Dog Fight

Jackson got attacked during our walk around the neighborhood yesterday. There is this dog that lives in the next building over that has always had a problem with Jack. Every time we walk by her house, she attacks the windows and I swear the whole building shakes. We met her on the road once when her owner was taking her for a walk. Both dogs were leashed and she started snarling at Jack, and he snarled back. The owner was all, "Oh, they just need to be introduced, they'll be fine" and started walking toward us. I said, "I don't know, they don't seem fine" and he assured me his dog was okay. Well, it wasn't and we pulled the dogs apart and that was that.

Well, yesterday, Jack and I are on our walk and I look up to see that dog loose in the middle of the road staring at us. Her hackles were up and Jackson stopped dead in his tracks and stared back - a total standoff. I could see her owner a ways away sitting at a picnic table. I knew if I turned and tried to run or walk away the dog would chase us. But I knew that if she got closer they would start fighting. I had Jack sit down and called to the owner. I just hoped he would come get the dog before any trouble started.

He started calling her and she paid no attention. He didn't even get up! She got closer and just as I expected, Jack growled and it was on. I tried to get between them and I was yanking poor Jack back and forth from his neck trying to get him out of the way. He finally slipped his collar because I was yanking it so ferociously, so I got down to their level trying to pull them apart. Finally, the dog's owner got to us and basically fell on both of the dogs. His dog is HUGE and he couldn't pull her away - she is just too big and strong. So I had to pull Jack out from under this guy! I got Jack sat down and got a hold of him. The guy just sat there with his dog and I finally had to tell him to take his dog away because I had to get Jackson's leash and get him home to check him out.

While he took his dog home I just sat there for a bit looking at every inch of Jackson trying to see if there were any cuts. I saw some blood on his front legs and I looked at every inch of them looking for bites. Only then did I notice it was me who was bleeding. I had a big puncture in my finger from one of the dogs biting me.

The guy came back to check on us. He was apologizing all over himself telling us that his dog had never done anything like that before, blah, blah, blah. I just wanted to get home.

I got home and just burst into tears. It's amazing what that much adrenaline will do to you! When I finally calmed down I realized how much my finger hurt! I called Joe and my mom and got their advice and cleaned myself up. This morning I found a couple other minor scrapes and bruises, too, but nothing major. And I think my finger will be fine. It was just SO scary though!

The owner has been over to my place three times since the attack making sure we are okay and telling us again and again how horrified he is. He really does seem to be sorry and I just told him that all I wanted was for him to keep his dog on a leash. No matter how well-behaved he thinks his dog is, she obviously has a problem with Jack and I need to know that I can walk Jack around our neighborhood without fear of her being loose. He agreed and said he learned his lesson.

Jackson seems completely fine this morning and totally oblivious to what happened. Of course, I laid in bed last night replaying the whole thing in my head - what I should have done differently, what I should have said to the guy, wondering if I was too lenient, ect. I'm going to ask around to some of my neighbors to see if they have had any problems (the owner said his dog gets along with all the other dogs in the complex and I want to see if he is being truthful) and then I'm going to ask to meet the dog in person without Jack and judge for myself if I think the dog is dangerous or if this was just a case of poor ownership.

Also, the guy works for Snapple and dropped off a whole case of Snapple and some Snapple swag this morning as a peace offering. I told him I didn't want it (felt like a bribe), but he insisted. So, I guess I'm going to be swimming in Snapple for a while.

Anyway, I'm just glad it's over. I hope he learned his lesson, and I learned mine. I need to be more aware of things when I'm on a walk and I think I'm going to pick up some pepper spray just in case something like this ever should happen again.