So, yeah, Gabby and I got charged by two dogs. You know, this actually happens more than I’d like it to. And I know that if you’re reading this, that is probably has happened to you or is going to happen to you.
Let me first share with you what actually happened first. So I’m actually on vacation this week. One of the things I decided to do while on vacation was to get some pictures of Gabby in a field of bluebonnets. I got the information about a fantastic field that’s just about an hour outside of Houston and decided to head that way to take some pictures.
We show up at this field, and I’ve got to tell you what, the field of bluebonnets was absolutely beautiful. So we get out of the car and I find a nice place to take Gabby. As I’m looking out across the field, I notice that there are some people there with their dogs. So I decided to be smart about it and keep our distance from them.
I did have Gabby on a leash, even though I knew I really didn’t need to. So, we get on to the field, and I’m about 20-30 yards away from the people and dogs. And then, yes, two of those dogs decide to charge towards Gabby and me. There’s a lot of different ways that you could handle this. You could yell at the dogs. You can just wait for them to get to you and see if you can push them off. But there’s no easy solution. Luckily for us, even though these dogs were charging us, they weren’t aggressive. They weren’t looking for a fight, but they were looking for some very rough play with Gabby.
Gabby’s temperament held up and she did not get terribly upset. She didn’t want to play with them. The owners came running after them, a million apologies coming out of their mouths as they drug their dogs away. Gabby was a little frazzled as was I. Not too much, but a little bit. And so we move maybe 30-40 yards away from that spot. So then I begin taking pictures. And here they come again. The dogs are charging right at us again. This time, what I decided to do is take Gabby’s leash off. I knew I had enough voice control over her. I was ready to use the leash in any way that I needed to. Just in case I needed to separate a true dog fight.
The dogs again weren’t aggressive, so I was able to put my hands on collars and began to pull the dogs away. Finally, the owners caught up and took the dogs. Apologizing once again.
It did actually turn out well for us, because after that, I was able to get Gabby to settle down, and we got some terrific pictures.
So what could I have done differently? I could have walked a little bit further when those dogs were charging at us. I could have yelled very aggressively and charged the dogs myself. And yes, even though I don’t like to say this, I could have been a little bit more violent with those dogs to get them to go away. It’s my responsibility to protect Gabby.
I think the great thing about this is that I have a trained dog. My dog has a great temperament. She has a great play relationship with me. And so I really think that that’s what ended up saving the day.
Here is the photo that I was able to capture after Gabby.
I hope you and your dog never have to go through something like this. Maybe this video from my YouTube Channel will help you deal with this almost certain eventuality. There are many more tips here on my website as well www.longoriahausdogtraining.com.
Stay Safe and Happy Training!
