Apologies, using this sub again for Wilf!
Our 5mo old boy Wilf is very sociable. When we go to the park, if he sees a dog, he wants to play with him/her. Our local park has a really friendly group of dogs and dog owners. The only issue is that some of these are larger dogs. Super friendly, but larger than a 5mo old whippet! A couple of times recently, while playing with an 7mo Alsatian, who gets just as excited, he has either landed on Wilf or taken him out in some way and Wilf has ended up screaming in pain and hobbling away :(. Fortunately nothing serious so far.
Figuring this group to have encountered similar situations, what did you guys do? We love letting Wilf play freely with the other dogs as he loves it so much, but I worry that inevitably he will play with the Alsatian and what can look like a nice friendly run around at one point can the next second be Wilf getting taken out and in pain.
I’m wondering if we just put Wilf on a lead which we hold the next time the Alsatian turns up. It’s a shame as temperament and age wise they’re so similar, but I don’t want him to get hurt. We haven’t actually been to the park since the latest episode, and Wilf had screamed at him so loudly that maybe he got put in his place for next time (😂) but I’m just working out whats right to do. Any thoughts v much appreciated.
Good morning StL Reddit!
My name is Mark and my partner is Sarah. We lost our dog Monday evening when he ran off.
He was last seen at near Clayton Ave and Hospital Drive in the southeast corner of Forest Park. We suspect he ran through the tunnel under HWY64/40 to Oakland Ave.
If you live, work, or go to school near the area, please keep your eyes peeled. If you see him, please let me know. At this point, we haven't had reports of any sightings and we are just not even sure where to look.
I've created a Facebook page so I can run ads and get the most exposure possible there. The support from the StL pet community has blown me away already.
https://www.facebook.com/FindWillStL
Photos & Flyer: https://imgur.com/a/l17xyQL
And a shoutout to Scott with LTR K9 Resource (https://www.facebook.com/ltrk9). He has helped with a plan and helped keep me clear headed through this.
Thank you ❤
I guess this is a somewhat common issue – but I tried searching and couldn't find any advice.
My 1 year, 3 month old whippet female has started to be a bit of an asshole at the dog park. We thought we had really well socialized her – we live right downtown, so she meets other dogs multiple times a day while walking, plays 2-3 days a week off-leash with other dogs. As a young puppy she occasionally played a bit rough, but she's smarter now and seems to know the limits. She baits other dogs into chasing her, but seems to have a pretty good idea of consensual play with small dogs and big dogs.
However – recently she's started getting randomly set off by other dogs at the dog park. Sometimes it happens immediately, sometimes she's fine for 30 minutes and then a new dog comes and sets her off. There doesn't seem to be any common factor about size or dog breed, or gender – it's like random dogs that somehow she doesn't like, it flips a switch. The only thing I kinda notice about them in common, is that they tend to be slightly more shy dogs, and often around the same age as her or younger.
Basically when she gets triggered for whatever reason, she starts circling them and barking, jumping in for bites, separating them from other dogs, barking very loudly and growling. She becomes impossible to call back – I know you shouldn't "chase" your dog, but honestly she keeps up with the circling and barking unless she's physically restrained.
My two theories are that:
-she's going to be in heat again soon (she had 1 heat already, and I noticed her behaviour was much more nervous around that time)
-she's picking on dogs that don't want to play with her 100%, in which case I'm pretty confused because she seems to have the dog idea of "consent" figured out pretty well otherwise. I'm not sure how to train her out of this bad play behaviour
Any tips or personal experience? I've felt like a complete ass the last few times at the dog park, because my dog is ruining the fun and I struggle to stop her in front of all these nice people I was just talking to and befriending. I mean if she can't be trusted, I can't take her... because it's not fair to other people there.
She got her jaws around it’s neck until it’s owner and myself prized her off. We moved to a new area a month ago, this was the first moment I thought I’d let her off lead to play with a large dog, and she went straight for a small dog on a lead and got around it’s neck. The poor dog was squealing. It was so upsetting. I felt like crying all the way home from the embarrassment, the disappointment and guilt. I moved to this new area because I broke up with my partner, last year we mutually agreed to adopt her. He quickly became resentful of her and she became ‘my’ dog. Now I’m working full time, with a whippet that may attack other dogs. We’re better off in the new place but I’m exhausted and because of the move, I can’t afford a dog trainer or dog walker at the moment, she was getting a lunchtime walk every day before. It’s hard being the sole owner of a dog, but it’s also great. She just woke herself up with her own fart and is stretched across my feet. Has anyone else had any similar experiences?
I am so tired of constantly explaining to everyone - family, neighbors, the cable guy - how the natural body type of my dog's primary breed is thin, and that yes he eats enough, we don't starve him....we actually obtained from the vet his exact caloric needs because we wanted to guarantee he is always hitting his nutrition goals. Just a matter of time before I get reported for animal abuse at this rate! People in the United States are just so used to obsese dogs they're completely unaware of what a healthy weight looks like! I appreciate their concern but its getting a little old.
Also, I would never comment "Wow, your dog is so FAT, are they ok?" so why should the opposite be acceptable?
"Nell's story💔
❌GRAPHIC PHOTO OF NELL AFTER ATTACK IN COMMENTS, I'M NOT GOING TO HIDE HOW OUR PETS DIE. THESE ARE NOT ACCIDENTAL BITES TO THE ARTERY❌
I run a dog daycare in Ontario . I used to be one of those idiots that thought ‘it’s how they’re raised ‘. I took on 2 female pit bulls who were raised from puppies, socialized , dog park, good with kids.....The owners were ‘normal’ people . They were here 13 Wednesdays in a row. They knew my whippet Nell. I have 20 acres plus so we walk the dogs off leash. This happened on the 13 th visit. No warning nothing . I tried to get them off by pulling their hind legs. I got one off. The other one wouldn’t let go. My husband was hitting it with a shovel and it still wouldn’t let go. Took over 1/2 hour to get her off. It took about 20 seconds for them to kill my dog right at my feet!!! I felt so helpless that I couldn’t save her and get those monsters off her. They never ended up putting the dogs down and the owner of the dogs mother sent me an email threatening me about taxes and that she felt more sorry for Layka ‘and the brutal beating she endured under our care’ !!!!!!! If that is not messed up.... nothing is! It’s been three years but not a day goes by that I don’t think about Nell and her horrific death. Since then I try to educated people about pit bulls and how dangerous they are. When I can open one persons mind against this breed ... then Nell didn’t die in vain🙁"
