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Hello! When we were planning on getting Pepper everyone wanted to share their stories of their own doggy memories as a child but also share their horror stories such as dogs taken from gardens, attacked and knocked over
I admit we are very over protective of Pepper, but recently on a walk, a fellow dog walker said their labrador has been attacked twice, recently by a staffie who pulled away from their owner. I know accidents happen, etc but it made me realise I wouldn't know what to do if an aggressive dog came charging towards us when I was walking Pepper alone. Any suggestions on how to protect her should this ever happen?
Voice of doom
Step in front of your dog, make yourself big and scary and yell in a deepish growly voice and step towards the dog. Opening an umbrella in front of it is one way I've heard. Simplest thing is just avoid dogs you aren't sure of. Eg if there are idiots in the park with dogs you know to be dangerous, take another route.
Depends on other dogs intentions. Ben is very fear reactive but when he did get in scraps it is all noise and no damage. He doesn't want to fight and these days is better at letting me deal with dogs and avoiding them.
Poppy has attacked sasha a few times and that's much more aggresive, and she'll bite and hold and not let go, but still very little damage done.
I haven't come across a dog who really wanted to take chunks out of a person or dog before, especially unprovoked.
We have a dog in our neighborhood that is kept behind a chain link fence and it can just squeeze under it. It has attacked my Pittie so when out walking our dogs if I see it before we get to the house we either turn around or go a different direction if I can help it. If I can’t I just put myself between the dogs because my Pittie won’t attack back unless I given the command (she was previously fought before coming to my home) and that is something I will never do, or if she fills my children are in danger and this dog is only interested in her. Unfortunately my husband has had to try to push the dog away on occasion with his foot (thank heavens for work boots) but that was when we first started to walk my dog. Now the owners try to keep the dog in the back yard because I got really defensive and told them off.
Anticipation is your best friend. If you don't know a dog, or know a dog you don't trust, you're best to get your dog under control and on a lead. It's possible being on the lead will make the hostile dog feel less threatened, but in the unfortunate event there is a fight and your dog gets hurt, in the eyes of the law, if he's not on a lead, then he's not under your control. If he's on the lead, you have a better case for damages and/or avoiding vet bills.
If it all happens too quickly, and the fight is already started, then there isn't much you can do until it stops. Shouting doesn't really help, but adds to the confusion and might be misinterpreted as coaching your dog to fight harder.
If you're worried about it, and know there's an aggressive dog in the neighbourhood you're bound to meet sooner or later, you could also carry a football fans air horn or a rape alarm in your pocket. Something unpleasanty loud to give the dog a fright or disorientate him for a few seconds.
I carry an extra leash with me. Contemplating one of possible scenarios - if I have to, I will tie Ari to a post or a tree and use the spare leash to get the other dog.. Not necessarily hook my spare leash to his collar, that may be difficult and dangerous, but I can make a loop and sort or lasso a dog pretty quickly (I think).. Essentially the same technique that vet technicians use when leading a dog away at the vet office.
But this is probably a rather risky thing to do, though.. not for everyone, and not for every dog !!
but also share their horror stories such as dogs taken from gardens, attacked and knocked over 
