# Ari was attacked at the dog park today



## zooeysmom (Jan 3, 2014)

Good Lord. Well, firstly, I'm so glad that Ari seems okay, but I would have called the police on the pitbull owner. This makes me so incredibly angry. It is the danger of dog parks--you never know what idiots will show up. I would try to just have play dates with Sophie and other nice dogs. Poor Ari needs to be safe. 

I would take her to the emerg. vet today just to make sure she doesn't have internal bleeding. Someone on the Maltese board lost her dog due to an attack at doggy day care. Just awful.


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## Muggles (Mar 14, 2015)

What a horrible thing to happen. I'm so glad Ari is okay. I just don't understand why people with dogs like that insist on taking them to dog parks. Makes me so angry. Hugs to poor Ari!


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

zooeysmom said:


> Good Lord. Well, firstly, I'm so glad that Ari seems okay, but I would have called the police on the owner. This makes me so incredibly angry. It is the danger of dog parks--you never know what idiots will show up. I would try to just have play dates with Sophie and other nice dogs. Poor Ari needs to be safe.
> 
> I would take her to the emerg. vet today just to make sure she doesn't have internal bleeding. Someone on the Maltese board lost her dog due to an attack at doggy day care. Just awful.


I would have liked to call the police on the owner of the attacking dog, but I was so focused on trying to make sure Ari was OK while she was screaming that I didn't even think to corral the owner to keep him from skunking off and make sure to at least get a good look at him. We have argued before about whether his dog belongs in the "small dog" part of the park, but I've never really looked at the owner because I've always been too busy trying to protect Ari from his d*mn dog!

This was a planned play date between Star, Ari, Sophie, and another labradoodle named Milo who had already left at the time of this incident. We use the small dog side of the park because it is always empty and meet there on Sundays. Sometimes there are a couple more poodles/poodle x's that come for the 2pm poodle party, too. This was Ari's first day back since her spay. There isn't really another well-fenced, open grassy place in the area that is safe to bring all the dogs to. This park is, in general, an excellent park, but there are a couple bad apples.

I called Ari's normal vet (on his cell, on a Sunday, this guy is the best I tell you) and told him what happened and he thinks it's fine to keep her home as long as she's acting normal and has nice pink gums. I'm checking them pretty often and they seem fine, with very normal perfusion when I press them. She's eating treats and playing normally when she's not sleeping, so there isn't much we can do except wait and see at this point. She's not even coughing, which suggests that her trachea was not terribly compressed—makes sense, because she never stopped screaming during the attack! The dog never grabbed her abdomen, just her neck and her leg, and it seems that he didn't bite down very hard since she only lost tufts of hair but didn't get any actual punctures or scratches. So in that way, it was a pretty mild attack/I'm not sure that the dog was fully planning to KILL Ari just yet.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

You have a witness to the attack! get the vet to give you a big bill (one you don't have to pay but the bully's owner does) when you next see the owner give it to him get his car rego No. and give it and the bill to a good lawyer. Unless made to pay this man will continue to inflict his "macho" dog on others. These types usually have their dogs put down when they cost them money. Sadly as they say "It takes all types to make a world" But without consequences children will continue to be offensive.
Eric


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## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Absolutely awful. Glad your sweetheart suffered no physical damage, but do keep working to keep her mentally okay. Some dogs bounce back pretty quickly from even a horrifying scare, while others will need lots of rehab time to get their confidence back. (Sugarfoot was attacked at 7 months, and now at 4 1/2 years old he's "mostly" over it.)

Now, granted I am not a dog park fan, so I'm not quite sure how they "work" or if this is feasible, but can't anyone do anything about this owner and his aggressive dog? All other owners at the park tell him he's not welcome? Call animal control / whoever (???) each time he shows up, with the promise of prosecution for former attacks? I mean, what can even be done? Can this person even be spoken to in a way, like, "Hey, I don't want your dog in the same space as mine. Let me get my dog before you release yours," or would he just flat-out ignore that and release his dog anyway? For sure I would present him with a bill like eric suggests. 

I think I'd just voluntarily leave when this guy shows up. It's not worth it!

--Q


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

I would be back at that dog park, without Air of Sophie, if he has a car get the tag number, if he walks his dog there call the police with your friend as a witness, and I would go after anything I could get from him. I would push it to the very end even with an attorney, I hate A--H---- like that. I would make his/her life miserable.

Had a pit go after Tina a 4 pound toy about 14 years old. I tore the shirt off the neighbor (young man 23 or so tall, say 170 pounds) then called the police and with the cops there, I said if I see that dog off the leash in my yard I will kill it (have a carry permit). Young man wanted to press charges, and the officer said you know how this going to look, you a strapping young man and a 60 year old lady got the best of you. He and family moved within 30 days. I and the humane society had given him warning 4 times previous, about having the dog off leash.

There is no excuse to not having control over your dog, especially as he new it played rough. If we let those type of people get by with it, the will continue.

Let use know how Ari is, hope it does not make him afraid in the future, just awful


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Oh, God! I hate that this happened to Ari but am glad that she is apparently ok for the most part. Your story was very scary and just when I am considering taking Dakota to the small dog section of our local dog park.

Strategy wise, would it have helped if you had been positioned by the gate to stop the dog from geting into the enclosure? I am trying to figure out ways to counter something like this occurring if I take Dakota.

I think your Ari is made of sterner stuff than my Dakota. I do not think he would have recovered as well as she has.


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## glorybeecosta (Nov 11, 2014)

ericwd9 said:


> You have a witness to the attack! get the vet to give you a big bill (one you don't have to pay but the bully's owner does) when you next see the owner give it to him get his car rego No. and give it and the bill to a good lawyer. Unless made to pay this man will continue to inflict his "macho" dog on others. These types usually have their dogs put down when they cost them money. Sadly as they say "It takes all types to make a world" But without consequences children will continue to be offensive.
> Eric


Eric
Apparently I was typing my reply when your came in, I say go for as big a bill as your vet can give you, and make the B------pay. I bet he will be back, sounds like the type


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

My heart was in my throat reading your first post!!!!! This kind of crap is the main reason I generally don't go to our dog park. There are too many stupid people who use it as a way to be able to let their dogs run around like [email protected]$holes to exhaust them. The people stand around and drink coffee and gab rather than watching their crazy dogs.

I am very very relieved to know that Ari seems to be fine. You were very smart (so not a surprise) to stay and help her recover at the park. Star's mom sounds like a great person to have helped you. I think it would be wise to stay away until you are sure you won't project fear or concern to her.

