Were You Traumatized by a Dog Attack?
Recently I was on Zazie Todd’s brilliant Bark! Fest podcast series, talking about The Education of Will, and trauma in people and dogs. A participant asked an important question, based on having been seriously traumatized herself after her dog was attacked by another: How do you recover from that kind of trauma?
It can be terrifying when your dog is attacked, and you are trying to save them. Of course, sometimes you too are injured physically, but often those injuries are easier to heal than the neurobiological and psychological damage done. Understandably so–we humans have so few weapons. No teeth, no claws, no hyper-strong jaws. We can feel so helpless when a predatory species goes after a member of our family, and the after effects can be long lasting.
Surely it is not uncommon for people in this situation to develop PTSD, a condition far beyond “gosh that was scary,” and that involves serious symptoms months or years later, that include flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, “distressing thoughts,” (years ago, one of mine was imagining a man behind me with a baseball bat, about to be smashed into my head), outbursts of anger, depression, etc. NIH has a good article about what PTSD is and isn’t. (May I add a request from those of us with PTSD: Please don’t use the word “trauma” and PTSD casually. “Martha,” as I heard her say lately, was not traumatized by the coffee shop running out of her favorite latte. I’m sorry if this sounds snappy, but it can be hurtful to many of us when someone throws the terms around like confetti.)
After the podcast was over, I began fussing about my answer, feeling strongly that it wasn’t close to adequate. I don’t think anyone knows how common these kind of serious attacks are, but I do know how much suffering they have caused to many of my clients and my friends, including exceptionally knowledgeable and skilled trainers and behaviorists. (For example, Laura Monaco Torelli experienced a horrific attack on her dog, and worked hard for both to recover. You can read about the Laura’s journey on her Facebook page.)
Of course, I can’t begin to answer “how to recover from trauma” comprehensibly, and we all know I’m just a girl who loves dogs, not a psychologist or psychiatrist. But I do have a bit of experience with this issue, so here is a summary of some of the things that might be helpful.
Acknowledgement: First and foremost, if you find yourself struggling with any of the symptoms described above after your dog is attacked, don’t brush them off. Take them seriously and do what you can to recover. As I made clear in The Education of Will (the title refers to my dog Willie and to the realization that will power is not enough to recover from trauma), just being a “warrior” isn’t enough to heal you.
Therapy: Of course, if you can manage it. The challenge here is to find someone who is skilled is helping people recover from trauma and accepts your health insurance. See if you can get a referral from your primary doctor, ask friends for referrals, and don’t hesitate to work with someone who you trust but isn’t necessarily a psychologist or psychiatrist. For example, besides talk therapy with two fabulous counselors, I did EMDR with someone with a Masters in Social Work, but who has specialized in working with trauma survivors for years.
Music as Medicine: I am currently reading I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, Music as Medicine by Daniel J. Levitin. The research on the healing effects of music is amazing, from helping to heal from trauma, dealing with pain or cognitive challenges like dementia, etc. Honestly, this is the simplest, cheapest, and most accessible way to help your brain recover from trauma. The (brilliant) title of Levitin’s book got me listening to Hallelujah, by Lucy Thomas. (No, I have no idea what the words mean.) Finish up with I Feel Good by James Brown. And, hey, even if you’re not dealing with any kind of trauma, music is good for you! Given the state of the world right now, who doesn’t need music?
Journaling: I do it every day, after it was suggested by my first therapist. It’s another easy exercise–you can write as much or as little as you feel like–that has been shown to have therapeutic value. I love beautiful things, and find joy even just picking out beautiful new journals to write in.
Movement! There’s not the same level of research that dancing (to music, ah, see above!) or any kind of movement, like hiking and long walks, has therapeutic value, but there are some important suggestions that it can be helpful to many. Besides, it’s good for you anyway, right?
Meditation, Mindfulness: There’s lots of research showing that meditation, and it’s cousin, mindfulness, can alleviate some of the effects of PTSD or generalized anxiety. There’s great benefit, in my experience, in joining a class to get started–clearing your mind from thoughts and just “being” is not the normal human condition. However, there is a lot of help online. One of my favorites are the short guided meditations that are free from Tara Brach.
Medical Treatments: This is far, far beyond my skill set and experience. I know that MDMA has been used in some cases to “target memory reconsolidaton and fear extinction” (by activating serotonin systems), and I just had lunch with a friend who is getting ketamine treatments, prescribed by her doctor. there are a number of more traditional medicines used in some cases. But know that there might be medicinal help out there; talk to your primary if you think it might help. I will add that acupuncture, which I started for my current medical adventures, can have a profound effect on your psychological state of being. So check that out too if you are interested.
Know Your Triggers, Know Your Safe Space: Jim and I heard that the show Slow Horses was great, so we cozied on the couch and clicked on play. Yup, great script, characters, acting. And soon enough, I could feel my body tensing, some suite of internal feelings I don’t have the words to describe. But I’ve learned that they are like a dropping barometer, and it’s time to batten the hatches. We switched to Big Bang Theory. I always have comedies handy at all times, because that’s one of my safe spaces. Pay attention to your body, pay attention to what feeds you; it can make a big difference.
This is so little on such a big topic, but it’s a start, and a more complete answer than I gave on Zazie’s great podcast series. Please add in your own experiences and knowledge. I guarantee you it will help someone.
And, the question asks itself: What about the dog? Ah, if only we could talk to them! But, although there’s not room here to talk about trauma recovery in dogs, here’s a post I wrote about it that is a good start.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: It turns out that black mold beats jumping worms. Jim and I are back at the black mold battle and garage re-do this weekend, and the jumping worms are free to wreak their havoc for a bit longer. The good news is that the moles have found the worms under the bird feeders, and have been causing their own kind of chaos in our grass. I just say “thank you!” and squish down their tunnels with gratitude.
This is a lousy photo of the wall we just finished yesterday, but look how perfect the photo of Willie and the sheep looks (covering up an ugly hole) with the blue and grey background! Makes me so happy.
Far away from mold, dirty garages, and worms, we just had a week-long vacation in Michigan, and had a wonderful time with beautiful views and good, good friends.
Move over George Clooney:
And once home, I got out of the garage a few hours on Saturday and made pesto with my abundance of basil.
Maggie would like you to know that she is sick and tired of my making clacking noises at the table. Time to pay attention to my dogs!
Please, please join in if this week’s topic is something you can relate to. I’ve learned that people find these posts years later, and send me notes thanking me for what they learned, often from our conversations in the Comments Section.
And, for those of you struggling with the after effects of another trauma–hurricane Helene, please know we are thinking of you, and many of us donating all we can to help. Perhaps something in this post might, in a tiny way, help too.
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About the Author
Patricia B. McConnell, PhD, CAAB Emeritus is an applied animal behaviorist who has been working with, studying, and writing about dogs for over twenty-five years. She encourages your participation, believing that your voice adds greatly to its value. She enjoys reading every comment, and adds her own responses when she can.
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Patricia is known the world over for her clear and engaging books and DVDs on dog training and canine behavior problems. You can also “meet” Patricia in person on her seminar DVDs, from The Art & Science of Canine Behavior to Treating Dog-Dog Reactivity.
I’m jumping in early (stories of dog attacks give me a sense of foreboding and dread, so I’ll skip those).
If you want to laugh more, try “Shrinking” on Apple+ and “Colin from Accounts” on Peacock, oh and “Trying” also on Apple +. Great characters, engaging writing, and one has a cute Border Terrier. (I like Slow Horses a lot, but I see what you mean.) We’ve been chewing through British, Scottish, and Australian murder mysteries, some much more developed than others.
