My yellow lab Katie and I were on the local bike path, I was rollerblading and she was running along on her leash. The bike path isn't terribly long in that area so Katie and I go back and forth a few times until she's tired. We were coming back from the far end and I said "On your right" as we passed two teenage girls and their Pit Bull. The dog started snarling and lunging and I saw out of the corner of my eye that they were having trouble controlling it as it tried to come after Katie and I. We passed my husband and our old dog Amber and continued to the parking area. I didn't want to run into that pit bull again so we hung around the parking area for a while before heading back down the trail. I was hoping the girls were local and had turned and gone back the way they had come since I had not passed them on the first 3 trips down the path. Unfortunately I was wrong and after slowing for a blind curve came upon them again and the dog went crazy but this time it got loose. The girls were screaming "VICIOUS! NO!, VICIOUS! NO!" and I'm wondering if that's the dogs name (stupid name for a Pit Bull if you want to keep it) or if they are trying to warn me about his temperament as I stopped to deal with their attacking dog. I ran off into the mud to stop as the pit bull (an intact male and maybe 60 pounds) jumped on Katie. He wasn't biting her, yet, and I was reeling in the leash to bring them to me since I couldn't safely leave the mud and deal with the dog without falling. He was clearly trying to dominate her by mounting and after the third attempt she told him in no uncertain terms who the dominant dog was and he gave up on her and came for me. I assumed a position that would allow me to keep my feet and subdue the dog when he got to me (the wrist guards were going to be tested) but luckily the owner tackled him about a foot from me. She didn't have the leash or collar, the other girl was holding that and running toward us, but the owner sat on the dog and covered his eyes and yelled, "Go, just go NOW PLEASE!" I was ticked but didn't see any reason to risk getting my dog hurt so we went on our way. I met my husband down the trail and we stayed at our old dog's pace as we headed toward the truck. Luckily the girls had gone on their way before we arrived at the parking lot.
I was pretty ticked off, what kind of an idiot takes a dog like that out in public? I'm not afraid of dogs and this one certainly didn't scare me but I was concerned for my dog's safety. I suspect if Katie had been male the pit bull would have been more inclined to use his teeth. I certainly didn't appreciate him coming after me and that girl was fixing to be minus a dog. I never even thought to call the cops even though I had my phone. I doubt they could have gotten there fast enough to take possession of the dog, the girls would have been long gone if they knew I had called. This dog had serious issues, I've met a number of Pit Bulls that were great dogs but this wasn't one of them.
End Rant.
Ber :lilbunny:
