How to Keep Your Dogs Safe on Daily Walks

Post attack: how i keep my dog safe on walks
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Post Attack How I Keep My Dog Safe On Walks

There’s nothing like the fear that stabs your heart when you see your dog get attacked by two other dogs that are three times her size. For a split second, you’re paralyzed with fear. Your brain tries to process what is currently happening in front of you, but not a single muscle will move.
Then that split second ends, and you spring into action.

You do everything you can to get the two dogs off your four-footed companion. You shove, you yell, you even throw a couple punches in a desperate attempt to free your dog.

One thought crosses your mind throughout the entire brawl and fuels your motivation to rescue your dog: “she can’t die like this!” This very scenario happened to me and my dog Heidi.

Post Attack: How I Keep My Dog Safe On Walks

Post Attack How I Keep My Dog Safe On Walks One evening, I went on a walk with my parents and Heidi to enjoy some outdoor family time.

Everything was going great, until we walked by this little white house that we later learned housed two German shepherds and a cat.

Before I go any further, I want to take a moment to say this article isn’t meant to degrade German shepherds or their owners. GSDs are beautiful, intelligent dogs, and they make wonderful companions when they’re trained and treated properly.

Anyway, we heard a low growling as we neared the house. It was clear that two dogs were fighting inside. We have just about passed the house – ready to continue our way down the slightly cracked sidewalk – when it happened.

We noticed the door was closed as we walked by the house, so we figured the fighting dogs were contained. We were wrong. The door wasn’t latched!

Two fully-grown German shepherds exploded through the front door, snarling and snapping at each other, until they saw Heidi – a 12-pound Shih Tzu. They lunged at her. My dad was able to pick her up by her harness while fighting off one of the German shepherds. The other German shepherd decided to target me.

The owner of the German shepherds came out of the house screaming at the dogs, but they wouldn’t obey. Then, as if the scene wasn’t insane enough, a rather large calico cat ran out of the house and attacked the dog my dad was trying to fight off!

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Long story short, we finally got the situation under control and were able to head back home. Heidi was unharmed, but she was scared.

But some dogs aren’t as lucky as mine was. This is why you have to be prepared.

No one ever thinks that they will be in a similar situation, having to fend off themselves or their pet from attackers. I know I wasn’t expecting it. We live in a small town where not a lot happens, and as I mentioned, I walked Heidi often and I had never had any issues before. A dog attack wasn’t on the top of my list of worries, but it certainly is now!

I’m much more prepared on walks now, and I want you to be just as prepared as I am – whether your dog is large or small – because you never know what’s around the corner. Take it from me, it would be better to be prepared for an attack and not ever have a problem than to be unprepared and have no way to help your beloved pet.