PTSD is the guest who never left–I didn’t invite it, didn’t realize it had moved into the spare room, and certainly don’t know when it will appear for breakfast unannounced. I was in a fatal car accident in my late teens, and since my brain hadn’t fully developed, I wonder how that affects the memory and the post-stressors. How would they manifest if I had been older? (Younger and I don’t think I would have survived; I almost didn’t.)
Over the years, I have learned to recognize what might trigger it, and yet, certain situations that mimic something nebulous while I’m riding in a car produce an eerie vocalization that I don’t realize is coming out of my mouth. The trauma was deeply buried for years, rose to the surface, and now is a low-grade hum. Another problem/trigger as I age is that more and more physical issues are presenting themselves from the original accident. Injuries that were not necessarily addressed back then due to the extent of the more severe ones. That makes it a bit tough sometimes to keep a reasonable frame of mind (I’m a sardonic optimist at heart). And yet, life is good, I have much to give gratitude to and for, and I’m learning to sit with life’s detritus.
I have been in therapy off and on over the years, I do have a list of songs that I jot down when they pop into my head when I hear a certain phrase or reference (not necessarily related but it catches a corner memory somehow), and having the support (tacit and expressed) of close lifelong friends and family. And recognizing those moments of Zen whenever and wherever they occur. Taking a minute as it were.
One gratitude I name frequently is finding your incredible body of work and this blog village. We’ve been working though the steps from your “I’ll be Home Soon” booklet with Daisy, and while she is a star pupil, your writing and clear steps really helped us implement a slow and steady anti-separation anxiety program. Thank you!
I was bloodied by a dog crashing out of its backyard fence, and my dogs were attacked by 4 off-leash dogs in their front yard (not on the same day). And what’s common to both is the owners not taking responsibility. Trauma and fear and huge vet bills are one side that’s hard to deal with. The other side is the frustration we feel when the dogs’ owners – even though it happens right in front of their eyes – are so reluctant to do the right thing and help. People should have to pass a test to be dog (or any animal) owners.
Thank you for this post. I learned a lot about what may be helpful from your suggestions.
Two dog bite experiences… one was me getting bitten and one of my dog being attacked. Mine happened when I encountered a Miniature Poodle walking in the middle of the road. I stopped, picked him up, and saw by the tag on his collar that he lived on a nearby side street. Nobody was home when I got there, but there was a fenced yard with the gate open. A neighbor came over to tell me the dog’s owners weren’t home, but I should just put him in the yard (and close the gate, of course). As I went back to my car, I realized I had left the dog with a choke chain on, so I went back to take it off him since I know how dangerous that can be. In his own yard, this fluff ball turned into Cujo and bit the s**t out of my arm. I consider the scars a reminder of my own stupidity.
The dog on dog attack happened during one of my daily walks with two of my dogs, Jax (40 lb. Husky/AmStaff/Beagle/?mix) and Brody (150 lb. Saint/Rottie mix). A couple walking a Pitbull lost control of their dog. He dragged the woman, who fell onto the street and lost her grip on his leash as he raced towards us, dodging around Brody to snap at Jax. Brody body slammed the dog, knocking him to the ground, then stood over him growling. The husband ran over and proceeded to beat on his dog with the big stick he’d been carrying. (So many questions here. Was he carrying the stick because he KNEW his dog was a danger? Why was the much smaller wife walking that dog instead of this big burly man?) Jax was traumatized and from then on would only walk when he was positioned between me and Brody. I lost my beautiful brave Brody four months ago. Jax and I do not walk anymore.
Carole, what a heartbreaking story about the dog attack. (And, ouch ouch ouch, the bites to your arm!) I’m so sorry you’ve lost Brody; I too have found that one dog can feel so protective to another. Maggie was never aggressive to other dog, but was clearly nervous about unfamiliar dogs approaching her. She growl and bark sometimes. It was easily managed, so easily I never worked as hard as I could have on treating it full. Then Skip came and 98% of Maggie’s concern went away. I call him her homie.
