Friday, November 20, 2009

In those moments....

In those moments that happen so quickly you don't know how or why...they just happen. Yesterday afternoon on a short walkie, a big lab rushed over to us from an open garage across a wide street. It had a lead attached, and I could see someone in the garage. I thought it was just a greeting, but still healing from her operation, wanting Sierra to continue walking, I kept looking and moving forward.

Then I heard growly sounds, scuffling and then cries from Sierra. The lab was aggressive and had pinned her down. It happened SO fast. The owner quickly came over, reprimanding her dog and pulled him off Sierra. Sierra Rose continued to cry and was shaking. Couldn't believe this had happened. I found myself shaking too. I hugged Sierra, felt her for bite marks. The woman was mumbling something about moving and her dog was not happy about it. I was horrified, and just holding Sierra Rose.

Upon first inspection, I found only a few tufts of hair had been torn from her head. The owner apologized, saying to her dog 'what's gotten in to you?", then said that Sierra didn't seem injured, and went to put her dog in the backyard.

As we started to move away, Sierra was very ginger not wanting to put weight on a back leg and I realized her mouth was bloody. Panic! I memorized the house number on the street, and wondered if we could make it back to the car. I was in tears, and Sierra Rose was very quiet and seemed unsure. Just wanting us to get away and her to safety.

We made it to the car, our vet was able to see her right away. A tooth had gone through her lip and no wounds on her back leg, but probably internal bruising from the weight of the other dog. Her lady op. stitches looked fine. We were sent home with another round of Tramadol and ordered to lay low. I didn't feel that sense of relief yet for her being more or less ok...was just too shocked and upset. She was quiet and sleepy on the car ride home. Gave her lots of TLC and treats at our house.

It took me hours to decompress and reflect on this, as I never want to put my puppy in harm's way. All the "I should have's" and "what ifs" floated around in my head. Pretty upsetting. And, I was very angry for the moment.

Serria Rose is ok. She seemed to recover a lot quicker than I. And, I am so very thankful that the incident did not turn in to a huge attack. She's still a puppy! And, a bit small for her age.

So, we will lay low for a few days...play inside...try to get her to nap a lot. Re-think some of our walks, try to coordinate more walk with pals (mostly her pal, Golden Samantha! Whose mom is a super star friend, and always knows what to do). And, make sure that I feel confident on handling such instances. You just never know....

Aw! Wishing that incident did not happen, but it did, and Sierra Rose is ok. Have a nice weekend friends. Thank you for letting us reflect here.

36 comments:

  1. Oh my! That is a horrible feeling. I'm very glad that things were not any worse, especially right after an operation. I hope both you and she feel better soon.

    I had a dog jump out of a moving car once when I was walking Jack and come rushing toward us. Needless to say, the dog didn't just want to say hello. Fortunately, he never got close enough to Jack as my foot somehow got to him before he got to Jack. The owners did the same thing, but never asked if Jack was ok. I haven't seen them back in the neighborhood again.

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  2. Sierra Rose I am glad your OK hun :)

    I love Golden's and you seem like such a lovely little puppy who is growing up into a lovely lady pup!!

    I am not a dog person but have a soft spot for Golden's as my Uncle had a Golden as i was growing up - She let me play with her and cuddle her and she was great! Hence the reason I follow your blog!

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  3. Oh Man! Abbey and I are relieved Sierra did not suffer more injuries than she did. I know how frightening this is. When the greyhounds went after Abbey a in Oct. - she was a little shaken - I was a wreck. There are times when we go for our afterwork walk - and Abbs doesn't want to head down the street - I now know that means the Greyhounds are either out -or were out recently - (the power of the snout!) so we just take care of business and head right back in - followed by lots of rubs, treats and indoor playing usually not allowed (as we live in an apt.) My heart goes out to you - I just know how upsetting it is - hug Sierra for us both! - Wendy

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  4. Oh no!

    Poor Sierra - AND Poor Sierra's mom -

    Yes, things do happen in a blink of an eye - you did the best you could for her -

    Thanks for sharing this -

    We all need reminders from time to time -

    Please send our furry best to her!

    Hugz&Khysses,
    Khyra, Merdie, and Khyra's Mom

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  5. Oh that is so terrible! My cat-sister Libby got attacked by a rotweiler in our own yard but unfortunately was hurt very badly - she almost died and did lose one of her back legs. We never found out who owned the dog that attacked her and our vet bills were well over $5,000. My mom says her heart goes out to Sierra Rose and to you. It is very upsetting to have another animal attack. We're glad Sierra Rose is doing well. Have a peaceful weekend!

    Pedro & my Mom

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  6. We are so sorry to hear about what happened to Sierra. If you need a body guard on your walks we are available.
    Have a quite weekend.

    Hamish & Sophie

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  7. Oh no! We got all choked up reading this. We are soooo glad you are ok. You will probably recover faster than your Mom. This is a terrible thing to happen and your Mom will be sick about it for some time. So give each other big hugs and kisses. And don't walk by that house again until they move!

