine when on the lead does a good submissive pose. If I suppose it depends how brave you want to be. Dont pick your dog up though, give it a chance to fight or run.

I was in our local beer garden with my dogs when a bull terrier type attacked a chocolate lab. The bull terrier would not let go and left a real bad puncture wound. To my shame I did nothing as my GF wouldn’t let me get involved. It took several minutes to separate the dogs. The owners squared up to everyone and then left.

I wouldn’t pick up as if a dog is going to attack my thoughts are you would also be getting attacked, I see this picking up small dogs a lot even when mine are on a lead.

If a shout does’t work, then the boot. If all else fails grab from behind and stick your fingers in its eyes or split its legs. Anything pointy will work as well. I am not condoning any harm to an animal and would rather inflict injuries on the owner for not training their animal properly and socialising and hope nobody ever finds themseleves in such a desperate situation.

Gave the red setter that had my westie by the scruff of the neck a swift kick in the ribs. Released my dog and faced up to me. I stood my ground like a Maori warrior shouting “come on then!” It didn’t fancy it’s chances and backed off, owner threatened to call the police. I saved him the bother and did it myself. 2 puncture marks on my dogs neck and an outstanding vet bill of £170 that he has still to pay plus one nervous dog when out.

And I would do it again.

Still see the owner and dog on walks, however dog now wears a muzzle.

It depends on the level of the attack. I don’t get involved unless it gets serious/biting. If then separate (gentle kick) with boot.

Not a good situation to ever get in.

Stick your finger up it’s bottom.

You have to buy it a few vodka and cokes first though…

My completely placid lurcher was minding his own business sniffing at a bush when two mad dalmations sprinted round the corner, saw my dog and went for him. One had him by his hind leg, the other by the neck.

Acting purely on instinct (stupid in retrospect), I waded into the middle of the fracas, screaming like a loon and kicking out. All the dogs pretty much froze but the spotty dogs did release their hold.

The owner must have heard the commotion and came running round the corner – he looked exceedingly pissed off and leashed his dogs. No apology, no words at all in fact. I told him he should keep his **** dogs on leads. He pointed out that my dog wasn’t on a lead either.

I’m not proud of what I said next, but I would say it again in the same circumstances.

Still see him out and about and he’ll literally walk through hedges to avoid me.

Large stick, bottle of water,sprayed on them, coat thrown over them,loud noise even a deodarant sprayed at them, please dont kick them you may well damage a dog, broken ribs etc.

The dog is just defending its space, and its inbred into them.

No its attacking another dog….defending itself – LOL: the question is what to do when one attacks not when it defneds

PS do you have a utility belt, just like batman, for all eventualities?

Large stick, bottle of water,sprayed on them, coat thrown over them,loud noise even a deodarant sprayed at them, please dont kick them you may well damage a dog, broken ribs etc.

The dog is just defending its space, and its inbred into them.

So this red setter that attacked my dog has rights to an area around the size of 3 football pitches. Utter tosh!

As I said if a dog attacked attacked mine again, I’d hoof it to defend it.

Large stick, bottle of water,sprayed on them, coat thrown over them,loud noise even a deodarant sprayed at them, please dont kick them you may well damage a dog, broken ribs etc.

if someone elses dog has got as far as sinking its teeth in mine then I dont really care.

Well, despite all the testosterone fuelled answers above I would respectfully suggest that if you are not confident to deal with a potential aggressive dog attack then if possible avoid that particular area until you have an update on the situation regarding the other dog being exercised off the lead.
In the meantime, try to attend a local puppy/dog training course and ask the trainer to include as part of the course dealing with other aggressive dogs whilst out walking.

I have a pretty placid Westy, and if anything attacked him that wasn’t under control I’d kick to kill I’m afraid, the same as I would if a dog attacked my kids.

So very sad that some posters offer violence against a dog, perhaps prevention would be better, dogs to have compulsory 3 rd party insurance, licencing and chipping,licence fee based on weight of dog.

The only time violence should be offered if the dog is a serious threat to a human or small child.

Any dangerous dog reported to police and RSPCA, council dog warden etc.

Project do you own a dog?

Oh and small children are humans you dwarfist.

not enough room under the bridge

So very sad that some posters offer violence against a dog

Hey we are just defending our space and it was [in]bred into us ….where is your sympathy for us speciesist [it not even good enough to be specious]?

Had 3 dogs, labrador would attack any other dog when of the lead, just used to grab his collar and pull him off, once got bitten by his adversary,didnt make a fuss, bandage from local chemist and some antiseptic. The owner was realy apologetic as i had been bitten.

Just perhaps some writers should look at dog psychology desmond morris wrote a book called dog watching .

Just used to grab his collar and pull him off

Thanks god you did not keep it on a lead and muzzle to protect other people and dogs

Thanks for the advice on reading material but all my dogs are well behaved and not aggressive so i have never needed the help you so clearly did with yours

The book will explain doggy behaviour to people who just have a dog as an accessory, and just feed it and occasionally walk it,but dont want to understand it behaviour in the household or on the streets/fields.

Bit like haveing a car and just dreiving it and filling it with fuel.

After reading did you then manage to control your dog in public or did you still leave it to roam and attack others?

Sounds like you’re a real dog expert project. However this thread was about responsible dog owners having their dog attacked by dogs owned by idiots like yourself.

It only attacked other dogs it thought posed a threat to him,or his extended family us humans, exactly the same happens in humans in road rage situations.

No books on that at present.

Mostly he was kept on a short lead and allowed off the lead when away from other dogs.

He lived for 16 happy years until cancer got him.