As an emergency room nurse practitioner, I see dog bites frequently. I talk through the scenario with my patient to understand how the injury occurred and often remind patients that additional resources outside the ED setting may be needed for psychological and emotional healing. I love dogs and all things dog related. (I have 2 German Shepherds who I adore and work with daily in some form). Thanks for the resources which I can share with patients.
Debbie, thank you so much for being such a great nurse! You rock, truly.
I really appreciate your book The Education of Will, and saw myself and my own reactive cattle dog reflected in it. A few years ago he was attacked by a neighbor’s dog and would have been killed had the neighbor and I not intervened. I have absolutely been affected by PTSD from that experience, as has my dog. All of the tools you mention in this article are helpful! For me, it was also important to find a way to feel safe being outside with my dog again. My anxiety about another attack was making my dog more fearful, even though we moved away from the aggressive neighbor dog. I started carrying a stun gun on our walks, though I prayed I would never need to use it on a dog, and practicing assertive, protective actions if we were approached by another dog. Slowly, my fear has decreased, and my dog’s fear has as well. My thoughts are with everyone who has gone through this.
Thank you for joining in, Bobby, I am so sorry to hear about what motivated it. Your words, “. . . would have been killed . . .,” send chills down my spine. Kudos to you for arming yourself in a way that makes you feel safe. As I’ve mentioned to others, a hiking stick is less draconian, and possibly less effective, but a form of defense that is easy to use, allows one to protect an area several feet around you, and can’t really be turned against you. Most importantly, you are doing better. Yay!
I’m going to push back a bit on Martha’s coffee shop trauma. Of course it was not a huge overwhelming trauma akin to the sudden loss of a spouse or being attacked or… However, if that coffee order was one of the pillar’s supporting Martha’s well-being the lack was a small trauma–something that rocked her off balance. It would be nice if we had a different word for those small traumas. If we did maybe it would be easier for some people to get the help they need because those small things add up. Instead, we discount them “it wasn’t an accident it was just a near miss,” “it was just the coffee order that I get every day” “it was just …” Sorry, I’ll climb off my soapbox now. I just know too many people dealing with serious mental health issues now because their experiences didn’t rise to the level of huge trauma and more and more micro traumas piled up.
I’m dealing with my own dog attack issues right now. My new dog attacked my existing dog several times. New guy is the sweetest most loving dog and I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to trust him. New guy, Aramis, decided to resource guard me and attacked Falkor Bash for coming too close. Hard eyed stare and then an attack. Those eyes were chilling. Aramis seems to be settling in now and realizing that I’m not a resource that needs guarding but I still don’t trust him near Falkor when I’m around. The only exception is when they’re both on leash going for a walk. Then it’s not an issue. Something we’ll work through over time but it is going to take a very long time given how I feel right now
Thanks Kat for that perspective, much appreciated. I know exactly what you mean by the build up of “micro traumas,” just wish there was a better word for it. I think we all have been in situations in which one small thing puts us over the edge, even those who are mentally sound. This is, of course, is profoundly different, and more difficult, for those struggling with serious or even moderate mental health issues. I’m just not sure that trauma is the right word, but I so appreciate the perspective that s/t that feels small to another can be huge to the receiver.
I just finished the Education of Will – what a wonderful book! Thank you for sharing so much of yourself and Will. And thank you for these resources. I am lucky that the only times dogs came out into the street after my dogs they were just barking and not biting. I still am vigilant and carry the compressed air spray now – I just hope if I need it I will have the presence of mind to use it.
Thank you Kathryn for your kind words about Ed of Will! Good for you for having something that gives you comfort and possible protection. My easy hack is a cane or walking stick… makes one feel so much safer.
Some things that I’ve found to be helpful:
If the first one (two, three, etc) therapists weren’t a good fit, don’t stop looking! The right one for you is out there…
When your anxiety is triggered try to remember, “That was then. This is now.”