I think dogs can suffer from PTSD just the way people can. Be careful to watch her and help her regain her truly wonderful confident view of the world. Lily definitely had real worries over rotties after a large male made a run at us at an obedience trial a couple of years ago. Even though he didn't make physical contact with either of us (he ran out of leash and ended up on his hind legs about 18" from my head), it was obvious to me that he wanted to kill Lily and would have taken me out to get to her. About a month later I was at another trial and she did a couple of really weird things while we were on course in rally. During the excellent course she left me and went over to her leash when we were at the finish line. I was able to call her back and she did the sit stay. When I got her leash and was headed back to her I saw a rottie outside the ring. On the advanced course she went over to try to get her leash from the judge right near the finish and I also had to call her back to get her to do the last station. When we did go to get the leash from the judge she asked me why I thought Lily had done those things (we know this judge well and she recognized that Lily's behavior wasn't her usual). I told her what had happened and when I finished she told me to look over my right shoulder, where I saw 4 or 5 rotties now collected near the ring. I think Lily wanted to get her leash because she knows that leash on signals work is over and she wanted it to be over. She now doesn't like them, but isn't afraid anymore. I would say the aftermath of that attempt to kill us (which didn't even have any physical contact) probably has put at least a year's delay on utility and agility titles because she was not willing to work away from me for a long time.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

You can't MAKE this guy pay a bill if he refuses unless you want to take him to small claims court. But I would take a photo of him, his dog, and his license plate and let him know you have the photos.


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

OMGosh this stirs up horrible feelings! I am so very sorry that happened to poor Ari! So happy she is ok!


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

N2Mischief said:


> OMGosh this stirs up horrible feelings! I am so very sorry that happened to poor Ari! So happy she is ok!


N2M you know the horrors of this better than most of us. I am sure this was hard for you to read. I wish all of us could be free of the dangers of stupid owners with dangerous dogs.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

OMG, Sophie Anne. Thank heavens Ari is still here and she should be okay. Do dogs get concussions? D*** that <strike>Pit</strike> terrier owner!!! So typical!

Sophie was her angel today, too. If she hadn't been there to shelter Ari, I imagine her emotional recovery could have taken longer.

Rescue Remedy for both of you, stat.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Quossum said:


> Absolutely awful. Glad your sweetheart suffered no physical damage, but do keep working to keep her mentally okay. Some dogs bounce back pretty quickly from even a horrifying scare, while others will need lots of rehab time to get their confidence back. (Sugarfoot was attacked at 7 months, and now at 4 1/2 years old he's "mostly" over it.)
> 
> Now, granted I am not a dog park fan, so I'm not quite sure how they "work" or if this is feasible, but can't anyone do anything about this owner and his aggressive dog? All other owners at the park tell him he's not welcome? Call animal control / whoever (???) each time he shows up, with the promise of prosecution for former attacks? I mean, what can even be done? Can this person even be spoken to in a way, like, "Hey, I don't want your dog in the same space as mine. Let me get my dog before you release yours," or would he just flat-out ignore that and release his dog anyway? For sure I would present him with a bill like eric suggests.
> 
> ...


Ari bounced back within 10 minutes on the surface level. She is 11.5 months old now and has had a gazillion positive dog park experiences and greetings with probably hundreds of nice dogs, and this brief encounter was bookended by several hours of happy play, so I think that she will be alright in the long run. We are going to do some drop in classes for super basic obedience for the next couple weeks just to get her into a room with lots of treats and other safe dogs to make sure that this negative memory fades quickly.

But she is definitely shaken. She walked close to me on the way back to the car and did some skittering when Star loomed over her too tall. To a degree, this is alright, because Ari did not realize she was vulnerable before this and she will now be a little more careful around new big dogs (she has a habit of approaching dogs without hesitation and jumping in their face; she didn't do it in this case but it is a behavior that is not quite socially appropriate to most dogs that I could do without). I hope that, with time, she can learn to be cautious without being anxious.

Everybody hates this guy and his dog and he has a big reputation but unfortunately (according to my conversations with other responsible owners) it's difficult/impossible to get any kind of legal action taken/police involvement when no dogs have yet been bloodied by this dog. The owner gets very defensive when you try to talk to him about it, and says it's "just how terriers like to play".

I've tried to explain to this guy that in the same way it isn't OK for a bully on a playground to ruin all the other kids' fun EVEN IF he's not maiming them, it's not OK for this dog to go around bullying the other dogs and making them unhappy (although this dog could easily have maimed Ari since she's so much smaller than he is).

I was calling Ari back to me to leave the park when all of this happened because Star's owner and I made the simultaneous, unspoken decision to just walk away from the potential disaster that is this guy and his dog. Unfortunately, Ari was attacked as she retreated!!!

Re: MiniPoo's question about Dakota going to the dog park:
There are two gates/entrances to the small dog park, one that connects to the "big dog" side and is supposed to only be for emergency use, and one that is the "main" gate with the double doors and an area to leash/unleash your dog. Star's owner and I were down towards the main entrance and on the opposite side from the emergency entrance, which is where we are "supposed" to be to keep the dogs from lingering too close to the dividing fence where disagreements are most likely to break out. I don't think there's much I could have done in this case, besides having predicted that the dog and his owner were coming our way and were going to come into the small dog park, and thus calling Ari to leave sooner. My best advice to you would be to map out all of the possible entrances to your local park and keep an eye on them so you can see who is coming in and whether you might be better off taking Dakota home if a dog looks questionable.



MiniPoo said:


> You can't MAKE this guy pay a bill if he refuses unless you want to take him to small claims court. But I would take a photo of him, his dog, and his license plate and let him know you have the photos.


I'll take a picture of all that if I see the dink again and make sure he knows that the photos are stored online and that my boyfriend and family know about them. Wouldn't want him to take revenge on me... :afraid:



N2Mischief said:


> OMGosh this stirs up horrible feelings! I am so very sorry that happened to poor Ari! So happy she is ok!


I'm really sorry N2Mischief. :sad:

Ari got very lucky today.



Streetcar said:


> OMG, Sophie Anne. Thank heavens Ari is still here and she should be okay. Do dogs get concussions? D*** that terrier owner!!! So typical!
> 
> Sophie was her angel today, too. If she hadn't been there to shelter Ari, I imagine her emotional recovery could have taken longer.
> 
> Rescue Remedy for both of you, stat.


I'm sure dogs can get concussions, and if I had to guess what Ari's invisible injury is, concussion would be at the top of my list. Pupils are fine and everything, but we'll be taking it easy this week to let her heal emotionally and physically!

Sophie was so amazingly comforting for Ari, it is soooo sweet how clearly they love each other! 

Now they are snuggled up on the couch:


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Sophie Anne, also try to figure out if this could be the predator who was tailgating you on that deserted road that night. I have not ever forgotten that post. Doubtful, but worth considering maybe.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

Sophie anne, who maintains the dog park? Who's in charge? If it's city or county property, surely you can file a complaint. Get other park users who've had problems with him to file complaints, too. Perhaps you can get the jerk banned. (Oh, you posted just as I did. I see the authorities haven't been helpful.)


