It’s been an unusual week in that twice me and my wingman Kobi have had dog run-ins.
We were heading to our favorite little lake, that we usually have to ourselves, when I noticed a truck way down the road. The dude was driving while his dogs were walking/running. I stopped, made myself very visible and put Kobi on her leash.
One dog came up and was okay and then the second really big dog came up and totally attacked Kobi. I of course put myself between her and the dog and was just getting myself together to kick the offender with my metal spiked snowcross shoes (good for ice and defense) when the dude finally got out of his truck to get his dog.
I literally screamed an expletive that I’m kind of proud of, but also kind of embarrassed of. It was like the expletive had a mind of its own and I had no control over what was coming out of my mouth (recall Ralphie from A Christmas Story).
The dude apologized and said he didn’t see my dog. Seriously!! How could you not see my dog!! Kobi seemed okay, no broken skin, but probably bruised.
Then a few days later we’re running the same route and this time this old, fat, scruffy, but kind of cute husky dog starts heading across the road towards us. A lady is yelling at him to come back (I think the dog was deaf or had selective hearing). I quickly grab Kobi as I figure we’re in for it.
I yell back at the lady and ask a stupid question, “is your dog friendly?”
When you ask a stupid question, expect a stupid answer. “Yes,” she says, “but he bites.”
Okay, how do you consider that friendly?
She tells me just yell at him and he’ll turn back. I yell and he keeps up his slow, old dog jog towards us. At this point I figure me and Kobi can surely outrun this guy and rather than getting bit by an old friendly dog I’d rather try to outrun him. Which we did.
Thankfully, he wasn’t there on the way back so she must have wrangled him up. Here’s hoping for no more dog adventures on future runs.
Ever used an expletive that kind of caught you off guard? Ever been chased by an old, slow jogging, friendly dog that bites?
April 5, 2014 at 2:28 pm
If I don’t curse at a bad driver during a run, I usually consider it a failure 😉
April 5, 2014 at 2:31 pm
It probably isn’t too hard to find a bad driver to curse at either!?
April 5, 2014 at 2:34 pm
Oh my goodness! Some owners, huh?
April 5, 2014 at 3:24 pm
It’s pretty bad. I think because we’re a small community everyone thinks it’s okay to just let your dog run wild.
April 5, 2014 at 3:05 pm
Poor Kobi! It’s been a long time since I’ve been chased by a dog. We have a husky too and one time another dog attacked it….not a fun experience to go through. Here’s to a better running week with Kobi!
April 5, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Dog fights are horrible! I feel bad for her as she mostly just wants to play with everyone and she isn’t a very big dog so I think others like to pick on her.
April 5, 2014 at 3:11 pm
First off, I think you’re absolutely adorable, especially the Christmas Story part. I can vividly picture you in a Christmas story moment with that dog owner. That sounds like a terrible adventure X 2 and I’m glad everything turned out okay for both of you. I have never been chased by an old, “friendly” dog (lol) but I have been laying out with my doggy by my side and had a loose dog get into our yard and attack my 120 pound dog. Oh boy, I ended up falling three times, getting dragged across the yard. It wasn’t pretty but neither of the dogs got hurt- just me!! My dog kept trying to protect me but inadvertently kept knocking me to the ground.
April 5, 2014 at 3:29 pm
How terrible that you’re in your own yard and another dog ventured in and picks a fight! Even worse when you get stuck in the middle of it and end up the one all bruised up.
April 5, 2014 at 3:43 pm
I know!!! Oh boy, that was not a fun day, but I’m glad the doggies didn’t get hurt. Interestingly enough, that dog has visited our house quite a few times since then (it’s like the owners never know he gets out of the fence) and lucky enough, Prince (my dog) was never outside.
April 5, 2014 at 4:18 pm
I like that name “Prince”. Good thing he has been inside when the other dog comes over. I think some people have no clue what their dogs are up to or even care to check on them.
April 5, 2014 at 4:33 pm
Awe, thank you and yes, I’m thankful he has been inside, too! Prince loves dogs so much but he’s a cane corso (aka Italian Mastiff) so his protective instincts kick into gear to protect me when he senses danger. I don’t like seeing him in that mode because I want to protect him while he’s is trying to protect me.
I know exactly what you mean, too- some owners have no clue what their dog is up to. It really baffles me!
April 5, 2014 at 5:52 pm
That’s cute that you’re both trying to protect each other – as long as no one gets hurt.
April 6, 2014 at 1:30 am
Yes 🙂
April 5, 2014 at 7:22 pm
“Yes, but he bites”!? What the heck? And the dude in his truck should have wrangled his dogs whether Kobi was there or not. The only time I ever use expletives is when someone or another dog messes with Sam. Screw with me, fine, screw with Sam and you will see crazy.
April 5, 2014 at 8:42 pm
Both incidents really caught me off guard as they made no sense. Especially when both seemed to know they had aggressive dogs. I’ve clearly discovered my “don’t mess with my dog” side. I’m glad you have that side too!
April 6, 2014 at 1:51 am
Glad that Kobi and you are all right. Take care.
April 6, 2014 at 7:23 am
I’m just glad that there was no blood! I’m sure she got bruised up a bit.
April 6, 2014 at 7:31 am
Still thinking about how a dog can be friendly and bite….. I have had quite a few of these run-ins myself, so I know your frustration. I also have had “accidental” bursts of expletives like Ralphie. That is my biggest pet peeve, when people don’t have control over their animals. I had to take the back way home the other day because some lady had an enormous pitbull in the middle of the sidewalk. She clearly saw me coming, had no control over the dog, which was on a leash, continued to chat away on her cell phone and made no effort to move out of the middle of the road. I decided that I did not wish to have an expensive vet bill, so I darted into the neighborhood that I was running past. I don’t get it! Everyone just wants to be outside to enjoy it, not worry about themselves or their pets being attacked.
April 6, 2014 at 7:43 am
Clueless people with dogs are so annoying. I’m glad you were able to find an alternate route quickly. Running/walking outside would be so much more enjoyable if you didn’t have to constantly be on alert for stupid people.
April 6, 2014 at 7:33 am
I am thankful that I’ve only ever been chased by a chicken, not a dog 😛 That said “he bites” is definitely not a sign of friendliness in my book. 😛 That is not a stupid question, but a stupid answer 😉
April 6, 2014 at 9:46 am
Chickens can be scary too! I was a bit confused by the “yes, he’s friendly but he bites” comment. That’s why I thought perhaps I had just asked a stupid question.
April 7, 2014 at 2:38 pm
Poor Kobi! I’m glad both you and she are ok, that’s the main thing in all of this. Some dog owners are insane though. When my dog was younger, she was regularly attacked by the same German Shepherd at our local park, whose inept owner didn’t do anything about it (muzzle, keep on lead, etc…). I didn’t want to report her at this point, as I suspected that the dog would just be put down. I started going to a different park, as it was just miserable for my girl. One day, she showed up at this different park, and sure enough, her dog promptly attacked mine again. I shouted some insults as well at this point, and her response? “You’d think that your dog it used to it by now.” I… there are no words.
April 7, 2014 at 3:11 pm
Your poor dog! That person has to be one of the top ten stupid dog owners out there. What an ignorant thing to say to someone. And I thought it was just bad up here!