And I distrust pharmaceuticals, but few things feel as bad as a panic attack. I’ve found that if I carry a fast acting anti-anxiety medication, I never have to take it. Just knowing that it’s there is enough to work.
Such a good point Gayla about not giving up on therapy if the first one isn’t helpful. (Decades ago, in another marriage, I talked to a counselor about problems with my husband and she said, in summary, “Well, I’m in love with your husband and can’t imagine being unhappy, so what’s wrong with you?)
My first dog, and Cavalier/Cocker mix, was attacked by loose dogs periodically throughout her life. Three attacks were especially traumatizing for me and led to flashbacks. I have two dogs now, and whenever I see an off leash dog coming towards us, I tense up. My adult dog is very dog savvy, and I’ve learned to trust his response to other dogs. My adolescent puppy has developed leash reactivity, however. I wonder sometimes if my tension is the problem. The puppy is a Welsh Springer with the same coloring as my first dog, and I think I have been more protective of her because of that. We were charged at early on in her puppyhood, but there was no attack. Nevertheless, I’m constantly scanning the environment on walks so that I can avoid other dogs, and I walk in places where we’re less likely to encounter dogs. I also try to practice breathing exercises and just talk to my dogs while walking to lessen any tension on the leash.
Anna, see Betsy’s comment above, and most importantly, keep up the good work using breathing exercises. Kudos to you for being aware. I’d try singing, why not! Who care if you have a horrible voice?! I also learned to walk with a walking stick after being charged by a big dog. Now I often need a cane to walk, and I’m amazed how less vulnerable I feel with something long in my hand. I’ve never used it in defense, but it can change your internal affect remarkably.
Thank you for this post. It’s impossible to answer a question thoroughly in just a couple of minutes, so it’s great that you took the time to give a fuller answer, and I know many people will appreciate it besides myself. In fact so many people appreciated your session at Bark! Fest that they keep asking me to run another one with you!! I will be making the recording of that session available on Youtube in due course 🙂 Thank you again for such a wonderful, wonderful panel!! You’re an inspiration.
Sending love back Zazie, you rock!
I was interested in Anna’s comment. As a trainer, I saw several instances of owners inadvertently telegraphing their anxiety and fears about other dogs to their own dog. In particular, one lady contacted me about her dog’s “pathological “ fear of other dogs. Our consult took place in a popular pet product store on a busy Saturday afternoon. The lady was holding her cocker spaniel tightly in her arms. She felt there would be a fight if she put him down. Eventually, she set him down but continued to clutch his leash tightly in both hands. I convinced her to allow me to hold his leash while she continued to explain how her dog was terribly afraid around other dogs. During this time, her dog was wagging his tail and visiting happily with another nearby pup. I asked her quietly to look at her dog. She threw up her hands and exclaimed, “Oh my God, it’s ME!”
We worked together on how to avoid dog on dog confrontations and how she could inspire confidence in her dog through her own body language. Eventually, she and her dog became regular participants in our weekly group walks!
Betsy, absolutely can be an owner effect. Great work with your client. I’ve found what’s most important is to help people not shame themselves about getting nervous, especially if their own dog is reactive, or there’s been a frightending incident. Make sense to be nervous! The trick is learning to manage it.
We were attacked by two off-leash dogs at a city park. By the time I realized what was happening, time allowed me only to step in front of my 5 year old grandchild and stick my foot over my dog so the other dogs couldn’t pick him up and break his neck. It certainly was an experience. Emergency vet care and my own vet were very helpful, as well as the local animal control officer. My pup led me back to the spot of the attack 2 days after, and I took my cues from him. He showed me how to get past the trauma. It did take months for me to recover psychologically, and have learned to be aware of possible situations when unfamiliar dogs are around. A life lesson learned. It is difficult not to let events define or control. Our furry companions are absolutely a marvelous gift.
