In this video I recount the stories of the times my dogs were attacked by other dogs and how it affected them and I. The reason I am making this video is because I found it therapeutic and healing to talk to and hear the stories of others who had experienced similar experiences.
#dogtraining #professionaldogtraining #positivetraining
Hi everyone this video isn’t going to be A dog training tutorial this time i’m Going to be recounting the stories of When my dogs have been attacked by other Dogs And i previously haven’t talked about it Online because i felt uh bad for the Owners of the people whose dogs have Attacked mine But i really think that it is going to Be helpful for some people who have been Through the same things And the reasoning is When i see stories on facebook which is Sadly so frequent of other trainers Other just Dog enthusiasts or even famous trainers Their dogs being attacked by other dogs In all these different situations i find It has been healing to know that i’m not Just being paranoid when i have a panic Attack when i see a loose dog or i see a Dog that looks like it might want to Hurt my dogs on an extremely loose Collar or You know with someone who’s not holding Onto the leash properly or A child is holding a flexi leash with This enormous dog that’s Glaring at me as i’m trying to get to my Car after walking in the park So Another Thing is that
Quite a while ago when i was talking to A therapist about my having panic Attacks where my heart Races and i start sweating and panicking I can’t even talk properly and i have to Run back to my car The therapist said i was being Irrational About the fact that other dogs might Attack mine and i had said to them Do you have dogs have they ever been Attacked and and and that person said no No never um and so you don’t really Understand until it’s until it’s Happened to you So um Well i guess uh let’s think The first time that sadly an attack was Avoided was when i just had kiko oh i Can go back even further i had a beagle And one of my neighbors had a rottweiler I i won’t mention the other breeds Further on but this was the beginning of My fear is that the rottweiler was so Big that when the dog started to chase Other dogs she would let go of the leash And one time as a young i guess i was You know 10 or early teens I ran with my beagle away from the Rottweiler and i made it into my house And closed the gate before the dog got To me and then About a year later that dog
Uh bit holes in uh another dog’s head A cocker spaniel a very similar shape And size so i would have this terror and Nightmares about about the rottweiler Getting my dog and then uh Kiko my my little chihuahua the dog that I got after the beagle um one day we Were walking on the beach and this car Driving really fast Past us had two Large dogs that looked like they were Going to jump out the window at us and They did jump out the window at us But the car was going so fast that when They hit the ground They weren’t able to get up sadly it was Really horrible and the owner came and And put them threw them back into the Car and drove off so uh So Nothing bad happened but i was really Shaken up because now i wasn’t only Looking out for dogs um I was worried about dogs in cars Uh so That continues on to uh when i got Splash as a little pup I was at a dog basically i already had a Fear of of strangers with loose dogs but I had the safety thinking you know If if it’s in a training environment i i Can let my guard down So Splash my border collie who sadly passed
When she was 13 This was way back you know 13 years ago We were in a dog training class She was a puppy Another person had an aussie puppy and Splash and aussie puppy were friends and One day she brought her adult dog which Was a small little dog and as she walked Over to the class with the adult dog And there was going to be off-leash play I thought oh can splash meet your adult Dog and she said sure And i asked if the dog was friendly she Said sure And i figured you know if the dog lives With a puppy that’s like my dog chances Are it’s fine but as soon as splash got Over to say hello to the dog the dog Grabbed her face and just started Shaking her Violently and and then finally let go And um And and uh and then she said oh that’s Like the third time that’s happened And so that really upset me a lot but You know i’ve never said anything about This because i didn’t want to upset Anybody but hopefully it’s been you know Over a decade with all these stories so Hopefully no one gets offended but uh The trauma still lives with you so um Just recounting these and now it’s been Over 10 years so i don’t get really Emotional but