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

Hugs for Ari and you. So sorry this happened.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Streetcar said:


> Sophie Anne, also try to figure out if this could be the predator who was tailgating you on that deserted road that night. I have not ever forgotten that post. Doubtful, but worth considering maybe.


I have attracted so much creepy attention in my year in this town, whether it's walking down the street or driving in my car, that I've stopped keeping count of the incidents but I have started photographing my creepers and sending the photos to my bf when I can, out of paranoia that I might be being stalked. I am verrrry glad that my landlords live in the same house as me. That said, this dog park is super far from my apartment/where I was tailgated, so I don't think that this would likely be the same person. Just yet another creep/j*rk to add to the list.

Just the other day I was walking out of the dog food store downtown in broad daylight with a huge bag of dog goodies (lol my life is either scientific research or poodles right now) and a black pickup full of dockworkers pulled over into the parking lane, rolled down the windows, and started yelling all kinds of horrible catcall stuff at me. The owner of the dog store ran outside in fury and scared them off but not before writing down their license plate. I appreciated the help... I wasn't really in an empowered position with an armload of dog food and it is really hard to yell back to catcallers because it normally just makes it worse. I am hoping that being back in a college town where people my age are common will help next year. I am so sick of this.


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## poofs (Jan 6, 2016)

Do you know what the laws are in your area for reporting a dog on dog attack? How many reports need to be filed before the police can do anything?


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## aasteapots (Oct 6, 2013)

So scary. I hope she is ok.


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## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

sophie anne said:


> I have attracted so much creepy attention in my year in this town, whether it's walking down the street or driving in my car, that I've stopped keeping count of the incidents but I have started photographing my creepers and sending the photos to my bf when I can, out of paranoia that I might be being stalked. I am verrrry glad that my landlords live in the same house as me. That said, this dog park is super far from my apartment/where I was tailgated, so I don't think that this would likely be the same person. Just yet another creep/j*rk to add to the list.
> 
> Just the other day I was walking out of the dog food store downtown in broad daylight with a huge bag of dog goodies (lol my life is either scientific research or poodles right now) and a black pickup full of dockworkers pulled over into the parking lane, rolled down the windows, and started yelling all kinds of horrible catcall stuff at me. The owner of the dog store ran outside in fury and scared them off but not before writing down their license plate. I appreciated the help... I wasn't really in an empowered position with an armload of dog food and it is really hard to yell back to catcallers because it normally just makes it worse. I am hoping that being back in a college town where people my age are common will help next year. I am so sick of this.


Yes, so happy you live where your landlords do because they are substitutes for parents in this case and offer some safety.

I'm so sorry you have had to take photos of all the odd events there, and hope when you start grad school it will be in a different town if not state. 

Guessing maybe the terrier owner may take a break for a while and then come back, with a DA dog already stronger and more mature.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

JudyD said:


> Sophie anne, who maintains the dog park? Who's in charge? If it's city or county property, surely you can file a complaint. Get other park users who've had problems with him to file complaints, too. Perhaps you can get the jerk banned. (Oh, you posted just as I did. I see the authorities haven't been helpful.)


It's city property and the signs outside the park say to call animal control for persistent problems with dogs or owners. I'll call them tomorrow and see if they can do anything, but Star's owner had already called about this guy a couple weeks ago and obviously nothing was done, so I'm not very optimistic.



poofs said:


> Do you know what the laws are in your area for reporting a dog on dog attack? How many reports need to be filed before the police can do anything?


It is notoriously difficult in Maine to get meaningful things done to limit the possibility of future attacks with a dangerous dog.
Maine?s dog-control laws should be stricter — Opinion — Bangor Daily News — BDN Maine


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## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

Thank God she wasn't injured or worse. And you are seriously brave, tackling the attacking dog. The feats of adrenaline and love are truly amazing. The dog that attacked Ari, has no business in a dog park in any size section!


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Mfmst said:


> Thank God she wasn't injured or worse. And you are seriously brave, tackling the attacking dog. The feats of adrenaline and love are truly amazing. The dog that attacked Ari, has no business in a dog park in any size section!


It was _seriously stupid_ but I wasn't really thinking at the time, just acting :act-up:

I have acquired a great skill at taking well-aimed flying leaps while owning Ari, because it's often the only way to catch her when she's off leash and refusing to come back. This leap was more of a football style slam tackle lol

We are both lucky.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

scary. did not want to open your thread for fear of what it would contain. i'm so glad ari seems to have survived with her joie de vivre basically intact. do you have any photos at all of the dog? if so, i think maybe i would make up some flyers and post them at the park. i'm sure they'll be torn down, but putting them back up a couple of times might help. just don't identify yourself, but say that the dog was seen attacking other dogs and the owner disappeared without taking responsibility.

keep safe.


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## JudyD (Feb 3, 2013)

sophie anne said:


> It's city property and the signs outside the park say to call animal control for persistent problems with dogs or owners. I'll call them tomorrow and see if they can do anything, but Star's owner had already called about this guy a couple weeks ago and obviously nothing was done, so I'm not very optimistic.


If there are other users who've had problems with the man and his dog, maybe you can get them to call, too. If there are multiple complaints, you'd think they'd be more apt do something.


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## marialydia (Nov 23, 2013)

Sophie Anne so sorry all this has happened! And so glad that Ari seems to be fine physically. You are smart to keep a good watch on her and to take her to the vet tomorrow.

The only solutions I can think of, beyond what the others have posted, is to somehow lock the "emergency gate" between the small dog/ big dog runs while you are there. 

Many of us have heard the "this is how my dog plays" song -- but the crazies who say that do not understand *anything *about dogs, imho.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

I had the same thought of perhaps putting a bicycle chain lock on the door between the 2 sections while you were there. The other thought was to have one dog owner stand by each gate since Ari was meeting other dogs. Block entry until Ari comes back to you. I know, easier said than done, but if the authorities are not helpful then you need some strategy to make Ari safer from stupid dog owners with mean dogs.


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## Zhuhaibill (Jul 10, 2015)

This was not a pleasant thing to read about first thing in the morning. Poor Ari, I am so glad she is OK. She could have been hurt badly, or worse. I am also impressed with Sophie for standing guard and comforting her little sister after the traumatic incident. Hopefully you will find some way to stop this guy and his dog from causing any more harm to other dogs and hope you get to move to your new apartment sooner rather than later. Here we have no dog parks and now after reading your story I am thinking that it might not be such a bad thing.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

Oh my God, my heart! Until I read that Ari was okay, I was totally on pins and needles here! So thankful she's okay!

I see tons of other replies, so I'll just say that I'm just so sorry for the stress that was caused to you both! Allowing that dog into the small dog area needs to be addressed. It's too aggressive and really, should not even be allowed in the dog park at all!

Again, I'm so thankful you and Ari is okay!


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## Viking Queen (Nov 12, 2014)

Oh, my goodness, how frightening for you all. Iris was attached by another of those "terrier mixes" a few years ago and had an awfully sore neck and shoulder area as well as the punctures. I am so glad to hear that everyone aparently came out unscathed.