Holy moly Debbie, I’m glad you are recovering. What a dog to help you heal!
I won’t go into details about the very bad dog-dog attack my dog and I experienced, other than to say it involved deeply unstable neighbors and my dog needed a lot of vet work.
But I can tell you that I didn’t take good care of myself at all afterwards mentally, partly because nobody reminded me or gave me permission to. It was all about filing reports with the county, administering antibiotics, dealing with vet insurance, and trying to warn everyone I saw about this neighbor’s dog (the neighbor refused to take responsibility and, though he paid a fine, he was still out with the dog).
All practical action, no asking myself why I was becoming increasingly fearful walking in my neighborhood, why I didn’t go within a block of the neighbors’ house (even by myself) until I had confirmed the attacking dog had died a couple years later, and why I became obsessed with knowing what that other owner was up to at all times till he moved away. It didn’t help that the vet I rushed my dog to also assumed that I was just fine, and began grilling me on what part I might have played as an owner in allowing my dog to be injured (naturally I never went back to her).
We humans have to learn this over and over, but we are not invincible, and an action-focused to-do list is not the whole picture when it comes to recovery from a difficult incident. I might have fared better had I talked to someone at the time.
Oh lordy Jane, I am so sorry about what you went through, and that no one thought to help YOU with such a terrifying event. (I too had neighbors who made my life extremely unsafe–someday I’ll write about it). Yes yes, we are not invincible. Will power is not enough I hope you are doing well now, know that this story will undoutably help others when they need it. Thank you for your generosity in telling it.
And I want to mention the healing that horses can do for people like me that have gone through some trauma. I had a bad accident three years ago and after about six months, I decided I really needed to start hanging out with horses again. I found a fabulous barn, and great people to work with me and I’m still there working with horses, moving poop, helping a PT person with kids that need the therapy also with horses! Just a thought 😊
Yes yes!!! Please send a horse! I miss them so much. Good for you for finding a great stable and letting horses do their magic. (Who needs a unicorn? What is more magical than a horse?
Thank you for writing on this topic, Trish. I have only had time at this late hour to skim your ideas for coping/recovery. I have had three dogs attacked. Two died. One lives nine years later with a spinal injury, no control of his bowels, and semi-bladder control and can walk like a drunken sailor. It was the attack that lasted 30 minutes and could have been stopped, but the owner chose to stay away, no one chose to call the sheriff, that did me in. Also, nerve damage from the bite and other injuries. But most of all, mental, and emotional. I am not the same person, and dogs that look like the attacker or behave like they are gunning for my dogs send me.
I appreciate you always addressing the hard stuff too. I look forward to reading what I only had time to skim.
Jenny, I don’t have words to say how sorry I am. But your story is heartbreaking, and I hope with all that’s within me that you are getting continuing support. Sending love, compassion, and gratitude for your courage just writing in.
I recently had an unexpected and distressing situation involving my normally gentle and friendly Saint Bernard, who surprisingly attacked a dog I was hoping to adopt. Prior to this episode, she had always been friendly to unfamiliar dogs. Her companion, my other dog, an adolescent Bernese mix, was visibly traumatized by the experience.
The dog I intended to adopt was a sweet-natured adult male pitbull. During our first outdoor meeting, both dogs were on leashes, and though the initial interaction felt intense, it seemed to go well and both dogs settled indoors. No issues whatsoever overnight.
The following day, while the pitbull rested under my desk, my Saint Bernard suddenly stood up and thrust her head under the desk and right into his face, completely disregarding his calming signals. When he growled at her, she responded with a growl of her own, and just like that, chaos erupted, and a vicious dog fight ensued.
I found myself in the middle of a nightmare as my Saint Bernard attacked the 70-pound pitbull. In the struggle, he latched onto her front leg and so I grabbed his back legs. He let go of her leg, but she quickly retaliated, clamping down on his head. Despite my attempts to break up the fight with loud noises it seemed hopeless, until I threw a bucket of water on them, and they finally separated.
