How Far Can I Go???
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
United States
August 8, 2008 7:32am CST
Ok..anyone who really knows me on here, or maybe people that don't me that well...know that I LOVE animals, and would never want to hurt one, and would never hurt one if I absolutly didn't have to...Now, I have a question for you.
I work nights at a PetSmart PetsHotel. And during my break time (I have a lot of down time at work) I think about everything that could possibly go wrong at work, while I'm there...and I think about the best ways for me to handle it lol.
Like, I've thought about what I would do if there was a fire; came up with some strategies to help save more dogs if I had too.
Well anyways, here's a new thing I've been thinking about. Sometimes when me and the other person I'm with for that night are giving the dogs their morning walks, one will get away from us and take a run through the hotel lol. It's really no big deal, there's no where they can go, and it never takes long to ruond them up and get a leash around them. But here's one worry of mine...
I just think, what if one night, SOMEHOW, when a big dog gets loose...what if they get a little dog in their jaws...We do get some dog aggressive dogs that we take extra care to keep them away from other pets, but you NEVER know what could happen. Even a dog that's never had a problem before could, for whatever reason, decide to attack another dog.
So my question is, if a large dog gets a small one in its mouth...how far can I do to try and save that little dog? There is NO WAY I would do nothing, but I just don't want to get fired or sued...i would never do anything that would kill the larger dog...but I would probably have to do something that would hurt it. My ideas are either slamming it's head, or choking it. I think I would choke first because I figure once the dog realizes it can't breathe, it's gonna drop the small dog--right?
So dog owners...lets say you were the large dog owner, after you learn everything that happened would you be mad that I did something like that to your dog, even given the circumstances? Would you try to sue me? Small dog owners, would you be PISSED at me that something like that even happened (even though it was a complete freak accident) or would you be so relieved that I saved (at least tried my hardest to save) your little pet?
Thanks guys! Didn't know this discussion would turn out so long! lol...
2 people like this
3 responses
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
19 Aug 08
A pit bull latched onto my pet goat's throat/jaw. I was hitting it really hard across the side of the head to make it let go but all I did was bruise and hurt my hand. The trick is to hit the dog on the nose...HARD. It will let go immediately.
I had heard this before but when the time came I was desperate and forgot the information. Luckily, the guy that came to my rescue knew what to do. He hit the dog on the nose and he immediately let go.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
2 Sep 08
A dog attacked me the other day while I was out walking. I managed to fend the beast off by standing my ground and using a firm loud voice and hand signals...I was being the alpha dog. Arriving home I rang our policeman straight away and he went round to the house then off to hospital to be treated for dog bite. I reckon the copper tried to fend the dog off with his baton and the dog bit him. It's really hard to know what to do in those circumstances. I really wanted to run away but I knew I couldn't outwaddle the dog (I can't run these days) so I just had to fend it off till I was home if necessary. I hope you never get tested Lily.
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
3 Sep 08
So this dog bit you AND the cop that you called?? Do you know who the dog belongs too? Did it seme to be really vicious...almost like it was sick in the mind? Sometimes I feel sorry for mean dogs because something had to make them that way; whether it be bad owners or abandonment(did i spell that right O.o looks weird). lol. Do you know what happened to the dog? Did the cop shoot it?
But I'm glad you are okay!! :) And I hope I'm never tested either! Thank you MsTickle.
2 people like this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
24 Aug 08
OO that's good to know! Thank you Tickle :) I will defeniatly remember that, than maybe I won't have to worry about being in too much trouble for hurting the big dog. I think they'd rather have me hit it's nose than choke it lol
2 people like this
@carolbee (16230)
• United States
8 Aug 08
I think both dog owners will be miffed especially if the little dog was hurt. Hopefully the big dog will have a tail, not be cropped, that you can step on and the dog will stop in his tracks. His face is further away from you also so less likely you will be bitten. Aren't the bigger dogs separate from the little ones? Hope this sort of thing never happens at your workplace.
1 person likes this
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
9 Aug 08
Well the only way the big and little dogs are seperated are by their rooms. But a large dog could have a little dog as it's room neighbor...or a little dog could be across from a big dog. But during the day and night we are very careful about how we walk the dogs. And if one gets loose, at night it's easy...we just yell to eachother, "dog loose" and the other person can put their dog (big or small) in the nearest room and come help get it. So even when one gets loose, usually in a matter of seconds it's the only one out of the rooms.
Usually the dogs with log tails at our place keep them raised up, they never drag the floor. The only dogs I can ever remember with dragging tails are the really old, really sweet ones lol. And I really don't think they'd ever attack a smaller dog, I doubt they could even catch one. But as too my cutting off their air, I know it puts my hands right in the battle zone, but I really don't care! I just don't think keeping my hands safe is worth someone losing a beloved pet. (Keep in mind if this terrible thing ever did happen that BOTH of us night people would be there, so I wouldn't have to be fighting the dog off on my own).
***Once I was walking two great, beauitful English Spaniels (now, they aren't tiny dogs, but they aren't very big either) and as I was turning a corner to bring them to a playroom I saw the dogs in one of the rooms actually open their own door! And there were 4 dogs (Weimaraner's-pretty big dogs, def. bigger than spaniels) in that room (they weren't actually squeezed into one room, we opened a divider and they had 2 rooms lol). Two of them started coming our way (not chargin, just looking around) so I spun around with the spaniels and put them in the nearest room...the kitchen! lol. I closed the door and me and the other person got the 4 dogs back in their rooms. *But even though we aren't really suppose to...I would have kept myself between the 2 pairs of dogs because I could never let any animal get hurt without fighting tooth and nail!*
*And just incase we are visited by sneaky dogs, we have an extra clip to put on their doors lock that makes it so they cna not open it again lol*
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
9 Aug 08
Sorry I just want to add when it really comes down to it, I really don't think this is ever going to happen. I never think a big dog is ever going to get his hold on a little dog. But i just like to prepare myself for the worst scenerios, no matter how unlikely.
@polaris714 (607)
• Philippines
19 Aug 08
In the movies they use tranquilizers, right? But I suppose that's going overboard with dogs. Let's see...
How about using a spray sort of like pepper spray but using water? Maybe spray a little water on the big dog's face and nose so he will be distracted and let go of the little one, but will not harm you either. That way, no one will be harmed...
@LilyoftheThorns (12918)
• United States
24 Aug 08
Yeah e don't use tranqs on dogs at my work :P I dont think owners would appreciate that hehe!!
But, depending on where it happened, Im not sure I'd want to waste the time to run and get the spray we have to stop fights. I would want to immediatly be able to do something, and that spray is only kept in our 4 playrooms.
1 person likes this
