Time for the Pepper Spray

Over the years, since Ado became an adult dog, we've had our share of run-ins with dogs off leash. It's always the other dog who starts the ruckus. From day one, I made sure to train Ado to behave while we're out. He's a large dog, weighing in at 120 pounds. He's also a breed many people fear. I'm of the mind that it's my job to make sure he doesn't hurt another dog or person. I wouldn't be able to sleep at night knowing my dog, under my watch, hurt another creature. 

So what ends up happening, because Ado is always on leash (as is the ordinance in this county and in this village) is other dogs that are not on leash or are not enclosed by a fence end up approaching and sometimes attacking Ado. A lot of the time, all Ado has to do is growl and the other dog backs away. A few times, the other dog decided to attack. This is what happened Monday.  

I was out with Ado and Murphy for a late afternoon walk, like usual. As we were passing the church a few blocks away, I heard a man yell at a dog to get in the house. I looked across the street, and I saw a very, very large pit-type dog walking towards the house but watching us very intently. I told Ado to keep going, but Murphy stopped. I looked back at Murphy then heard the man really yell, telling the dog to get in the house. That's when the dog just shot off, heading straight towards Murphy. 

I hurried towards Murphy to scoop him up, but he was terrified and dodged me. Ado seemed to know exactly what the other dog was wanting to do and ran over to take on the dog. I think of it as Ado saying, "Hey, pick on someone your own size." They went at it, with the other dog finally finding purchase on Ado's rear leg. And it wouldn't let go. No matter what I did or the owner did, the dog hung on. Poor Ado kept trying to get at the dog but its position kept it just out of reach. Somehow, in the chaos, Ado ended up clamping down on my left thumb. I felt it, but it didn't really register with me that he bit me until afterwards, when we got back to the house and I looked down to see blood on my glove.

My vet got us in right away. In the end, Ado needed a staple for one of the wounds. The others were left open to drain.

The inside of his leg.

His right leg is so swollen compared 
to his left leg.

I've learned just how much I actually
use my thumb now that I can't 
use it! :) 

When we got back home Monday night, it took me over a half hour to get Ado out of the Jeep and into the house. He couldn't use his leg at all, and he was pretty drugged up, so it was all I could do to get him out of the Jeep then up the steps and into the house. Yesterday, he wouldn't get up to go outside as usual in the morning. My vet texted to see how he was doing, and when I told him Ado wouldn't move or eat, he said that was normal and he would move and eat when he was ready. He was finally ready just after noon. 

Today, he's much better. When I got up, he got up and went outside. He had breakfast like usual, too. His leg still looks gnarly, but it's on the mend. 

I did file a complaint with the village. Since moving out here, this is the third time Ado has been attacked by an unrestrained dog. I was going to file a complaint after the second attack, another pit-type dog whose owner just sat on the front porch, watching his dog run towards us, saying, "He won't hurt your dog." Guess what? His dog went at Ado with gusto. Thankfully, I was able to maneuver Ado around behind me while the owner's son ran over and grabbed the dog before it could actually get at Ado. 

At this point, I've decided to start carrying pepper spray with me on our walks. I'm tired of my dog constantly being harassed by dogs whose owners don't take steps to control them. Their negligence caused my dog to suffer, and caused me to have to use my time to get him to the vet, pick up prescriptions, then get him home. That negligence also added a doctor visit for me to the mix, and a prescription for me because the bite broke the skin. Thankfully, Ado's vaccinations are current, and thankfully my thumb isn't broken, just very bruised. I've had to deal with the police report, as well. All of these things weren't part of my Must Do on Monday list, but because a dog owner didn't take care to make sure his dog was restrained, all of these things were added to my Must Do on Monday list. I've had enough. 

So, just a warning to all you dog owners out there (who don't read my blog! :) ), if your dog is loose and runs towards us, I will spray it. I don't care how big or how small the dog is. I will spray it. It will break my heart to do it, but my dogs' safety and my safety is first and foremost. You obviously don't care about me or my dogs, and really, you obviously don't care about your own dog's safety or about your dog in general since you are willing to let it run willy-nilly. You can't cry about your dog getting sprayed because you didn't do what you needed to to protect it. Shame on you.