I grabbed my Saint Bernard by the scruff and pulled her into another room, shutting the door. Meanwhile, the poor pitbull was clearly distressed, whining and crying, completely innocent in this ordeal. Both dogs sustained multiple bites and required pain medications and antibiotics. Ultimately, I made the heartbreaking decision to return the pitbull to the shelter, as my Saint Bernard clearly was not accepting him.
This aggressive behavior was completely out of character for her, and I was at a loss to understand what had triggered it. During a vet visit several weeks later it was discovered that she has a very sore hip, likely due to arthritis. Having rescued her from a backyard breeder 3 years ago, I know little about her past, except that she was a failed breeder. It crossed my mind that she may have had a negative encounter with a dog similar to the one I wanted to adopt, and her pain may have intensified her reaction. Regardless, her behaviour was so completely uncharacteristic and bewildering that I am still processing the event.
My puppy was attacked while on a walk, out of no where, the silent deadly kind. I became terrified to take a walk, actually thought I was having a heart attack when I tried. My anxiety was keeping my pup from getting past it so I hired a teenager with dog experience, his mom is a trainer, to walk Tukk a couple times a week. Tukk’s come a long way. I’m still working on it.
In my first year as a dog care provider, I was walking a dog client when a rescue mastiff ran out into the road and attacked him. Poor Riley was quickly put on his back and shook back & forth by his chest from the teeth of the mastiff. After screaming for help and trying to kick the dog in the head (I know much better now) the mastiff’s guardian who was also our neighbor, ran to us, got bit severely in the hand, but finally got the dog off my client. This neighbor was very kind and paid for the vet visit and was willing to talk to my dog client’s humans (who were LAWYERS). I was also quite worried that my dog care business would be ruined. The mastiff was put down and our clients were graceful and continued to let us care for their wire fox terrier in subsequent visits.
The event was over 12 years ago but it still lingers. I wish I could say that the incident didn’t create a single event learning experience for me, but it did. Even now, as a dog trainer, I don’t feel particularly comfortable around mastiff’s, which I know is unfair to the breed. I refer any mastiff bite case out to other (taller) trainers because of this memory. I used to beat myself up and think if I was a better trainer I wouldn’t be afraid of this breed. I’ve taken some pretty great classes on behavior and training yet the more I learn still doesn’t keep the anxiety with this breed at bay. I am in acceptance that I may continue to feel this way but remain open to making mastiff friends. And for today, that is enough.
We had two female bc’s that hated each other and would fight whenever they had the chance. (We rehomed one of the pair and she never fought again in the new home even though it also had another female.) The other one was the world’s sweetest bc to us and family and friends and again never would fight again. It was just a terrible combo to have these two together. Along the way to realizing that we could not keep both of these dogs we learned the hard way one way for two people to break up a dog fight without hurting yourselves. Grab the dogs by the tails and lift their hind legs off the ground and drag them in opposite directions. Never, ever, try to grab a collar. The one time my husband did that, we spent the night in the ER waiting for him to get stitches and then we were reported to animal control (rightly so) and had to keep the guilty party in home detention. (She was current on rabies vax.) The animal control guy who came to allow her out of detention couldn’t believe that such a sweet girl could do that. Fortunately no PTSD for hubs. But afterward we had a new rule at our house: no two bitches in the household at the same time.
Freddy’s recent attack was so very minor compared to the horrible experiences described here – I was shocked and upset but not traumatised, and the helpful response of the attacking dog’s owners and of friends and relations all aided me in getting over it. Other dog owners advised me to take time to let us both recover before venturing out again and three or four quiet days at home and around our shared grounds where we knew we were safe gave us time to decompress. Watching Freddy gradually recover, going from total meltdown at a the distant sound of someone shooting at pheasants or a military plane going over to shaking off shots in the next field with a quick glance at me for reassurance has helped, although even 6 weeks later I am not yet ready for walks away from very familiar places where we know most of the dogs and the people.