    Kisses,
    Emma Rose

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  8. We are so glad you were not badly hurt, Sierra Rose. It is just appalling to me that some pet owners don't seem at all interested in the consequences of their pet's actions. Isn't it good that we have our blog friends to vent too, and be able to work through all those scared and helpless feelings.

    Hope you have a nice quiet weekend and that you both feel better soon.

    Tucker, Daisy and mom Heidi

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  9. Oh my goodness!!! Sierra Rose we are so glad you are ok! You never know whats going to happen! Our mommy always trys to keep a lookout for bad dogs too! It happened to us at a dog park! The guy just left real quick and didnt even ask if we were ok! Sending you hugs and kisses! Joey and Kealani

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  10. I was holding my breath while reading this...Thank goodness it wasn't worse than it was. Poor sweet Sierra girl. I can imagine how upset you both were.
    Hugs to you both,
    Kit

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  11. That sounds very scary, especially for Sierra Rose. Something similar happened when my dog, K, was a puppy. A tooth went through her nostril, leaving a hole. It healed with time... but the people at least offered to pay for her vet bills.

    I'm so glad that Sierra Rose's abdominal incision wasn't ripped open. That would have been a terrible outcome.

    After the event with my puppy, my trainer emphasized exposing her to other similar dogs (in size, breed, etc) who were nice so that my dog wouldn't be afraid of a certain type of dog forever. That didn't happen.

    I'm so glad that you're both OK!

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  12. My Mom is trying not to cry just reading this. We are so sorry that happened to you, it breaks my heart. There is nothing quite so upsetting as inconsiderate dog owners like that, especially when you are just trying to enjoy the world and not remotely expecting something like that to happen. It does make you want to retreat for awhile :( We love you Sierra, and hope your Momma is okay too.

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  13. From Murphy's Mama:
    Oh, poor sweet little girl! I'm so glad she's okay! A similar thing happened when we first adopted Murphy and it scared the crap outta me.

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  14. Well, dear pal, I know you are trying to recover from this horrid event and doing an amazing job of it. In the future, I offer myself up as your furever protectress, defender of all that is good, which in this case, is YOU. We are so terribly upset by this unjustifiable action - and we know this is an extremely safe place to take walkies - we've gone there loads of times. It's a lesson: one just never knows, but best to keep a large beefsteak in one's pocket to throw at offending monsters should they decide to attack. We love you so much, dear Sierra!
    Huge, Monger Hugs, xo
    Sammie

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  15. No no no there is NOTHING you could have done differently. Thank goodness she is ok, that's all that matters. I can't believe you posted this today because this very scenario went through my mind for some reason as I was walking one of my dogs earlier. Nothing triggered it, I just got a very strong "what if" feeling. Strange. I'm just glad she's home with her beautiful snoot in the peanut butter jar. Treat yourself to something too and just relax. She's ok, you're all ok. :)

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  16. One of our Mom's pet peeves - irresponsible owners. Whether that dog had a lead on or not, the owner didn't have him under her control. She should be paying for your bills at the least. We are so glad Sierra Rose wasn't more seriously hurt. Give her some snooter kisses from us.

    Woos, the OP Pack

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  17. So scary, but glad that things were no worse than they turned out.

    Because we hike on back trails so much, I usually have a walking stick with me. A very useful tool to put between The Herd and any approaching dog if necessary.

    I would be sure to keep her out and walking. Don't let her develop a fear of walking from this incident.

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  18. Hi, Sierra Rose and Mom!
    Sure it was scary!
    I am happy to know you are ok!
    Being attacked by a dog its one of my mom's biggest fears! Now, while we walk around, she moves her head like the Exorcist girl!
    Kisses and hugs for you and your Mom!
    Take care
    Lorenza

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  19. Oh no, how very scary - especially when Sierra Rose is recovering from her op!
    We know Sierra Rose will bounce back quicker than mom!!!
    We know it is hard but we agree with The Thundering Herd - you need to get back out there.
    Sierra Rose seems to be a confident puppy and you don't want her having any time to dwell on it.
    Clearly you will avoid that street, that house, that dog!!!!!!
    Hugs and kisses to you both xxxxx

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  20. Sierra Rose, we're so glad you're OK, but we are a bit worried about your Mom. We hope she was able to rest and relax some last night.

    Mom, you might find some little sore hematomas on her in the next few days that didn't show up initially. Sometimes it takes them a day or so to pop through. Carrleigh (who is a rescue) attacked Lilly in my own living room. Of course blood showed up on Carr's white fur but it was almost impossible to find any thing on Lilly. But a couple of days later, I could see where Lilly had been bitten and it didn't break the skin but she had a hard knot.

    I'm so thankful that you are both OK - And that Sierra's lady op was not affected.

