What would you do

If you came across a dog without an owner, that turns out to be aggressive?

On our walk yesterday morning by the river, I spotted what looked to be a stray white husky type dog a little way down the path. I didn't see an owner and instantly thought, "S*** what if it's aggressive" and jumped back in the hedge and hoped it didn't see us. It did and trotted over  Bane must have sensed I was a bit scared and was growling and barking, hackles all up (he never does this to anyone) and the dog, bless her started jumping around and trying to play, then ran off and disappeared into a hedge.

She was cute, but I was just thinking what if she was aggressive? I was alone with Bane, and don't think I would be able to do much to help a situation if she had attacked him or me.

What would you do if that happened? Or what should you do in that situation?

I have been in this situation when I was attacked by a loose dog earlier this year.

I was walking Rocky on my own early one morning when a dog appeared at my side. There was no one else in sight and it started to have a go at Rocky. It got hold of my arm when I tried to shoo it away from us.

Thankfully a girl jogger stopped along the path and came to my rescue, I don't know what would have happened if she had not stopped. After some time which seemed like hours the owner finally turned up. The girl jogger asked if it was his dog as it had been attacking us. 

The owner said the dog had just bolted out of the car as it did not have a collar on so nothing for us to get hold of. I then managed to get back on with our walk while the guy held the dog only to have it follow us again and started off again at Rocky.

By this stage we were both so stressed out and had to make a run for our car which was about a mile away still., when I got there I was shaking like a leaf. I don't know how I managed to drive home.

Hubby phoned the police and I made a report to them the following day. I had a huge bruise on my arm were the dog had bitten me and I ached from head to foot, I have a permanent injury to my back which was exacerbated by this incident.

We checked Rocky over when I got home and he thankfully only had a couple of bumps on his face.

I would have called the local dog warden possibly the police that wud eliminate ur wee dog from any wrongdoing

Don't know what I'd do, but I dread it happening :-<

It's certainly not a pleasant experience

It happened in reverse to me just an hour ago. In the woods with nobody about Bo decided to rush off and that was that. I didn't hear from him again for 15 minutes, despite looking all over and calling for him, then he appears trotting alongside a couple of walkers as if he'd known them all his life. I apologised to them in case he'd hassled them (he can be overly friendly) but they said he'd been no trouble, just followed them up through the woods. From what they said Bo must have been over half a mile away at one point. Crazy dog.

Both of those stories sound so scary! I've come across strays before on walks but it was before I had Pru, luckily both times the dogs have been friendly. I bent down and offered a hand out each time for them to sniff as a kind of test but perhaps that could have turned nasty if the dogs were aggressive.

Glad everyone is safe and sound. My parents go on long hikes through quiet woods with their labradors and always take a walking stick, which tends make you feel safer if a strange or stray dog approaches.

Oh Kathy! That sounds awful! I can imagine it was so scary and stressful for you both!
fay_elizabeth I have come across a couple and can't help but do the same. Probably shouldn't just in case but would always like to think I can help if I can.
The walking stick is a good idea! You'd just hope you would never need to use it!

Call the dog warden is a must, they are equiped to deal with it. i have found a dog in the woods before, a female husky and i doubled my two on a lead and put one on her. it was an awsome sight and i was able to see alot of marleys traights mirrored in her. called the owner who came to collect her from miles away... and people  ask me why i dont let my two off lead...

I let the dog warden know about her, and when I described the dog she said she knew where she came from, she always escapes and she would stop by and have a chat with the owners...I saw her again this morning on our walk...firstly in a yard, and then a few minutes later following us down the path. The talk obviously didn't do much! 

I walk Lula at 6am so very few people and dogs about. i do met a few but they are always on lead. we did have a lady with two staffs of the lead. me and my son changed direction only for her to do the same. it happened a few times so i called over to her. the lady told us the male dog was friendly but Lula was not happy. i explained she was a little nervous and she said sorry and called her dog back. i was thankful there was a railing between them. the lady then told me it was her female dog that was very unfriendly. I don`t think she should of had the male of lead as it had no recall at all and completely ignored her. The very reason i don`t allow Lula of lead