fishtalk, you dog may be emitting some vibes...I don't fully understand dog talk.
Our old lab seemed to attract dogs. He was always on leash and the other dogs he attracted were not. He didn't seek out dogs and dogs on leash were easily avoided.
Once a dog came up to him (after I shouted warnings to an owner if one was nearby) they would go the nose to nose thing, Stewart would be wagging his tale vigorously ... not necessarily a sign of good feelings, I learned ... and then he would attack.
Nothing bad ever happened because he was leashed and the other dog could run away.
He was otherwise gentle and loved people.
Well that's what the Vet seems to think as I said in an earlier post. And like I readily admit, Jo-Ann DOES do that "posturing" thing that dogs do. If dogs are out in their yard when we walk, she barks and gives them her mind, yes she does. But she's never made any attempt to get at dogs in their own yard. Like I said, I think she's barking a warning to those dogs to NOT get any ideas.
Hey, I don't understand dog talk either. But I've been walking this dog for four years now and I know every damn dog in this neighborhood and how Jo-Ann reacts to them.
In fact, these cocker owners have two other dogs and they're always loose. One time I was walking Jo-Ann and their other dog, a mongrel...female, kind of old, was loose. We saw her way the hell down far from her house.
Well Jo-Ann DID bark at the dog but there was a distinct difference at how she behaved at that loose dog. I can tell it. That dog just loped off and hey, it's alive and well.
Now get this...since the incident I've taken to walking Jo-Ann in a nearby community under construction. There are NO houses yet and it's a lovely walk. To hell with these people in this community.
BUT....one time I was walking Jo-Ann and a fellow in a pick-up truck stops and asks me if I've seen a loose Rottweiler.
Well the hair on my arms stood on end. A Rottweiler was loose? Hey, Jo-Ann might be big but she's subject to the laws of nature just like the Pomeranian. A Rottweiler would likely kill Jo-Ann, or at best, really inflict some damage.
I got scared out of my mind even though the pick-up truck guy told me the Rottweiler was a "sweetheart" and his name was even "Huggy-Bear"
I don't care what the hell its name was, I took Jo-Ann and hurried home.
Turns out that this fellow lived in the community next door and his dog was running around, this so-called Huggy-Bear.
This was right after the Pomeranian incident and all I could imagine was a fight between Huggy Bear and Jo-Ann.
Huggy-Bear might be a sweetheart, as his owner sees it, but what the hell, that owner evidently doesn't know the protectiveness of dogs for God's sake.
Yeah, notice all these dogs are running around loose. Now I'm not saying Jo-Ann has never gotten out. Dogs get loose sometimes! But it was four years ago, she never attacked or harmed a damn soul as she galavanted around, and she came right back when I called her.
We paid $3,000 to have a HUGE fence constructed in our yard because I'd be devistated if my dog ever blatantly ATTACKED another dog and for sure I'd have too much pride to ask that dog's owner to pay my Vet's bills. Of course I'd offer to pay the Vet bills of any dog my dog attacked, but then I still have common sense.
I told the SPCA guy that if all dog owners were like me and my husband he wouldn't have a damn job.
Y'all keep my story in mind because if any campaign is taken to go after Jo-Ann and have her euthanized (something the SPCA guy says happens to "vicious" dogs) you'll see me in the paper.
I have every intention of standing in front of Jo-Ann should they ever come to take her. They'll have to arrest me is what I'm saying here. Of course I'll call all the newspapers first.
Let's hope it doesn't come to that.