How to try to protect yourself before, during, and after a dog attack

The events on July 30^th at Ellis Park (off of Short Sands) in York Beach Maine set into motion by the actions or lack of action by Piscataqua Obedience Club have made me consider the other side of the coin.  How do you keep yourself and your dog as safe as is possible from a dog attack?   I am by no means an expert, but I have some ideas about this due to my profession as the owner and trainer for Mannerly Mutts Dog Training.

1. Be aware of your surroundings when out and about with dogs. Things can happen unexpectedly and quickly.  If you are at a dog event, do not assume you are safe from the dogs in the ring.   You may want to inquire about what their safety protocols are, and expect an answer that does not sound like a brush off.  (i.e. first aid kits, volunteers and helpers on the look out, how information would be collected).
2. If you see a dog eyeballing you or your dog or you feel at all uncomfortable, remove yourself, your family, and your dogs out of the area. (Also see point 4 if any leash laws are being broken)
3. Do not assume that dogs on leash are not a threat.   The human at the other end of the leash may have no control or negates their responsibility for control.  If you see a large uncontrolled dog on a flexi leash, leave the area.  In some areas, flexi leashes may be against the animal control ordinance.
4. Do use your animal control department.   If you see someone ignoring the leash law, the best thing you can do for everyone is to report it (including their dog BTW).   Law enforcement does not tend to get serious about this until they have a few reports, so do not wait to report an offence.
5. Before a dog is coming up at you:
1. Do not make eye contact.   Look to the side.  Do not to be at all a threat.
2. Position your body so you are not straight on.
3. Do not run.   This will elicit a chase.
4. Do not approach the dog, if you feel the dog is a danger to you.   Even a dog that is simply frightened will most likely bite you if cornered.
5. Try and locate a place you may be safe, and attempt to go there slowly.
6. If a dog is coming at you:
1. You can offer up a piece of clothing instead of your arm.
2. If they are already in chase mode, feel free to get quickly to an area of safety if possible.
3. I step in front of my dog, and put my dog in a command if I think I can stop the dog.
4. Use any furniture, gates, cars, et to get away from the dog and put something in between you and the dog.
5. If you have a small dog, be aware that a larger dog may come up after the small dog if you pick them up and hold them.  
6. In some instances, you may want to drop the leash on your dog so they can get away or defend themselves.
7. There are tools that you can bring with you on walks.   These include canes, blow horns, sprays, an extra leash, and extra clothing.
8. Try and remain standing, and protect vital body areas.
9. If you find yourself on the ground, ball up in the fetal position and cover your face head and neck areas as best as possible.
7. If a dog fight or attack has occurred:
1. Do not put your hands in the middle of it especially near their heads.   One or both of them are in panic and defence mode.
2. If you can get the back legs of a dog (and someone else another) grab these.   However, pulling them might do more damage to the other dog if they are gripped in a mouth.   As long as they are not damaging the airways, wait until they release.
3. Tail grabs are also another option in these circumstances, if the dog has a tail and you can’t get their back legs.
4. Using a piece of furniture or another implement to disengage the fighting party(ies).
8. How you handle it after the attack has occurred:
1. If you are at a public event, immediately stop the event by whatever means necessary.   Be sure that everyone there knows that you and/or your dog are hurt.   (This is how I will be handling this sort of thing in the future if I or someone else is hurt).
2. See if anyone at a public event has film of any part of what happened.
3. If you have a camera, make a video record of everyone there.    If you were lucky enough to get the actual attack on film, be sure you don’t erase that.
4. If you are severely hurt, dial 911 if possible or have someone there do it, first and foremost.
5. Get the owner’s info, the dog’s info, and any info on any witnesses around you.  Be sure you get access to rabies certificates and if possible any insurance the owner of the attacking dog has.  If you have been severely injured, see if someone else on scene can stop the person from leaving and get their info.
6. Do contact the police and report the incident.   The owner of the attacking dog is most likely required to report any incident involving their dog as well, depending on the animal control laws where they live.
7. Go to your doctor or vet to have any and all injuries checked out.
8. Be sure that you hold the owner of the attacking dog liable for damages.

It is ALWAYS the responsibility of the dog owner to keep the public safe from their dog.   The following are not excuses that the victim of a dog attack should accept:

1. You were jogging.
2. Your or your child was being loud and screaming.
3. Your dog was barking.
4. You went to pet the dog (Each dog owner should be managing the space for their dog.   Unless you attacked the dog after being told not to approach, this is not acceptable)
5. You were riding your bike.
6. You were playing with your dog.
7. You were walking your dog by their house (while still being on the road).
8. You were eating something.
9. You were drinking something.
10. Your dog was eating or drinking something.
11. You wear perfume or cologne.
12. Their dog is a “working dog” and these things happen.
13. You are wearing a baseball cap, wearing a uniform, have a beard, are bald, and on and on.

Unless you intentionally and maliciously provoked and/or attacked the dog (and that includes not listening to the owner to leave their dog alone), then YOU are not at fault if another dog has attacked YOU or YOUR DOG.   Not ever.

The good news is these are actually pretty rare when you look at the population of dogs and dog owners.   It is the few irresponsible dog owners that make most of these situations happen.  Occasionally it was an undiagnosed medical or mental issue with the dog, that the owner did not see coming.  Often it involves a lack of socialization, training, and proper management of someone’s dog and their environment (meaning they manage who can and can not see their dog and what situations they put their dog in).