But it it really changed splash and and That is also when she started to become Reactive to dogs and people um so i do Believe it was in her genetics because Her mother was very reactive to Uh all people except the people she Lived with and i thought it was just Because she lived on a farm but it was In splash’s genetics but being attacked As a puppy didn’t help So So then fast forward splashes about a Year old and she’s she’s playing with One of another trainer’s dogs and we’re At the beach and then suddenly the other Dog gets over excited And splashes in the water and the dog Grabs her from behind the neck and just Pushes her under the water And we have to run over and the dog’s Just not letting go i’d done so much Extensive training with splash because She was so reactive to dogs that when The dog bit her she just stood still and Waited for us to go help her But that dog wasn’t letting go i tried Pepper spraying it in the eyes and the Nose finally the other trainer had to Stick their hands into the dog’s mouth And have the dog bite on their arm to Get the dog to Let go of my dog and i was very very Grateful for that But but the incident also really
Really messed messed me up And so And poor splash I think she Such an intelligent dog she realized oh I see That dog i should stay away from and she Didn’t generalize to all dogs so so that Was very nice but Um There was another trainer uh that her Dog kept biting splash And what splash did generalize Was if there’s a trainer Then the chances of being attacked are Higher so if people looked like a Professional trainer splash would start To shake and put her tail between her Legs And and just want to go home She would do this thing where she’d go Between my legs and then look at me With her tail tucked as if to say You know i want to go home even if i Mentioned certain trainers names in the House that was enough to make her start Shaking thinking about Being attacked or bitten bitten by dogs And i feel so bad because I had let my guard down because it’s Like in a training situation uh it Seemed safe And it i’ve been so careful with loose Dogs and then let my guard down in in
Training situations So Anyway the years went by and uh I was able to keep her safe Um and oddly enough She was a great decoy dog In in In dog training situations if she saw That a person was like unskilled and not A trainer and i was telling them what to Do Um where i was like you know in control Of the situation She was perfectly confident and happy But if trainers showed up she would Start to worry Um then the the next incident um and Probably the one that really Really really Hurt because it changed my dog forever Even though it wasn’t a serious Physical injury My little terrier tug And i haven’t told this story publicly Maybe in like a comment somewhere Thinking no one would find it but He was a very joyful puppy when he was In an open space he would just get the Zoomies and run for joy in circles when He would play with dogs he was really Really social and friendly with dogs and He would allow them to chase him and run In circles and he just Exuded joy
So at one year old i was so proud of his Training he was amazing at freestyle i Brought him to A conference uh an intern his first his First conference his first seminar that He accompanied me and it was just me and Him and i had to stay at the host’s House at that point because Um I was a young trainer And i didn’t you know I didn’t want to ask to stay at a hotel So i stayed at the house And he got on really well with the Person’s dogs but then another trainer Came to stay at the house And their dog was outside playing with a Jolly ball Uh very excited and uh it just looked Like a dog that was you know obsessed With their toy and uh i said is it okay For For a tug to go outside and they were Like sure so um i figured you know I i’m not going to ask if the the dog Guards or if they’re okay with dogs i Think asking if i can go outside with Tug off leash to play Is perfectly fine since i’m the visiting Dog trainer so i go outside And i would never have had tug with a Larger dog in a dog park or in a park Like that but i let him run around and He because at the time we had a small
Yard uh he saw this huge open green Field and he was so excited to be in This big space and he just got the Zoomies and he was going round and round And round happy And there were some other dogs that were Living there and they were playing and He was running around and as he ran Within like 10 feet of the dog with a Jolly ball and as you can imagine i hate Jolly balls to this day The dog ran out from the ball and bit Him as he was running And he seemed okay And Being embarrassed for the owners and the And the trainers that invited me i was Like oh he’s okay he’s okay let’s get Him back playing again and i didn’t look At his body and i let him play a little Bit And then i noticed him You know two minutes later just Continually checking his side And i was like maybe he has oh he looks Kind of wet maybe he got the dog he’s Got the dog slobber on him and i go over And there’s like a flap Like a triangle flap and i lift it up And i can see his muscles and like Bubbles of yellow fat and i was just Horrified completely completely Horrified and um [Music]