    Hugs to you both,
    Lynn

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  21. Woof! Oh! Just have to be extra careful. I (my mom) learned a lesson when I was 1 year old. A mark on my face is a reminder ... I got bit by a crazy mix dog while we were walking. You should report to the police the incident. Our neighborhood have a very strict ordinance for aggressive dogs that are loose or unleash. Glad that you are alright. As always, a jar pf P&J is great way to recover (LOL! a jar ...I do the same thing) Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

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  22. I hope you will mail a copy of the vet's bill to those people, especially since you have the address memorized! Even if you don't really expect them to pay it (although I think they should take responsibility), it might be a wake-up call for them and make them be more careful with their dog.

    Thanks for visiting my blog! Hope we'll meet someday! Sierra Rose is a beauty and is probably about the same age as Cabana (who I'm hoping Cabana will get her lady op soon, too!

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  23. You've done a great job taking care of your little girl. Irresponsible dog owners make the rest of us pay for their mistakes. I hope Sierra Rose continues to heal and that her confidence is not too shaken in the long run.

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  24. Hi Sierra Rose!

    Nice to meet you! I love the photo of you holding the red rose! You are gorgeous in all your adorable photos!

    I'm very glad you feel OK now after that stunning episode. Give a big hug and kiss to your mommy for me! I'm surprised a lab would be a bully toward a puppy. Stay brave! optimistic! and friendly! as Goldies are by nature, and bully dogs will back down when they see you are not afraid them because your positive energy overcomes fears! (I believe it is so). I am so glad to meet you, since we are both golden puppies in the SF Bay Area. Maybe we can meet one day and have a playdate in one of the nice parks and chase balls or frisbies toegether!

    ViVi

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  25. poor sweet puppy. i'm glad she's ok. i bet the owner of the lab was distressed and embarrassed and just wanted to get out of there. her response was not appropriate but i can sort of understand it.

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  26. We are so glad that you are ok. Mom hang in there you are right these things happen way to fast..

    Big Sloppy Kisses
    Gus, Louie and Callie

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  27. That is so scary! It is very hard to think of all the things that could happen. Your mom took good care of you.

    love & wags,
    River

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  28. It's very upsetting when this happens. We once had a dog charge all the way from up the street to attack Dennis right in our own yard. I think we were more stressed out afterwards than he was.

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  29. Hi Sierra Rose,

    It's me again. I was just thinking about you and your Mom. I hope you are both feeling better today.

    Kisses,
    Emma Rose

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  30. OMDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD!!!!!
    Poor baby!!!!
    How very very scary!!!!!!!
    Especially when you are recovering from your op......
    could happen tons of bad things....
    Luckily your mommy was there with you to protect you!!!!
    grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....
    we're soooooooooo sad not living close to you!!!
    We would love to be your protectors....
    Sure....with us near you...nobody could do bad things to you baby!!!
    Pleaseeeeeeee...take care of you...we're sure your mommy will cuddle youa lot so you'll be in Great healthy very very soon!!!
    Pleaseeeeeee dear Sierra....tell to your mommy that our mommy would love to know her next time when she'll come there again next year!!!
    Soooooooooo......be ready ok?????!!!!
    WE LOVE YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!
    Tons of love and kisses!!!
    SMACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!

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  31. We know of lots of dogs and their humans who carry pepper spray with them for those unfortunate times when another dog is not controlled or cannot be controlled. You may want to consider getting some for just those times when things appear to escalate. Given the fact that you walk often in the woods, etc. it would be an excellent addition to your backpack.

    Several years ago I was walking all three of my dogs at once - one was blind. I can't tell you the fear that must have been going down my leash when I noticed that a rather large, unfriendly looking dog was following us and continued to follow us for about two blocks. I was so relieved when we were able to cross the street and make a bee-line for home.

    Give our little sweetie pie a kiss from me - right on the bridge of hier nose - that's where mine get theirs☺

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  32. Hello Siewwa Wose
    You awe so bootiful and I thank you fow stopping by my bloggie.
    I'm so sowwy you had to meet such a nasty doggie..Thank dog you awe all wight. Mommi can just imagine how youw Mom felt. It happened to hew wif one of my angel bwuvvews many yeaws ago..so howwible.
    Stay safe little one
    I love you
    smoochie kisses
    ASTA

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  33. Hi Sierra Rose
    We are so sorry to hear what happened to you.
    That´s so scary! Hope you and your mom are feeling better!
    Take care
    Love you lots.
    hugs and kisses
    Thor and mom

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  34. We are soooooooo glad you are ok!!!!

    I have no patience for dog owners who do not take responsibility for their pets! I can only imagine how you must have felt...Hang in there and give Sierra loves and kisses form us!

    Beth (the Mama) and Dory

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  35. Ooohhhh Sierra Rose!!! I am so sorry to hear about your incident with that dog AND that dog owner!!!! I can't even imagine how terrified you were!!! Mom says she doesn't know where there dogs owners come from, so sad!!! Keep your head held high and take care!!!

    lotsa licks,
    Miley

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  36. My poor Sierra!! What an awful thing to happen to you. I know how you felt 'cuz that's basically what happened during my doggie swim attack, remember? Altho' you really got hurt...I'm so glad it wasn't worse.
    I think we doggies get over those incidents quicker than our humans.
    Your pal,
    Sedona

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