How absolutely terrifying this sort of thing is. I do hope you can get the authorities to at the very least, banish him and his "terrorer". 

So glad to hear that Ari is home and snuggled with her big sis. The picture is sweet.

You have had more than your share of doggie challenges lately.

I hope for more peace and tranquility for you all.

Viking Queen


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## Axeldog (Aug 29, 2014)

Thank God Ari (and you!) didn't get seriously injured. I am relieved to know that.

What a miserable low life, bringing that dog out to inflict it upon others.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

This is such a terrible thing to happen to any dog ! I am glad that Ari is okay, and you too ! You could have been hurt so bad, it's crazy what adrenalin makes us do !

When I take Merlin to the park (not a dog park) I always look out for bigger dogs being off leash. When I see one, he gets put back on leash, too dangerous, when you're six pounds and they're 60 !

Have a good night sleep, you more than deserve it, and Ari too !


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

All I gotta say is "Amen for your tackling skills" 
So so glad you had a happy ending" 

Pits seem to think Molly is prey cuz every time we meet one they try to eat her! So now the minute she sees one (and I don't know how she recognizes them) she jumps on the scooter and gets behind my legs!
Easter weekend while at my Son's house a friend of theirs came to visit and brought his 6 mth old pitX and I guess Molly thought he was different and went with the Retrievers to greet him and he immediately launched himself at her! He just got a mouthful of hair and Molly came running to the nearest human to 'save' her (my G-Daughter)! The whole incident was less than a minute and Molly was fine.
His owner had only got him from a rescue two weeks before and was totally mollified at it's behavior.........we all advised him to return it and get a dog without the pit breed in it as he has children! The dog was put in the car.........


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## Caddy (Nov 23, 2014)

You, Ari and Sophie all handled yourselves very well in my books. Wow, you are a brave puppy mom!


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## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

My heart was in my throat when I read your post. I have followed you and Ari and your saga with your lovely Sophie. You and your dogs do not deserve a tragedy! So glad that Ari is OK, and that Sophie was there for her. What a wonderful old girl Sophie is!

It is amazing to me how self-centered some people are. Dog parks are there for everybley to use, so everybody has to cooperate. This guy doesn't get it. He uses it for another reason...to keep his rotten dog's kill instinct up. 

I agree with the other posts...take pics of him and his dogs. Take a pic of his vehicle and license plate. Get a bicycle lock, and lock the gate between the small dog and large dog areas when you are there. You can let in the people you want that way and be sure to keep him out. 

And get everybody in the park, large and small to call the number on the sign to report the guy. Eventually, the authorities will have to do something if there are enough complaints!


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## Bluemoon (Dec 30, 2015)

I'm glad Ari is okay.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> You can't MAKE this guy pay a bill if he refuses unless you want to take him to small claims court. But I would take a photo of him, his dog, and his license plate and let him know you have the photos.



And post those pictures along with the Title "Dangerous Dog - irresponsible Owner" all over the park!

I am so very sorry that this happened to you!
And you know, you have taught me something - I have often been jealous of the pictures I see of the huge dog parks around the country, but now I realize that there is something to be said for the small ones that we go to - I can always have my eye on the gate, and Timi could always get to me in time if I see something that I don't like coming in the gate.


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## Click-N-Treat (Nov 9, 2015)

I like Tiny's idea. Post signs, pass out fliers, get the word out that this owner needs to be stopped. This situation makes my blood boil. 

Our local dog park is 60 acres. We stopped going years ago when we realized people were bringing aggressive dogs there on purpose. I watched a pit attack a golden. The owner of the pit was laughing about the attack, and bragging to his friends about his bad a$$ dog. It's not worth the risk.

The side of my head that likes justice suggests small claims court. The side of my head that values your safety, says fliers and a bicycle lock. Either way, I'm still mad. I hope you both feel better soon.


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

This was a terrifying and heartbreaking read. I lost a beloved small dog to a free ranging pet in my own yard. I relived that horror all over again. I am so, so very glad Ari appears ok. 

Hopefully, the vet visit will show everything is ok, too. She will probably be sore for a few days at least. Any chance of finding a canine chiroprator to help with the tension and any alignment issues? I know, I know, it's expensive. Check out if there are any training schools. There's one locoal (ish) to me that asks for well behaved dogs to practice on, maybe Ari could help and be helped at one of those places. 

Best wishes for a full recovery emotionally and physically for both of you.


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## Lori G (Sep 19, 2014)

I was so afraid to read this post when I saw the title! I'm very glad you, Ari and Sophie are ok! We are all looking forward to "following you" to your new city where hopefully life will be more peaceful and safe for all of you!


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

While at the walk in doctor this morning with my son, a woman came in with a dog bite she got at a local dog park. Lots of links on the Internet about legalities and lliabiliess Here is one. I don't go to dog parks ever, too many unknowns for me. https://dogbitelaw.com/dog-parks-liability-for-dog-bites/overview


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Click-N-Treat said:


> I like Tiny's idea. Post signs, pass out fliers, get the word out that this owner needs to be stopped. This situation makes my blood boil.
> 
> Our local dog park is 60 acres. We stopped going years ago when we realized people were bringing aggressive dogs there on purpose. I watched a pit attack a golden. The owner of the pit was laughing about the attack, and bragging to his friends about his bad a$$ dog. It's not worth the risk.
> 
> The side of my head that likes justice suggests small claims court. The side of my head that values your safety, says fliers and a bicycle lock. Either way, I'm still mad. I hope you both feel better soon.



Yeah I thought about doing it to this guy who left a huge pile of vomit on the dog park floor and swore that he was going to get paper towels and would be back - and of course he never did, ruining the park for everyone that day. But it was not my closest park, and I realized I wouldn't be back for a week, so figured it would lose impact by then...


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Yeah I thought about doing it to this guy who left a huge pile of vomit on the dog park floor and swore that he was going to get paper towels and would be back - and of course he never did, ruining the park for everyone that day. But it was not my closest park, and I realized I wouldn't be back for a week, so figured it would lose impact by then...



60 acres, I cannot even imagine - that would be the same as taking Timi to off leash hours in Central Park - no way would I ever put her in a situation where who knows what could run after her with the owner too far off to intervene. 
There are usually more people than dogs in our small dog runs, and anybody could get to their dog in a moment or two!


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

West U said:


> While at the walk in doctor this morning with my son, a woman came in with a dog bite she got at a local dog park. Lots of links on the Internet about legalities and lliabiliess Here is one. I don't go to dog parks ever, too many unknowns for me. https://dogbitelaw.com/dog-parks-liability-for-dog-bites/overview



I kind of think that there is an assumption of some risk to owner and dog at the dog run, however when you are talking about a dog with a known history of aggression, or bringing a large dog into the small dog side, I do not think that is a assumed risk, but a libelous action.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

West U said:


> While at the walk in doctor this morning with my son, a woman came in with a dog bite she got at a local dog park. Lots of links on the Internet about legalities and lliabiliess Here is one. I don't go to dog parks ever, too many unknowns for me. https://dogbitelaw.com/dog-parks-liability-for-dog-bites/overview



Wow, very interesting read. Thanks for sharing. 

