# Little Dog Attack!!



## GSDCrazy1787 (Sep 26, 2015)

So yesterday I was out walking with my boy. This older lady and her chihuahua usually hang out in the front yard when the weather is nice. The chihuahua is always unleashed and has little dog syndrome. 

So as we turn the corner this chihuahua sees us and comes bolting down the yard in attack mode. Dante finally notices the little guy charging and just turns his head and the chihuahua high tails it out of there and runs back to his owner. I couldn't help but laugh a little bit. 

This other part makes me a bit mad. So the lady didn't do anything to contain her dog after that happened. So the dog came bolting over again and Dante just looks to me like "This thing is so annoying. Please get it away from me". So Dante again turns his head and the dog high tails it back. 

I mean..what would have happened if Dante wasn't a well-mannered, well-socialized dog? If his prey drive would have kicked in it would have been over! That chihuahua would have been badly injured!! However, because the owner saw it as cute that her little dog was trying to protect her and not correct him for his actions all is well. No big deal right?! Huh...


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

I don't think most larger dogs will attack a little dog, but I'm sure some could and do. It seems to be out of some owner's comprehension that anything bad could ever happen to their precious.... until it does.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

Did this Chi just run around its yard barking at your dog? Or did it come off of the property?


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> Did this Chi just run around its yard barking at your dog? Or did it come off of the property?


Or would it have come off the property had Dante not given it The Look? Maybe that's the better question.

If the dog is trained to stay on its own property and adheres to that, I'm less worried; if mine is leashed and next to me instead of on the other dog's lawn, we can be okay.

If the little dog isn't trained or contained, then that's problematic.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

WateryTart said:


> Or would it have come off the property had Dante not given it The Look? Maybe that's the better question.
> 
> If the dog is trained to stay on its own property and adheres to that, I'm less worried; if mine is leashed and next to me instead of on the other dog's lawn, we can be okay.
> 
> If the little dog isn't trained or contained, then that's problematic.


Not really the wrong question, I see dogs, especially toy breeds, run towards the edge of their property all the time and not come off. That is why I asked.


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## WateryTart (Sep 25, 2013)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> Not really the wrong question, I see dogs, especially toy breeds, run towards the edge of their property all the time and not come off. That is why I asked.


It isn't the wrong question but my thought was, What is this dog's normal MO? Does it go running right up to/after a dog that it doesn't perceive as being as threatening as Dante? Because if it does, this time it just got lucky.


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## Stonevintage (Aug 26, 2014)

Most of the large dog vs small dog encounters I have seen when a little one is harassing - can result in the larger dog teaching the smaller one about the rude behavior. All kinds of barking, threatening into the larger dog's space and then a quick nip by the larger - a yip and the little one is B-lining back the way it came at a run. But then if they crossed a street to get to your dog - they have a probability of getting hit by a car.


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

WateryTart said:


> It isn't the wrong question but my thought was, What is this dog's normal MO? Does it go running right up to/after a dog that it doesn't perceive as being as threatening as Dante? Because if it does, this time it just got lucky.


Oh, I understood that. I grew up when there weren't leash laws, at least if there were, nobody had ever heard of them. Everybody's dog was loose. In my community, lots of dogs were also loose in their yards. IME, most would run down within a few feet of their property line barking and stop. Being that I am an avid walker, I passed these same dogs many a time, and they never came off property. Personally, I don't think it even had much to do with training, as they were just family dogs owned by JQP and had probably been called back a few times as puppies by their owners and that was the end of the training.

I agree today that many owners can be idiots, probably could say the same thing back then, BUT back then, owners had more respect for other people. If a dog was problematic, they would secure it by other means. You don't see that as much today.


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## sebrench (Dec 2, 2014)

Sounds like the place where we live now. There are some people with fences, and some that are courteous/responsible (a GSD breeder who trains protection dogs, for example). But the vast majority around here just let their dogs run loose. Most of the loose dogs are very friendly, or as MineAreWorkingLine said, they stop at the property line. There is a house w/about five pitt-mixes that makes me a bit uncomfortable. I have nothing against pitts, but I don't want to get in an altercation with one or several, especially without the owner present. (I wouldn't want to confront a loose GSD either, for that matter). So far, though, if I stomp my feet and yell at them they turn tail and run back into their yards. They seem wary of Asher. Most of the time, I pack up and do my walking in local parks and the greenway where the dogs are leashed, but sometimes I risk walking my road just because it's convenient.


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## Jenny720 (Nov 21, 2014)

Little dog attack. It sounds like it's rampant out there. 
We had a pretty big jack Russell snarling growling come charging us as mentioned in the other post. He was crazily intent on going after max chasing him as we are moving in circles. He was pretty crazy then most dogs I have seen. You can under estimate dogs who are smaller in size. They can provoke much trouble. Max said enough is enough and had to practically choke him to still keep peace the other dog away who kept trying to bite max-as we danced in circles. One warning bite I can imagine does tremendous damage to a dog who is much smaller in size.


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## SiegersMom (Apr 19, 2011)

It seems to me that it does not matter if the little dog left its own yard or not IF it comes at a loose dog. The lady did not see you or you dog as a threat because he was on a leash and in control. She will not think it is cute when a big dogs walks in her yard and gets her little dog. I love it when I am walking my gsd who has no interest in other dogs when he is on leash and little yappers being walked by us are snapping growling and lunging and us and I hear the owner say "stay away from that big dog...he will eat you" Drive me crazy since my Big guy should be getting praised for being so well behaved instead of label the big scary dog...Those little ankle bitters scare me!!!...lol


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## GSDCrazy1787 (Sep 26, 2015)

MineAreWorkingline said:


> Did this Chi just run around its yard barking at your dog? Or did it come off of the property?