Also most people and organizations are more than happy to take responsibility for unfortunate events that may occur on their watch.   It is regretful that I know now of at least one obedience club that does not take their responsibilities for public safety seriously.

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Piscataqua Obedience Club Needs Safety Protocols for Events

What do you expect to see when you go to a canine obedience club demo?   My husband and I went to Piscataqua Obedience Club's dog days demo at Short Sands Beach last night.   My husband had never seen this event, and so he wanted to go.  I have seen this annual event many times.   Both of us also attend other such events AKC dog trials, Run Thrus, Matches, Pet Expos, Nose Work Events, and working dog seminars.

As we walked up to the area, the agility demo started.   Not long into it, one of the dogs jumped the fence and attacked another dog.   The handler did go get their dog and walked away from the couple and their dog who was just attacked.   No one came back to check on them.   My husband was the first to check in on the young visibly shaken and crying woman who was checking her dog out.

Meanwhile, the routines and event continued on just as if nothing had happened.   My husband went up to the young lady to find out if her and her dog was okay.   No one came up from Piscataqua Obedience Club to check in on the lady and her dog.

Suffice it to say, this was not what we were expecting to see that day.   Events such as this need to be run with safety for humans and dogs in attendance and on display in mind.   As a human, you are always responsible for your dog's actions, even when they go wrong.   As someone running an event, it is your duty to make sure everyone is and continues to remain safe.  Yes, stuff happens and things go wrong sometimes.  Doing the right thing goes a long way to diffusing the situation and making everyone feel safe and cared for.  

Unfortunately that was not what happened last night.   The couple had to go off and let the police know what happened.   They wanted to take care of their dog, and not have to walk over and expose their dog to another attack.   Plus it was clear that the club could have cared less.   They did make an announcement after several routines that these are "real working dogs, and sometimes these things happen."   Then they advertised their obedience courses.   No asking if everyone was okay or apologizing for something having gone very wrong.   If they were not aware there was an injury, this would have been a good time to find out and go over to the young lady if she raised her hand.

My husband finally went up to the club members when the couple and their dog finally walked away (shaken and very disturbed).  He was told they would look into it later.   To which my husband replied it was too late they had already left (we did not know they went to the police at this point).   Then the woman who was running the agility demo, Linda May McKinnon, asked for the victim's information from my husband, as if this was his responsibility to have collected this for her (BTW we have absolutely no affiliation with this group).  

Upon her defensive nature, my husband thought it was best to leave as we had notified the club that a person and that person's dog had been injured by one of their demoing dogs.   As we left, we saw a neighbor and were having a conversation with her about this and that.   A woman we do not know beelines for us and starts us with "I know you don't like our group, but just exactly what happened?" in a rude haughty voice (she has no idea what we think of the club or don't think of the club, we are not members).   She claimed they did come over, but we know they didn't as we were with the couple after it happened and then saw them when they left.   Additionally, the policeman that took their information confirmed that the couple had stated that no one from the club had come out to check on how they or their dog were.   I had enough with the members of this club at that point, and asked her to please leave our private conversation.

Here is what should have happened in an event like this:

1. First off, there should be a plan for unfortunate happenings.   Even if you think something is not going to happen, there are risks that an unforeseen event could occur.   When you plan for these and have protocols in place, then people are much safer that come to attend.
2. In my honest opinion, they should have immediately stopped the event, and inquired right there if everyone was okay.   Then they should have gone privately to anyone who indicated that they were not okay (so as not to expose them to an area near to where that dog was, who kept performing at the event).   There should have been an apology rather than a brush off as if this were an insignificant event.
3. Club members could have been strategically placed around the field so as to try and interrupt an incident like this before an attack occurred.
4. If any dog had any incidents prior to this of even just jumping out of the ring, they should not be off leash in a ring.
5. The club should have rabies certificate copies available for all dogs that are exposed to the public on that day.
6. There should be no defensive responses to an incident like this.   Only caring, supportive, preventative, and proactive responses should be made when something like this happens.
7. A first aid kit should be on the premises at the very least.
8. Someone who is in charge of the Obedience Club of some authority, experience, and knowledge should be present to handle this.
9. Their insurance information and copies of this information should be available for the purpose of sharing should an injury occur.

In my personal opinion having watched numerous of these demonstrations, this is not a group that takes dog training seriously as a way of keeping people and others safe.   The danger of groups like this, is that they don't even know they are not keeping others safe.   Add to that  the lack of a plan to handle an unsafe situation, or any remotely responsible reaction and action to such an event.

As I was leaving someone I am acquainted with said something like "see those Huskies (don't know if that is the proper breed identification) will turn on you".   Do we really need another breed for people to unfairly place blame on for an organization and handler's lack of responsibility and action?   By not being sure that you have strong obedience training in an off leash public event, you are putting others at risk.   There is no sure fire guarantee to keep everyone safe all the time, but there are actions and plans that can be designed to limit the possibility of injury and harm to others.

I have a feeling that the members of Piscataqua Obedience Club are still on the defensive.   I further have a feeling that I will be directly attacked by them, as I use tools and methods that many there do not agree with.   However, this issue and endangering the public can not go uncommented upon, especially when the group did not take immediate ownership and responsbility for it.   Had that happened, I would have nothing to talk about today.

I hope they come to their senses, and realize this is a serious infraction.   Also that if they are allowed to demo in public in the future, they must be better prepared, proactive, responsible, and own anything and  everything that happens there.

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