I've never been interested in dog parks. Much more fun finding places where my dogs could enjoy the real outdoors. Even when living in town, we would drive to a certain place, and then let the dogs off leash. We had one particular place that we enjoyed going to a lot where DH and I played hide and seek with the dogs. Places like that was much more fun for the dogs.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

West U thanks for that link. I think it has been posted here before, but it is good to bring it back up into recent posts so more people can look at it. New York has pretty decent laws regarding dangerous animals. A dog can be reported as dangerous even if it hasn't ever bitten a person, but instead is dangerous to other animals.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

Just a thought. Could this terrier owner claim he thought it was ok to bring his dog into small dog section since there was already a labradoodle there? Was the labradoodle a small puppy or a big dog?

Also, unless Ari's vet can document some physical damage to Ari, it might be hard to convince any authority of a serious dog attack, even with witnesses. The terrier owner could just keep saying his dog was playing rough.


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## TeamPoodle (Aug 10, 2015)

Oh my gosh this was soo scary to read! I'm glad to hear Ari seems to have recovered okay, and I hope you'll be able to confirm further after you see the vet. 

I was going to suggest a bicycle lock on the dog park gate. It would keep the terrier from entering without someone going over to talk to the owner (should he try again). And any small dogs that come, you could just tell them your dog got attacked by a big terrier and you wanted to take precautions that it wouldn't happen again. No one would fault you for it, in fact, some of the other owners would probably be grateful.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

TeamPoodle said:


> Oh my gosh this was soo scary to read! I'm glad to hear Ari seems to have recovered okay, and I hope you'll be able to confirm further after you see the vet.
> 
> 
> 
> I was going to suggest a bicycle lock on the dog park gate. It would keep the terrier from entering without someone going over to talk to the owner (should he try again). And any small dogs that come, you could just tell them your dog got attacked by a big terrier and you wanted to take precautions that it wouldn't happen again. No one would fault you for it, in fact, some of the other owners would probably be grateful.



What an interesting idea - what is the terrier owner going to do - call the police and say "they locked my 50 pound aggressive dog out of the small dog run - come help!"?


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

Pictures of aggressive dogs and their owners get posted in our dog park Facebook Group. That helps to solve the problem.

Hugs to Ari. He sounds like a trooper!


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## lisasgirl (May 27, 2010)

How scary! I'm so glad Ari is OK! That other owner sounds just horrible. I'm glad you're moving soon, too.

It makes me glad my local dog park is small and populated mostly by the same familiar people (it's not listed online anywhere, so you have to live in the neighborhood to know about it). You can spot the problem dogs and get your dog out of there before they come in. I always feel rude immediately leashing up and leaving if the couple of problem dogs show up (and I feel like some kind of stereotype picking up my little dogs), but you have to do what you have to do!

We were at an all-sizes park one day and there was a medium-sized pit who was playing with Archie, and I kept hearing the owner say, "Oh, he must just like small dogs! We'll have to go to the small dog park from now on." I wish I'd gone over and told her why that was a bad idea. I HATE it when people take bigger dogs in when we're at the small-dogs-only park. Just because your dog likes small dogs doesn't mean the small dogs are comfortable with a big one - and besides that, sometimes a prey-driven dog doesn't react to just one smaller dog but will when there are a bunch of them running around. 

Sounds like this dog shouldn't have been in ANY dog park, though! Ugh!


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## poofs (Jan 6, 2016)

Are you guys sure that blocking access in to or out of public property is legal?
I'd be hesitant to suggest that option.

Facebook shaming sounds like a good idea, though. :good:


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Called animal control today and no help from them since Ari is fine and I don't have specific information about the owner/his dog.



Minipoo said:


> Just a thought. Could this terrier owner claim he thought it was ok to bring his dog into small dog section since there was already a labradoodle there? Was the labradoodle a small puppy or a big dog?
> 
> Also, unless Ari's vet can document some physical damage to Ari, it might be hard to convince any authority of a serious dog attack, even with witnesses. The terrier owner could just keep saying his dog was playing rough.


The signage in the park says that big dogs are allowed in the small dog park if and only if the small dog's owner approves the big dog to come in. The big dogs have to yield to the small dogs... they can use the park if there are no small dogs present but if one is in there they are *supposed* to carefully check that their dog will be OK by asking the small dog's owner.

If the small dog owner approves the big dog to come in, they're supposed to come in through the proper entrance (not the emergency one) and greet through the gate before being released into the off-leash area. If a small dog comes while there are big dogs in the park, the big dogs have to leave unless the small dogs are OK with them. Ari is the only dog under 25 lbs that I've ever seen at this park, though.

There is a big sign outside all entrances to the park that displays these rules.

And realistically, the terrier _was_ just "playing rough" in the sense that he was shaking her by the neck/leg and having fun, but it so happens that this flavor of rough "play" could easily kill a dog Ari's size.



poofs said:


> Are you guys sure that blocking access in to or out of public property is legal?
> I'd be hesitant to suggest that option.
> 
> Facebook shaming sounds like a good idea, though. :good:


It's definitely not legal because there have to be at least 2 ways out of the park in case of emergency and the gate actually says "EMERGENCY USE ONLY DO NOT BLOCK" right on it—everywhere else there is a 8 ft fence.

I'm going to try to start a social media presence for this dog park. It would be nice and would make scheduling play dates easier. Right now there isn't even a Facebook page for it.


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## vegas (Jul 5, 2014)

Wow -- really scary. So glad Ari is okay.


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

I'm so sorry Ari got attacked. That freaked me out reading it. You must have been terrified. I'm so glad she didn't get bitten. That dog, if he wanted to really hurt her, could have. This kind of thing is why I am not a fan of dog parks. I hope something will change there for you. I can't understand such an owner. Just glad Ari is okay. It could have been worse. I guess ya gotta count your blessings. Poor Ari. I hope she won't be too emotionally traumatized that it lasts and lasts.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Ari seems totally fine today! Eating and drinking normally, no digestive upset, no noticeable neck soreness besides a possible teeny bit of stiffness when she woke up this morning. Brought her to the vet for a quick check just in case, and he agrees she seems to have no lasting physical damage. The vet didn't charge me for the visit, which I appreciated!