No it literally ran up to Dante who was walking on the sidewalk. Dante could have easily opened his mouth and latched onto this dog and the owner was just standing there laughing. I really could not understand it!


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## MineAreWorkingline (May 2, 2015)

GSDCrazy1787 said:


> No it literally ran up to Dante who was walking on the sidewalk. Dante could have easily opened his mouth and latched onto this dog and the owner was just standing there laughing. I really could not understand it!


Some people are clueless.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Talk yo her in a non-confrontational way and tell her that you are worried (even if you aren't) that some other big dog may not be as lenient as yours. Most likely she is proud of her brave little dog and loves it to pieces, literally maybe


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## jcm3 (Jul 15, 2016)

Old post, but reminds me of when we were riding around the neighborhood when my son was only about four years old or so (he's 11 now). We were riding down the sidewalk, and a few small dogs (not quite as small as a Chihuahua, but not much larger) came charging at us from the front porch. I crossed over and got in between my son and them, and gave them a chance to back off. As they got closer, I could tell that they weren't stopping, and as soon as the closer one opened its mouth and attempted to bite me, I gave it a swift kick in the side. It wasn't enough to hurt it, but it did let out a bit of a grunt, and kind of limped back toward the porch.


I felt bad, but I wasn't about to let it bite my son. 


Some dog owners...


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

Stonevintage said:


> I don't think most larger dogs will attack a little dog, but I'm sure some could and do. It seems to be out of some owner's comprehension that anything bad could ever happen to their precious.... until it does.


I don't think large dogs can be generalized this way maybe if it was a puppy. An aggressively charging small dog could agitate any size of dog into attack depending on the temperament of the dog.


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## Femfa (May 29, 2016)

jcm3 said:


> Old post, but reminds me of when we were riding around the neighborhood when my son was only about four years old or so (he's 11 now). We were riding down the sidewalk, and a few small dogs (not quite as small as a Chihuahua, but not much larger) came charging at us from the front porch. I crossed over and got in between my son and them, and gave them a chance to back off. As they got closer, I could tell that they weren't stopping, and as soon as the closer one opened its mouth and attempted to bite me, I gave it a swift kick in the side. It wasn't enough to hurt it, but it did let out a bit of a grunt, and kind of limped back toward the porch.
> 
> 
> I felt bad, but I wasn't about to let it bite my son.
> ...


I apologize if I too am reviving an old thread, but I couldn't help but laugh at this because I had that happen to myself while I was walking down a street. Someone opened their door and two small dogs came out charging after me. I ignored them until I realized they weren't stopping and were about to try and take me out at my ankles... so I took a lesson from the horses I know and gave a nice back kick. Connected with one of their heads, and both scampered back home just as quickly. I didn't kick hard enough to do damage either, but it certainly teaches them a lesson that many of them clearly have yet to learn. 

I'm not sure what it is with small dog breed owners other than the fact that they think their dog is harmless and therefore can do no wrong/cause no damage. Had a Yorkie charge my boyfriend's GSD while we were walking her one day... didn't even realize it was happening and Kona (pictured in my avatar) accidentally took her out with her wagging tail. Dog went flying a foot or so into the air, then ran back home crying. It was the neighbour's dog so no real hard feelings, but boy was that hilarious.


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## karladupler (Mar 22, 2016)

Is it me or small dogs can get away from pretty much everything cause...they can't cause too much damage...I have bad experiences with small dogs that are sooooo rude towards everything and the owners don't care too much...they just pick the dog from the ground and try to "calm them" and pet them, glad that your dog didn't see that dog as a prey or something threatening  that's a good dog!


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

These people are clueless. I will say right now, I know 3 GSDs, one of them being my WLF, who would pick that little dog up and do the shake/kill thing. So much for respecting the little dogs. Plenty larger dogs are bullies!


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## brookwoodgirl (May 5, 2016)

My first GSD (as an adult, not childhood pets) I lived in an ground floor garden apartment right next to a park - not too bad housebreaking as only a few steps to the outside, but I had to deal with other dogs on and off leashes, and the little dogs - or rather their owners - were the worst. It was like they had to compensate for their dogs small stature by taking pride and reinforcing their little dogs aggressive behavior. My male GSD (unneutered) was well behaved toward most dogs (apart from a vicious black lab that was always let off leash and attacked without provocation) . But it made walking an anxious hassle at times. I was happy to move to a house with a couple of acres and a stream, where I didn't have to worry about that kind of dog walking.

Once I was walking my dog in my parents neighborhood, on a center wooded island between two roads, and someone across the street let their ankle biter loose out of their front door. Immediately it crossed the road to come after my dog, who didn't even pause stride. He whacked the dog with his heavy head, sending it flying through the air, and yowling back to its home.


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## jcm3 (Jul 15, 2016)

Femfa said:


> ... didn't even realize it was happening and Kona (pictured in my avatar) accidentally took her out with her wagging tail. Dog went flying a foot or so into the air, then ran back home crying. It was the neighbour's dog so no real hard feelings, but boy was that hilarious.



That is too funny!


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