And as we drove to the vet the er with Him Uh all i could think about is i want to Go home i don’t want to stay here i want To i want to fly home now uh i don’t Want to do the seminar but i shut up We went to the vet he got sewn up Um And then at the seminar that i didn’t Feel like doing i had him in a little Jacket so that no one would know that he Had been attacked And I was really really upset that the Person whose dog Attacked Attacked him Uh didn’t Seem like or or was in denial about it It didn’t seem like a big issue to Anyone And at the time i was like it’s he’s Gonna be okay he’s a really you know Joyful little guy But uh He was okay at the at the Um At the seminar but then a few weeks Later he just turned into a different Dog and he stopped having joy it was About two years where he i never saw him Be joyful Every time he would think to start Running about a few seconds later he
Would stop and then suddenly start Eating grass frantically He stopped wanting to run and play with My own dogs and It took him about two years to trust Playing with my own dogs and still he Only plays He’s he’s 13 how old is he now He’s he’s 11 now and uh He he still will only play for about a Minute and then stop or a minute and Then come to me and then eat some grass Or or go around and mark but he um He’s an amazing dog with other dogs uh But he has never trusted other dogs To to just open up and be himself Like he he was uh before he was bitten Another thing that happened is the side That he was bitten i believe there was a Lot of nerve damage and so whenever you Would try to touch him there he would Freak out like it just felt wrong to him And he still has that problem to this Day And Then uh i that That was um the worst the the worst In you know the most emotionally Uh damaging was to see Him just change and become a different Dog And then uh another time A trainer’s dog It wasn’t a bad it wasn’t a bad bite it
Didn’t cause damage but they her dog Grabbed him um And he screamed And just you know fell to the ground and In all these incidents my dogs just Stood still and looked to me which Really hurt you know that they were Trusting me to take care of them And then the trainer checked out their Dog’s teeth to see if if if the dog had Broken one of their teeth on my dog And That really really hurt And Luckily tug was much older than and he Wasn’t so shaken up By that incident But As you can imagine my paranoia about Having interacting with other strangers Dogs without knowing them well uh Became Extreme And i stopped taking my dogs to the Seminars that i did because it’s all dog Trainers that would mainly go to my Seminars and then i was like how do i Trust them how can i gain how can i get Back the trust So um From from then on i became extremely Paranoid And uh Maybe not extremely paranoid but i
Really really careful with my dogs About the interactions they had with Other dogs and And so since then i’ve really prevented Things from happening Um So I got wish uh my my border collie who’s Six and she was really fearful of people And dogs as a puppy and i Had this protective mom bubble like no Trainers dogs will meet her And i’m gonna protect her And so every socialization trip i took Where there might be dogs i’d go Somewhere with a busy road And um i would make sure that it was a Place dogs were most likely going to be On leash And um So we were around this petco with busy Road And i’m walking down the street and i See this very large dog In a harness down an alley between the Two stores And i think to myself this dog is Looking at my dog in a way that is Scaring me So i immediately started to walk into The middle of the busy road And if someone was watching me they Might have thought that um there was you Know i was having some
Strange Strange ideas in my head So i walked into the road and i had my Eyes Glued in the direction of where that dog Was and while i was in the road and There was a car blocking the vision my Vision of where the person was The dog had broken loose of its harness The buckles broke the dog obviously had Charged and the harness just broke open And I I was far enough away from that car that As i saw the dog’s head coming around The car towards me i had enough time to Pick my dog up and put her up on my Shoulders and her legs were hanging out In front of me and this huge dog just Jumped up and it was um the afternoon And the the light from the afternoon sun Just shunned down into the dog’s mouth And it was open so wide i could see down The dog’s throat and the dog was aiming For my to to put his whole mouth around My dog’s legs that were dangling And sadly i protected my dog and i Kicked the dog really really hard in the Chest as he was coming out coming up Uh because i had my hands full and i Just Slammed the dog in the chest thinking Not today not this dog and um the dog Was like so confused he might have hit
His head who knows But the owner had time to to run over Get the caller and then It makes me almost teary but It was a long time ago it was uh five Years ago and nothing bad happened but i I had her on my shoulders and then i Couldn’t put her on the ground um I walked her to the car on my shoulders Uh even though you know we were far away From The the danger and i walked down the Middle of the road with the cars going You know to the left and the right and i Got in my car i drove home and weirdly After that Incident Uh wish was way better with with dogs in The environment I think she totally saw that that i Would you know save her if something bad Happened but but the sad thing is Is that there are dogs that that can Become aggressive and there are dogs That will bite and the truth is that um You can’t really trust any What any person says to you about how Their dog’s behavior is Even if they’re a professional And so You really have to be the one advocating For your dog And if you’ve not had your dog been Attacked or chased or traumatized even