As far as emotional damage, she seems pretty much OK. Ari wasn't any jumpier or more nervous than usual our walk today, even when we saw a big dog (this dog is very shy and has a MDIF owner who always tries to force a greeting between the big dog and Ari... ugh!!). Ari did what she always does: she took good look at him, gave him a nice tail wag acknowledgement, and moved along. Ari can be overly exuberant with greeting strange dogs sometimes, but she's no dummy when it comes to anxious body language from another dog. We have to walk away pretty brusquely from this guy and his dog because he will literally chase us to try to say hi. Sooooo weird—he seems to not understand that his very pressure sensitive, anxious dog is begging to PLEASE not get any closer as he drags him by the leash towards us. This guy would definitely not have passed marialydia's dog ownership licensing exam! :act-up:

She also did a great job ignoring another angry dog barking out the window of his house while we passed. Knocking wood here—but I think that in this case Ari was old enough and well socialized enough when this happened that she is going to "bounce back" pretty easily.

Unfortunately I didn't have all of the socialization privileges Ari did as a youngster (lol) so I'm having some lasting anxiety. I am not sure we will go back to that dog park because I will be too anxious which will make her afraid.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

You're totally right. You're anxiety will make afraid, or even aggressive. Better you avoid dog parks until you're totally relaxed about them.


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

What a nightmare. Thank goodness Ari is ok. The poor little thing. As I was reading it, all I could imagine is what would I do if that happened to Callie or Molly and my heart started pounding. Terrifying! Good for you, tackling that dog! 
Hopefully you will report this to the authorities so this person is barred from the park? 

I am so fortunate that our dog park is very sparsely populated. There is a huge big dog section and a good size separate fenced area for dogs under 30 pounds. Only once did I see larger dogs illegally in there. We are reminded we have the right to request they leave. This couple with their two big mutts wouldn't, so I didn't bring the girls in, and I reported them. Turned out they were not even members.

I hear from owners how pit bulls are so gentle. Regardless, if I see any dog with that breed mixed in, I go the other way. Its bred into them to chase "prey" and they can't help it if that kicks into their brain. Both my little girls (especially Molly) would immediately shy away from a big dog running at them which would make that instinct kick in to chase them. Sounds like that is what happened to Ari. She looked like prey. 
Poor little Ari. I hope she won't be traumatized by the experience.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

sophie anne said:


> Called animal control today and no help from them since Ari is fine and I don't have specific information about the owner/his dog.


Can you go without Ari and ask around for information on the owner and his dog? Perhaps you will run into this person and take his picture.

If nothing else, you can take pictures for the social media page you want to start for the dog park.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

Good idea MiniPoo. Arrange to meet Star and her owner perhaps and go without Ari. This way you can stay calm enough to get pictures, avoid confrontation with him and not worry about Ari.

I am very happy she doesn't seem to be holding onto the event in her head. Watch her when you see dogs similar to the one who grabbed her nonetheless. Lily's anxieties were very specifically about rotties after our encounter.


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## shell (Jul 10, 2015)

I am glad she is ok. I have often thought of taking Addison to one of our local dog parks but I avoid it because of things like this. I don't think I'd be able to keep my cool in this situation.


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## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Be careful and cautious if approaching or taking photos for your own safety and well being.


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## Kassie (Apr 7, 2016)

Poor Ari. I M sorry you had to go through this. It has been my experience that such aggressive dogs will attack more boldly as time goes on. This dog attack was very aggressive. If you could bring yourself to, I would encourage you to do a formal police report. The reason is to save others from an attack thT may result I. DeAth or serious injury on top of horrific trauma. A dog park is a place of safety. Dogs that are not trustworthy belong elsewhere. Hugs to all.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

West U said:


> Be careful and cautious if approaching or taking photos for your own safety and well being.


I agree that taking pictures is a great idea, but thank you to West U, for that safety reminder. If someone even gets an incling that their picture is being taken, there could be a verbal confrontation( or worse). Just be careful.


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## hopetocurl (Jan 8, 2014)

Don't get me started on dog parks. Willow was attacked by another dog (when she was 6 months old) on a training walk...with a trainer. Since then, I will NEVER take her to a dog park. I have a fenced in back yard and I can invite those whom I wish to let her play with. I"ll even clean up their poop. 

Willow had puncture wounds on her neck and 2 broken toes... she was so lucky, but spent 1 1/2 weeks in a cast. Glad that Ari is ok. Give her an extra treat from us!


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

hopetocurl said:


> Don't get me started on dog parks. Willow was attacked by another dog (when she was 6 months old) on a training walk...with a trainer. Since then, I will NEVER take her to a dog park. I have a fenced in back yard and I can invite those whom I wish to let her play with. I"ll even clean up their poop.
> 
> Willow had puncture wounds on her neck and 2 broken toes... she was so lucky, but spent 1 1/2 weeks in a cast. Glad that Ari is ok. Give her an extra treat from us!



Ohhh my gosh, what a horrible experience for Willow!! So thankful it wasn't worse! Yes, I think that's a wonderful idea about just inviting who you want to come over. I can even visualize how nice that would be!


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## Malasarus (Apr 4, 2016)

I'm glad your Ari is okay! In the future I recommend not doing any flying leaps on these dogs though! Quite dangerous! When I was working at a doggie daycare I was taught to come up behind these dogs and grab them on their thighs/back legs and lift up. Walk them around like a wheelbarrow. Spin them away from whatever they are attacking and keep on walking backwards with them until they calm down. Usually they get so surprised they drop whatever they are holding. This maneuver should be done quickly and decisively, and you should continue walking quickly as you do it or they may whip around and snap at you. This is dangerous so I don't reccomend doing it unless you're willing to take the risk, but it IS safer than a tackle.


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

hopetocurl said:


> Don't get me started on dog parks. Willow was attacked by another dog (when she was 6 months old) on a training walk...with a trainer. Since then, I will NEVER take her to a dog park. I have a fenced in back yard and I can invite those whom I wish to let her play with. I"ll even clean up their poop.
> 
> Willow had puncture wounds on her neck and 2 broken toes... she was so lucky, but spent 1 1/2 weeks in a cast. Glad that Ari is ok. Give her an extra treat from us!


Poor Willow :afraid:

If I had a fenced yard or access to a safe fenced area I would definitely prefer play dates like that! As it is, I live in an area with lots of steep ravines and cliffs overhanging the water so it's not terribly safe to let the dogs run around off-leash outside of a fence. Someday!



Malasarus said:


> I'm glad your Ari is okay! In the future I recommend not doing any flying leaps on these dogs though! Quite dangerous! When I was working at a doggie daycare I was taught to come up behind these dogs and grab them on their thighs/back legs and lift up. Walk them around like a wheelbarrow. Spin them away from whatever they are attacking and keep on walking backwards with them until they calm down. Usually they get so surprised they drop whatever they are holding. This maneuver should be done quickly and decisively, and you should continue walking quickly as you do it or they may whip around and snap at you. This is dangerous so I don't reccomend doing it unless you're willing to take the risk, but it IS safer than a tackle.


