I took Snowie to the beach yesterday late afternoon. A dog beach. I should’ve listened to my intuition. And to Snowie. When we got down to the beach, usually we walk first to the right, then left to leave the beach. Snowie went straight to the left. We hung around. I should’ve realised Snowie was reluctant to go to the right. But I wanted to do my full length of the beach. There were two dogs on the right side. We ambled over. One dog, a collie type, gave Snowie “the eye” and he made sure to give it a wide berth. The other was a Boston with a tennis ball in its mouth. Snowie went to mark a rock and the Boston went up to him and then flew at his neck, all snaps and growls. I yelled at the dog to get away. And the f*%^! owner yells at me to leave his dog alone. Wtf?! Let his dog nip my dog? Snowie was trying to avoid the Boston but the nasty bugger wouldn’t give up. So I tried to push the dog away and the owner grabbed me hard and violently with both hands on my upper arms and shoved me back. Bloody sore. I’ve never been attacked so it was a shock. He starts yelling at me: Don’t touch my dog! Only touch your dog. Take your dog away. Are you mad? Don’t get between two dogs that are fighting!
Two dogs that are fighting? My dog is doing nothing.
I shouted at him, said I wasn’t mad. That I have every right to protect my dog from another dog that is attacking it. Get your dog away! How can you let your dog bite another dog? What happens if my dog bites yours back? (Which I know—poor Snowie—he’d never do.)
At which thankfully he scooped his dog up roughly and kept yelling at me. I realised it was doing no good to yell back but I was incensed! I asked him (normal voice): Why are you so defensive? Your dog attacked my dog.
He yelled: You go home!
Although I was relieved to see he was taking himself and his dog home. And his wife/girlfriend/friend—I never got to know that relationship, she never said a word or did a thing.
I was so shaken by this. Ruined my entire walk! Upset me the whole evening.
Part of me feels I overreacted. The Boston wasn’t going to inflict terrible damage even though it was on the big side for a Boston. But it was so aggressive that I instinctively wanted to protect Snowie. I can understand a dog owner doesn’t want anyone else shoving their dog away. But he did nothing to call it off.
Two dogs that are fighting? My dog is doing nothing.
I shouted at him, said I wasn’t mad. That I have every right to protect my dog from another dog that is attacking it. Get your dog away! How can you let your dog bite another dog? What happens if my dog bites yours back? (Which I know—poor Snowie—he’d never do.)
At which thankfully he scooped his dog up roughly and kept yelling at me. I realised it was doing no good to yell back but I was incensed! I asked him (normal voice): Why are you so defensive? Your dog attacked my dog.
He yelled: You go home!
Although I was relieved to see he was taking himself and his dog home. And his wife/girlfriend/friend—I never got to know that relationship, she never said a word or did a thing.
I was so shaken by this. Ruined my entire walk! Upset me the whole evening.
Part of me feels I overreacted. The Boston wasn’t going to inflict terrible damage even though it was on the big side for a Boston. But it was so aggressive that I instinctively wanted to protect Snowie. I can understand a dog owner doesn’t want anyone else shoving their dog away. But he did nothing to call it off.
