I had brought Seven and foster greyhound, Sahara Sand. Mom had her three dogs, two small mixed breeds and an Italian greyhound. We were headed back when some noise caught my attention on the ridge to the left of our trail. It sounded like someone did not have control of a dog.
Suddenly, a black mixed breed dog comes down the hill assertively with hackles raised and begins to threaten my Mom's dogs. As one of Mom's dogs tried to get away, I pepper sprayed the unwelcome dog as he ran by me. The dog then started to go after one of Mom's other dogs and I sprayed him again.
By now the owner, her son (five years old maybe), and another dog were on the ridge trying to get the dog to come to them and finally it did, but then they ended up letting go of their other dog and it came down barking.
The woman said something about the dog being friendly (never mind the unfriendly behavior it is also displaying). It got a thump with my foot and a spritz of pepper spray too. Once her dogs were under control, I expressed that her dogs should have been on leash. That she was a stranger that had totally interfered with our walk and that it was inappropriate for her to assume we should trust her and her dogs.
She started to run her mouth and swear at at us in front of her young son who began to repeat what she was saying. Mom and I kind of laughed and said something about her being a really great parent. "KEEP MOVING" she threatened several times. (Well geez, what did you think we were trying to do when you interrupted our walk?)
Finally, my mom and I were quite a ways down the trail when Mother-And-Responsible-Dog-Owner-Of-The-Year (MARDOOTY) realized I pepper sprayed her dog. Well, duh. What did she think I was doing with it? She had even mentioned it in one of her tirades.
MARDOOTY - "You Pepper Sprayed My Dog!"
Me - "Yes."
MARDOOTY - "You Pepper Sprayed My Dog!"
Me - "Yes." (What doesn't she understand?)
MARDOOTY - "You Pepper Sprayed My Dog!"
Me - "Yes." (Is she expecting the answer to change?)
Well, MARDOOTY suddenly takes off in a sprint in my direction leaving her little boy with the two unleashed dogs. I am not sure if she expected me to run or what, but I calmly squared up to await her arrival. Now recall that I still have the foster dog's leash in my left hand (welcome to life after the track, Buddy) and Seven in my right, pepper spray armed hand. She grabs my arm and my shirt and starts to wrestle with me. I kick her in the crotch and spritz her with the pepper spray. Oh my gosh, did I really do that? Yep. I still have a heard time believing I did that, but she charged and put her hands on me. I was actually quite calm about it.
MARDOOTY let go and started to walk off. She threatened to call the police (Would you like to borrow my phone?). So off she went in the other direction while continuing to run her mouth.
I reminded MARDOOTY she could have avoided all of this if her dogs had been leashed. Hopefully that message sinks in as she washes the pepper spray off herself and her dogs and ices her crotch. I just feel sorry for MARDOOTY's son.
I am very thankful that she did not touch my dogs (Mom's dogs were fine too).... she would have a lot more than a bruised crotch to contend with. I can somewhat understand her charge and anger because I would have felt the same way if someone hurt my dogs, but she probably will never take responsibility for her role. Plain and simple, your dog should be leashed if you cannot call it away from distractions or danger.
Lastly, I have to admit I am a little unsettled about returning to that trail. Does a crazy person like that learn her lesson or does she formulate a plan of revenge? I probably will let some time go by before I return.
Hey, Happy Monday! And Happy Birthday, Mom!