Yeah I don't recommend doing what I did :act-up: I'd actually watched videos and studied up on how to deal with a dog attack way back when I got Ari but in this case I don't think I could have grabbed this dog's hind legs... he was already starting to run off with Ari in his mouth when I tackled him. I'm quite lucky that he didn't just release her and attack me. But fortunately this worked this time and Ari and I are both fine.

I know it sounds crazy but I would have much rathered the dog release Ari and attack me than continue shaking her by the neck. I could take more of a beating than her little body!

If, God forbid, something ever happens again, I'll hopefully be able to use a more proper technique.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Sophie Anne, On behalf of the poodle union of the greater world I would like to award you, The owners award for bravery in protecting a poodle in the face of grave danger. This award can be collected from any poodle in the form of respectful hand licks. The award is for life and will be awarded constantly by every poodle you meet and greet.

Gracie. President P.U.W. pro. tem.


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## MiniPoo (Mar 6, 2014)

At least you did something effective even if it was dangerous. Some people freeze during an emergency. You, madam, are a woman of action and a brave defender of Ari.


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## Lexigirl (Mar 2, 2016)

I am so sorry to hear about this, and SO glad Ari, and you, are okay.

We have many dog parks here, and I used to take Jade a lot. But two incidents made me swear off ever going to one again. The first one was several years ago when Jade was much younger. One guy was there with his two greyhounds, who were running around the park, having diarrhea all over the place, and, of course, there was no way to clean it up (not that he was trying). I said something to him, and he got very nasty, said copious runny poop was normal for his dogs, and then told me to mind my own business. Yeah, really gross. 

Then, a Pomeranian was killed by a larger dog in the same dog park. That did it. I swore I would never go to another. It's too bad that some jerky idiots ruin it for everybody else. 

Again, glad all are okay. The whole incident sends chills up my spine.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

MiniPoo said:


> At least you did something effective even if it was dangerous. Some people freeze during an emergency. You, madam, are a woman of action and a brave defender of Ari.



Yes, and yet she didn't kill the offender - I have a deep fear that if a dog tried to that to Timi that I wouldn't stop until it was dead.
And then I would probably feel a touch guilty, which would be a bummer....


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## sophie anne (Feb 17, 2015)

Tiny Poodles said:


> Yes, and yet she didn't kill the offender - I have a deep fear that if a dog tried to that to Timi that I wouldn't stop until it was dead.
> And then I would probably feel a touch guilty, which would be a bummer....


Oh if he had not let go when his owner pulled his ears I would have killed him/fought him until one or the other of us could fight no more. And I would not have felt guilty about it, especially if Ari was injured. H*ll hath no fury like a poodlemom when her pup is endangered! :act-up:

I would have felt _sad_ about it, that the dog was put in a situation where all of this had to happen (which was the owner's fault), but I would not feel guilty/like I had done the wrong thing.


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## janet6567 (Mar 11, 2014)

SO glad Ari is OK. You handled the situation better than I would have. Pit bulls and their idiot owners are the main reason we don't go to dog parks here. We live in a college town and lots of the college kids think pit bulls are "cool" dogs to own. Of course they have no clue how to train or control their dogs. Bless your heart! What a horrible experience!


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

I did have (many years ago) a traumatic experience with a GSD puppy I was raising in my home. While out walking (on leash) a *large* pit/cross dashed out of an open gate and latched on to the puppies neck breaking it _instantly_. I came to my senses later with my (then very strong) hands around a dead pittys neck. I think the pit suffered more than the GSD did but in my rage I could not say. The pit owner came close to suffering the same fate as his dog. I ended up in court and was found guilty of an assault. I received a suspended sentence due to the provocation. This incident retarded my promotion in law enforcement and I transferred to the fire service as a result. I would say that; it pays to keep your head in these situations. It is an incident I am not proud of.
Eric.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

ericwd9 said:


> I did have (many years ago) a traumatic experience with a GSD puppy I was raising in my home. While out walking (on leash) a *large* pit/cross dashed out of an open gate and latched on to the puppies neck breaking it _instantly_. I came to my senses later with my (then very strong) hands around a dead pittys neck. I think the pit suffered more than the GSD did but in my rage I could not say. The pit owner came close to suffering the same fate as his dog. I ended up in court and was found guilty of assault. I received a suspended sentence due to the provocation. This incident retarded my promotion in law enforcement and I transferred to the fire service as a result. I would say that; it pays to keep your head in these situations. It is an incident I am not proud of.
> Eric.



I am very sorry that happened to you Eric. I think that it is very unfair that you were found guilty - the provocation should have rendered a not guilty verdict ?


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## Shamrockmommy (Aug 16, 2013)

OMG I am so sorry!! I hope she's ok after all!!


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## Lori G (Sep 19, 2014)

Eric, after reading that, I like you more than ever! One of my biggest pet-peeves (no pun intended) is irresponsible dog owners! And the fact that your actions effected your career is crazy! You did what SHOULD be the normal consequence of a dogs' behavior...

In the 90's my brother-in-law had a German Shepherd who, unprovoked, bit their daughter. BIL refused to put it down despite my sister's plea. About 5 years later that dog bit our grandmother. My sister immediately called the vet, put the dog in the car and drove to have it put down. I'm sorry to those who may find this wrong but IMHO, any dog who bites or attacks unprovoked should be put down immediately, whether it's victim is canine or human.


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

ericwd9 said:


> I did have (many years ago) a traumatic experience with a GSD puppy I was raising in my home. While out walking (on leash) a *large* pit/cross dashed out of an open gate and latched on to the puppies neck breaking it _instantly_. I came to my senses later with my (then very strong) hands around a dead pittys neck. I think the pit suffered more than the GSD did but in my rage I could not say. The pit owner came close to suffering the same fate as his dog. I ended up in court and was found guilty of an assault. I received a suspended sentence due to the provocation. This incident retarded my promotion in law enforcement and I transferred to the fire service as a result. I would say that; it pays to keep your head in these situations. It is an incident I am not proud of.
> Eric.


OMG Eric, what a horrible situation you were in! I 'm so sorry that happened to you, and on top of it, to lose your precious puppy. :-(


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## BorderKelpie (Dec 3, 2011)

Oh, Eric! That's horrible! Doubley so that it affected your career, as well. 
You have been a hero in my mind for a while now, you're a hero in my heart now, too. 

Sent from my LGL34C using Tapatalk


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

LoriG I am with you that one break of skin intentional bite is a deal breaker for me. A good friend of mine was bitten by her DD and SIL's GSD (a rescue, about whom little is known in its previous life). My friend required a skin graft due to the severity of the wound. The dog still is with the daughter and SIL. No one else in the family goes to their home unless the dog is confined and muzzled. There are no children in this home (and the clock is ticking, DD is in her early-mid 30s). SIL wants kids, but she won't have any while this dog is alive.

