Oh the Drama

[Elaine]

A client of mine is looking after her mums dog for the week and they asked me to walk him. They are also friendly with Benji's owner and had tried to introduce the two dogs on sunday night which didnt go well. Anyway, I decided I would take him out with Benji yesterday morning, knowing that the introduction didnt go well due to their nervousness etc.
The two dogs were just fine. Benji was a little excited initially but very quickly settled into the walk. I had both onlead because their recalls are crap. A greyhound aproached us and within a split second the greyhound had Kenzie by the neck . He lost his grip and I stood between the two dogs to create a bit of distance betwee them until the owner of the greyhound arrived to get him. There were several other people with dogs around, and every one came over to see that all was ok. The greyhound owner was apologetic but as every one was crowding us I just quickly looked Kenzie over, made sure he wasnt bleeding etc and told every one to stop fussing. We were all unharmed so I said that we would just carry on with our walk. I walked a little further and then stopped and gave Kenzie a good look over, stood for a wee while until we had all calmed down and carried on with our walk again.
On returning Benji, I had mentioned what had happened but told her that Kenzie was ok and that I would talk to his carer later that day. She inturn began calling Kenzies carer after I had left asking if Kenzie was ok and that he had been mauled by a greyhound .
On returning Kenzie, I explained what had happened and that Kenzie was ok but I felt he was a little stressed at being in a strange environment, with strange people, strange surroundings, noises, dogs etc, which is maybe why the greyhound had turned on him. She said she didnt think he was stressed at all but then proceeded to tell me that the dog hadnt eaten his food since he arrived and was drinking alot of water. I didnt argue as I am only the dog walker.
For the rest of the afternoon I was [plagued with calls from his carer, his owner and a dog behaviourist
What a palava, honestly. I kept explaining what had happened and what I felt had triggered the situation but that if the dog had been harmed I would have a) called the carer imediately and b) got it to the vet.
The upshot is the owner and the behaviourist are satisfied with what I told them and how i dealt with it, and agree that the dog is under a little stress.
I just cannt get over all the dramatics surrounding this incident. Ofcourse people want to know that their dogs are in safe hands etc but would you have reacted like that if it was your dog?

[kado]

No i would not. I think you did the right thing and took care of the situation correctly. The owner did over react a tiny little bit though if it had been you over reacting to the incident i would have understud. I look after cats in my villiage and last year one went missing found out later it had died. The owner was fine about it and still lets me look after his other cat. I was so upset about it that i vowed never too look after a cat again but after a few weeks i was looking after them again.

[angieh]

EEEEK! As you know, I am not really a dog person Elaine (yet anyway) but your tale brings to mind an incident that happened a couple of years ago with my next door neighbour's little terrier. Neighbour was in her front garden with the terrier and her other dog (a placid old lab) when two dippy women from the farm up the bridleway came past with their two greyhounds. The terrier got under the gate and attacked the greyhounds who retaliated. Both greyhounds were leashed. There was a huge commotion and I went up the bridleway to see what had happened. Neighbour had intervened, stupidly as she afterwards acknowledged but in the heat of the moment, her terrier was bleeding around the neck and chest and the two dippy women were collapsed on the grass. I asked if anyone was hurt - dippy women did not answer but at least kept firm hold of greyhounds. Next door neighbour lifted bleeding terrier and put her in my arms and rushed off to phone her vet.

The upshot was I have never seen dippy women or greyhounds again - no idea what part they played or didn't in the drama (!); terrier was rushed to vet and was OK, but shocked. Neighbour came round and thanked me for looking after the terrier - I didn't have much choice! But just talked calmly to it while it bled in my arms.

Anyway, a huge drama - makes you want to take a bucket of cold water with you when around dogs.

How did the animal behaviourist get involved?????

Glad you are OK. Has Kensi eaten anything yet do you know?

[Leesy]

Glad to hear that you and the 2 dogs are OK Elaine, I think that you should get a medal for the way you calmly handled the situation and also for the way you dealt with Kenzi`s owners and carer.
I think that I would have needed a double Whisky on my return home to calm me down (not that I like Whisky) .

[Elaine]

Well the drama continues today
I wasnt that calm yesterday, it did give me a fright which is why it made sense to me to walk a little further on from the comotion so that me and the dogs could calm down.
The behaviourist is apparently a friend of the owner.
Today I am being told by all corners how to teach the dogs recall. The last I was aware, I was a dog walker not a dog trainer. When I have dogs who pull on leads etc, I do try to keep them and myself calm and show them a little leadership but thats only so that I can end up walking them without getting bad tempered with them all of the time.

[Leesy]

LOL they do make me laugh some people, surely it`s upto them to train their dogs not somebody else, if thats what they want why don`t you train their dogs for them and slap them with an extra bill LOL

[Kazz]

Elaine you are a better woman than I. I could not be a dog walker, however I must say it is also one of the reasons I walk Sal yes pepole can join us but I walk her, not that I do not trust certain people with her but if something happened I kow I would go OTT trying to get every snippet of info even if it were nothing that I would consider an incident if I was out with her not wrht entioning or thinking about.

I would have the poor dog walker chained to a chair and under a light getting info.....so I am no use......I say you are lucky to have got away with your finger nails in tact....

[jan]

Well done Elaine, that it has nt put you off walking the dogs again. People can be so very silly at times - I think you did marvellously as I would probably have panicked and I could not be a dog walker for that reason. I am wary of dogs anyway though I have no reason to be, just more comfortable with cats I guess. Its a shame you have had this hassle. Jx