If they weren’t even bitten but chased Maybe by an over overly friendly dog Um You really uh you really You really can’t i don’t know where i Was going with that i started thinking About the fact that um There isn’t really an overly friendly Dog those dogs that are overly friendly Are actually uh bullies um an overly Friendly dog would be a dog that Saw that your dog was upset or or Worried and then kept a distance that’s Called being friendly is when you don’t Uh Go in someone’s face when they don’t Want it that’s not friendliness So um So so dogs do get scared when dogs run At them because it’s not it’s not Friendly um so the point of this video Was that you’re not alone Lots of people have had these horrible Incidents happen to them Um And uh recently um hearing uh Laura monaco torelli’s story about her Incident that where a dog attacked her And her dog on um Michael chicas michael chicago’s The bitey end of the dog podcast that Also Uh Was really healing
I hate that it happened to her and i Remember seeing her facebook post about It but i think it’s really healing to Hear other people’s stories and And hear how it affects you and And your dogs it’s it’s life-changing Um And so sometimes i drive to a place i’m Gonna walk and then i don’t get out and I drive and i go somewhere else and Sometimes i drive everywhere and i see Problems with each location i drive home Because i live in the country so i could Drive 30 minutes uh to a place where i Know dogs are going to be on leash But There’s A there’s there’s a trail Um that i went to recently with my Brother and his girlfriend and as we Pulled up i was like no i can’t get out I can’t get out i can’t get up And they were like you can there are Three of us and i was like no no no Drive me home drive me home so I have times where i’m like that and i Also bought uh for for For because i miss walking on the trails Ever since covid there have been more Loose dogs on trails where people aren’t Respectful of letting their dog run over When you say please don’t So i have a little buggy that i push And if a loose dog comes wish goes in
The buggy i close it and then my other Dogs can be What the what the loose dog might run to If i can if i am unable to prevent them Coming over But for the most part if i want to walk Multiple dogs I recently got a question about this how Do i walk all my seven dogs And i don’t feel safe Walking all together because if a loose Dog comes over I can’t do anything if they’re Aggressive i can’t save all my dogs i Can’t put them all on my shoulders so What i do is i go early in the morning Or late in the evening when it’s cool Enough to leave the dogs in the car and I switch i’ll take some dogs out and I’ll walk them Where i can always see my car And then Uh switch dogs and then walk them again And they all have these beautiful beds And uh crates inside the car and they Really love being in there Um and if it’s a nice day I will open open the windows and stuff Where they can see what’s going on and Smell the breeze And that’s what i do and if the park is Not if i’m too scared to go to the park I will park at a mall That has strips of green uh grass and
Lots of dog pee so i’ll walk around the Mall A few laps and then i i’ll switch malls So i’ll go to different malls or Sometimes i’ll go to a park and then Just walk uh Where i can quickly go back to my car If a loose dog if a loose dog comes over So that’s how i manage uh the trauma of Of loose dogs coming over And it it it really It really is good to talk to people About that that have also been through The same experience so that’s why i’m Making this video it’s happened to me as Well i’ve just been very quiet about it Because you know when it’s another Trainers dogs it feels terrible but Hopefully you won’t know who they are Because it’s been so long um And i and for those people who uh i Talked about i’m really so i’m sure you You all feel really bad that you’re that That these incidents happened Um But But i just thought this this video might Be it might be better to talk about it Than than keep quiet about it so I hope That i really hope that this doesn’t Happen to you but if it does it’s so Common um i really And if you have a you know if you have a
Dog that has the potential of hurting Another dog it’s important to To not feel socially pressured to have Your dogs in situations where things Might go bad Um Anyway thank you so much for watching Um I hope that you found this video helpful And healing and if you uh would like to Subscribe to my channel you’re welcome Uh and leaving a comment and liking Videos also increases how many people See them so i really am always Appreciative of any time people interact With my videos See you later