Eric, I agree with Tiny that the provocation should have been grounds for not just an acquittal, but no charges brought. I would have done everything I could have if a dog of any sort killed or tried to kill one of mine. Sadly a neighbor of mine's fence seems to be broken and their two pitties have been getting out. I have to check and see what is going on every time I want to put a dog in the car since the loose dogs have been at the end of my driveway.


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

Eric, that was so unfair to punish you! You were brave. Had a dog killed one of my babies, I would have tried to kill it, just out of instinct. Unfortunately, I'm probably not strong enough. But I say - good for you. More than likely that pitty would have killed other dogs in the years to come.
I don't understand why anyone is allowed to own a pitty without having been cleared and trained. Pit bulls, in my mind, are a lethal weapon in the wrong hands.


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## Lori G (Sep 19, 2014)

Lily cd re, oh no! I hope the neighbors fence gets fixed soon! As much as I try to feel better about pits, I just can't feel anything warm and fuzzy about the breed.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

The last time I saw the dogs a little boy around 7 or 8 years old was playing with them. That just sends my heart to my throat.

The potential good note is that this is the same neighbor who was friendly to deal with when I spoke to him about how it sounded like his dogs were having bad fights with each other. Hopefully I can talk with them about it if things don't get fixed on their own this week.


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

lily cd re said:


> LoriG I am with you that one break of skin intentional bite is a deal breaker for me. A good friend of mine was bitten by her DD and SIL's GSD (a rescue, about whom little is known in its previous life). My friend required a skin graft due to the severity of the wound. The dog still is with the daughter and SIL. No one else in the family goes to their home unless the dog is confined and muzzled. There are no children in this home (and the clock is ticking, DD is in her early-mid 30s). SIL wants kids, but she won't have any while this dog is alive.
> 
> Eric, I agree with Tiny that the provocation should have been grounds for not just an acquittal, but no charges brought. I would have done everything I could have if a dog of any sort killed or tried to kill one of mine. Sadly a neighbor of mine's fence seems to be broken and their two pitties have been getting out. I have to check and see what is going on every time I want to put a dog in the car since the loose dogs have been at the end of my driveway.


Catherine, I was found guily of an assault on the dogs owner, not the dog. Had I been in uniform and shot them both (in self defence) I would have been exonerated. I say to others "don't take the law into your own hands.
eric


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

ericwd9 said:


> Catherine, I was found guily of an assault on the dogs owner, not the dog. Had I been in uniform and shot them both (in self defence) I would have been exonerated. I say to others "don't take the law into your own hands.
> eric



Why weren't you as a citizen allowed to defend yourself and your dog?! That is so wrong!


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

ericwd9 said:


> Catherine, I was found guily of an assault on the dogs owner, not the dog. Had I been in uniform and shot them both (in self defence) I would have been exonerated. I say to others "don't take the law into your own hands.
> eric



Having to defend oneself from an attack, whether it's from a dog, the owner, or both, you were within your rights to do whatever it took. I don't understand why you were found guilty. Unless the laws are different in Australia than in the US?


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## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

TrixieTreasure said:


> Having to defend oneself from an attack, whether it's from a dog, the owner, or both, you were within your rights to do whatever it took. I don't understand why you were found guilty. Unless the laws are different in Australia than in the US?


It was I who did the attack on the owner. He was only defending his dog.
I don't like to talk about this incident. It is *not* a fond memory.
Eric


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## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

Eric, when the Pitt killed my chihuahua, and the police and fire dept. were both there, the owner of the Pitt showed up. The police officers had to hold me back, I wanted to rip her eyes out! I kept telling them to "get her out of here"! Dumb woman just kept apologizing and wouldn't go away. Finally they told her to go, but if the police weren't already there I probably would have an assault charge. 

The next day she came to my door with her gang banger boyfriend. Here is this guy in obvious gang attire, tattoos all over his neck, head, face and any other skin I could see. He was sobbing and apologizing. So was she. I still was not too nice. Now 3 years later I still give them dirty looks when they drive by. I just can't find it in me to forgive them.


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## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

I swear if I ran into the Vet who killed Jolé during her spay 30 years ago (yes 
I still remember her name), I would beat the living hell out of her. Yes, I have even googled to see if I could find her, but no luck...


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## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

N2Mischief said:


> Eric, when the Pitt killed my chihuahua, and the police and fire dept. were both there, the owner of the Pitt showed up. The police officers had to hold me back, I wanted to rip her eyes out! I kept telling them to "get her out of here"! Dumb woman just kept apologizing and wouldn't go away. Finally they told her to go, but if the police weren't already there I probably would have an assault charge.
> 
> The next day she came to my door with her gang banger boyfriend. Here is this guy in obvious gang attire, tattoos all over his neck, head, face and any other skin I could see. He was sobbing and apologizing. So was she. I still was not too nice. Now 3 years later I still give them dirty looks when they drive by. I just can't find it in me to forgive them.


How horrible. I'm so sorry that happened to you!

When people or animals hurt our babies, we are within our rights to go after them in retaliation, and if we are arrested because of it, then so be it. I also think that people are within their rights to sue the owners too, especially if our dog dies because of their negligence.

In your situation, if that woman and her boyfriend had waited for awhile, and then written a heartfelt sincere letter of apology, instead of just showing up on your doorstep the very next day, that would have been the more appropriate thing to do. But when the wounds are so deep, and the horrible thing had just happened, no one in their right mind is going to just forgive that person. That woman and her boyfriend should have just stayed away.


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## CT Girl (Nov 17, 2010)

N2Mischief said:


> Eric, when the Pitt killed my chihuahua, and the police and fire dept. were both there, the owner of the Pitt showed up. The police officers had to hold me back, I wanted to rip her eyes out! I kept telling them to "get her out of here"! Dumb woman just kept apologizing and wouldn't go away. Finally they told her to go, but if the police weren't already there I probably would have an assault charge.
> 
> The next day she came to my door with her gang banger boyfriend. Here is this guy in obvious gang attire, tattoos all over his neck, head, face and any other skin I could see. He was sobbing and apologizing. So was she. I still was not too nice. Now 3 years later I still give them dirty looks when they drive by. I just can't find it in me to forgive them.


I do think it was too soon for them to come by and apologize but would there ever be a right time? I think it took guts to have a face to face meeting with you and they sounded truly contrite. I don't know that I would find it in my heart to forgive if Swizzle died so brutally but it would make it even worse if you and your dog's pain was inconsequential to them.


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## SusanG (Aug 8, 2009)

All this reminds me of something that happened more than 20 years ago. I lived in SC, and I had a neighbor who was not very nice. At the time I had a sweet gentle white mini who never left my side. Her kids did something bad and I went down to talk to her about it. She retaliated and said "if I ever see your dog in MY yard I will kill it". All I remember after that was grabbing her by the shirt and shoving her up against the side of the house and telling her what I would do to her.
Threaten or hurt our dogs and its not different than threatening or hurting your child. The reaction is instinctive and impossible to control.


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