Attacking Dog

[gini]

Yesterday I witnessed the most frightening event. We have many Koreans in our area and they are fond of a Korean dog called a Gindo (pronounced GIN DOE). They are not kept as pets, but as guard dogs. They are known as "fighting dogs".

One in our neighborhood gets out of his yard frequently. Last week a young woman was walking her Pomeranian on a leash and the Gindo attacked her small dog. She picked it up in her arms to protect it and the dog attacked her. She did not report it to any authorities.

Yesterday, by chance, I saw this dog on the loose again. Just as I saw the dog, I saw a woman coming up the street with two dogs on a leash. The Gindo hunkered down and raced to these two dogs and attacked one on the haunches - shaking it with such violence.

I raced outside and I had my dish towel in my hands and started yelling to this dog to get away. I used as firm a command as I could muster and ordered it back home. The poor woman had disappeared by that time, so I do not know how seriously her dog was injured.

The Animal Control telephone number has a menu - and it is designed to be so frustrating that you simply go through the loop of menus and give up.

Two attacks in one week were enough for me, so I persued the issue and called our Senior Lead Officer (police). Last evening they visited them with a Korean speaking officer. Aside from the obvious danger to people and other dogs, they stressed the liability issue. Whether this will keep the dog in the yard remains to be seen.

The Sr. Lead Officer told me today, that if they are called and witness an attack, they will shoot the dog on the spot. I now have a valid telephone number for dog attacks at Animal Control and have called them, leaving a telephone message. I decided to do this because we also have many people who push their strollers with children and a dog on a leash is tagging along.
The potential for a disaster is still sitting here.

It was a very upsetting scene to witness. This type of dog is very clever and cunning. I see dogs of this breed running loose at least once a month.

On a more humorous note, I must have been a real vision waving my dishtowel and yelling at this dog.

[Pam]

Gini I think you are a hero! You may have saved that dog's life and at the same time took a big chance yourself. I hope you never have to use that phone number, but at least if you do you have it now. Ultimately a dog's behavior is the responsibility of the owner. If these people are training these dogs to fight I hope they are caught and hit in their wallet as well as with some jail time. Thank you for getting involved. A lot of people wouldn't. Somehow I never thought of a dish towel as a weapon! **funny mental picture going on in my head now**

[Sudilar]

Gini, Pam is so right!! You are a hero!! You were extremely brave to go out and chase away the attacking dog. He could have turned on you!! I know that my kids retreat the same way when I wave a dishtowel at them (whose turn is it to do the dishes??). LOL

[KYS]

How scary for you and the neighbors.
You were very brave/hero, and I am glad you did not get hurt.

If your neighbors would report every time this dog gets out,
especially the neighbors who are attacked by this dog,
I am sure that dog will not be loose in your neighborhood
for much longer.
There has got to be a better number to call in your area.

[Ann]

Yikes, that's really scary! Sorry to hear what you had to go through, but I also think you are very brave! Good work, you probably did save that little dog's life

Hope they'll keep their dog inside now, so it won't have to be put down. Even if it is crazy I'd still be sad if it had to be shot.

[anna_66]

WOW! You hero you! I can just imagine you running out with a dishtowel, hey, whatever works right!!! I hope they get these dogs under control, I would hate to hear that they were shot, it's really not the dogs fault.

[jackiesdaisy1935]

Gini, I call you Hero too. Thank goodness you distracted him for a while giving the woman a chance to get away. It's awful, we won't walk our dogs in the neighborhood for fear of something like that. A lot of the Mexicans here get the half bred Pit Bulls and use them for fighting or guard dogs. I'm afraid to go out walking our dogs and if they are in the fenced downstairs yard one of us is always with them. It's a shame, we do what we are supposed to do get them licensed, shots, Vet care, etc etc but can't even take a walk in the neighborhood with our pups.
Thank goodness you didn't get bit yourself.
Jackie

[gini]

Thank you all so much for your kind words. I don't quite know how to react - because "hero" was the furthest thing from my mind.

I posted this because it was so frightening - and most of all because I clearly do not understand why you would ever train a dog to attack another dog in a completely unprovoked situation. What is to prevent this dog from attacking one of their guests or God forbid a small child?

What frightens me most, is that I don't think this is going to be the end of this story.