and I'm just doing my thing right? Heading down sidewalk I've walked hundreds of times...nothing out of the ordinary...pretty nice evening out there. I'm not even 5 minutes from my place...only one block over...
when this roar hits me....and from the front steps of a house not 20 feet from the sidewalk barrels this BIG dog...It got right up to me and sheared away just as the owner shouted at it. I gave it another glance and noticed not only was the dog big...it was huge.
I made it 5 or 6 steps before I went red and turned to the guy and in my sweet endearing [not] way said...you better keep a better handle on that thing. So what does dog-boy say in response to that? "Relaaax"
Well that was it. Out poured the sweetness. I'll ****ing relax you I said before realizing I said it. Then I told him to put the dog in and come talk to me. By now I was shouting and pretty pissed off. RELAX??? You sonofa*****....
So I'm shaking now and walking on down the sidewalk figuring he's not coming though he says he would. After 100 feet or so I'm still growling and cussing to myself and I hear a noise behind me. Well *******...I'll turn around and if it's him. I was pretty pissed.
My first thought was that he might want to scrap me or something so I figured I'd let him know why I was righteously pissed and quite justified in being so. My adrenaline was skyrocketing but I realized he wasn't coming to give me a problem. Younger guy than me an not a hoodlum-y type so I notched myself back a bit. The way he said he'd put the dog in and supposedly confront me had me ready to get a bit serious but he was nothing but apologetic.
That said, his explanation made me laugh right to his face because we've all heard it before...in the media or elsewhere: "He's just a big teddybear"..."loves everyone"...if I introduced you he'd be licking you all over" etc. I asked him how many times he's heard the news reporting that opinion from owners whose dogs had mauled and/or killed someone. He kept apologizing and I told him what if it were a kid...I also told him about the recent dog attack in the news and how a grown adult would have little chance at a thing like that.
What breed is it I asked. You want to know what he tells me? It was a CANE CORSO-ROTTWEILER MIX. Really. A dog that could seriously feck up a heavyweight UFC fighter and likely come out the winner. 100+ pounds of freakish 'not appropriate for a family neighborhood' war dog.
He kept asking to shake my hand and I did but I knew I couldn't just repeat myself about the dangers etc. I did say that the potential was there for that dog to **** up and hurt someone. I asked him if he'd been in the neighborhood long and he said 12 yrs. I don't recall ever seeing that dog and I've been up and down that road multiple times a week for several years. I know I'd notice...I actually like bigger dogs. If they're acclimated socially of course.
Anyway I eventually shook his hand but made sure my grip was pretty strong. I still wanted to let him know it was an incident that should not have happened. A dog like that could do ugly things inside of seconds. What if it was a kid? What if it was ANYONE? You know, he was so profusive in his apologies that I came away wondering if that dog had been complained about before.
On top of it all I'm not oft-times comfortable with folks I don't know. Especially under stress like that. I walked away questioning my handling of the situation and that pissed me off almost as much. I had a RIGHT to be angry. I'm glad I was. I really expected I was going to get into something with this guy. I'm glad it didn't go that way. If he continued with the relaaax ********e it likely would have caught fire.
Now then. Here's some background. I have always been appalled by stories in the news of dog attacks and the 'pittie' phenomena AND the constant denial that certain dog types are not inherently dangerous. Never mind my personal stance...all I know is that some dogs are better at hurting people than others. That's a fact. I've been a walker now for 4+ years. I've had dogs rush me twice and I've see 2 instances of big dogs attacking smaller dogs when their owners were out for a stroll.
It made me think. I'm not going to walk around nekkid when aggressive dogs are out and about. 2 months ago or so I bought coyote spray because I saw a pit-type dog go after a ladies little schnauzer. The guy was able to hold it back but that little dog would have been torn to bits...never mind the damage done to whoever tried to save it. I carry spray and I carry an large ugly folding knife. You want to eat me? Bring it fido.
But hey, I've seen dog attack vids...and I have to be realistic. If a large dog was suddenly upon me, even with what I was carrying, I'd have a pisspoor chance of getting away without serious damage. Dogs like these can easily enough kill. Many people don't realize that. Or don't want to. This guy hoped to placate me and I accept the apology but in his head he was still thinking his little 100+pound sweetheart was nothing but a drooling happy little hugbunny.
I will walk that street again. It's part of my neighbourhood for christ's sake. He said that if he sees me he'll be happy to properly introduce the dog and I said that's ok. I expect it would go fine. That doesn't help anyone else though...or me either if I again strolled by and the same thing happened. If that guy had dropped inside for a quick glass of water from his kitchen I have no doubt I would be at the hospital right now getting sutured. That dog was locomotive-barreling and only veered at the last second when the guy shouted.
Just one more thing to stress the danger here. It was mostly daylight...I had walked earlier today so this was going to be a quick couple of miles...I didn't take my usual deterrent. I was doing a two miler to the grocery store for a couple of bananas. That animal charged so quick [I didn't even notice it sitting there] and covered 15-20 feet so quick...I would never have been able to pull out the spray or the knife before I was being shaken all over the place and getting chewed up. Imagine trying to get at that stuff while THAT shite was happening. A Navy feckin' Seal would have a hard time with that.
No not good. I will now be even more vigilant. I already give up the sidewalk to owners walking dogs. Most anyway. Just out of courtesy in most cases but for sensible reasons if I see the dog is 50-60lbs+. I'm 190 lbs and a bit snarly when needed but I'm no Navy Seal and like I said...Seal Team guys themselves [renowned for toughness etc] would have a hard time taking care of business with something like a %$%!! Corso/Rottweiler in attack mode.
Jeeeesus.
Sorry...had to talk that out. The dog thing when out walking has bothered me for a while now. A few incidents have unnerved me a bit since I began walking and I'm not crazy, stupid-fearless or young anymore.
It all is what it is. Glad the scene didn't evolve between me and the guy. He did seem to be an ok feller at the conclusion. Hope that's the end of it and it probably will be. When I see him again I'll give him a 'how are ya'. What else can be done.
*off for cup of tea and a wind down molar grind*