Talking, writing, generally putting into words what happened helped me get over the shock – so thank you Trisha for listening at the time and again now!
Nine years ago, Duncan was attacked by a friend’s dog that tried to kill him. Thankfully, he received only a couple of minor injuries and his emotional trauma improved fairly quickly. My trauma was the guilt of knowing I had stupidly exposed Duncan to harm and could have lost him that night.
Three weeks earlier, my 16 year old whippet mix Meg passed away. The separation anxiety that Dunc sometimes struggled with while I was at work got worse without Meg there to keep him company. A friend was fostering a young female GSD and we were going to walk them together to see how they got along.
What I should have done was call my friend from my car parked across the street so she could bring the shepherd out to meet us. What I actually did (and still cringe at the memory) was walk up to her doorstep with Dunc. When she opened the door, her own male mixed breed dog was with her. Apparently, he couldn’t stand other male dogs, which she didn’t know because he was never aggressive toward people or the girl dogs she had fostered. He gave no warning signals that I could see, just instantly launched a full on attack. Duncan wasn’t a fighter but was extremely fast and agile, so he was able to twist, wiggle and run for safety when a neighbor heard WWIII going on and stepped in to separate the dogs. Those few minutes were some of the longest of my life. I don’t think I could have forgiven myself if he had been killed or permanently injured. He temporarily regressed in his fearful home alone destruction until I adopted Missy six weeks later. I don’t want to imagine how much worse things might have gone if he hadn’t finished training classes the month before. He loved school, got his CGC and had been calmer and more confident until the attack. Gentle, quiet Missy was the perfect companion to help restore that for him.
Yep, multiple attacks on my blind border collie, dogs coming over fences, dogs going under fences, dogs leaping out of cars, dogs ripping leashes out of people’s hands, and one loose dog nearly killed him. I don’t ask him to leave the yard anymore if he doesn’t want to. It’s clear to him that I cannot keep him safe. But here are a few things we can all do to help: If you are out walking your dog off-leash, please leash your dog if you encounter someone else. Don’t make someone have to say, “your dog is making me uncomfortable.” (and DON’T just yell, “my dog is friendly!” That is really, really not helpful). If you encounter a leashed dog, leash your dog. Period. Then you can negotiate with the other person whether it is appropriate for the dogs to meet, and how. Please, please, pretty please do not walk your dog off leash in a leash area. There is no safe place for people or dogs to go if we cannot count on on-leash areas being truly on-leash. It goes without saying, don’t bring your dog to places where they are not supposed to be, either- regardless of what you think of the reasons for the ban. Work to loosen the ban if you must, instead. Those of us who have been bitten, chased, harassed, and so on thank you. (Even if we have been bitten, chased, or harassed, we need to do these things too!) Some care and consideration would go a long way to prevent needless ugly incidents. Think of it as a few simple things you can do to make the world a better place! That’s what I do.
For bookish folks, Bessel Van Der Kolk’s healing classic The Body Keeps the Score is a science based review of the many modalities including drama, music, and dance that can help us heal. I highly recommend his experience in working to heal, not merely treat trauma.
Thank you Sheridan, it’s a fantastic and important book. Thanks for reminding me to spread the word.
And here I was, thinking it was just over-sensitive me who had PTSD from my dog being attacked. My anxiety about my dog being close to other dogs certainly is communicated to her and looking back at the repeat interactions with the Great Pyrenees, I think that my smallish Border Collie felt she was protecting me given that I am/was extremely fearful of that dog. That probably made things a lot more flammable. The GP lives next door and gets loose several times a year. At least the owner calls me when that happens.
My dog is no angel and will defend herself if another dog overwhelms her so I keep her away from boisterous dogs. There’s one dog she likes who comes through here, an intact male who mainly ignores her after saying hello.
Thank you for opening up this subject.