My dog won't defend himself

I really wouldn’t wish witnessing a full-on attack on anyone... and like @Legacy, I reckon that if it actually happens, all the stuff you’ve read or heard doesn’t really help much. From all the accounts I’ve heard on the subject, you mostly just act on instinct. A truly safe way to separate dogs that are locked on—one that’s accessible to everyone—simply doesn’t exist. The good news is that it’s still a rare occurrence, and you can generally avoid throwing your dog into harm's way by properly supervising any encounters or passing other dogs. When it comes to unwanted or even unpleasant encounters, back when I only had my female dog, I could afford to be a bit more "easy-going" with people who don't follow the rules of etiquette on walks (she’s a pretty tolerant girl as long as she isn’t actually being attacked; she doesn’t react any more to a yapping Chihuahua than she would to an acorn falling from an oak tree). Now that I have my Shepherd, though, I have to be much firmer, because those little things that get right up his backside while he’s on the lead really don’t sit well with him. And of course, whenever a big dog reacts to a small one—even if it’s a perfectly normal and justified correction—you immediately hear people screaming in terror! ^^ lol

I’ve noticed that people seem to manage their dogs much better on group walks than when you just bump into someone on the street. Just yesterday in the woods, a Chihuahua came charging out, barking its head off at us. The owners just laughed—because obviously, a tiny Chihuahua couldn't possibly do any harm, right? (Mind you, I know of one that bit a Staffie and ended up literally hanging off its neck; that Staffie was a real sweetheart, luckily). I wasn't laughing quite so much, and I actually hesitated to let Maya off the lead this time, just in case she hurt him while trying to defend herself, even if she was being gentle. I kept walking but he followed us. He soon lost his nerve once he was face-to-face with Maya, which was a relief. I’d almost prefer the owners who scoop up their Chihuahuas and run away when they see us, rather than the ones who let them charge at a dog way bigger than them. In the heat of the moment, you don't really have time to think about which approach to take, unless you’re really used to dealing with that sort of thing.

In my opinion, you're mostly going to find a load of rubbish on the internet. Methods suggesting that you stick a finger up a dog's bum (yes, really) or lift them by their back legs are, in my view, fanciful to say the least. Anyway, you’ve got to keep in mind that if a fight breaks out—a proper one—you usually won’t have the time to react according to some specific technique. You just separate the dogs, trying to ensure there’s as little damage as possible. After that, it’s like any rescue situation: you take whatever measures are necessary to save them.

There are far too many people who have absolutely no control over their dogs... It’s only by setting boundaries and speaking up clearly that you can get a shred of respect. Personally, I don’t hesitate to make myself heard these days. Yesterday, I had to tell a woman who was letting her Pug on a retractable lead get right up the bums of my big dogs (who were on leads) to pull her dog back. She seemed completely shocked by my request. I couldn't care less. My only goals: mutual respect and safety. When they're off-lead, I don't let my dogs harass others, and vice versa. As far as I'm concerned, if you can't effectively tell your dog to leave another one alone, then you should put it back on the lead.

From what you’ve described in your post, that first incident doesn’t really sound like an "attack" from where I’m sitting. If a dog really does attack yours, your only goal is obviously to separate them as quickly as possible—which is often easier said than done if the other dog has locked its jaws. There are various methods suggested online for breaking up dogs that are going at each other or shaking one another, but I can’t speak from personal experience as my dogs have never been involved in an attack like that. I’ve seen plenty of scraps, but never one with a serious bite or a dog shaking another and refusing to let go. Prevention is better than cure, though... Your dog is showing submission specifically to defuse the aggression, which clearly seems to be working since he’s never actually been bitten. Your main priority has to be ensuring your dog’s peace and safety. If your dog isn’t comfortable around another dog or is being harassed, you’re the one who needs to step in and put a stop to it. The fact that your dog submits to others isn’t a problem at all; however, he still needs to be able to just go about his business in peace. If you’re at the park and another dog keeps pestering him or trying to control his every move, it’s up to you to be assertive and make sure he gets some space.

Well, I’d say it’s mostly down to the other owner to take action. Some dogs are all bark and no bite, while others are the exact opposite... I’ve always waited until the very last second and, so far, haven't had any proper scraps to report. But we’ve been lucky enough to come across chill dogs—maybe a bit grumpy, but never actually nasty or with any real intent to do harm. So, they mostly just worked it out between themselves. Owners usually step in because they know their dogs and can see it coming. I occasionally move Maya away if things get a bit too over-excited, but that's probably only happened twice in a year. Knowing her, if she’s on the lead and an off-lead dog charges at us, I’ll let her go. Other owners wouldn't do that, though; it really depends on the dog. Max is friendly, so if you aren't near a road or somewhere dangerous, you could easily let him off-lead (mind you, do you let him off already? I tend to put mine back on the lead when we pass other people or dogs). When mine was attacked by a Border Collie, I called her back and she got between my legs (it’s a trick I taught her) so that she hands over control of the situation to me. But with a truly aggressive dog, you run the risk of being bitten yourself...

Hi there, Thanks for your replies. It really gets to me when another dog growls at my dog, but I have a question: how do you stop a fight? That way I can stop my dog from getting hurt during a scrap, because when another dog growls, mine goes into submission and I’m always worried that since my dog won't get up, the other one will attack. So what should I do? I remember one day when we were in the park and a dog tried to attack my dog. My dog tried to defend himself but couldn't manage it; he tried to bite back and show his teeth (even though the other dog was much smaller). But the other dog definitely had the upper hand. So, how should I react in those situations?

It’s amazing how much our dogs can surprise us in different situations. I know Maya prefers to keep the peace and tends to avoid reactive or aggressive dogs; however, if a dog is being a bit of a pest and she’s had enough, she definitely lets them know! As for the loud, vocal players, she couldn’t care less about the barking and just gets stuck into the play. That said, she’ll stop being so friendly if she actually gets hurt. Her Husky friend once nipped her snout while she was lying down to de-escalate things, and that was the final straw—she had a bit of a spat with her (one of those face-to-face things with their teeth clashing, it’s hard to explain but it wasn't overly aggressive). We separated them and took them for a walk together; after a few minutes of sulking, Maya went over to give her a lick and they were back to playing again. My point is, a dog that doesn't necessarily fight back isn't always a cause for concern or a sign of fear. Often, they just aren't bothered or don't want any trouble. It doesn't mean they'll just stand there and let themselves get mauled. I actually see it as a plus—it means you don't end up in the middle of a dog fight every five minutes, having to pull two 'hard men' apart! 🤭 Max is still young; he’ll find his feet and gain confidence without necessarily becoming a proper bruiser. Or, you might just find you have to step in and stick up for your lad when other dogs are being too pushy.