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Knucklehead

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Sunsilver
Post subject: Knucklehead
Posted: Sat 16 Oct , 2010 12:52 pm
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Location: Gone to the dogs!
 
I have an 8 year old male German Shepherd. He's neutered, and has reached the age where he's definitely past his prime.

I took him and my younger German Shepherd female to the dog park yesterday, to let them do doggy things with other dogs and have a good run.

There was a young mastiff at the park, 18 months old, and probably 140 lbs. I saw Ranger and the mastiff doing some male posturing, and told Ranger to knock it off. He was licking his lips submissively so I thought all was going to be well.

A little later, the mastiff hauled a section of a small log out of the woods and was chewing on it. Ranger got into the act, chewing on the other end. The mastiff was growling at him, and obviously didn't want to share. I got Ranger a stick of his own, and started throwing it for him, and he lost interest in the mastiff. Again, I thought everything was going to be okay.

So, it's getting dark and cold, and everyone decides to head home. We were about 20 feet from the gate, and the dogs were both about the same distance away from their owners when they decided they just HAD to have one more go at the male dominance thing. I saw the posturing start, and hollered at Ranger to "KNOCK IT OFF!"

The next thing I knew, the two dogs were at each other's throats.

This is every dog owner's nightmare. The mastiff soon had Ranger pinned to the ground, with his teeth buried in his throat. I began yelling and whacking the dogs with the leashes, hoping the sting would distract them enough to break the fight up, but neither combattant paid much attention. I also started to kick whatever portions of dog anatomy I could reach without getting too close to their jaws.

The mastiff's owner arrived on the scene, and grabbed him. At one point, she had her dog by the collar, and Ranger's head in a vise grip between her legs. I managed to grab him and pull him away, then snap the leash on his collar. She did the same with her dog. I immediately began checking him for damage, while she hustled her dog out the gate. I wanted to give her a good head start, to avoid the two dogs seeing each other, and possibly trying to start a fresh battle. Where a dog that size is concerned, having a leash on it may not stop it from pulling you off your feet.

Amazingly, Ranger seemed okay. I couldn't find any blood, so I headed for my vehicle. When I caught up with the other lady, I saw she was limping. :(

"Did you get bit?" I yelled.

"It's nothing," she replied, "and I don't blame the dogs." :Q

Oh crap. I hustled my two into my SUV, then asked her to show me the damage. She had a tooth scratch on her shin, and a deep puncture behind her knee. Neither one of us really knows which dog was responsible. However, Ranger likes to chew on rocks, so his canines are quite worn, and I'm not really sure he could inflict that sort of damage. OTOH, it might have happened when she had his head imprisoned between her knees, and the two dogs were still trying to get at each other. That's why you NEVER EVER grab a fighting dog's collar with your hand, unless there is someone else there to grab the other dog. The risk of getting seriously bitten is very, very high.

I used to take Ranger to the dog park in Aurora all the time, and the only time he got into a serious fight was with another dog that was seriously dog aggressive. The owner deliberately took his dog there during an off time, when very few dogs were around as he KNEW the dog had a problem. I really don't know what's gotten into Ranger. I mean, at 8 years old, he should KNOW BETTER! :suspicious:

Two other things might have helped precipitate the fight: one, the mastiff was at the age where dogs generally start to challenge other dogs (and their owners!) to see who's going to be alpha, and, two, my Shiloh female, Teena, is in season. Yeah, I know Ranger is NEUTERED, so you'd think that wouldn't be a factor... :bang: (And, of course, I left Teena at home!)

Well, it looks like it might have been. And the dog park is definitely off-limits for him until she's out of season. And if I ever take him again, he's going to get packed in the car as soon as I see even the slightest bit of male-my-willy's-bigger-than-yours-posturing! :rage:

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When the night has been too lonely, and the road has been too long,
And you think that love is only for the lucky and the strong,
Just remember in the winter far beneath the bitter snows,
Lies the seed, that with the sun's love, in the spring becomes The Rose[/size]


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LalaithUrwen
Post subject: Re: Knucklehead
Posted: Sat 16 Oct , 2010 4:51 pm
The Grey Amaretto as Supermega-awesome Proud Heretic Girl
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:( That sounds pretty scary. I'm glad he came out of it okay.

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TheMary
Post subject: Re: Knucklehead
Posted: Wed 20 Oct , 2010 8:53 pm
I took the stars from my eyes, and then I made a map, And knew that somehow I could find my way back; Then I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too - So I stayed in the darkness with you
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Boys :nono: Perhaps the mastiff was just too much of a challenge for even Ranger to resist. I'm glad it all worked out in the end though.

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Lay down
Your sweet and weary head
Night is falling
You’ve come to journey's end
Sleep now
And dream of the ones who came before
They are calling
From across the distant shore

Why do you weep?
What are these tears upon your face?
Soon you will see
All of your fears will pass away
Safe in my arms
You're only sleeping


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