Dog Experts, What Would You do if...

[silkielover5]

i would drop my shoulders and look at the ground to show the dog that i am not a threat and that you are not challenging it. you do the same with horses. but doing this has helped me catch abused dogs that have gotten loose and help me train with my aggressive dog and other aggressive dogs that i have fostered.

 

[Souperchicken]

I had something similar happen recently. When the sheep were moved into pastures this fall, I was jogging with my three dogs and saw a LARGE dog that guards sheep(larger than a Pyrenees, in fact the tallest dog I've ever been up close too) come toward us. We were about 1/4 mile away when we first saw it and I instantly turned around and headed the other way hoping it would hold it's ground. I stopped jogging and just walked.
It was gaining ground quickly and loping toward us. I said a silent prayer to protect us and my dogs, since my husband told me earlier that week about how a sheep rancher told him his dog attacks and kills other dogs. It wasn't retreating and it was almost to us and I decided it was better for us to meet it, than for it to think we were retreating, so I turned around and started walking back in the direction toward the dog just as it was meeting up with us.
We meet up and it was acting dominant/excited to my dogs. Ignored me for the most part. My dogs aren't normally aggressive and they knew their place with this one. It towered over them. It was accosting my dogs, while my dogs were mostly submissive. Tails down, backs hunched while we continuing walking. This dog was trying to get on my dogs backs, aggressively sniff their tails, and trying to get them to run. It had a wild look in it's eye.
I ignored it and just looked and walked straight forward, but a couple times when I could hear a scuffle start, I would yell, "Hey!" and it would stop.
I was walking around a huge 4 mile block and decided if we could just get past the sheep part he would stop accosting us. I was worried if I turn back it would see that as a sign to go after us and if we stopped that would start a fight. As we got closer to the turn in the road, another one came out toward us. It looked more like a Pyrenees, it was relatively smaller and was barking and more vocal. This one kept it's distance more and would stay about 7-10 feet away from us and kind of lunge in and out. To this one I talked in a soothing voice as we kept walking, even though I was literally ready to crap my pants. I told the dog we weren't going to hurt their sheep and it was OK. They kept it up for probably 1/2 mile until a rancher came by and helped chase them back to their sheep.
I really don't know if I handled the situation the right way or not. But I'd probably handle it the same way whether with my dogs or not.

I still want to go back and get a picture of that dog, just so people could believe me about how big it was.

 

[redhen]

Ugh.. thats totally scary...
One i think i could handle.. but 2? No way.

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Two dogs are outside OP's original scenario. I would rather face one 140 lbs dog than two 50 lb each dogs. I even have question of my ability to deal with two little ankle biting mop dogs with those crooked little teeth.

Multiple dogs means backup (people) required and real weapon with repeated rapid fire capability is needed. Sometimes the big stick would still work as weapon.

 

[Moabite]

So this big ol' dog is walking straight at me, tail at "half mast", head high with no teeth barred. I'm thinking I'd drop to my hands and knees and pounce toward him with my chest low and my but in the air like puppy and spin around. He/she sounds like a very pampered pup who escaped from its handler and is out for a good romp.

I used to be a paper boy and have been bitten several times. I have been mauled a couple times too. I can read their faces to the point that I can tell what sex they are. Most of the "big scary breeds" are better adjusted to people then the other way around. The ones that run at you full speed with their ears back are the ones that scare me.

I hope I hypothetically made the right choice.

 

[Moabite]

Quote:
Two dogs are outside OP's original scenario. I would rather face one 140 lbs dog than two 50 lb each dogs. I even have question of my ability to deal with two little ankle biting mop dogs with those crooked little teeth.

Multiple dogs means backup (people) required and real weapon with repeated rapid fire capability is needed. Sometimes the big stick would still work as weapon.

Yeah, each of my dogs are great, but together they take on a whole new personality. Only one at a time at the dog park or there will be trouble.

 

[SuziQ991]

I have to ask welsummerchicks, what did your friend do and how did it turn out?

 

[watchdogps]

To souperchicken, and a note on lgds in general - yes, you handled it well. If ever one finds themselves on lgd property, or what the dog has deemed their property, do NOT challenge the dog. Get wussy. Lgds are not wired to back down, they are wired to increase aggression as the threat increases. This means if you are the threat, and you yell and act agressively, they will up the ante. Speak nicely, don't move fast, back away (esp if you are near their livestock), and the dog will usually calm down.

 

[Jamie_Dog_Trainer]

Quote:
I did not read the rest of this thread before responding. However the body language described here is not overtly threatening, though the brisk walk shows, very likely, a stiffening of the legs due to muscle tension which always shows some "intent" from stress. Be it a confident "I've done this before and I WILL see what you are doing here" kind of approach or a "I am nervous and unsure so I will make some overtures that you will know are there to make you uncomfortable" kind of approach. I can't quite say. Mostly I would say this dogs approach shows the dog is being mildly confrontational -- the direct and steady eye contact to a stranger is not friendly. It stems from waryness of the situation and the dog is watching you to see what you are going to do. The stiff "motionless" tail just goes along with the other signs the dog is not comfortable with that person's presence. Stiff/choppy forward movement, stiff partially upright tail, and steady eye contact all indicate a lot of interest that is causing the dog some kind of stress.

With this approach I would do what I always do when a strange dog approaches me in anything but a relaxed and friendly attitude. I would walk forward at about the same pace as the dog is approaching me and I would raise my hand in a direction the dog could easily go and confidently, and with authority, indicate that the dog needs to move in that direction. Would I vocalize? I don't know but probably as the dog and I got closer together I would emphasize my point by saying "No! Get going!" or something similar. Then when the dog moved away I would follow for several steps, again, to emphasize that I am in control of the situation. It works, I've done this many times on training sessions with clients. When walking a dog with a client, usually on the training/beahavior evaluation I've often been approached by dogs in a neighborhood. The dogs have a variety of behaviors ranging from out-right hostility to friendly behavior bordering on stupidity!

 

[welsummerchicks]

Actually, the 140 lbs is a mistake, a typo.

She guessed the dog's weight at 180 lbs, which the AKC lists as a typical weight for an adult male of this breed.

I made another mistake, though - the typical height is 32 inches at the withers - though the thick long coat makes them appear larger than that, 32 inches was the height she guessed at. In other words, she guessed him to be a typical size for his breed, gender and age.

I am not sure where your skepticism as to the size/weight of the dog comes from. The AKC themselves indicates this weight for the adult males, and there are larger individuals on record.

I have indeed seen people make outrageous guesses for the size of an animal that is in the bushes or sighted at night or at a distance or running, but not when the animal is six-10 feet from them.